Reducing stress and anxiety in pets at christmas time
The holidays can be a stressful time for our pets. With all the new sounds, new scents and new faces it can get a bit overwhelming. Here are a few things to think about before the big day.
Decorations
Moving furniture and the changing environment can cause stress especially in cats. To ease stress and anxiety in pets, think about putting your decorations up gradually. Change one thing a a day and let your pet acclimatize. If they are okay with the change, continue daily until you are fully decorated.
Many decorations we put out are enticing to dogs and cats. Be mindful of the things that your pets can get into and set them up for success.
Keep chocolate and other treats in a place where pets can’t access them. Human christmas treats can contain toxic ingredients warranting an emergency trip to the vet.
Cats are particularly attracted to tinsel which, if ingested, can cause serious issues in the gastrointestinal tract potentially ending in an emergency trip to the vet.
If you have a pet that likes to climb the tree or pick ornaments off, set them up for success by placing the tree or ornaments high enough so they are out of reach, place the tree behind a gate or in a room that can be closed off or if you are extra creative hang the tree upside down from the ceiling (you can look online for more creative ideas too!).
Sound
Do a sound audit – lots of Christmas decorations come equipped with music or movement. Doing a sound audit of your Christmas decorations and your home can help you determine what might cause stress to your pet. If that jazzy dancing Santa is scaring your pet, think about keeping it away from the areas your pet normally hangs out and offer positive reinforcement when its used.
Doorbells - Some dogs can find the sound of doorbells quite distressing. If you have a dog who likes to bark and rush the door, try asking visitors to text you when they arrive, leave the door unlocked for visitors to come in as they please or cover the doorbell and ask visitors to knock upon their arrival instead.
Create a safe zone
Giving your pet a quiet, undisturbed spot to retreat to during festivities can help reduce stress and anxiety. A covered crate away from the hubbub or a room in a separate part of the house are good options. Try to get your pet accustomed to this area before the holidays start and make sure that you are using lots of positive reinforcement so that this area is not thought of as a punishment.
Licky toys – giving your pet a frozen lickable toy in their safe zone can help to keep them occupied during stressful events such as family gatherings. Not only does licking provide distraction but licking also stimulates endorphin release in the brain causing a calming effect.
Some things you can stuff your lickable toy with are:
Peanut butter
Greek yogurt
Pet safe baby food
Wet dog food
Slow feeder filled with kibble and bone broth and frozen
White noise – adding white noise to your pets safe zone can help drown out any noise that your pet may find stressful and create a more relaxing environment.
Some examples are:
Fans
TV or radio at a low volume
Calming music made specifically for pets
Pheromones - Using pheromones such as Feliway or Adaptil can help to make your pet feel more
secure, comfortable and happy in their environment. Try diffusing feliway or adaptil
with a wall plug-in in the room your pet spends the most time in or use the spray on a
bandana and place it around their neck (remember to let the spray dry for 15 minutes
before placing the bandana on the animal).
Fireworks
Fireworks on new years eve can be an extreme source of anxiety for some pets causing a high level of distress resulting in pacing, panting, vocalizing, and even running away.
To prepare your pets for ringing in the new year:
create a safe zone for them away from windows
utilize white noise to dampen the sound of fireworks
speak with your vet about anti-anxiety medication if necessary
know your cities schedule for professional fireworks and keep pets inside
take your pet out for a bathroom break BEFORE fireworks are scheduled to start and well after they finish
make sure all your pets identification is on and the information is up to date
if you are going out to watch fireworks, keep your pet’s at home - they will thank you!
Medication
All pets can be affected by the hustle and bustle of the holiday season but there are some that might have a more difficult time adjusting such as:
geriatric pets
pets with pre-existing fear and anxiety
newly adopted pets
With pets that are struggling to cope during the holidays, there are nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products that we can have on board to ease stress and anxiety.
Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals are nutritional supplements that do not fall in the approved drug or herbal remedy categories. They are often derived from food sources that have additional health benefits like calming. A few examples are A-Casozepine (milk protein derivative), L-Theanine (green tea derivative) or probiotics (bifidobacterium, lactobacilius). These usually have milder affects than pharmaceuticals and may be a good option for pets experiencing mild stress and anxiety, with other diseases as they have low side effects or with owners hesitant to medicate.
Pharmaceuticals
Short term stress management - these medications can take the edge off during stressful situations and can provide mild sedation. They are short acting and are usually given a few hours before the stressful event. When used only for specific situations, they usually wear off within 12-24 hours. Depending on your pets level of anxiety, these medications can be given alone or sometimes in combination with long term medications.
Long term stress management - these medications are used for pets experiencing a higher level of stress and anxiety on a regular basis. These medications are given daily and it can take up to 8 weeks before you see results. When taking your pet off these medications, they must be weaned and not stopped abruptly. Some short term anxiety medication or nutraceuticals can be given in combination with these medications during a particularly stressful event.