Health&Wellness Magazine January 2016 | Page 31

& For advertising information visit www.samplerpublications.com or call 859.225.4466 | January 2016 31 Your veterinarian can help you manage common pet behavioral problems. losing household members can sometimes trigger separation anxiety. If your dog shows any symptoms of separation anxiety, talk with your veterinarian about possible solutions. For mild separation anxiety, you may try the Adaptil collars, which is a dog pheromone that can relax your pet. Also, when you are leaving, you can give your pet a KONG stuffed with peanut butter or canned dog food to keep it busy. You can also try to get the dog used to your leaving home by doing the things that would normally make your dog nervous – pick up the keys, put on shoes, put on a jacket, etc. – but not actually leave. That way the dog does not associate those things with you leaving the house. For more severe anxiety, your pet may need to be on behavior-modifying medications. These will allow your pet to have decreased anxiety while you are absent. Do not punish dogs with separation anxiety when you get home and find the destruction. Their behavior was caused by stress and anxiety; it was not purposeful. Dog Thunde