functioning of the digestive system (brain/gut connection). If there is stress, anxiety results, digestion suffers, and visa-versa – setting up a vicious cycle.
Some supplements that could help with anxiety and stress in pets are melatonin, magnesium, passion flower, hops, and valer- ian root extract. These can be obtained and used separately or in combination. A pheromone which is available for cats is the facial pheromone. Cats rub their chins against people or objects to mark their territory. Excessive rubbing can be observed as a sign of stress. To counteract this, a facial pheromone analog (as a spray or diffuser) can be used to permeate the environment and elicit calming. It can also be helpful to prevent or deter urinary marking and exces- sive vertical scratching. This pheromone can comfort a cat in an unknown or stressful situation (traveling, boarding, visit to the vet, new home, etc). Excessive grooming in cats could also be a sign of stress – related to either a psy- chological cause (actual or perceived chang- es in the environment that appear as a threat) or a physical cause (urinary tract infection,
mal-digestion, or impacted anal glands). Anal gland impaction – often an overlooked condition – can, especially in older cats, be associated with behavioral changes (such as running away from the litter box, showing discomfort, or relieving itself in new places outside the litter box). If these behaviors are observed, check with your vet to determine if the anal glands need to be expressed. I hope these tips will be helpful in understanding behavioral changes that some pets might demonstrate and that the rem- edies suggested will assist in resolving them.
Dr. Pavel Mihok provides mobile integrative veterinary services in the entire metro area, Westchester, and Hudson Valley. By combin- ing both holistic and traditional veterinary care, he can offer several different modalities such as: nutritional and neutraceutical coun- seling, homeopathy, essential oils, stone and crystal therapy, acupuncture, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. He can be reached by phone (203) 770-7875 or via his website
www.paulmihokdvm.com.
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