In late 2022 our dog, Molly, underwent major jaw surgery to have an oral tumor removed, with affected teeth and jaw bone. She came through the surgery fine and seemed to be recovering well, but after a follow up trip to the veterinarian in early 2023, she began waking up with panic attacks!
Molly was not acting herself, she looked to us like she was in another world. She was shaking and trembling a lot as well as crying and breathing heavy, which she had never done before. She wouldn't eat.
The trip to the veterinarian that triggered these symptoms was a simple nine year checkup. All of her bloodwork came back fine and her physical exam showed no problems. As concerned pet parents, we wanted to ensure that Molly was in no pain and the issues did not stem from a physical problem.
Our veterinarian confirmed that our dog was suffering from severe anxiety.
I have never seen my dog in such distress! Our veterinarian prescribed Molly Prozac for anxiety but warned us to keep an eye out for side effects. She also mentioned it can take up to 6 weeks to take full effect.
Unfortunately, after about a week Molly was getting worse. She began trembling and crying after receiving her medication each day. Just as in humans, anxiety medications can work differently for every pet – they are not one size fits all. As much as we wanted to help our girl, this approach was not working for her. After discussing with our vet, we both agreed it would be best to stop the medication. We intended to try another type, but during the wait for the alternate anxiety medication to arrive, something happened.
Our girl got better! She started acting like herself again, playing more, became calm again and started to eat more. We made the decision to keep her off of medication and take it day-by-day. That is not all that we did however, so I want to share some additional tips that can help you navigate your pet’s anxiety.
Tips for Managing Pet Anxiety other than Medications
For starters, it's important to really pay attention to your dog’s body language and any changes at any given time.
If you notice increases in anxiety, make sure you keep their same routine as much as possible.
Don't feed into the anxiety. Keeping your pet’s mind active and engaged with interactive play can help.
Let them have the comfort of a crate or secluded bedding area (like a safe haven) if needed. Molly willingly put herself in the crate when she was feeling anxious, and she hadn't used it in years.
Being Prepared for Pet Anxiety Relapses
Molly is thriving again and we couldn't be happier for our sweet girl! I know this severe anxiety may come on again in the future, especially after going to the vet. Having experienced it once, I'm now more prepared for it to happen again and even have a medication on hand just in case we feel that we need it.
We often think of pets as emotional support for humans, yet they need to feel loved and supported also. As mentioned above, there is no one size fits all solution for managing your pet’s anxiety. Paying attention to cues and changes in behavior, maintaining a consistent schedule, engaging with your pet, providing a comfort space where they can feel safe, and exploring medication with your veterinarian are all options to explore and consider.
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