Pheromones, Dog Stress, And Vet Visits – How To Deal With It?

Animals are much like humans in many ways. They cannot speak, but their emotions and responses can be similar. For example, they get anxious, stressed, or fearful of encountering unwanted situations, such as separation from loved ones or owners, loud noises, sickness, accidents, or even vet visits. You may wonder why they feel uncomfortable when traveling to a vet clinic. Imagine yourself having to go to a doctor’s office once, and you will get the answer. Reasons can be different but focus on the feelings.

Your pet friend can suffer from anxiety or stress without you realizing it. You must pay attention to them and make them as comfortable as possible. Else, this can manifest in their mental and physical well being. Right now, you can be thinking about the vet’s appointment. There can already be hundreds of questions regarding this; now, you have one more angle to handle. It can be understandable if you are a new pet parent. Although many things will be evident as you cover this journey, certain areas need prior consideration to avoid any hassle later. So, let’s delve into your pet’s stress and this vet visits aspect one by one.

Calming your dog’s anxiety or stress

As hinted, dogs can get agitated when encountering thunderstorms, louse noise, or chaotic situations. You will have to make them feel comfortable. Fortunately, you get distinct pet supplies, such as dog appeasing pheromones (DAP). These synthetic products can relieve your pet’s stress and anxiety. DAP can produce a natural impact on their senses. Pheromones are nothing but a type of chemical they secrete from their body. It stimulates them socially and behaviorally. Usually, lactating or nursing dogs release this chemical compound when feeding their younger ones to appease their anxiety. The chemical makes them less frantic.

Due to scientific advancements, it has been possible to make a synthetic version of this compound for pet parents so that they can help their dogs benefit from the tranquilizing effect in demanding situations. When you introduce your pup to a new environment, you can add synthetic pheromones to calm them. Their familiarity with the chemical will be adequate for their symptoms. Talking about the new environment, when you take your dog to the vet clinic, you expose him to two new settings – a car and a clinic. It is too much for them. And if your pet already has common or chronic anxiety problems, you can imagine the level of stress he might suffer. Hence, buying dog supplies like this to calm him.

How does DAP work?

You cannot smell or see this chemical. That’s why it can be challenging to accept that there is something that your dog needs for stress control. To your knowledge, dogs have a vomeronasal organ located between their mouth and nose that works like a receptor for pheromones. Receptors detect the smell, stimulating the dog’s brain and causing him to exhibit a specific behavioral response. If you worry about these pheromones affecting your people or non-canines, you can rest assured it doesn’t work on others. Only dogs can identify these chemical compounds, even in their synthetic form.

How to administer DAP?

Options include collars, diffusers, and sprays, among others. Some people buy DAP collars to alleviate their dog’s anxiety and nervousness. You can relax once you make it wear the collar. The collar will do the job. The proximity of the collar will exude calming pheromones for your dog to smell while he roams around. You can also put this on him when taking him to the vet’s clinic. A diffuser is also a good option. 

Make sure you keep this diffuser closer to your dog’s favorite spot, such as his napping corner or crate. Plug one into the wall and let it spread the magic up to 500 square feet for your pet. You get refill packs also, which make your purchase even more affordable. You can change them monthly based on the usage.

Do you need a more portable option? You can pick DAP sprays. These are also great solutions for car travels and vet visits. Spray the formula on your pet’s belongings, as the impact will linger for a few hours. Avoid spraying it on your dog. Also, you can expose him to those items after a few minutes. Pheromones need time to settle down and work. 

So, when is your pet’s next vet appointment? Since you know about one solution already, let’s find some more ways to make your dog’s visit to the clinic more comfortable and manageable. 

Preparing your dog for a hassle-free trip to the vet clinic

Those DAP products are there with you, which can also be enough of a confidence booster. But you must relax because your pet can feel your stress and get affected. Make sure you plan things well and take your time. If it is the first visit, you will want to learn about the length of the journey and a convenient parking area for your car. Carry anything your vet may have recommended, such as vaccination details, pet papers, etc. You may also have queries about your pet’s diet, behaviors, and other activities. Make a list of everything so you can ask whatever seems vital for your furry friend’s health and wellness.

Another critical thing is the time of feeding your pet. It’s best to avoid giving anything just before visiting the clinic. It can worsen your pet’s car sickness symptoms or interfere with his medical checkup. If they need anything, vets usually keep treats to help them cope with their nervous feelings. They can also give these during vaccination or temperature checking. 

If you two have to wait at the clinic, it will be your responsibility to make your dog feel safe and secure. The doctor’s waiting room can look intimidating to him, especially if he is young. And the combination of the smell and noise of other animals can only worsen their anxiety. 

You can avoid this situation by keeping your dog closer on your lap or by your side in your arms. He will be happy this way. However, this isn’t all. Experts suggest maintaining eye contact and distracting them from the surroundings are also essential when waiting.  

Do these things work? You can consult the vet for more advice about calming your pet. If you use pheromones, you may not require anything else. You and your dog can finish your job at the clinic and return home happily. 

Motion sickness

Meanwhile, if you have started wondering about ensuring your dog’s comfort in the car, you must remember that pheromones spray or collar is there. You can also follow a few more steps to help your pet deal with sickness. For instance, choose a secure location for your small pet’s crate in the vehicle. It can be the middle seat floor area with less motion. Ensure the carrier is well structured to absorb the impact of the sudden jerks. Also, choose something that prevents your dog from seeing the world moving by and helps him avoid getting sick.  If you are not using a carrier for your dog, then you can use a dog car seat instead. A dog car seat secures your dog and reduces motion sickness, just make sure the dog is facing forward during the journey.

Another thing you can do is wait to feed him large portions before traveling to dodge vomiting issues. Usually, it’s better to avoid giving them food 12 hours before any long travel by car, train, or plane. Supply him with an ample amount of water, though. If your pup has vomiting tendencies, you can administer prescription medicine based on your vet’s recommendation. Generally, you get this for dogs older than eight weeks. Do you believe in herbal solutions? In that case, ginger, fringe tree, chamomile, meadowsweet, black horehound, lemon balm, and others can help, albeit there is no proof of their effectiveness. You can explore supplements in the market with your vet’s support. 

In some cases, vets can even advise sedatives. But these may come with side effects. Hence, you have to be careful about them. It will be better to observe motion sickness symptoms in your pet. Drooling, lip smacking, panting, whining, and yawning are some common signs apart from vomiting.

Taking your pet to the vet’s clinic is crucial, especially if you notice any visible or prominent changes in their general appearance, body temperature, urination, food habits, etc. Some effects can be temporary, while others can have severe implications. But you cannot take a risk and wait for the symptoms to become worse. You need to take your furry friend to the doctor for one reason or another. For example, It’s important to take your pup to the vet before you start giving them anything that can help their stress. A supplement like Honest Paws turkey tail mushroom complex can improve the immune system, reducing canine stress, but a veterinarian must sign off on the right dose first. And since it is unavoidable, learning different measures to keep him calm in this process is essential and helpful.

Pheromones work and can be one reliable solution. Like this, figure out everything that allows your pet to relieve stress and stay positive. The options mentioned above can be your go-to choices. Try them judiciously. Talk to your vet whenever there is a doubt, and avoid overdoing anything. After all, your small pet is also a delicate creature. Only you can decide what’s best for him once he is with you.