{"id":12724,"date":"2017-03-09T19:54:52","date_gmt":"2017-03-09T19:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phosdev.com\/todaysveterinarypractice\/?p=12724"},"modified":"2022-02-16T18:56:13","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T18:56:13","slug":"treat-separation-anxietyan-interview-dr-terry-curtis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarypractice.com\/behavior\/treat-separation-anxietyan-interview-dr-terry-curtis\/","title":{"rendered":"Separation Anxiety: An Interview With Dr. Terry Curtis"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this How I Treat<\/strong> interview, Terry Curtis, DVM, MS, DACVB, answers our questions about key treatment protocols for behavior issues noted when the owner is leaving or not at home, often diagnosed as \u201cseparation anxiety.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Today\u2019s Veterinary Practice \u201cHow I Treat<\/strong>\u201d column is based on the popular How I Treat sessions presented at the annual NAVC Conference in Orlando, Florida. This column features interviews with leading veterinary specialists on pertinent clinical topics, with the goal of bringing practitioners essential information on therapeutic approaches.<\/p>\n

\n

Q. What are the classic signs of separation anxiety in dogs that practitioners may recognize from an owner\u2019s description of a dog\u2019s behavior?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A<\/strong>. Classic signs of panic in dogs include distress vocalization (howling, yelping), elimination (\u201cfight or flight\u201d urination and\/or defecation), attempts at escape that result in destruction (typically through the door by which their owners have left), and\/or destruction of other locations or objects (digging at walls, chewing at furniture, etc).<\/p>\n

Dogs that feel panic at being left alone typically do so for 3 reasons:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. They are anxious at watching their owners leave (departure anxiety<\/strong>).<\/li>\n
  2. They are anxious if they find themselves alone (separation anxiety<\/strong>).<\/li>\n
  3. They are alone in a crate or other enclosure (crate\/barrier anxiety<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Any of these can be discrete presentations, or they can be seen in combination.<\/p>\n

    Dogs with departure anxiety<\/strong> tend to show anxiety when they observe their owners\u2019 \u201cpre-departure\u201d signals: putting on certain clothes and shoes, packing a briefcase or handbag, picking up keys, etc. These dogs have learned\u2014through classical conditioning\u2014to associate these actions with being left behind.<\/p>\n

    Dogs with separation anxiety<\/strong> are those that panic as soon as they realize they are alone. This can be shortly after their owners leave the house (typically within just a few minutes). Dogs with separation anxiety can also panic when their owners are home but not within sight\u2014such as out in the yard, in another room, or in the shower.<\/p>\n

    Dogs with crate\/barrier anxiety<\/strong> are those that panic because they are confined. These dogs typically present for breaking out of crates and, often, injuring themselves (broken teeth, torn claws, or ulcerated muzzles).<\/p>\n

    Q. What investigative measures would you advise to rule out other causes of these behaviors?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    A. <\/strong>A dog with crate\/barrier anxiety is the easiest to confirm and treat. To do so, simply leave the dog out of the crate. Many of these dogs were crated as puppies because they were thought to have \u201cseparation anxiety,\u201d perhaps because they eliminated in the house as a result of incomplete house training. Once the barrier is removed, this group of dogs is no longer anxious when left alone.<\/p>\n

    To confirm the other two types, because the behavior that we need to observe is happening out of the owner\u2019s sight, it is important to video the behavior. Once there is a record of the dog\u2019s activity when alone, we have more information as to the correct diagnosis and treatment plan. For example, if the dog is seen pacing, panting, urinating, and defecating just minutes after the owner leaves\u2014that\u2019s panic. However, if the dog urinates by the door 3 hours after the owner has left, this behavior could be \u201cI gotta go!\u201d It is then a matter of the dog not being completely housebroken.<\/p>\n

    Getting a complete history from the client is extremely important.<\/em> For example, concerning the destructive dog, one should ask, \u201cWhat items are being destroyed?\u201d Again, if the video shows the dog furiously digging at the door that leads out to the garage\u2014the owner\u2019s departure door\u2014then that points to a diagnosis of departure\/separation anxiety. However, if the dog is seen scanning the kitchen counters and garbage cans for goodies, then we\u2019re dealing with an entirely different problem.<\/p>\n

    Remember to consider when<\/em> the behavior occurs. If the dog is okay for Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday departures but \u201cgoes berserk\u201d on Tuesdays\u2014what\u2019s different? It may be that Tuesday is trash pick-up day, or the day when the pool people come. If the behavior is even more random, the owner should keep a log of when the dog exhibits the anxious behavior. Did the dog\u2019s excessive salivation coincide with a storm? Did the dog damage the blinds because of a package delivery? Often, it is not until we start looking for a pattern that we find one.<\/p>\n

    Q. How can an owner improve separation-related behavior?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    A. <\/strong>As mentioned, for dogs that have distress only when crated or enclosed in a small space, treatment can be very simple and straightforward: let the dog out of the crate or small space.<\/p>\n

    Owners of dogs that have learned that departures or being alone is scary have more homework to do. Often, departure and separation anxiety are seen together, so the following recommendations are indicated for both presentations. First, owners need to address the actions and cues that predict their departure. This can be done several ways:<\/p>\n