How to Recognize Fear, Anxiety, and Stress in Pets
August 5, 2024 · Countrycare Veterinary Professional · 4 min read
Does your dog ever pant and seem hyperactive when he is normally calm? Will he jump up and down, hide, or even freeze when he is somewhere new? Does your cat head for the basement whenever someone new enters the home? Fear, anxiety, and stress can be an everyday experience for the pets we bring into our world. What seems like “no big deal” to us can have lasting impacts on their well-being and comfort.
Fear, Anxiety, and Stress
relaxed dog
Fear is an innate protective emotional response to avoid a real or perceived danger. It activates the natural fight-or-flight response. If they have extreme fear or can’t escape, pets may “shut down” and freeze in place.
Anxiety is the anticipation of future danger, real or imagined, based on past experience of a frightening, painful, or negative event.
Stress is a reaction to fear, anxiety (or both), or the inability to cope with an environment perceived as threatening. Chronic stress can affect our pets’ immune systems and make them more susceptible to disease.
Animal Body Language
If we want to make our pets as comfortable as possible, we need to recognize when they are experiencing fear, anxiety, and stress. Dogs and cats communicate their emotional states using body language, and some signs may surprise you. Make sure you know what your pet is saying to you.
