Stress in dogs. How to take care of ,best infos

Stress is a biological and psychological reaction to a new or unusual situation (“aggression”) that requires an effort to adapt.

Well known in humans, it also frequently affects animals, especially dogs.

It is therefore useful to know the situations likely to cause stress in our pets, in order to prevent their potentially harmful effects or to combat them early.

The Origins of stress in dogs

Stress results in dogs having difficulty adapting to new situations/stimulations or to the constraints of their daily life. In our pets, stress factors are numerous, and can be the cause of the secondary development of anxiety or phobias.

The events likely to cause stress in dogs can vary greatly from one animal to another, for example depending on:

– his temperament: some dogs are more sensitive to stress and minor changes in their habits disturb them

– the living conditions during the first months: dogs raised with little external stimulation then undergo repeated stress when they find themselves in an environment where they are confronted with a lot of noise, people…

– the education he has received: for example, measures to reduce the risk of hyper-attachment limit the risk of stress (and separation anxiety) when the dog is left alone.

The main new situations that can constitute it factors include:

– changes in the living environment, the environment:

. arrival in a new home following adoption, moving, pension, vacation, hospitalization…

. arrival or departure of a member of the household (human or animal): birth, death, adoption of a new animal…

– one-off/temporary changes in its environment: unusual noises (such as thunderstorms or firecrackers, but also vacuum cleaner, washing machine, vehicle noise, etc.), light variations (lightning), travel (car transport, plane, etc.) , unknown visitors, work in the home, repeated periods of loneliness or separation from the people to whom he is (hyper)attached

– changes in habits, daily routine: methods of distributing meals, hours of walks, etc.
Signs of stress in dogs
As for the causes, the possible manifestations of stress are numerous but vary, whether by their nature or their intensity, from one animal to another and according to the origin of the stressful events, their duration, their repetition…

In some cases, the stress-provoking event is accompanied by obvious signs, which are mainly manifestations of fear: in particular, the dog flees, hides, is hyperactive, shows threatening reactions, barks or vocalizes, his pupils dilate, his hair is bristling, he is panting or shaking, for example during a storm, when the vacuum cleaner is turned on, in front of strangers, etc.; he sweats on the pads of his paws during a consultation with the veterinarian…

In other situations where the stressful events do not cause fear reactions (for example, if faced with changes in his living environment or his habits), stress can be difficult to detect in the first stages, in the absence of obvious manifestations. He can for example simply be slightly less or more active, seek a little more or a little less contact with his masters…

In any case, long-lasting or repeated stress often leads to the exacerbation of manifestations and the development of anxiety or phobias. When the animal enters this more advanced phase, it generally expresses evocative disorders.

These may include biological disorders, such as digestive disorders (eg diarrhea and vomiting), and behavioral changes: barking, sleep disturbances, eating, drinking, excessive licking and self-harm , refusal of contact and sometimes biting, destruction (biting or scratching objects)…

The stress generated by prolonged hospitalization or during convalescence (for example during persistent pain) can slow healing.

Many of the signs that appear during stress and anxiety can also be expressed during various illnesses. It is therefore advisable to consult a veterinarian who will first rule out a health problem, then research the causes of the stress and determine the appropriate measures to take care of it.

How to prevent and reduce stress in your dog?
Whenever possible, it is better to try to prevent stress, rather than having to fight against its harmful effects.

First place, to limit a dog’s sensitivity to stressors, it is important that he is gradually confronted and accustomed from an early age (the first months are in fact decisive) to the potentially stressful events that he will commonly encounter during course of its existence. The veterinarian is then a valuable source of advice for the education of your puppy.

Preventing or fighting against stress (and the development of pathological phenomena of anxiety) also consists in not exposing it to stress factors, or in restoring safe conditions for the dog. For this, it is generally necessary to provide him with a stable living environment and balanced living conditions (environment, social situation).

When the measures that consist in acting on the environment of the animal are not possible or sufficient and the dog suffers from exposure to stressful events, it is necessary to have recourse to a veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist, for specific support adapted to the situation. Behavioral measures may in particular be introduced in order to improve the ability to adapt and tolerance to potentially stressful events from which the dog cannot be withdrawn.

In addition, certain non-drug products can have a soothing effect and help the dog adapt to stressful situations and thus prevent or limit the harmful manifestations linked to stress: food supplements (administered orally), products based on pheromones or essential oils (in the form of a spray, diffuser or necklaces).

The use of these products is particularly useful as a preventive measure when the animal is going to be confronted with a situation or foreseeable stressful stimuli: moving house, adoption of a new congener, car trip, visit to the veterinarian, fireworks July 14…

In advanced stages (especially during an anxious state), dealing with the harmful effects of stress may require long behavioral therapies, sometimes combined with restrictive medical treatments