Every year, back-to-school season brings about changes in our schedules. However, while we and our kids get used to our routines again fairly quickly, we still often forget that these changes affect our pets, too.

Dogs often struggle with their human companions being gone more often, and many pets suffer from separation anxiety. Some dogs are unable to cope with being alone, as being around their families makes them feel safe and comfortable. A dog usually presents signs of separation anxiety throughout the day when her family is gone, and a cat generally show signs after his owners have been gone for a few days at a time.

Signs of separation anxiety regularly include:

• Barking, whining or crying, usually rhythmically and in a higher pitch.
• Marking or other forms of inappropriate elimination in the house. Talk to your Santa Clarita Animal Hospital veterinarian to make sure this isn’t a sign of a different underlying health issue.
• Chewing items that smell like the owner or that the owner touches often, like clothing, couches, beds, cell phones, remotes, books and magazines.
• Drooling, shaking or pacing.

To help your pet get used to a schedule change:

• Give your pet things to do while you’re gone. Provide plenty of toys so your pet doesn’t feel bored and so she learns she can have fun when you’re not around, too.
• Don’t block your pet out of the entire house while you’re gone. Pets often escape confinement because they want to be near you, or at the very least, near your scent.
• Try to change your behavior when you leave and when you come home. Don’t shower your cat or dog with pets before you leave, and don’t act especially excited when you come home either. Keep your distance in these moments so your pet learns that you leaving and coming home is normal.

You can read more about pet separation anxiety here: http://source.colostate.edu/pet-health-back-to-school-time-can-trigger-separation-anxiety-in-pets/

If you need more help managing your pet’s behavior issues, schedule an appointment at Littleton Veterinary Clinic by calling 303-557-7686.

Marijuana is not safe for our pets, as it affects them more acutely than it affects humans. When pets ingest marijuana, they experience health issues that vary in severity depending on their size and weight and how much they consume. Whether a pet eats dried buds, edibles made with cannabis butter or even if they just breathe in secondhand smoke, they can be negatively affected by marijuana.

The most common symptoms include lethargy, stumbling, incontinence, low blood pressure, abnormal heart rate and abnormal breathing. Some pets instead become hyperactive and anxious, and some, if they consume a lot, even have seizures.

To prevent marijuana poisoning in your pets, keep any and all marijuana products locked away so your pets cannot access them. It is especially important to keep pets away from edibles, like brownies, as these can cause chocolate poisoning as well.

If you’d like to learn more about how pets are affected by marijuana, or if you ever suspect that your pet has consumed marijuana, please contact Littleton Veterinary Clinic at 303-557-7686.

Many of us are extremely aware of our own allergies and their symptoms this time of year. But have you thought about your dog’s, too? Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease related to allergies, and many dogs suffer from it. For pets with atopic dermatitis, contact with environmental allergens—like dust, mold or pollen—causes continually itchy skin.

Skin problems are difficult to manage in dogs. Since we can’t watch our pets constantly, it’s very common for itchy dogs to scratch too much, which leads to even more inflammation and discomfort. Some even break open their skin, which can lead to infections.

If your dog scratches, licks or rubs around his face, paws and underarms and never seems to let up, he may benefit from Zoetis’s new Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic. The injection works within a day of being administered and provides relief from itching for an entire month. Plus, it’s safe for dogs of all ages and can be used in conjunction with most common canine medications, including antihistamines and antibiotics.

We’re excited to provide this new treatment to your itchy dogs. If you’d like to learn more about Zoetis’s Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic, contact Littleton Veterinary Clinic today!

With Fourth of July fast approaching, owners of noise phobic dogs are once again preparing to comfort their trembling, panting, and anxious companions. At Littleton Veterinary Clinic, we know all too well the stress of these festivities as clients and their companions come to us for medication to help control their pets’ anxiety throughout the summer months.

Thankfully, this year we can offer a new solution to noise phobia known as Sileo. It is the first and only FDA approved treatment for noise aversion. Sileo is a transmucosal gel (meaning that it is absorbed by the cheek and gums) designed to control noise phobia. The active ingredient in Sileo has been used by veterinary hospitals for years as an injectable, but it has only recently become available in this new client friendly form.

Designed to be given prior to a predictable event (i.e., a firework show) or immediately following a fear reaction to a noise, Sileo has been shown in studies to reduce the behaviors associated with noise phobias including pacing, lip licking, cowering, hypervigilance, vocalization, and shaking. It takes approximately 30-60 minutes to take full effect. Contrary to a pure tranquilizer, dogs on Sileo are still fully aware and functional. Sileo typically lasts for two to three hours and can be dosed again as soon as two hours after the initial dose.

However, we do recommend an examination by one of our veterinarians prior to prescribing Sileo as we want to make sure it is the best solution for your dog. There are other options for behavior modifying medications if our veterinarians feel Sileo is not the best fit for your pet. We will be happy to discuss all the options with you and make this Fourth of July a fun celebration again!