To make living possible in a new country where we have not yet found jobs, we decided to pet sit, in trade, for free accommodation. Our first roommate is Karma, a dog that shows alarmingly similar characteristics that I find in myself. We’re both a little needy, love to cuddle, get excited about outings and adventures, and both a little shy about meeting new friends.

Karma experiences some anxiety as well. We’ve only witnessed it in two scenarios. The first is Separation Anxiety, which her dad has nailed down a system to where she can’t damage things or escape. Separation Anxiety is when a dog becomes panicked by the separation of their guardian. They often will try to escape or become destructive. The second scenario in which we’ve witnessed Karma’s anxiety is during storms. This is also common in dogs and even in cats. In Karma’s case it’s pretty severe.

Every pet is different, Karma tucks her tail, pants heavily, but her priority is to be with us and even tries to comfort herself by climbing on top of us. She will pant so heavily and get so stressed sometimes that she throws up. During one of her more severe attacks I realized that other people experience this with their pets and are in search of ways to calm their pets on the spot.

Please note that if your pet experiences anxiety you should take them to a vet and also a trainer or behaviorist to find long-term solutions for them. Karma is on daily medication for her anxiety prescribed by her veterinarian, but this may not be necessary for your pet, but only a veterinarian will be able to make this decision with you. I am going to list for you the items to have on hand in the case that your pet is facing some sort of anxiety. These will not work for all pets, but sometimes they do. It is at the very least something to try to help your pet cope with anxiety.

Pet Anxiety Pack
1. Lavender Scented Plug In
2. Thunder Shirt (They are available to cats and dogs)
3. “Through a Dog’s/Cat’s Ear” Soundtrack
4. Acupressure Handout
5. Kong or some sort of Positive “Busy” Treat Stimulus
6. Patience

I want to say again that this will NOT replace any veterinary care or treatment from a trainer or behaviorist, but hopefully it will put you in the right direction.

Lavender Scented Plug In: Lavender is a calming scent. The University of Maryland Medical Center even stated, “Research has confirmed that lavender produces slight calming, soothing, and sedative effects when its scent is inhaled.” This applies to not only humans, but in cats and dogs as well. A simple plug in from your local store may point your pet in the direction of calming down. Pheromone products have also helped animals in this area. There are products available for both dogs and cats. Keep in mind that sometimes cats could hate the cat version and prefer the dog version and vise versa. I have seen it when working along on cases with a behaviorist. The easiest way to test it is to see if the pet seems to enjoy the smell or seems to shy away from it or even more aggressively pull away from it. You can spray or drip it on a towel to test.
-Feliway: Feliway is used for cats. They utilize a pheromone cats naturally leave behind when they are feeling comfortable. This pheromone is odorless to humans, but all too familiar to cats. You can purchase it in a spray or plug in. It can also be used to help treat spraying, putting your cat in a carrier, etc.
http://www.feliway.com/
-DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone): DAP is used for dogs. It works in a similar manner to Feliway. It releases pheromones to help calm the dog during stressful situations, such as during a storm, if you’re moving, etc. It can be purchased as a dog collar, plug in or spray.
http://www.dapdiffuser.com/
-Bach Flower Remedies: Bach’s website puts what they do best by stating, “Dr. Edward Bach discovered the Original Bach Flower Remedies which is a system of 38 Flower Remedies that corrects emotional imbalances where negative emotions are replaced with positive. The Bach Flower Remedies work in conjunction with herbs, homeopathy and medications and are safe for everyone, including children, pregnant women, pets, elderly and even plants.” Bach’s Flower Remedies are a little more difficult to learn, but you can create essences that truly target a specific behavior. The most common that is used with pets is “Rescue Remedy.” It is used for animals that are fearful or experiencing some sort of anxiety. It is most commonly used by placing drops into your pet’s water bowl. The best part about Bach’s Remedies is you can use it as well!
http://www.bachflower.com

2. Thunder Shirt: Thunder shirt is a shirt with a variety of Velcro flaps that are used to snuggly fit around a dog or cats torso. The science of using pressure to help calm people and pets has been explored and proven. It is a common practice in infants and in people with Autism. This is where Thunder Shirt uses the same methods in calming pets. I found the best way to understand how this works is to watch a movie about Temple Grandin, an extremely interesting and brilliant women who helped discover and explore these methods. The movie is simply titled, “Temple Grandin.”
http://www.thundershirt.com

3. Through a Dog’s/Cat’s Ear: These are musical tracks designed to help reduce stress in cats and dogs through auditory methods. They state, “The over-arching psychoacoustic theory informing Through a Dog’s Ear is summed up in just two words — simple sound. This term refers to the process of minimizing intricate auditory information found in most music. The music of Dog’s Ear is intentionally selected, arranged and recorded to provide easeful auditory assimilation.” Some shelters, doggie daycares, or other animal related business will play these tracks in order to reduce the stress of the group. It is worth a download and is quite nice to the human ear as well!

4. Pet Acupressure: I am sure you’ve heard of Acupressure in humans, but it applies to pets as well. There is a handout attached about basic calming points in pets. It works in cats and dogs. The points on the feet are more successful in dogs and the ones on the face work well for cats. It’s basically a little massage. Talk to a trainer about the correct way to do this for your pet.

dog-acupressure

5. Kong: Sometimes simple distractions will be enough to turn your pet’s attention from a stressful situation and onto an activity. Kong treat dispensers are great and can be filled with treats that your pets have to work out to receive. You can also put peanut butter or plain yogurt inside and freeze it, for it to last longer. There are also a variety of food puzzles and other interactive tools out there to distract your pet.

6. Patience: Some times having a panicked pet can get frustrating… It can keep you up all night, make you late or cause you to change your plans. Try your hardest to take a step back and picture what is going through your pet’s head. This is not the time to get upset with your pet, it will only make them more scared. Just try to see what they’re experiencing as truly terrifying or stressful and try your best to stay patient and make progress with them, they need you.

I hope that these tips and ideas will point you and your pet in the direction of relieving the stress of a pet having anxiety. To have these things on hand will not only increase the chances of calming your pet down, but also give you things to try in times of feeling hopeless on what to do. Rescues and Shelters you might want to try putting together some of these packs to have on hand for new foster parents or for new pets that may have some unexpected anxiety. Some of these things are a little pricey, but we have gotten most of these items donated from the company directly, so it’s worth a shot!

Do you have any other ideas that have worked when calming down a pet with anxiety? Tell us in the comments!