Causes, Symptoms, and Solutions for Stress in Dogs

Dogs first communicate through body language; for people to understand that dogs are stressed, they need to know how dogs express themselves under normal circumstances. Without understanding a dog's behavior, it's difficult to recognize when they are stressed, or even when that stress becomes chronic. Chronic stress can initially lead to behavioral problems in dogs, and over time, it can pose health risks. Indeed, it's known that a chronically stressed dog may experience increased blood pressure due to excessive cortisol secretion from the adrenal glands, weight gain or loss due to eating disorders, digestive problems such as vomiting and diarrhea, and an increased risk of disease due to suppressed immune systems. Therefore, it's important to know the signs of stress in dogs and seek veterinary advice when these signs are noticed. Since stress can impair a dog's overall health and reduce its quality of life, necessary precautions should be taken as quickly as possible. In this article, you can find information about the signs and causes of stress in dogs and how to treat them when they are stressed.

The Effects of Stress on Dogs: Causes and Triggers

Like humans, dogs also experience stress in certain situations and reflect the stress they experience both psychologically and physically. Common factors that cause stress in dogs can be listed as follows:

• Aging memory loss
• Separation
• Korku

In addition to these basic stress sources, it is known that dogs can also become stressed due to human emotions. Scientific studies have shown that human emotional ups and downs can increase the stress levels of dogs, and that dogs can become mirrors reflecting the stress levels of their owners.

It is possible to mention many different situations that can stress dogs. Examples of situations that cause stress in dogs include:

• New toys, new people, new places… In short, new things in a dog's life can cause them to experience stress.
• Loud noises are a common cause of stress in dogs.
• Changes in their living and sheltering environment can cause your dog to feel pressured. Changing their bed, sleeping area, or home can lead to many different signs of stress in dogs.
• Dogs can become stressed if there are changes in family members. In situations such as a new puppy, guests staying overnight for a long time, the birth of a baby, or the loss of a family member, it can be observed that dogs are stressed in their behavior. Tensions between family members are a significant stress factor for dogs. Spending long periods alone at home can become a serious problem for some dogs. Separation anxiety can arise for various reasons. Some dogs are at a higher risk of developing separation anxiety than others. Separation anxiety and associated stress can be particularly observed in dogs that frequently change homes, are abandoned, or have recently experienced changes in their family.
• Tensions between family members are a significant stress factor for dogs.
• Being left alone at home for extended periods can become a serious problem for some dogs. Separation anxiety can arise for various reasons. Some dogs are at a higher risk of developing separation anxiety than others. Separation anxiety and associated stress can be observed particularly in dogs that frequently change homes, are abandoned, or have recently experienced changes in their family.
• Interference with a dog's personal space can also become a source of stress. Never being left alone at home, being petted roughly, and constantly being hugged can result in stress for dogs.
• Punishment during training can also be a source of stress for dogs. Pulling their leash too hard, speaking to them in a shouting tone, or experiencing physical violence, even if unacceptable, can damage a dog's psychology.

Stress Signs in Dogs: Behaviors to Observe

Stress signs in dogs are extremely diverse. When the stress signs that we will detail shortly are noticed, it will be necessary to identify the factor causing the stress and, if necessary, resort to treatment processes.

Growling: Dogs are known to growl to show they are uncomfortable: They may growl when someone enters their personal space or when they feel threatened. It is known that growling does not always mean aggression, and in such cases, it is advisable to heed the dog's warning. Many dog ​​owners think that stopping this behavior is the right thing to do when a dog growls. Experts recommend respecting the space of dogs that growl but do not show specific signs of aggression. For example, if your dog growls while eating, ensuring a calmer mealtime experience is a much better approach than scolding them.

Barking: Barking in dogs is interpreted as a perfectly natural expression. However, the intensity of barking increases when dogs are stressed. Dogs that are frightened or tense may bark to attract people's attention or to calm themselves down.

Yawning: Dogs may yawn when they are tired, bored, or stressed. Stress-related yawns are longer and deeper than yawns in other situations. Simultaneously, dogs may drool or persistently lick themselves.

Changes in Posture: The position of the tails and ears of stressed dogs may change. Their tails may be pointing downwards or curled, while their ears may be pulled back.

In addition to all this, an increase in respiratory rate can be observed in stressed dogs. Fear, anxiety, and stress can result in dogs breathing rapidly. Other signs of stress in dogs include dilated pupils and frequent blinking. Loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea can also be considered signs of stress in dogs. Pacing is also a common behavior in stressed dogs. If pacing behavior is observed in older dogs, the cause may be dementia. Changes such as weight loss or gain, and excessive hair loss are also common in dogs as a result of chronic stress.

Coping with Stress: Effective Solutions and Suggestions

When stress symptoms are observed in dogs, a veterinarian should be consulted immediately. When symptoms become chronic, the general health of the dog may suffer. During the examination, veterinarians receive feedback on how long the dog has been showing which symptoms. After obtaining detailed information about the dog's living conditions and diet, a physical examination and some tests may also be performed.

The treatment process may vary depending on the cause of stress in dogs. Sometimes, ensuring that dogs take regular walks can reduce their stress, while sometimes changes in their diet may become necessary. While training processes can be used to correct behaviors, supplements can also be considered to reduce stress and anxiety.

Vet's Plus Relax Calming Tablets for Cats and Dogs (100 tablets) help dogs cope with stress, relax, and improve their quality of life. Containing Colostrum Calming Complex Biopeptide Blend, Vet’s Plus calming tablets contribute to coping with negative emotions. Also containing Vitamin B1, which supports the nervous system of dogs, regular use of these calming tablets helps improve their quality of life. For dogs weighing up to 22 kilograms, 1 tablet per day is considered ideal, and for dogs weighing more than 23 kilograms, 2 tablets per day are considered ideal. You can also examine and purchase Vet's Plus Relax Calming Tablets for Cats and Dogs (100 tablets) here to reduce the risk of your pets being affected by stress and to help them live a calmer life.