Common Concerns

For the most Up to Date Information on Canine Influenza please visit:

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http://hospitals.vetmed.ufl.edu/canine-influenza/

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Starting June 2, 2017, our clinics will offer the Canine Influenza vaccine. We recommend it for dogs that interact with other dogs, such as at boarding, dog parks, or groomers. This vaccine is not a core shot and is not required for every dog, so it is not part of our Free Vaccines for Life Program. Please call us if you have any questions.

Storm phobia is a common anxiety in dogs, especially during thunderstorm season. Dogs with this condition may feel scared or panicked by thunder, lightning, wind, changes in air pressure, or even the sound of rain.

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Signs of storm phobia can vary from mild to severe and may include:

• Hiding in closets or under furniture

• Pacing or trembling

• Whining or barking

• Destructive behavior

• Attempts to escape

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If your dog shows signs of storm anxiety, there are ways to help. We suggest using behavior techniques along with safe, natural calming products to ease stress without sedation.

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One product we recommend is Adaptil, a Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP). It releases a calming scent similar to what mother dogs use to comfort their puppies. It is natural, has no smell for humans, and comes as a collar, plug-in diffuser, or spray.

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These products can help your dog feel safer during storms without the side effects of sedatives that can make pets still fearful but unable to move.

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Have questions or want to learn more? Call or visit our clinic today—we’re here to help you and your pet weather the storm together!

Here are some additional tips to help treat storm phobia in your dog:

1. Thunder Shirt: This shirt provides constant pressure which can be very calming. www.thundershirt.com

2. Storm Defender Cape: This cape discharges static electricity that builds up in the pet’s fur. www.stormdefender.com

3. Classical Conditioning: Use classical conditioning by giving treats like liverwurst, hotdogs, or cheese during storms. Don’t worry about “rewarding the anxiety.” The goal is to help change your dog’s behavior over time.

4. Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning: Find sound recordings of a storm and play them loud enough for your pet to react (it needs to feel real to them). It’s best to do this when there’s no actual storm outside. Then, play the sounds at a low volume so your dog hears them but doesn’t react. Gradually increase the volume over time. Do this for at least five minutes, several times a day, three to five days a week.

5. Medications: There are many medications that can be used to. Our veterinarians can help determine which drug or combination of drugs would be best for your pet.

 

Drugs can be used to:

• Decrease anxiety

• Treat panic

• Relax the patient

6. Seek professional help. Dr. Terry Curtis is a veterinarian who is Board Certified in Animal Behavior. She is at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and can be reached at curtist@ufl.edu.

Does your cat scratch the furniture? Is urine marking an issue? Afraid of traveling?

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Is your cat stressed? Cats show stress in many different ways and sometimes stress can manifest into systemic illness. You may not think that everyday minor changes in the environment would stress out your cat but it can. Things as simple as redecorating your house, new house guests, introducing a new pet, boarding and even trips in the car or to the clinic can be HUGE stressors in your pets life. Does this mean we should not change anything in our house or never bring our cat to the vet? Absolutely not! It just means that we need to learn to recognize stressors in our cat’s life and treat them accordingly.

Cats use facial pheromones to mark their territory as safe. We can simulate this territory marking by spraying or “diffusing” pheromone into the environment so that the cat feels safe. Once a cat feels safe and stress-free they will stop unwanted behaviors such as vertical scratching and inappropriate urination. Also, by decreasing a cat’s stress we can decrease their risks of getting stress induced illness such as cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), dermatological conditions, anorexia and obesity.

Feliway is an ALL NATURAL pheromone to mimic the pheromone that cats use to mark their territory to feel safe. Feliway comes in the form of a spray that, when sprayed on furniture or other objects, last 24 hours or a plug-in diffuser that will cover 600 square foot area for 30 days. Feliway has a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied after using for 30 days.