Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
If you’ve ever seen yours or another pet with debilitating fear and anxiety, it’s heartbreaking. It’s not easy to watch your pet shaking uncontrollably, drooling, panting, and seemingly fearful for their lives. With summer in full swing, it’s the time of year that many pet owners with anxious dogs dread. Afternoon storms happen regularly here in Florida, and pets that exhibit anxiety with booming clashes of thunder and lightning can be a nerve-racking situation for the pet and the owner alike. The same hold true for fireworks, which scare most pets due to their loud, machine like pops and constant firing.
As a pet owner, it’s stressful to see them in such disarray and hysterics. It’s also dangerous for the pet; just as anxiety is unhealthy for people, pets can suffer physical impairments, aggression, depression, heart attacks, and strokes from apprehension. There are several options to make them calmer and you less worried about their overall health and wellness.
How can you make your pets life a little more stress-free in this season of storms?
Natural forms of calming supplements can ease your pet’s anxiety. If a storm is approaching or fireworks are expected (hello fourth of July), giving your pet the recommended dosage of these all natural anti-anxiety meds can help your pet to feel more at ease during a storm. Some of these include ingredients like melatonin, L-tryptophan, thiamine and some even have CBD oil to help ease anxiety. It’s helpful to give them a calming supplement (treat form or tablet) before an event or episode is in full swing.
Veterinarians also offer stronger anti-anxiety medications by prescription, depending on the severity of your pet’s disorder. It’s important to speak to your veterinarian about these medications before the season gets into full swing.
Anti-Anxiety Medications Commonly Prescribed for Pets
• Alprazolam (Xanax)
• Amitriptyline
• Buspirone
• Clomipramine (Clomicalm)
• Dexmedetomidine (Sileo)
• Diazepam (Valium)
• Fluoxetine (Reconcile or Prozac)
• Lorazepam (Ativan)
• Paroxetine (Paxil)
• Sertraline (Zoloft)
The ThunderShirt® works for some animals. It’s in a sense, similar to swaddling a baby, as the ThunderShirt® wraps snuggly around your pet making them feel more at ease. Gently holding your pet and reassuring them that it’s okay is helpful as well.
If you’re not going to be home, putting on soft music, or the TV can add a buffer for the noise of the thunder and heavy winds. Also, closing the blinds or curtains can help a pet feel more shielded from the storm.
It’s critical too never scold your pet for being scared and to NEVER leave your pet outside in storm!
Pets get nervous too, and they can sense their human parent’s anxiety. Just as anxiety is unhealthy for people, pets can suffer physical impairments, aggression, depression, heart attacks, and strokes from apprehension.
Oasis Animal Hospital also offers stronger anti-anxiety medications by prescription, depending on the severity of your pet’s disorder. It’s important to speak to your veterinarian about these medications before hurricane and storm season sneaks up on us.
Contact Animal Oasis Veterinary Hospital to schedule vaccinations, pick up paperwork, and extra medications for your pets today!
Animal Oasis Veterinary Hospital in Naples offers the most up to date and progressive veterinary services for your pets. Ranging from Laser Surgery, Ultrasound, Dental Xrays, Radiology, Full Pharmacy, and In House Diagnostics, Animal Oasis Veterinary Hospital provides your pets with the necessary options for treatment.
We look forward to giving you the best customer experience. From fresh cookies, coffees, and sodas in our front lobby, to the nice, warm smiles to welcome you as you enter, and our flat screen televisions in each exam room for your enjoyment, we know you will love it here. Thanks for giving us this opportunity to earn your business.
ANIMAL OASIS VETERINARY HOSPITAL
239-431-9667
www.aovethospital.com
