What sends your dog or cat crawling under the couch, pacing or trembling at your feet with fear?
Is it fireworks? Or thunderstorms? Or does she turn into a jittery mess when you try to put her in the car?
If your pet cowers in the corner from time to time, she’s not alone. By some estimates, around 45% of cats and dogs are fearful of fireworks. One Canadian poll found that around 50% of cats and dogs are afraid of thunderstorms.
Pets can also get fearful during a veterinarian exam, with up to one in seven showing severe fear.
While occasional stressful events can be managed in a healthy way with a little extra care and attention, chronic stress can have long-term impact on your pet’s immune health. It can also lead to unseasonal shedding and compulsive behaviors.
Caring pet parents often ask me what they can do to help calm an anxious pet during a stressful situation. It may take a little thought and strategy, but there are several things you can do to help your cat or dog handle stress well, and avoid long-term health impact.
First, let’s discuss what may be stressing out your pet. Then we’ll look at some things you can do to help her.
The Very Real and Not-so-Obvious Stressors That Can Threaten Your Pet’s Health and Lifespan
In addition to obvious stressors such as thunderstorms and holiday fireworks, there are several types of not-so-obvious events and situations that can trigger stress in your pet:
- Loud noises
- Changes in household routine
- New pet or family member, or loss of pet or human
- Separation from family members (separation anxiety)
- Invasion of personal space (such as hugging or restraining)
- Changes in housing or boarding
- Punishment-based training (shock collars, yelling and hitting)
- Stressful relationships with household members or pets
Obviously, not all causes of stress are avoidable. But whatever the cause, you need to know that events like these can cause very real stress for your pet.
For many dogs and cats, these types of events unleash feelings of fear or even terror. Pets have been known to tear drapes and chew furniture in the midst of panic, or even to break a window in an attempt to escape.
With dogs, genetics may play a role in astraphobia – fear of thunderstorms – and certain breeds tend to be predisposed. Herding dogs like collies, German shepherds, beagles and basset hounds are more likely to react to storms than other dogs. Rescued dogs of any breed often experience storm phobia.
Because cats relate to their surroundings through sound and smell, loud noises can be especially frightening to them. They can even be fearful of rain, instinctively seeking a sheltered location, such as under a bed, for safety.
Don’t Make This Common Mistake – It Can Make Your Pet More Fearful
The first instinct for many caring pet owners is to try to calm and soothe their pet during stressful times. However, you may be unknowingly reinforcing fearful behaviors and instilling more fear in your pet with your actions.
Take a close look at your own behavior and that of family members. For example, do you or others react fearfully to storms? Or do you get frazzled when guests come to visit?
Your pet can sense feelings of stress, fear and anxiety in your household, causing her to respond negatively.
I advise pet parents to go about their normal routine and avoid paying special attention to their pet while they exhibit signs of fear during stressful events. Do your best to remain relaxed and upbeat, giving her the signal that everything is okay.
It’s important to resist the temptation to excessively pamper your pet during storms or fireworks. Doing this can actually reward – and reinforce – the unwanted behavior.
That said, I also don’t advise ignoring your pet when she’s feeling distressed. Research shows stress can seriously affect the well-being and even lifespan of pets, especially dogs. Above all, don’t scold or punish your pet for a natural response to what she perceives as a real threat.
When under stress, your dog’s body releases an excessive amount of the “fight or flight” hormone norepinephrine, which can alter her gut microbiome and interfere with gastrointestinal function.
How can you tell if your pet is feeling stressed? She may experience any of the following behaviors:
- Yawning, panting and lip licking
- Trembling and shaking
- Reduced appetite
- Loose stools
- Tail lowered or tucked
- Ears pulled or pinned back
- Crouching, cowering or hiding
- Increased whining, howling or barking
When you notice one or more of these signs and suspect your pet may be feeling stressed, try the following strategies to help support her and encourage good behavior.
4 Ways to Help Comfort Your Pet Without Rewarding Unwanted Behaviors
As a caring pet parent, it’s good to know there are things you can do to help your pet that won’t reward unwanted behaviors. I must advise you, however, to start as early as possible, as phobias tend to worsen with each repeated incident.
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Give your pet a “safe” place to retreat.
Have a dark room, closet or bathroom for your pet to escape to when a storm is approaching or during fireworks, especially when you’re not home. Basements are ideal. To provide comfort for your dog, place a solid-sided crate in the room, with the door open, along with some food, water, treats and favorite toys.
Help acclimate your pet to the room in advance by making it a place for fun activities, treats and gentle, soothing massage. Keep the lights on during a storm to minimize the impact of lightning flashes. You could also play calming music.
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Try distracting your pet.
Ask your dog to perform a familiar command and provide rewards for his cooperation. This technique distracts both of you – your dog from his fear of the storm and you from the temptation to reinforce your pet’s behavior.
Attempt to engage your pet in play or offer your dog a bone or healthy chew, such as our Dental Chew Bones. Distract your pet with loving touch, massage and treats.
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Consider getting your dog or cat a "storm" comfort jacket or cape.
