Interview: how to deal with separation anxiety in dogs





Separation Anxiety in DogsSeparation anxiety in dogs is very common. If you feel that your dog may be suffering with this condition, you’re not alone. There are a lot of resources, including your veterinarian and other canine health professionals, that can help. There are also many products on the market now that are designed to help your pet deal with his anxiety. I spoke with Dr. Eric Barchas to learn more about separation anxiety in dogs and what pet owners can do about it.

Separation anxiety in dogs involves the pet showing signs of agitation and fear when there owner is not around. Because every dog is different, every case of separation anxiety in dogs is different. Treatments can include behavior modification training, medications or a combination of the two.

Dogs suffering from a mild case of separation anxiety may just howl or pace while their owner is gone. Dogs with severe cases may become destructive, urinate or defecate in the home or get themselves so worked up that they become physically ill. If your dog’s separation anxiety is mild, you will have more time to try different treatments to find the one that works best for him. If his case is severe, you should consult the guidance of a trained professional as soon as possible.

Interview: How to Deal With Separation Anxiety in Dogs

How to Deal With Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Dr. Barchas has had a lifelong interest in and love for animals, including both wild and domesticated. Becoming a veterinarian was a natural way to spend his life working with animals. He graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in June, 2000, and spent his first 7 years as a veterinarian in general practice. The remainder of his career has been spent as an emergency veterinarian.

He has dealt with many cases of separation anxiety in dogs over the last 16 years, he explained to me that the prevalence of this condition can only be estimated. Many cases of separation anxiety are never recognized by owners, and their existence may be unknown to researchers.

Therefore, a true understanding of the prevalence of separation anxiety in domesticated dogs cannot be determined.

However, in his experience as a general practitioner, Dr. Barchas would estimate that 5-10% of his patients have had separation anxiety that was of sufficient concern to their owners. At least sufficient enough to be brought to his attention.

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