While conventional tranquilizers
can immobilize pets, these drugs do not relieve the terrible anxiety the
poor pets experience
Relieving Anxiety in
Pets
by Shawn Messonnier, DVM
One of the more common
behavior problems for which I am consulted involves anxiety-related
issues in dogs and cats. The problems range from simply being anxious
when going to the doctor’s office or grooming shop, and thunderstorm
phobias, all the way to severe separation anxiety. While behavior
modification is very important in dealing with any type of anxiety and
phobia (and should not be replaced by medications or supplements,) there
are situations where various natural therapies may be helpful in dealing
with these issues. While conventional tranquilizers such as acepromazine
can immobilize pets, these drugs do not relieve the terrible anxiety the
poor pets experience. Therefore, they really should not be used as the
sole therapy for anxiety disorders in dogs and cats. This article will
briefly review some of the more commonly recommended supplements for
dealing with anxiety in pets.
Flower essences are
alcohol extracts of various plants. Flower therapy was developed by Dr.
Edward Bach during the 1930's. Dr. Bach was a conventionally trained
physician who studied immunology and was involved in the development of
a number of vaccines. However, he desired to find a less invasive way
of treating patients that would have the same favorable results as he
saw with conventional medicine.
During his studies he
learned about homeopathy and was attracted to Dr. Hahnemann's philosophy
of treating the individual patient. As a result Dr. Bach began
preparing homeopathic preparations of the vaccines he had created.
During this time Dr.
Bach began to notice that people could be grouped based upon their
emotional states. For example, he noticed that some individuals seemed
lonely, some were distracted, some were fearful, and some were more
outgoing. Dr. Bach further noticed that people that fell into these
groupings responded best to the same type of homeopathic vaccine. By
matching the homeopathic vaccine with a person's emotional "grouping,"
Dr. Bach achieved even better results in his patients.
Dr. Bach then began
searching for harmless plant-derived materials for his vaccines (rather
than relying on the bacterial products used at the time to prepare the
vaccines.) He desired to find plants that would have a healing effect
on what he thought were the negative emotions that were at the root of
many diseases he saw in his patients. This would allow him not just to
heal the immediate illness but also heal the root cause of the disorder.
By freeing the body from its negative emotional states, the body would
be free to heal itself.
The system Dr. Bach
discovered during his research led to the creation of the flower
essences. The flower essences (flower therapy) are extracts of flowers;
each essence addresses a specific trait of mind or personality type.
These flower remedies
are used to improve the attitude, personality, and mood of the patient,
which Dr. Bach felt was the key to many disorders seen in his patients.
According to Dr. Bach, "Health is our heritage...and is the complete and
full union between the soul, mind, and body. True healing can be
obtained by right replacing wrong, good replacing evil, and light
replacing dark." Dr. Bach felt that the action of the remedies was to
open the patient to healing from within by replacing bad virtue (fear)
with good virtue (calm.) Since mental and emotional state can determine
health or disease, the flower remedies are used to achieve harmony in
the patient. According to practitioners of flower essence therapy,
harmonious patients are healthier as harmony precludes disease.
Rescue Remedy is the
best known essence and produces a calming in many nervous pets. It is
composed of the essences of 5 flowers: cherry plum, clematis, impatiens,
rock rose and Star of Bethlehem.
While I prefer
combination products instead of simply choosing 1 or 2 herbs for
anxiety, it’s important to understand which herbs may be indicated for
anxiety-related problems.
Valerian is an herb
that promotes restfulness, and has not been reported to interact
negatively with other medications commonly used in pets. The active
ingredients in valerian bind to the same receptors in the brain as the
drug diazepam. Kava is a well known anti-anxiety herb. The active
ingredients cause mild sedation, relief from anxiety, and muscle
relaxation. While safe in pets, there have been a few reports of liver
failure in people with preexisting severe liver disorders. In my
practice, I have not seen any problems but would exercise caution in
pets with liver problems. Catnip is a well known herb used for its
calming properties. In some cats, it can cause excitement (similar to a
mild “high” seen in some people using illegal drugs.) However, when
combined with the other herbs in this formula, its sedative and calming
properties predominate. Finally, L-tryptophan, being a precursor to
serotonin, reduces aggression and anxiety.
Finally, keep in mind
that your pet can pick up on your own stress level. Whenever I remove a
pet from its owner during the examination, and bring it to our treatment
area to perform a procedure, I notice that most pets calm down since
they are not sensing the stress the owner also experiences during the
visit. And don’t forget the importance of a strong immune system. Using
antioxidants, feeding the pet a healthy natural diet, and reducing the
amount of vaccines given, can relieve extra stress on the pet’s immune
system.
Each pet is
different, and there is no cookie-cutter approach that works on every
case. For owners interested in avoiding conventional medications (which
are usually expensive and often have the potential for undesirable side
effects,) I encourage readers to consider these safe natural options
before resorting to stronger conventional medications. Make sure to work
with your veterinarian before using herbs, as even these natural
“medicines” can have side effects in certain pets.
Shawn Messonnier
DVM is the author of Eight Weeks to a Healthy Dog, The
Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural
Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. His website is
www.petcarenaturally.com
