Pets can feel just as much anxiety as humans do, especially around the holidays with large crowds and loud music. It is important to be able to recognize signs of anxiety in your pets so that you can help them destress. Excessive panting, salivation, pacing, hiding, or not eating are just some of the many indicators that your pet is overwhelmed! Below is a list of actions to take in order to comfort them.
What to do:
Safe Space – This should be an area that feels comfortable for your pet, usually somewhere quiet and less chaotic. It should be set up a few weeks before an event to get them accustomed to going to that area. Gradually increasing their exposure to this space will make it natural for them to go when they feel uncomfortable. White noise playing in the background can also comfort them.
New Toys – A set of new puzzles or their favorite old toys can keep your pet occupied and distracted from the anxiety-inducing environment around them. Old toys can also provide them comfort and a sense of consistency, while new toys can invoke excitement and induce a better mood!
Long Lasting Chews – Aside from being tasteful and durable, there are several uniquely shaped special treats, such as candy canes and trees, made specifically for the holiday season. Long lasting chews engage your pet’s jaw muscles, causing the release of endorphins, or feel-good chemicals in the brain. Similar to the stress-relieving effects of fidget toys, chewing on these treats can provide a soothing distraction for dogs, especially when left alone.
Exercise Beforehand – Before the holiday gathering, it may be helpful to provide plenty of exercise for your dog. Common dog-related exercise consists of hiking, running, playing fetch, or even walking around the park. Unlike dogs, cats should get at least 15-20 minutes of play time, such as chasing a ball, felt mice, or fishing pole. Also consider cleaning their litter box!
Consistent Monitoring – During an event, you should consider checking on your pet every 1-2 hours, or 30-60 minutes to ensure they are not having separation anxiety. Every time you visit your pet, consider talking to them, playing with them, or petting them. If they’re open to eating, you can even offer some treats. If your furry friend doesn’t seem too anxious, you can even consider bringing them out of their safe space for a brief visit at the event.
Remote Treat Dispenser – Purchasing a remote treat dispenser may be a suitable option for dogs who enjoy snacking. When alone in their safe space, your canine can press the release button which will prompt the device to release treats into the built-in feeding tray. The device’s engaging interaction and snack production is a great way to relieve your pet’s holiday stress and boredom, and is a great way to prevent stress before they even show signs of anxiety.
Many common indoor plants or outdoor plants can actually be harmful to your pet. Here is a list of 5 poisonous common plants that pet owners may not suspect and their symptoms!
1. Azalea – Although beautiful, the entire azalea plant is harmful to both cats and dogs. Ingesting just a few leaves may lead to diarrhea and vomiting, oral irritation, and could result in long-term effects such as liver failure/liver damage. We recommend extracting this toxic plant if it is already in your backyard, and avoid outdoor areas where it is present. Call your vet immediately if you suspect that they have eaten one!
2. English Ivy – This plant is known to grow extremely quickly and is used for decorating stone walls or large areas of blank space in your home. What many fail to realize is that the leaves or berries are toxic to both pets and humans if consumed. Symptoms can include a burning feeling in the mouth and throat, excessive thirst, drooling, upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Touching the plant’s sap can also induce dermatitis, though it is usually a fairly mild case. Try staying away from using this plant as decoration if you can!
3. Hydrangeas – Due to hydrangeas’ bitter aroma, pets are generally disinterested by the colorful petals. However, if your furry friend eats this plant, it can be incredibly dangerous. Hydrangeas contain a toxic compound, cyanogenic glycoside, better known as cyanide. When consumed, this dangerous plant can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and possibly depression. More severe symptoms of cyanide intoxication include seizures, breathing difficulties, an increase in heart rate, and in extreme cases, death.
4. Aloe Vera – This plant has many medicinal and therapeutic properties, such as treating burns, wounds, and internal health issues. However, aloe vera also contains a toxin called saponin, which can be harmful to pets when ingested. The most common symptoms of aloe vera poisoning are vomiting, stomach upsets, diarrhea, nausea, urine color change, and occasionally, tremors. Toxicity from saponin is generally moderate to mild, but the dehydration resulting from ingestion can be fatal.
