January 2006
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The Rainbow Bridge
I don’t know if it is the season or just because we’re nearing the end of another year but I always think more often about pets that I have known and loved (and still miss) this time of year. As I write this newsletter we are getting snow, sometimes coming down hard and fast, sometimes floating gently past the window till the wind sends the snowflakes off, dancing and playful (much like our pets). It is a gentle, peaceful time of year, a good time for reminiscence.

We dedicate the Rainbow Bridge story to all those who have lost cherished pets this past year.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to the Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the pets who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special, someone who was left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. Their bright eyes are intent. Their eager body begins to quiver. Suddenly they break from the group, flying over the green grass, faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into those trusting eyes, so long gone from your life, but never from your heart. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together…

Treatment for Separation Anxiety
Last month we described the condition known as separation anxiety. It is a true phobia, an unrealistic fear of being separated from an attachment figure (i.e., the owner or a family member). We’re talking about dogs that are in a true state of panic. It takes an enormous toll on the dog’s quality of life. This month we will talk about an effective treatment plan that can help restore your dog’s peace of mind (as well as yours).

There is no magic pill or quick fix for separation anxiety. If you get nothing else out of this article, please remember that last line – no magic pill or quick fix. In fact, successful treatment can take as long as a year. Remember, there can be medical reasons for some of these behaviors. Before a diagnosis of separation anxiety is made, the pet should receive a complete physical examination and diagnostic workup. If an actual diagnosis of separation anxiety is made, a consultation with an animal behaviorist is highly recommended.

The first step is to manage the problem for the short- term. Dog sitters, taking your dog to a friend’s home who is able to be home with the dog, doggy day-care or day-kennels are all good short-term options. Many owners opt to crate their dogs to keep them out of trouble while home alone. While crating can limit destructive or housesoiling behaviors, it can have its own set of problems. This approach should be used only with caution. If the dog has not been conditioned to staying in a crate, they may injure themselves in their panicked attempts to escape. Severe injuries, even death, have been seen in dogs suffering from separation anxiety.

Downplay departures and arrivals. Upon departure, act low-key and matter-of-fact. Sadness or anxiousness on your part may in turn cause your pet to be more anxious about your departure. Greeting your pet on your return home should be calm. Treat it as little more than coming back in the house after getting the mail out of the box on the porch, a quick greeting, then go on about your normal routine.

Don’t correct or punish destruction or accidents after the fact. Many owners are convinced their pets “understand” why they are being punished. That is not correct. Their guilty posture is simply submissive behavior in response to the punishment or your body language. The dog will anticipate punishment through association of the destroyed item and the presence of the owner. They are not associating the punishment with the destructive behavior itself.

Increase exercise. A tired dog is better than a bored dog. This won’t cure separation anxiety but can reduce destructive behavior. The biological and psychological aspects of exercise and the body’s response to that exercise are generally mood elevating. Provide appropriate chewing objects. Chew toys that you can stuff with treats, keeping your pet occupied for long stretches of time, give your pet an outlet for their natural need to chew. Toys such as Kongs®, Buster Cubes®, or the Busy Buddy® line of toys are great for long term entertainment.

Begin behavior modification techniques. Desensitization and counterconditioning are not complex. The basic techniques are easy to perform.

• Desensitize your pet to your departure. Short steps repeated multiple times a day are the most effective way to desensitize your pet to the things you do when you prepare to leave. For example, pick up your keys, then sit down and watch television. Put on your coat, then make lunch. Dress for work, then relax and read a book. Do whatever your dog might key on as a signal that you are preparing to leave, then don’t leave. Making these steps short, random, and non-threatening from the dog’s point of view will help desensitize them without making them anxious. It is important to not practice desensitization close to the time when you are actually going to leave. You could actually sensitize your dog to be more anxious about your leaving.
  
  
• The goal of counterconditioning is to change the dog’s response to a stimulus (whatever it is that begins the anxiety). Ideally we want to change the response from one of fear to one of happiness. Dr. Patricia McConnell, a certified applied animal behaviorist and an adjunct associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, suggests this process: Give a treat to the dog such as a stuffed Kong®; wait till he’s fully immersed in it: jingle your keys and then put them down; then take away the treat. After a few moments, repeat the exercise. Do it a few times, then take the treat away for good and turn your attention elsewhere. A few hours later repeat the exercise, this time picking up your keys and putting on your coat. Take off your coat and put your keys down, then take away the treat. Repeat several times. Every day, gradually add the steps of your normal departure routine while your dog is enjoying the treat. Once the dog is relaxed about you doing the things you normally do before you leave, switch to doing the behavior (i.e., picking up your keys) before you give the treat. Careful adherence to the proper steps of counterconditioning can lead to a dog that is relaxed about your departure, perhaps even happy to see you leave.

Drug therapy is also an option. Drugs alone cannot cure separation anxiety. They should be used in combination with behavioral therapy to help decrease their anxiety levels while you are doing your desensitization and counterconditioning techniques. Clomipramine (Clomicalm®) alters behavior by its action on neurotransmitter systems within the brain. One of those neurotransmitters, serotonin, plays a significant role in fear and anxiety. Another, norepinephrine, is involved with learning, memory, mood, and behavioral focus. Clomicalm® is a prescription medication and is only available through your veterinarian. There are some common side effects and potentially harmful drug interactions which your veterinarian will discuss with you when prescribing Clomicalm®. In an upcoming article we will discuss prevention of separation anxiety. The old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is most appropriate in this behavioral condition.

“Katrina” kitty adoption
We are pleased to report that the young cat we were sheltering for the rescue organization, Paws in Need, was adopted in November. She came to central Ohio with other dogs and cats that had been rescued in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Her new owner reports she has fit well into the new family and provides constant entertainment with her antics. And yes, she named her Katrina. We are looking forward to seeing her next November when she comes in for her annual exam.

Goodbye Stephanie
Stephanie Pepper, our longtime receptionist, has moved on to another field of medicine. She has joined a chiropractic group and will be handling their marketing. From what she tells us it sounds like a big job, but she says she is enjoying it very much. Stephanie, we miss you but we know you made the right choice.

Welcome Jamie
Jamie Conley graduated from Columbus State Community College in 2000 with a degree in veterinary technology. She worked as a veterinary technician at a clinic in Gahanna for two years, then became an Inside Sales Representative at Columbus Serum Company, a veterinary pharmaceutical distributor, where she stayed for more than two years. Jamie lives in Canal Winchester with Montana, a (very large) Golden Retriever, Missy, a Cocker Spaniel, and Lilly, her domestic shorthair cat. We are very glad to have her on our staff.

Welcome Jennifer
Jennifer Royer came to Columbus from Canton, Ohio. She worked in auto and property insurance for three years before joining our staff as one of our client relations specialists. (She was chosen out of several hundred applicants!) Jennifer lives in Columbus with her fiancé, Bill, and their black shorthaired cat, Pepper. Next time you stop by be sure to welcome Jennifer to our clinic.

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