Pet Anxiety and Stress | Well Pet Post Blog | Lambert Vet Supply
We’re in the last stretches of May and spring will be over before we know it. Already, we’ve experienced April showers and a round of storms, and we’re bound to hear a few more thunderclaps heading into summer. What’s more, in a few weeks, the air will be rattled with an all-too-familiar sound we look forward to every year. Fireworks! Lots and lots of fireworks! However, while we can easily tolerate the claps of Mother Nature and while we certainly enjoy the spectacle of Independence Day celebrations, for our furry friends, summer can be a time of great stress and anxiety.
Animals have very sensitive earsmuch more sensitive than ours. As a result, noises which are merely exhilarating for us (thunderclaps, fireworks, etc.) can be downright terrifying for them. This is why it’s not uncommon to find your cat or dog hiding underneath the bed during your neighbor’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show. Obviously, you cannot be around to comfort your pet 24/7: sometimes it’s storming while you’re at work, and it would be a bummer to miss the annual block party this summer. On the other hand, you’ll want to do everything you can to keep your pet calm and relaxed during these times of stress. Thankfully, there is a solution. In fact, there are many solutions! Listed below are the ones we recommend. Some are strategies you can practice at home. Others are products (available for purchase right here at Lambert Vet Supply!) which help reduce stress in our furry friends. Let’s start with some basic strategies.
Keep Pets Indoors to Lessen Pet Anxiety
Leaving your pet outdoors during a thunderstorm (even if they have shelter) or during Fourth of July festivities is never a good idea. Outside, their ears have no protection at all from the constant noise. It’s best they remain indoors, especially if they have access to a room that’s relatively sound-proof. Take them outside to relieve themselves as needed, but they should spend the majority of their time indoors until the noise simmers down or goes away. This is a great first step to reducing pet anxiety.
Try to Be Home With Your Pet as Much as Possible
As their best friend, you can help in reducing your pet’s anxiety simply by being near them. Just spending more time with them during a thunderstorm has the potential to help them feel more relaxed and secure, as they are with someone they trust and rely on. Your company can benefit them during those Fourth of July festivities as well. During the annual fireworks show on your block, you should periodically step inside your house and check on your pet to see how they’re doing and give them some company. Just seeing you again for a couple of minutes might help them calm down.
Calming Supplements for Anxious Pets
Now for some commercially available products which help relieve pet anxiety. When it comes to helping alleviate cat and dog anxiety, there are a number of products you can purchase right here on Lambert Vet Supply. One of our recommendations for relieving dog anxiety, is Cosequin® Calm, it us bone-shaped and enhanced with a mouth-watering, delectable flavor. These chews encourage your pet to consume them and the key ingredients produce a calming effect. There are also different calming and anxiety products that are dispensed in different forms, such as tablets, chews, chew tabs, and liquids. Another choice is cat or dog pheromone products that send calming messages via sprays, collars, or diffusers that are product specific to each species. Adaptil travel spray is a popular dog pheromone product.
Nutrition Gel for Cats and Dog Anxiety
Rich with vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids, Nutri-Vyte High Calorie Nutrition Gel helps pets recover energy and nutrients lost when they become frightened and stressed. It is a flavorful nutritional supplement with an enticing flavor.