5. Chrysanthemum – The distinguishable autumn plant, chrysanthemum, originates from East Asia but is found all across America. This delicate flower is well known for its use in Chinese medicine and has been proven to be a beneficial herbal treatment for fevers, headaches, and inflammation. Despite Chrysanthemum’s beauty, however, it is extremely harmful when ingested by animals. It contains a toxic element, pyrethrin, which is a natural insecticide used to repel pests. This compound causes vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, loss of appetite, and skin irritation, which can be amplified in cats due to their extreme pyrethrin sensitivity.
October is breast cancer awareness month! It is a time to raise awareness about the causes of and treatments for breast cancer. Although it is usually referred to with humans, breast cancer can occur in any mammal, including your dog or cat. Early detection and treatment of breast cancer is key in treating it, so hopefully the following article provides you with some more insight into identification and prevention methods!
Causes of Breast Cancer in Pets
The development of breast cancer in pets can be caused by a variety of factors, many of them still unknown. Exposure to certain hormones, such as progesterone, however, can increase the risk of breast cancer in pets. There is also a higher incidence of this illness in specific breeds, such as Chihuahuas, Boxer dogs, poodles, Yorkshire terriers, dachshunds, etc. More research is still needed to confirm the effect of gene mutation and environmental factors on mammary tumor development, but human cancer studies suggest that there may be a link between animal genes and tumor growth. Surgical removal is the best option for small tumors, and an ovariohysterectomy may be recommended for multiple tumors or chains or mammary chains. If the tumor is larger or is spreading to other parts of the body, the veterinarian may also propose chemotherapy treatment.
Heat Cycles and Mammary Tumors in Dogs
The most distinguishable sign of a dog’s heat cycle is the 14-21 day bloody vaginal discharge. There are four estrous cycles to heat: proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus. During this period, progesterone levels increase, causing the female to become breeding-receptive. Once completed, progesterone levels will decrease again, and the process will repeat in another 5-11 months.
By not spaying your dog, or removing your pet’s ovaries, their risk of breast cancer could be substantially higher. The hormones that are responsible for mammary gland tumors, such as progesterone, can be reduced by ovary removal, therefore reducing the risk of breast cancer. Evidence has shown that dogs who have been spayed before their first heat have a 0.5% chance of developing cancer. If they have not undergone surgical removal by the second heat, the percentage rises to 8% after the first, and 26% after the second.
Breast Tissue, Mammary Glands, and Cancer Development in Cats
Similar to dogs, breast cancer is usually attributed to abnormally high hormone levels that can uncontrollably increase the proliferation of cells in the breast tissue. Sexually intact cats have a seven times higher risk for mammary tumors compared to spayed cats, so getting your pet spayed early is most definitely recommended! Cats spayed before six months of age have only a 9% percent risk of developing mammary tumors, whereas the risk increases to 14% in cats spayed between seven and 12 months. Like with humans and other mammals, the risk is higher for females and less so for males. The most common clinical sign of a mammary tumor is the occurrence of palpable masses underneath the abdomen. If you see this, contact a veterinary immediately.
Whether you’re searching for enrichment activities or are interested in making an impact on your community, participating in pet-related volunteering work can be a great experience for animal lovers or pet owners. There is a vast range of volunteer opportunities available for various skill sets, and some of the options will be discussed below.
Ways to volunteer with your pet:
Take your pet on a charity run – There are numerous pet friendly charity races that vary in distance, which can range from a mile to a half marathon. These organizations can fundraise for a variety of causes, whether it’s alleviating inequities in animal communities or funding for cancer research. Bringing your pet to a charity race can be a great way to spend time with your pet and get some exercise while making an impact on underserved communities.
Volunteer your dog as a therapy animal – whether it’s at a hospital, nursing home, or a school, volunteering your pet as a therapy animal can be incredibly impactful for many people. Pets are great friends and companions, so lending them to other people for emotional support can help decrease stress and anxiety, reduce loneliness, and improve patients’ overall quality of life.
