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Pets
also suffering stress from storms
October
16, 2008
A local groomer recently asked about post-traumatic stress in pets,
especially as a result of the Hurricane Gustav evacuations. "All of
my clients are great dogs," Betty said. "I never had any biting
issues with any of them. However, since the Gustav evacuation, I
have groomed about 10 dogs that seem to be high strung and one even
bit me a couple of weeks ago. Is it possible that they have
post-evacuation-traumatic-syndrome?"
Just as humans can experience post-traumatic stress, it's not
uncommon to see signs of the same in our four-legged companions.
Some of the most common scenarios that trigger post-traumatic stress
in humans include some form of mental or physical abuse or going
through a natural disaster as our community (both people and
animals) experienced with Hurricane Katrina.
The evacuation that came with Gustav was extremely trying for many
of us, especially as it fell on the third year anniversary of the
big one. Understandably, everyone's stress level was at its breaking
point. As for our pets, they likely experienced both the stress of
having to deal with suddenly being in a new environment and having
to endure long periods of travel and being contained in small
spaces, such as a kennel for lengthy periods.
Our pets also are picking up on the anxiety that their humans feel.
During Gustav preparations, I had moments of dreading another
post-Katrina experience. I also felt a meltdown approaching whenever
I sensed that one of my colleagues was feeling similar dread. I'm
sure there were many instances when our four-legged friends sensed
our increasing stress levels and somehow took that on as their own.
Along with the aggressive behavior that Betty describes, people may
see their pets exhibiting other behavior that's out of the ordinary,
such as house soiling, not using the litter box, excessive barking
or meowing, or fearful reactions not exhibited before.
If your pets show any of these signs, it's important not to scold
them harshly because it will exacerbate their anxiety. It's also
important not to overwhelm them with excessive coddling, since that
may confuse them because they might think you are reassuring their
new behavior.
One way to deal with pet stress after a traumatic experience is to
help them ease back into a sense of normalcy. One of the greatest
ways to do this is through exercise, play and positive interaction.
Quickly getting them back to their normal routine also will help.
Familiarity in our animal companions' lives truly is a creature
comfort.
-
Gloria Dauphin
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