We often remain oblivious to the
idea that pets—animals and birds— also suffer from stress. Pets are extremely
sensitive to their surroundings and are known to develop emotional bonding with
their owners as well as fellow pets. 'Change' triggers stress in animals the
same way it triggers stress in humans. Health conditions also affect the pets'
psychological state.
Conditions such as illnesses,
travel, breeding, separation from owner, shifting, addition or loss of a family
member or another household pet, can cause stress in animals. In such cases,
pets become extremely bored or show symptoms of severe stress such as fear,
anxiety and restlessness.
A bored pet dog would slowly
chew, destroy things or move objects in and around the household, eat or drink
excessively, and sometimes, even create inflammation conditions like "lick
granuloma" (usually an ulcerated area on a dog's
wrist or ankle caused by the
dog's own incessant licking ). They also tend to bark a lot when they are
bored. Stressed out dogs show signs of shaking, trembling, restlessness and
destructiveness. It is just as important to treat boredom, as it is to treat
anxiety.
Tips to Keep Your Pets in Good Humor
• Provide exercise to your pet
dog several times a day.
• Don't take the same route
everyday when you take your dog for a walk.
• Don't use corrective measures
such as yelling and hitting since they only increase anxiety in pets.
• Don't let the pet 'lounge'
around. Be sure to provide enough stimuli to your pets when you are present at
home. play with them and pet them.
• Contrary to popular belief,
getting another pet, as company for a lonely pet, does not necessarily
alleviate boredom. If only your bored pet has a strong personality, you may
find that it teaches its companion how to break the boredom.
• If your dog has developed lick
granulomas, seek medical a well as behavioral attention to break that habit.
• If your dog is exhibiting
behavior that is indicative of separation anxiety, seek help from a qualified
professional as soon as possible, because not all dogs respond to a standard
treatment.
Behavior therapy in conjunction
with medication can alleviate stress in pets.
__________________
0 facebook:
Post a Comment