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BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES for YOUR PETS
If you have kids heading back to school, be sure to pause somewhere in between choreographing school pickups and drop-offs and stocking up on school supplies to consider how this new schedule will affect your pets.
After an entire summer of basking in your kids' presence and enjoying extended family time, suddenly leaving your dog home alone is bound to upset him, and he's not the only one. Leaving a cat alone can also result in anxiety and depression. Read on for tips on helping your pets cope with the new school year.
How do you know if your pet is stressed?
Dogs are particularly at risk during the back-to-school season for developing separation anxiety: a disorder characterized by digging and scratching in an attempt to escape, excessive howling and whining, destructive chewing, a lapse in potty training and overall just a change in mood. Major change to the family routine is a potential trigger for this disorder. So is suddenly leaving your dog home alone after he's gotten used to constant human companionship.
While healthy, well-adjusted cats are less prone to separation anxiety under these circumstances, at-risk cats, which include those with a history of abandonment, trauma, abuse, or being passed between multiple owners, are vulnerable to this disorder. Cats or kittens that have an especially strong bond with your child may also be at risk once their favorite person disappears for hours at a time. In cats, separation anxiety often looks like trembling, withdrawing, hiding and trying to escape, loss of appetite, change in mood, and an upset stomach resulting in diarrhea.
How can I keep my pet from being stressed?
Try these five tips to help ease your pet’s anxiety this season.
1. Short periods of separation
Try and start out by leaving your pet at home for shorter periods. On the weekend you can take the whole family out and leave the pet at home for a few hours. Shorter periods mixed with longer periods of solitude wi