"Storm" jackets or shirts are special garments designed to hug your pet’s body as if they’re being swaddled. These can provide comfort for many dogs and even cats, and help during stressful events.
A storm wrap or cape helps shield your pet from static electricity that can build up during storms. Electrical shocks from storms only add more discomfort for an already stressed animal.
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Use supplements and natural remedies.
Lavender essential oil can help reduce the stress response in dogs, so placing a few drops on your dog’s collar or diffusing it in your home may be helpful. (Never use essential oils around cats.) Calming adaptogenic herbs can benefit both stressed dogs and cats.
How Stress Support Can Help Your Pet Feel More Comfortable During Stressful Times
Over the years in my private veterinarian practice, I’ve become a fan of several “go-to” herbs and nutrients that help dogs and cats cope during stressful times, while supporting their normal endocrine balance.
Because there wasn’t a product that contained all of my favorite calming agents, I decided to create a custom blend and call it Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support.
Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support is an exclusive blend of eight adaptogenic herbs and active ingredients with phytochemicals and other active compounds that work together to support a healthy calm response to stress. It includes:
- Organic Tulsi Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) Leaf Powder
- L-Theanine
- Organic Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) Root Extract
- Ashwagandha Root Powder
- GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid)
- Chamomile Flower Powder
- 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) (from Griffonia simplicifolia Seed Extract)
- Vitamin B6 (from Pyridoxine HCl)
Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support is great for major stressors like thunderstorms, fireworks, and veterinarian and grooming appointments. It can also be helpful for occasional stressful situations like hot weather, trips, boarding or welcoming a new pet or family member into your household.
Please keep in mind that Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support is not intended to be a "personality changer in a jar."
It won't change unwanted behaviors, such as stopping your dog from chasing your cat or keeping your cat from clawing sofas. It’s also not designed to calm your hyperactive puppy. Only consistent training and behavior modification can accomplish these things.
What it can do is provide targeted support to promote your pet’s healthy stress response. Let’s take a look at these special ingredients…
Tradition-Rich Tulsi “Holy Basil” Helps Calm Stressed Pets
Tulsi, also known as “Holy Basil,” and has been widely valued and honored for more than 5,000 years in India, where it’s grown in a special place in many Hindu homes.
Popular for promoting good health in humans, early Ayurvedic texts also mention it as a safe and effective herb in veterinary care.
The leaves of the Tulsi plant contain hundreds of compounds known as phytochemicals. These compounds are rich in antioxidants and support:
- A balanced immune response
- Normal emotional balance
- Gastrointestinal comfort
I recommend using only organically grown Tulsi, not only to avoid pesticide and herbicide residues, but also because organic methods help maximize nutritional content.
Our certified organic Tulsi producer in India has rights to harvest Tulsi in central and northern India. They are among the few herbal companies in India to receive organic and kosher certifications, as well as certifications in Safe Food Quality and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
Working hard to educate growers and farmers in sustainable organic farming methods, our producer firmly believes in creating win-win scenarios for all parties involved in the production of this calming ancient herb.
This Simple Amino Acid Stimulates Anti-Stress Alpha Waves
First discovered in green tea leaves in 1950, L-Theanine has been extensively studied for its calming effects in dogs and cats.
L-Theanine is absorbed through the membrane of the large intestine and is transported directly to the brain, where it stimulates mentally alert, yet calming alpha waves.
Although tea leaves are a natural source of the amino acid, L-Theanine only makes up 1% to 2% of the dry weight of tea leaves. Not only is it costly and time-consuming to extract L-Theanine from tea leaves, you typically don't get a pure product from tea.
Fortunately, a pure, clean L-Theanine is available through a proprietary process that produces a form that is structurally and functionally identical to the L-Theanine found in tea leaves. This is the form included in Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support.
Derived from another naturally occurring amino acid, it's standardized to 98% pure L-Theanine. Most importantly, it's completely caffeine-free, unlike regular green tea.
Rhodiola and Ashwagandha: A Duo of Outstanding Adaptogen Herbs to Help Your Pet’s Body Handle Stress
Adaptogens are a group of herbs and mushrooms that can help your pet's body adapt to physical, chemical and environmental stress by helping to regulate balance in the glands involved in the stress response
One of these is Rhodiola rosea, or "golden root," a perennial plant that has long been known to be a true, potent adaptogen.
Rhodiola contains substances – like rosavin, rosaridin, rosin, salidroside and tyrosol – that directly support the central nervous system, promoting resistance against harmful physical and emotional stress. It specifically supports the heart in resisting the adverse effects of stress.
Ashwagandha, or "Indian Ginseng," is a small perennial evergreen shrub native to India. It has a long history of use in Ayurveda as a general tonic for promoting healthful balance throughout the body.
The Ashwagandha Root Powder in my Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support formula is grown in healthy, fertile soil, with no harmful chemicals used during the growing, drying or production phases.
Another powerful adaptogen, Ashwagandha supports healthy, balanced endocrine function, which includes the adrenal and thyroid glands. It supports your pet when he’s feeling stressed by promoting his ability to stay relaxed and calm.
Gentle Yet Powerful, Chamomile is Just as Calming for Your Pet as It Is for You
One of the most popular relaxing herbs in the Western world, the use of Chamomile dates back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks.
