Pet Separation Anxiety: What Is It?
If you think that your pet has separation anxiety, you’re probably very worried. What is this condition? What are the symptoms, and how in the world do you treat it? Pet separation anxiety is a very common condition in domestic animals, especially dogs and cats. While there are very mild cases of it, it can become more serious if left untreated. Below, we’ll discuss exactly what pet separation anxiety is and what the symptoms are.
Put in a very basic way, separation anxiety is your pet missing you. Many pets are social animals and bond with their owners right away. If pets spend a lot of time with their owners, the bond is even deeper. When you leave your pet, he wants to be with you and doesn’t know when you’ll come back. Animals who have been abandoned in the past often feel separation anxiety with new owners.
Below are some signs that your pet might be experiencing separation anxiety:
- Your pet exhibits signs of distress when you leave. This might include barking, whining, mewing, crying, etc. The pet might try to escape the confines of the house in order to get to you.
- Your pet engages in destructive behavior while you’re gone. This might include tearing up things around the house, using the bathroom inside, etc.
- Your pet is self-mutilating. For dogs, this usually comes in the form of chewing or licking their paws until they’re bloody. Cats might do the same thing while other animals exhibit different self-mutilating behaviors. Birds might pick their own feathers out, etc.
- When you come home, your pet is very hyper; jumping on you, demanding attention, making noise, etc.
These are all some behaviors that your pet can exhibit if he’s suffering from separation anxiety. Luckily, there are many forms of treatment that you can discuss with your veterinarian. Behavior modification therapy is the most common treatment, slowly helping your pet become accustomed to being away from you. For pets who don’t respond to behavior modificaiton, vets may prescribe medications to help soothe the anxiety. It’s best to discuss your options with your vet and make an educated decision from there.
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