Anxiety and Your Pets

Do you ever have a desire to be perfect? Do you put pressure on yourself to keep people happy? This anxious world we live in is passing on to our pets. Does this sound a little odd?  Think about it. To your pet, you are their world. You have a long day, you come home, do you give your best to everyone who loves you? I know I don’t. Ever since I was a new baby vet, I cared about making everything right. Fixing every pet. Presenting my best self to every client. When I see 40 people in a day, my emotional cup gets emptied on each person or pet. You come home, you’re tired, and you want to vent to your spouse, or sit on the couch and watch 16 episodes of True Crime until you melt into bed. What about your cat? She waited to be fed, to see you. Sure, maybe you left the TV on, or the bird feeder is right next to her favorite window, but she needs “you” time. You are important. You are her person. What about that puppy you had to have? Your sporting dog is getting fat because he is not getting his exercise, because you are pouring from an empty cup.

At this point, we make excuses. Do we need to play ball for 30 minutes? He did chew up the rug today, so he had activity. I just wasn’t involved. We start to think, maybe he has separation anxiety. Maybe he needs medications. The truth is, maybe we all need to remember that emotional health isn’t really a taboo subject. Maybe what is good for us isn’t always easy. Sure, a lot of people need anxiety medications. But we also need to remember that a pet that gives us 100% of them might be exhibiting behaviors because they feed off our pressure. Aren’t they adapting to a move? What will make this home theirs, too?  What did they like about the old house that we don’t have now? We all just do our best. Remember that when a pet chooses you. Give them your best. Give them attention, exercise, the best environment for safety and happiness, constructive outlets, etc. Give them your best. If you can’t meet those needs, then we look outward. Have a good relationship with your veterinarian.

Anxiety meds aren’t a failure, but they aren’t an easy out either. They aren’t an excuse to let an animal have free rein in a home and get a foreign body eating the carpet. They aren’t a way to not feel guilty about skipping that walk. Sunshine does us all a little good. Meet the basic needs; if that isn’t enough, anxieties enter the chat. Remember, first, pets will love you on your worst days. They deserve you on those days too, and will help brighten a cloudy day. Every day is the best day ever to a golden retriever with a ball, a chihuahua with a soft lap, or a cat with enrichment and a safe place to judge you. Please see me for options if we can’t be our best or if our pet needs help.