Does your animal need to see a vet? Is it urgent?
Select an animal to find out.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Worried about your pet?
Designed and run by vets, the Vet Help Direct animal symptom checker directs you to personalised first aid advice and clear guidelines about when to contact the vet. Easy and fun to use, Vet Help Direct is the online source of reliable vet advice for concerned pet owners, horse owners and farmers.
Latest blog post
Ask a vet online – ‘My 3 year old yorkie gets very destressed when left on his own howling and barking, neighbours are complaining’
Question from Sue Michele Whitehouse
My 3 year old yorkie gets very destressed when left on his own howling and barking, neighbours complain so I try and take him wherever possible with me, but sometimes this isn’t possible and he can sense I am going out and starts getting upset before I even leave him………thanks
Hi Sue, and thank you for your question about your Yorkshire terrier. What you have described your dog as suffering from sounds very much like a condition known as Separation Anxiety. I will try to explain what separation anxiety is, how it affects dogs and some ways to try and combat it.
Answer from Shanika Winters MRCVS (online vet)
So what is Separation Anxiety?
Separation Anxiety (SA) as the name suggests is when your pet becomes worried and or distressed when alone. There are many ways in which dogs can show their distress including vocalising (barking and howling), chewing at furniture or themselves (often chew or lick at paws), toileting in the wrong place, pacing around, hiding, drooling and generally being miserable.
Why do some dogs suffer from Separation Anxiety (SA)?
As with most behaviour related problems there is not a definite explanation as to why a particular dog develops a condition such as SA but it may well be related to poor socialisation as a puppy or changes in the household. The peak socialisation period for a puppy is around 1-2 months of age, during this time it is really important that your puppy is exposed to lots of different people, animals, places and situations. Household changes can include: moving house, new family members, new pets and changes to family members daily routine such as starting a new job……
Tags: Barking, DAP, destructive behaviour, dog distressed, Howling, puppy socialisation, Separation Anxiety
Vet Reviews
»
»
Pet Symptoms Checker
Pet insurance
»
Vet blog topics
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»