Modern metropolitan life is fast and loud and stress is an unavoidable reality for not only us humans but also our precious pets. There can be many reasons for your household pet to feel stressed, from temporary stressors to environmental changes and even health issues.
Change in environment and disruption of routine: for example, moving to a new house
Too many people or strangers in the home
Loud noises such as construction, firecrackers during festivals and celebrations, traffic
A family member leaving the home for an extended period
Death in the household
Even happy moments like the arrival of a new member in the home such as a spouse or a child may cause your pet to be anxious
Health related issues such as indigestion, arthritis or an injury
What are the signs?
While human beings can easily communicate the cause of their stress to their loved ones and get help, our pets are more limited in their expression. This is precisely why pet parents must learn to recognise signs of stress in them and become their advocate so as to help them tide over the problem.
Excessive grooming
Licking or grooming in pets is a self-soothing practice. An excess of this practice may signal discomfort or stress.
Loss of appetite
If your pet refuses to accept his favourite treat or is nowhere near as excited about meal-time as they usually would be, it may point to anxiety.
Digestive issues
Your otherwise healthy pet getting sudden diarrhoea or throwing up for no apparent reason.
Inactivity or lethargy
If your faster-than-the-speed-of-light pet chooses to remain tucked into their bed or a corner of the house for long periods of time.
Unregulated bowel movement or urination
Is your well-disciplined potty-trained pet having unwelcome ‘accidents’ at odd times and at odd places in the house? It may be due to stress.
Escaping or hiding
If your pet is cowering under a table, seeking shelter under your bed or slipping under the blanket, it may be due to the uneasiness that they may be facing.
Panting
Panting is a mechanism used by dogs to deal with heat, excitement and even stress.
Excessive and uncharacteristic aggression
If your usually mellow pet has all of a sudden taken on the mantel of violence or aggression, they may not be doing it on purpose and it may have been brought on by increased stress or anxiety.
Excessive shedding, drooling, yawning, whining, barking
Hard to believe but all these could be signs of stress in your pet.
Body language
Spotting ‘whale eyes’ or the whites in your dog’s eyes, ears pinned back against the head, tucking of their tail unprompted, crouching or trembling, all could be on account of stress.
What can you do to help?
In the case of immediate environmental stressors, you must get your pet to a safe and comfortable space so as to remove the cause of stress from their vicinity. In case of no obvious environmental stressors, following are some tried and tested ways of helping your stressed pet relax:
Exercise
The most potent way of helping your pet deal with stress is engaging them in physical activities such as walking, running, swimming or indoor activities like the classic game of fetch.
Chew toys and treats
There’s a reason why your dog likes chewing on your favourite shoes, it’s because it’s calming. Therefore, getting some tasty chewable treats and toys for them could help alleviate the stress.
Mental activities
Engaging mental exercises such as hiding treats in the home for them to find or various other kinds of pet puzzles can help take their mind off the source of their stress.
Go to the vet
However, if none of the above-listed remedies seem to help your darling pet feel better, it may be time to get them to the vet.
References:
9 Signs of Stress in Dogs & Cats and How to Relieve Them – Furtropolis (outwardhound.com)
How To Recognize Signs Of Stress In Your Pet - Care First Animal Hospital
How to Identify Stress in your Pets (soulveda.com)
Signs That Your Pet is Stressed and How to Help Them Cope | Exceptional Pets
Signs Your Dog is Stressed and How to Relieve It | VCA Animal Hospital (vcahospitals.com)