Train your dog as a search and rescue pet – As a search and rescue animal, dogs help humans with various tasks. They can track people who are lost in the wilderness, find patients who have wandered off from their facilities, or locate people who have been lost in the midst of natural disasters. Although this may take some training and practice, your dog can save many lives by participating in search and rescue. There are certain breeds, however, that may be more suitable to these tasks, such as blood hounds, german shepherds, labrador retrievers, etc., so make sure to contact the organization about certain requirements before volunteering your pet.
Donate your pet’s blood – canine blood donations can save many pet lives by assisting in the treatment of anemia, certain cancers, bone marrow disease, etc. The process of donating blood requires the dog to lie on their side or belly, where they are then injected with a small needle that removes about 2 cups of blood. However, there are certain requirements to become an eligible blood donor, so make sure to check in with your local canine blood bank.
Be a foster parent – Although many people adopt pets, fostering is also a great short-term option that can make a positive difference. Many abandoned kittens and puppies are often born with no one to care for them, so they need someone who can temporarily care for them until they are of age and able to return to the shelter. Even though foster parenting isn’t permanent, it can still have a long lasting impact on both the owner and the pet.
Activism – Working as a collective is one of the best ways to motivate change in our local, state, and national governments. By registering as a pet advocate in pet organizations that interest you (at the local to federal level) such as Pet Partners, you can bring greater awareness to topics like the impact of therapy animals, animal abuse, or animal trafficking.
Shelter environments – Another great way to make an impact is volunteering at a pet shelter. Volunteers generally help introduce adoptable animals to the public and encourage adopters to make a positive decision while providing helpful advice. However, unfamiliar noises and situations can make shelter environments stressful or anxiety inducing for abandoned, lost pets.
Adopting animals – Over 6 million pets are admitted into U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year and over 4 million of them are adopted by new families! Although adoption rates have increased over the past few decades and euthanization rates have declined, we still have a long way to go in ensuring every pet has a home and are raised/bred sustainably. Join the movement today and choose adoption.
Although eating grass may seem like normal dog behavior, it can be an indication of an underlying health issue of some sort. Here is a list of what may be contributing to your dog’s grass eating habits.
Upset stomach – Eating plants is a habit that has been observed in many animal species, especially with domesticated dogs and wolves. Many veterinarians reveal that dogs eat grass when they have an inflamed stomach, as it is a strategy that may induce vomiting. However, there is still much research to be done, and researchers hypothesize that grass consumption may have unknown biological benefits as well.
Anxiety – dogs may also eat grass for psychological reasons. Eating grass may serve as a mental stimulation or coping mechanism for dogs going through mental health issues, so it’s important to look for symptoms that may indicate a possibility of anxiety. Common indicators of anxiety in pets are constant instances of drooling, shaking, whining, panting, excessive barking, destructive behavior, and many more. Pet anxiety can be treated through modifying behavior and environments or prescribing medication and supplements, but it’s best to inquire with your veterinarian before diagnosing the cause.
Pica – Your dog’s grass eating behaviors may be a sign of Pica, a medical behavioral condition. UC Davis Veterinary Medicine reveals that Pica is the constant consumption of nutrient deficient substances, despite its lack of physical benefit. It is deemed as one of the most common behavioral issues in dogs. While Pica may not seem harmful, it has been proven to cause many health issues, such as dental problems, poisoning, and gastrointestinal blockage.
Seeking attention – Just because you see your pet eating grass does not mean there is any immediate health issue. Oftentimes, dogs like the attention they receive from their owners, and will go about a variety of ways getting it. Dogs are extremely intelligent creatures. If they see larger reactions from you or others after performing a certain action, they are more likely to continue doing it in the future. If this persists, consider seeking medical advice on how best to train your dog to avoid this habit.
Nutritional factors – Like humans, it is important for a dog to maintain a proper diet. If they aren’t fed a correct balance of nutrients, they can and will find other sources of food such as grass. Their instincts lead them to grass for its fibrous content, especially since the most common domesticated dog diets include only about 2-4% fiber when the required intake is upwards of 5%! If you suspect your dog is malnutritioned, speak with a professional about creating a plan to restore their natural health.
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