Pet Behaviour


 Symptoms and Solutions 
scared pup

Behavioural Problems

There are a range of stress related behavioural problems that manifest themselves in a number of ways and they include the following:

  • Compulsive obsessive behaviours like incessant licking of paws or other parts of the body.
  • Separation anxiety
  • Territorial spraying and urinating
  • Barking and biting
  • Age related Alzheimer’s
  • Excessive fear of load noises, fire crackers, thunder
  • Fears and Phobias
  • Aggression
  • Hormone based behavioural issues

Causes

These are many and varied for each of the behaviours mentioned above. Most of the conditions tend to have a trigger point and in most cases desensitizing and/or retraining the pet is the preferred method of addressing the problem. Some reasons for unacceptable pet behaviors.

  • Insufficient daily exercise.
  • Boredom
  • Genuine and warranted fear.
  • Underlying pain or illness.
  • Low levels of lipids covering cell walls and nerve fibres.
  • Insufficient and ambiguous training methods.
  • Lack of a predictable routine.
  • Low levels of serotonin.
  • Excessive levels of cortisol (stress hormone)
  • Adrenal exhaustion and problems
  • Elevating the dog’s status by allowing him to sleep on your bed etc
  • Encouraging dominant behaviors in dogs leading to aggression.
  • Poor travelers car sickness and anxiety.
  • Fears and phobias
  • Canine Cognitive Dysfunction CCD

Veterinary Medications

These include the following:

  • Anti -anxiety medications alprazolam (Xanax) buspirone (Bu Spar) diazepam ( Valium)
  • Anti-depressants Fluoxextine (Prozac) amitriptyline, (Elavil), clomipramine (Clomicalm)
  • Anti-obsessives: clomipramine (Clomicalm), Fluoxextine (Prozac)
  • Canine Alzheimers deprenyl (Anipryl)
  • CCD Anipryl

Alternative and Herbal Treatment

 

Before resorting to drugs and /or their herbal equivalents start by diagnosing your pet’s behavioural problem and then modify its behaviour through training.

Some of the above medications have a similar herbal equivalent. Before using herbal extracts always check with your vet first and do not combine them with any veterinary products until you have cleared it with your vet.

  • For compulsive obsessive behaviour Hypericum perforatum (St John’s wort) may be used as an alternative to Prozac. Supplements like Melatonin may be given.
  • For anxiety especially during thunder storms or during fireworks valeriana officinalis.
  • Adrenal exhaustion and over production of cortisol Vitex agnus
  • Canine Alzheimers a combination of Gingko biloba and Withania somnifera may help along with omega oil supplements.
  • Poor travellers and ones that tend to get car sick  Chamomile
  • CCD ginkgo biloba Note do not use if the pet is scheduled for surgery or in combination with Anipryl.

 

 

 

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