Native to Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia, Chamomile is a plant with small daisy-like flowers. Often found growing in clusters along roadsides and in fields, it’s easily recognized by its distinctive fresh herbal fragrance.
The dried flowers contain many terpenoids and flavonoids, including beneficial volatile oils, and are popular for making tea, herbal powders and extracts.
Although it's been used historically for human well-being, most of the published studies on Chamomile have been done with animals, especially those exploring its calming qualities.
Chamomile has a calming effect on the nerves and the digestive tract, and may be especially helpful for pets who get an upset stomach when stressed.
Chamomile’s soothing qualities contribute important support for your pet’s nerves and digestive system to my Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support formula.
5-HTP, and No Tryptophan in Stress Support
In 1989, an unfortunate incident occurred that would forever change the face of tryptophan.
A Japanese shipment of tryptophan was found to contain contaminants, but only after it sickened numerous people.
Much like the massive melamine pet food recall of 2007, the problem wasn't necessarily inferior food – or tryptophan. It was the presence of contaminants in the food and tryptophan that caused pets and humans to suffer.
The issue with contamination of tryptophan has long been corrected, but, sadly, the ingredient still carries around its "tainted" reputation.
Practitioners value tryptophan for its ability to promote serotonin production. Serotonin supports concentration and feelings of well-being. When levels of serotonin are too low, fear, aggression and anxiety can emerge.
In order to provide the potential benefits of tryptophan for your pet, I included 5-Hydroxytryptohan, or 5-HTP, in my formula. 5-HTP is a compound that your body produces from tryptophan, and 5-HTP, in turn, converts into serotonin.
5-HTP is actually superior to tryptophan because it's better absorbed in the gut. Plus, it’s able to pass through the blood-brain barrier to directly access your pet’s brain and nervous system, which is why it’s included in Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support.
GABA: Could This Key Neurotransmitter Help Promote Calm in Your Pet?
GABA, or Gamma-Aminobutyric acid, is made in your pet’s brain and is one of the most important neurotransmitters – or chemicals that carry signals between nerve cells – in your pet's central nervous system. It sends messages through the brain and nervous system and controls the activity of neurons or nerve cells.
Stress and anxiety are linked to lower levels of brain neurotransmitters, including GABA. Researchers have found that when an animal has too little GABA in her nervous system, it can contribute to feelings of panic and anxiety.
Likewise, too much activity within the central nervous system – such as reactions caused by stressful events – can lead to anxious behaviors. GABA tells the brain to slow down and supports a healthy, relaxed nervous system.
Researchers have also found that GABA may act to inhibit certain brain areas, such as the amygdala, which is involved in fear learning.
GABA works in synergy with L-Theonine and 5-HTP, which is why we included GABA in Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support.
Vitamin B6 Plays Many Essential Roles in Promoting a Healthy, Calm Mood
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCL) is a water-soluble vitamin and a member of the B-vitamin family. It plays a number of important roles in your pet's body, especially in supporting physical and mental health:
- Helps maintain a healthy nervous system
- Needed for the production of neurotransmitters
- Promotes healthy mood and normal brain function
- Supports the functions of enzymes, dopamine and adrenaline
- Supports adrenal function
- Helps maintain a healthy immune system
- Promotes nerve and muscle cell health during periods of stress
- Aids in the conversion of tryptophan into vitamin B3 and serotonin
Cats have an even higher need for vitamin B6 than dogs because of their high-protein intake.
Vitamin B6 from Pyridoxine HCl is part of my Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support formula to provide broad support for these multiple functions in both cats and dogs.
Get the Most Out of Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support
Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support was designed to help ease the internal feelings of stress that all cats and dogs experience from time to time.
I chose eight ingredients that, from my extensive research and clinical experience, I consider safe and effective.
Here are general guidelines that I provide to pet parents about using Stress Support:
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Stress Support is intended for occasional use before or during stressful events. Long-term or continual use should be paired with appropriate behavioral modifications.
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Give to your pet a day in advance of expected stressful event, if possible. If not possible, you can still use Stress Support at the beginning of a stressful event.
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Stress Support is not a substitute for appropriate training.
Because we have formulated it with a base of organic dried white cheddar cheese powder, both cats and dogs love the taste of Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support.
Please note: L-Theanine increases the potency of chemotherapeutic drugs. If your pet is receiving chemotherapy treatment, consult with your veterinarian before using. In addition, check with your vet if your pet is taking prescription antidepressants. This formula contains dairy, so in the rare circumstance your pet may be allergic to dairy, please avoid use.
Help Your Pet Manage the Stressors of Life with Stress Support
I know how challenging it can be to support our pets during stressful times. There are moments when we may feel a little uncertain or frazzled ourselves and can't fully hide our own stress response.
Consider my Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support as a tool you can use to help make your pet's life more comfortable – and you more confident in your ability to appropriately soothe your pet.
Whether its thunderstorms, a dreaded trip to the vet or stressful everyday events, Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support can provide the added support you need to make it less traumatic for your pet.
Give your pet the gift of calm, and order Bark & Whiskers® Stress Support today.