As humans, grasping why we suffer from anxiety isn’t all that complex. We have bills to pay, demands at work, and social pressures that all poke and prod at our many fears and uncertainties.
While those external factors all have their role in triggering anxiety, it’s also about how our brains are wired.
So, when you wonder why your pets suffer from anxiety–after all, most don’t have jobs (other than service dogs) and don’t share our other external pressures–the answer revolves around their brains’ wiring.
Also, because of our pets' wiring, they have their own external factors triggering anxieties, including how we interact with them.
Either way, we don’t want our furry pals to suffer, and finding remedies and solutions for their anxiety is vital. You want to provide your four-legged, puffy-tailed friend with an exceptional quality of life.
One pet anxiety remedy gaining traction is pet-based CBD, which we carry at Pakamana.
We will emphasize, however, how this blog isn’t offering medical advice for your pets. Be sure to discuss using CBD for your pet’s anxiety with a veterinary professional before giving them a single dose.
Signs Of Pet Anxiety.
Your pet might have behavioral issues, but you can’t pinpoint the root cause. Anxiety might be at the core of their problems.
With a dog, signs of anxiety include:
- Dogs with anxiety often pant unrelated to exercise or temperature.
- Full-body shakes are another sign of dog anxiety.
- Your canine pal might pace a lot–lacking the ability to remain still–if they’re overly anxious.
- Puppers with anxiety tend to hide.
- They’ll also paw, mouth, or jump a lot.
- Lastly, dogs with anxiety can be excessively aggressive.
Cat anxiety symptoms include:
- An anxious feline will go to the bathroom outside of their litter box.
- Their appetite will change (eating much more or much less).
- They’ll either be overly clingy or uncharacteristically aggressive.
- A cat with anxiety will meow more than usual.
- An anxious cat might develop a destructive streak.
Pet Anxiety Triggers.
14% of dogs suffer from separation anxiety, an inability to be comfortable when left alone, or when they must spend time away from their people. Poor behavior can stem from these issues, such as going to the bathroom in the house, barking, or wrecking furniture.
Older dogs can suffer from age-related anxiety due to their diminishing cognitive functions. As an aging canine’s learning, perception, awareness, and memory dwindle, they can get anxious and act out.
Loud noises, strange people/animals in your home, visual stimuli (e.g., umbrellas or hats), specific situations, and unfamiliar environments (e.g., the vet) can cause fear-related anxiety in dogs. These triggers often yield short-lived reactions, which are nothing to fret over. Still, more anxiety-prone dogs can have more severe responses.
Cats become stricken with anxiety or stress when something new is introduced to their routine or environment. Examples include:
- A new baby or pet living with them.
- Moving to a new house.
- New noises (e.g., neighborhood construction).
- Unfamiliar guests in your home.
A cat might also not react well to a change in your workday routine, like if you suddenly started a 100% remote-work job after going into the office every day for years beforehand.
Remedying Your Pet’s Anxiety.
This is an article about remedying your pet’s anxiety with CBD, which anecdotal studies show can help with several animal ailments, such as arthritis and seizures.
That said, CBD isn’t the only solution. Undoubtedly, many customers tell us our tinctures and balms work to keep their furry friends calm. All the same, we don’t want to present CBD as a cure-all or magic bullet.
CBD–at its best–combines with an overall holistic approach to improve your pet’s mental health.
First, if your pet displays any symptoms in the above section (or other troubling signs), take them to the vet. You want to rule out any medical issue that could be cured or effectively treated with an antibiotic, other prescription, or procedure.
Once your vet rules out medical issues and deems your pet’s symptoms behavioral, you’ll know what you’re dealing with.
From there, you can rely on trial and error to discover how to avoid triggers or to train your pet to overcome them. For example, maybe it’s a change you need to make in their daily routine or diet, or you need to be more conscious of your mood around them.
Another consideration is going to an animal behavioral specialist–if you have the disposable funds to do so.
Adding CBD supplementation (or topicals) to these other approaches will likely yield the best results.
Choosing The Right CBD For Your Pet’s Anxiety.
A primary deciding factor in selecting the best CBD products for your pet’s anxiety will be the potency of the product.
Your pet’s size and needs must be taken into account. Also, even the largest dog should start with micro-doses to gauge their reaction. Then, you can increase or maintain, depending on their response.
One crucial choice you must make is between full-spectrum CBD and broad-spectrum CBD.
Smaller pets tend to benefit most from low amounts of broad-spectrum hemp extract. THC–the psychoactive component of hemp–is entirely removed from these products. This ensures a dosage that packs a less powerful punch, and it’s why such products better suit our tinier furry friends.
Conversely, full-spectrum CBD products contain all aspects of the hemp plant, including trace amounts of THC (not enough to cause a psychoactive effect). Still, due to the more powerful punch these products pack, they’re suggested for sturdier pets.
For more generalized anxiety issues, CBD tinctures and dropping the suggested dose of oil in your pet’s meal is the ideal dosage method.
In some instances, when your pet’s anxiety is more related to chronic pain, a balm meant to treat these issues could indirectly mitigate their anxiety response.
Want To Learn More About What CBD Can Do For Your Pet’s Anxiety Symptoms?
After speaking with your vet about CBD as a viable treatment method, contact Pakamana with any questions about our products and how we make and source them.