I am often surprised by how many of my patient visits are intended to address behavioral issues. Being a house call veterinarian, I now see an even greater number of dogs with anxiety issues. Many patients are born with anxiety, to some degree, that often escalates in life, due to situation (abandonment and placement in shelters, or environments where clients are inadvertently doing things that actually exacerbate the problem.) Separation anxiety is common, and I see so many people that rearrange their lives in attempts to work around their dog’s behavioral issues. Countless others cannot, and sadly, their dogs are re-homed, and more often, euthanized.
The sooner anxiety is diagnosed, the better chance you have at resolving it. If not, it escalates, making breaking the cycle more challenging and less likely. Below is a screen, developed and used by Dr. Karen Overall, arguably the premier behavioral veterinary specialist in this field. If you think that your dog may have separation anxiety, do this test, and then contact your vet to get you started on a therapeutic protocol.
Questions 1-5 deal with an “actual absence”, e.g. you actually leave the home and your dog is either alone or totally without you.
Questions 6-13 deal with “Virtual absences”, such as when you are home, or not accessible because the door is closed or your dog is barricaded somehow in another room. The questions are the same for each, but please answer both.
Behaviors during an actual absence:
1. Destructive behavior when separated from you: Y U N (yes, unknown, no)
if yes. * 100% of time (always)
*<100% of time but >60% (more often than not)
*40-60% of time (about equally)
*>0% of time but <40% (less often than not)
2. Urination when separated from you Y U N
If yes *100% of time
*<100% of time but >60%
*40-60% of time
*>0% of time but <40%
3. Defecation when separated from you Y U N
if yes *100% of time
*<100% of time but >60% of time
* 40-60% of time
*>0% of time but <40% of time
4. Vocalization when separated from you Y U N
if yes, *100% of time
*<100% of the but >60% of time
*40-60% of time
*>0% but <40% of time
5. Salivation when separated from you Y U N
if yes, *100% of time
*<100% of time but >60 % of time
*40-60% of time
*>0% but <40% of time
Behaviors when separated from you (continue answering as above to the following questions)
6. Destructive behavior when separated from you
7.Urination when separated from you
8. Defecation when separated from you
9. Vocalization when separated from you
10. Salivation when separated from you
11. Reaction during thunderstorms
If yes, type of response. Please note all that apply
- salivate, defecate, urinate, destroy, escape, hide, tremble, vocalize, pace
12. Reaction to fireworks
if yes, please note all that apply
- salivate, defecate, urinate, destroy, escape, hide, tremble, vocalize, pace
13. Reaction to other noises
Note the TYPE OF NOISE
if yes, note all that apply:
- salivate, defecate, urinate, destroy, escape, hide, tremble, vocalize, pace.
If you have answered yes to some, or many of these questions, you dog likely has some degree of anxiety. Depending on how disruptive it is to you and your dog’s quality of life, I suggest you act on it, and contact your veterinarian.
If you answered yes to 5 or more of the questions, particularly in the 60-100% of the time category or higher, it is a real indicator that your dog would benefit from behavioral modification. Sometimes medication is needed, either short term or long term.
If in questions 11-13, you note any of the responses, you should consider contacting your veterinarian as well. I hope you found this enlightening and useful. At the very least, it should alert you to things to look for with your own dog, or that of someone you know.
Dr. Dawn
