Dr. Terri Bright, lead behavioralist at the MSPCA-Angell Animal Medical Center, spoke with Boston Public Radio on Friday about preventing and easing pet separation anxiety.
Anxiety in dogs can be seen within the first 15-30 minutes after a dog is left alone, Bright said.
"They have kind of a panic attack — in a mild case they might bark and howl a while and then settle down," she said. "But there can be really severe responses where the dog drools, urinates or defecates even though they’re house trained, and they might even try to get out of the house by scratching at doors and windows."
Separation anxiety is the second most common reason that behaviorists see dogs, the first being aggression, Bright noted. But some pet owners aren't sure whether or not their animal is experiencing anxiety, she said.
"You can find out what your dog is going to do by surveilling them, get a camera and watch what they do in the first hour when you’re not home," she said. "If they have the symptoms I’ve described, then you need help."
Dogs can get used to their owners leaving the house through proper training, Bright added.
“But, also leave lots of enrichment for your dogs. Dogs need something to do," she said. "Leave them treats around the house to find, like a kind of scavenger hunt.”
Bright says that she and other animal behavioralists don't see many separation anxiety cases among cats.
"Cats were domesticated differently than dogs, so they do not pine for us as much as dogs do," she said. "Having said that, we have had cases where cats exhibited anxious behavior when they were left alone, and we have to deal with that too."
