JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tucker is a "pandemic pup." Veterinarian Dr. Susanne Heartstill adores her new dog.
"He's a mama's boy," she says. "I'm home all day. Every day."
But Tucker's comfy lifestyle is about to change. Dr. Heartstill will start to travel again for her job. And she's worried about Tucker.
He's already showing signs of separation anxiety, even when she leaves for a short time now.
Dr. Heartstill knows separation anxiety can make your dog miserable or it can even be a danger. One of her patients actually died. "The dog jumped through the plate glass into a pool and drowned," she recalls.
Dr. Valarie Tynes is also a veterinarian and veterinary behavioralist. She says separation anxiety is fairly common among dogs. "Studies have shown," she says, it happens in "20-40% of the dog population."
Is your dog at high risk for separation anxiety?
Dr. Tynes says yes if your dog is:
- the nervous type
- super scared of noises, such as thunder
- a senior dog (older than age 7)
- a dog new to your home during the pandemic
So, how do you know if your dog has separation anxiety?
Dr. Tynes says people often come home to a pillow ripped to shreds or urine all over the kitchen floor.
"They just think their dog has been bad," she says.
Dr. Tynes says, "I normally require video to make that diagnosis."
Video your dog for 10-15 minutes after you leave
Dr. Tynes says set up a camera or your phone. Go on a short errand or drive around for a while.
Dr. Heartstill did that trial on Tucker. She set a bowl of food down and then left.
"He gets distressed, pants, paces around and still totally ignores his food. That is abnormal," she says.
So, she went to the dog behavior expert, Dr. Tynes. She says if your dog continues to be upset, as Tucker was, for more than 10 minutes after you leave, it could very well be separation anxiety.
How can you keep your dog calmer?
Dr. Tynes suggests:
- Leave your dog for short spurts but always make sure it's a positive experience. "All dogs should receive something wonderful when they're left alone. A single treat or a handful of treats," Dr. Tynes says.
- Don't go out and get a second dog. "I hate to see when people do that," Dr. Tynes says. It rarely helps in a case of separation anxiety, she says.
- Ask your vet about using anti-anxiety medicines, nutraceuticals and pheromones.
Pheromones are how animals communicate with each other. For example, a mama dog releases pheromones, which can calm her puppies. A dog has a little lump in the roof of his mouth where the chemical is taken in. It's not a scent. You can't smell pheromones.
Now pet pharmaceutical companies are reproducing the chemicals in pheromones and putting them in wall plug diffusers or dog collars.
Dr. Tynes works for Ceva Animal Health and says the items can be effective.
We also asked Jacksonville veterinarian, Dr. James Mosley, his opinion on the products said to mimic pheromones.
He says they can help.
Dog appeasing pheromone (DAP/Adaptil) – A synthetic pheromone (chemical secreted by animals to allow communication between individuals of the same species) that can result in some degree of calming in various situations including when alone and experiencing separation anxiety.
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He also says, "Adaptil, Anxitane, Zylkene are all products/medications we recommend here and great medications to assist in the early stages. I think it is appropriate to highlight these specific products as they are the ones that are typically recommended in the early stages by veterinarians. There are so many snake oils on the market that a consumer can easily be taken. Sometimes these medications needed to complemented by others."
Dr. Mosley, Dr. Tynes, and Dr. Heartstill all emphasize a complete plan for helping your dog overcome separation anxiety is important to have. They say beware of ordering something that just looks effective on the internet. It can be a waste of your money and hurt your dog's health.