Pets with fears are commonplace, and so, too, is confusion over how to deal with a frightened pet. While most people realize that punishing a pet's fear will only make matters worse, they don't know how to turn that fear around.
That's understandable. After all, you can't reason with a frightened pet. You can't explain that thunderstorms or fireworks are just a lot of noise, or that veterinarians are working to help pets feel better.
Pets who aren't comfortable being handled, can't be exposed to new things or have learned to fear life's regular stresses lead lives that are difficult for themselves and for their owners. They often don't get the basic care they need, such as routine nail trims, and their major health problems may go undiagnosed because their behavior at the veterinary hospital is too much for their owners to handle.
It's not just the pets at risk, of course, since one of the ways pets express fear is by biting.
A pet's fear can often be conquered with the help of a savvy owner who knows when to tap a professional for advice. The answer is a program of what behaviorists call "counter-conditioning" -- pairing the scary in a small dose with something the pet likes: yummy food treats and praise. That doesn't mean reassuring a frightened pet -- and rewarding the fear -- but rather changing the way the animal looks at what frightens him.
Always keep the exposure below the threshold level at which the pet starts showing signs of anxiety -- yawning, drooling, scanning the room for escape routes, or changing to a body posture that lacks confidence, including ears back, licking lips. Build on your successes and go slowly.
What if you're not having any successes? Get help. Ask your veterinarian to refer you to a professional pet behaviorist who can help you develop a good program, and may get your pet on medication to make the transition to a fear-free life easier. While it sounds odd to many pet lovers, a medication such as Prozac paired with a well-managed behavior modification plan helps many pets cope with modern life, either short-term or forever.
Don't wait until it's a crisis: Behavior problems are usually easier to resolve before they've become well-established.
The bottom line? Pets don't have to live in fear -- as long as pet owners are willing to help them work through the issues with patience, compassion and, possibly, help from a professional.
Q&A
How to know what's
safe food for dogs
Q: We heard you say on "Good Morning America" that carrots are great treats for dogs. I've always heard that dogs should get dog food and nothing else, so I'm wondering if the thinking has changed? -- via e-mail
A: Yes, and no.
Yes, low-calorie snacks such as baby carrots or apple slices can be shared with your dog as a treat, and I do recommend them, especially for dogs who need to lose weight. But no, not all "people" food is pet-appropriate.
Like all veterinarians, I am aware that the contents of a restaurant leftover box, for example, are more likely to offer a health risk than a tasty treat for a pet. Fat-laden leftovers and sharp bones pose a threat to pet health, causing illnesses such as pancreatitis, accidents such as a perforated intestine, and even death.
If you give meat or poultry to your dog as an occasional treat, trim it carefully to remove the fat as well as the skin, which is a hiding place for more fat.
Even if you're lucky enough that your pet doesn't end up with acute pancreatitis (a life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas), a perforated intestine, severe gastroenteritis (aka a big bellyache) or relatively mild cases of vomiting or diarrhea, the fat certainly adds calories most dogs today don't need.
Other "people foods" that need to be avoided include raisins, macadamia nuts, Xylitol-sweetened gums and candies, bread dough, caffeine and chocolate. For a more comprehensive list, check out the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, ASPCA.org/pet-care/poison-control/people-foods.html.
If you still have questions, ask your veterinarian. And when in doubt, don't share. -- Dr. Marty Becker
Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.
THE BUZZ
Chinese pet fad
can be dangerous
-- Pets dyed to look like pandas, ninja turtles or tigers? It's the latest fad in China, where pet ownership is rising in tandem with household income. But turning a pet into a tiger lookalike may be dangerous, because the unregulated bleaches and dyes can be absorbed into the skin or ingested by the animal, triggering serious health repercussions. The transformation can take eight hours, and isn't always about make-believe fun: Sometimes it's done to pass a pet off as something he's not to command a higher price at a pet store. For example, a kitten with black-and-white tuxedo markings was bleached and dyed to look like a seal point Siamese for a higher sale price. The kitten had to have medical care after becoming ill from the dye, according to a story on CNN.com.
-- Half the dogs and cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese, meaning 33 million dogs and 51 million cats, according to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention.
-- Technology has brought a change to the simple pet door, thanks to a microchip that recognizes only the cat or cats who are allowed through the door. The Pet Porte Smart Flap reads an implanted microchip to open the door as soon as the cat is a foot away, and holds the door open for a few seconds before locking to keep out other cats as well as wild animals looking for food. The manufacturer says the door can be programmed to work with up to 30 cats and can be locked to keep all cats contained when desired. Other automatic doors require a cat to wear a special collar. The product is not yet available in the United States. In the United Kingdom, however, more than 2 million cats have been implanted with the special microchip, and the door is a hit with cat owners, even though the unit is considerably more expensive than a regular cat door -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.