Ask Dr. Paola- I Need Help With My Dogs Anxiety! (...

Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we convey skilled recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.

Whether or not you’re a brand new pet guardian or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet ideas and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to supply insights that can maintain your furry buddy comfortable and wholesome. Keep tuned for skilled steering on a spread of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you can also make knowledgeable selections and supply the very best care to your canine companion. ‎Have‎ a ‎question? Send it in here!

Assist! Can I Use Flea + Calming Collars Collectively?

“Can you set a flea and tick collar and a relaxing collar on a canine on the similar time?“  – Denise

Hello Denise,

A flea and tick collar can usually be used alongside a relaxing collar, however there are a couple of sensible elements to think about. Most parasite collars comprise lively elements akin to imidacloprid or flumethrin that unfold throughout the pores and skin’s lipid layer to manage ectoparasites. Calming collars could comprise an artificial dog-appeasing pheromone or aromatherapy blends like lavender or chamomile. There isn’t a identified pharmacologic interplay between these elements, so from a systemic security standpoint, they don’t cancel one another out. The considerations are extra native and sensible than chemical.

Sporting two collars can improve friction, lure moisture, and create strain factors on the neck, particularly in lively canine. Over time, this will result in irritation, hair thinning, or irritation, notably if important oils are concerned, since some canine can develop contact sensitivity. As well as, many flea and tick collars have a noticeable odor that may overpower or alter the scent launched by an aromatherapy calming collar. As a result of aromatherapy merchandise depend on a constant perfume to affect habits by way of the olfactory system, a stronger competing odor could cut back their supposed calming impact. It’s much like making an attempt to note a refined lavender scent in a room the place a powerful disinfectant is current.

If Flash has delicate pores and skin or really wants calming assist, a considerate mixture could also be extra comfy and efficient, akin to utilizing an oral or topical parasite preventive paired with a relaxing collar, or sustaining the flea collar whereas selecting a non-contact calming possibility like a house diffuser. This strategy helps protect each pores and skin well being and the supposed behavioral profit whereas conserving his consolation and general well-being on the middle of the choice.

Variety regards,

Dr. Paola

I Want Assist With My Canines Nervousness!

“I need assistance relating to my canine’s nervousness… I’ve a 15-month-old Yorkie, Bailey, that actually shakes and cries when out and about, driving within the automotive, stroller, and so forth. On each day walks, she lunges and barks at anybody strolling by and, after all, different canine. I imagine out of concern. If a neighborhood canine barks from inside their home once we go by, she turns round and heads for residence. I spoke to her vet about CBD, and she or he talked about an organization known as Ellevet. I hate to place her on each day meds, however I can not take her wherever, and I’m feeling trapped at residence as she runs to take a seat on the door when she sees me on the point of go wherever. My earlier Yorkie liked to go all over the place, liked automotive rides, and so forth.“ – Diane

Hello Diane.

The behaviors you describe in Bailey, shaking, crying, retreating when canine bark, and lunging on walks, are very per fear-based anxiety. At fifteen months, she remains to be emotionally maturing, and a few small-breed canine are genetically predisposed to heightened vigilance. When she barks and lunges, she isn’t making an attempt to be tough; she is making an attempt to create distance from one thing that feels threatening. When she turns towards residence after listening to a canine bark, that tells us she doesn’t really feel secure in that second. Her nervous system is reacting as if the world exterior is unpredictable, and that fixed state of alert is exhausting for each of you.

For canine like Bailey, the muse of therapy is managed desensitization and counterconditioning. This implies exposing her to triggers at a distance the place she notices them however doesn’t panic, and pairing that publicity with one thing she loves, akin to high-value treats. Over time, the mind can start to affiliate these beforehand scary sights and sounds with optimistic outcomes. Consider it as progressively adjusting the brightness on a light-weight quite than flipping it on at full depth. Administration is equally vital. Stroll throughout quiet instances, create distance from different canine, and keep away from forcing interactions. For car rides, start with merely sitting in a parked automotive and rewarding calm habits earlier than progressing to brief drives.

Concerning CBD, present veterinary analysis doesn’t present sturdy, constant proof for nervousness reduction in canine, and product high quality can differ extensively. Whereas some canine could present gentle enchancment in situational stress, proof isn’t but sturdy sufficient to think about it a main therapy for vital nervousness; due to this fact, it shouldn’t change habits remedy. If Bailey’s concern considerably limits her high quality of life, there are well-studied anti-anxiety medications akin to fluoxetine or sertraline that can be utilized safely below veterinary supervision, typically quickly, to decrease her baseline nervousness so studying can happen. Remedy on this context isn’t about sedation; it’s extra like decreasing the amount on a radio that’s caught on excessive, permitting her mind to course of new experiences with out panic. I hope this helps!

Variety regards,

Dr. Paola

Are Bark Collars Inhumane?

“My canine Honey is 9 months outdated. She barks incessantly. Normally early night. Or when a leaf falls 🤪. Is it inhumane to make use of a bark collar? “ – Shirley

Pricey Shirley.

At 9 months, many canine are in what behaviorists typically describe as an “adolescent phase,” a bit like a human teenager discovering their voice and reacting to each little stimulus within the atmosphere. Barking at falling leaves, passing sounds, or motion within the yard is quite common at this stage as a result of the mind areas liable for impulse management are nonetheless maturing. Most extreme barking in younger canine is linked to pleasure, alert habits, or an absence of structured shops for bodily and psychological power, particularly within the early night when many canine expertise a pure exercise surge.

Bark collars, notably those who ship electrical stimulation, are usually discouraged in fashionable habits medication as a result of they suppress the habits with out addressing the underlying motivation. From a welfare perspective, they’ll improve nervousness or create unintended associations with environmental triggers. Think about if each time you spoke, one thing disagreeable occurred, however nobody defined why, the confusion alone may elevate stress ranges. I might suggest specializing in positive reinforcement training, environmental administration, and enrichment as a substitute. Instructing a quiet cue, rewarding calm habits, growing train earlier than the night interval, and offering structured actions like meals puzzles or scent video games typically reduces this sort of barking far more successfully.

If the barking feels overwhelming, working with an expert optimistic reinforcement coach will be extraordinarily useful, particularly whereas Honey remains to be younger and extremely adaptable. The aim is to not silence her voice utterly; barking is a traditional type of communication, however quite to assist her be taught when it’s applicable and when calm habits pays off. With constant steering and ample shops for her power, most adolescent dogs progressively develop a lot better self-control as their nervous system matures and so they be taught the social guidelines of coexisting with people in peace. Good luck!

Dr. Paola