How to Tell if Your Pet is Stressed

Pets can be emotional like human beings. Knowing how to tell the signals when your dog is unhappy, nervous, and stressed helps your pet live a healthy and happy life. Stress indicators are easy to identify but sometimes your pet can communicate its stress surprisingly and subtly. Below are various ways you can tell your pet has stress.

Whining

Your pet may not manage to control its whining whenever stressed. It occurs as an automatic reaction. Pet owners should take it as a clue that there could be something causing their furry friend anxiety.

Aggression

You can tell your pet is not okay if they become aggressive toward other animals and people. They could be having underlying problems if they start getting agitated. 

Freezing

Your pet can get stiff or freeze when they get stressed upon seeing something. Its body could be shutting down because of a trigger. Such an occurrence can be dangerous for the pet and its owner. The pet may not handle the situation and react by biting.

Body Language

Body language is everything for pets. They can communicate what they feel through their bodies. As a pet owner, watch for indications such as tucked tails, crouching, and flat ears. High-stress levels could be the cause of such signs in your pet.

Pacing

A stressed pet may not manage to settle down. It could be a big problem if your pet is constantly pacing for short periods or during mealtimes. You can get clues if you notice your pet engaging in such behaviors due to anxiety.

Excessive Grooming

Pets lick themselves to calm down and self-soothe. However, if you notice excessive licking or grooming around the mouth and nose, it could show that they are under stress.

Excessive Shedding

Your pet can develop skin irritations when they become stressed. As a result, they can start shedding and scratching excessively. Shedding can be a usual occurrence. But if it occurs constantly, your pet could have stress.

Dilated Pupils or Whale Eyes

Whale eyes are a sign of stress in pets. Seeing the whites in the eyes in a particular situation should be a cause for concern. You may notice the whites in the outer or inner corners of the eyes.

Drooling and Yawning

Drooling is most often a sign of anxiety in animals. Most pet owners may not recognize yawning as an indicator in their pets, but it is. Your furry friend can yawn when they feel stressed as a sign that they do not know how to handle the pressure they are feeling. 

Accidents

Constant accidents are a sign your pet is experiencing stress. You may notice that your puppy is getting into accidents, or your cat no longer uses its litter box. It could mean there is more than a potty-training issue. Your pet could be under a lot of stress.

Hiding

Dogs and cats often hide as a stress reaction. If you start noticing that your pet no longer likes spending time around you, they could be going through stress.

Lack of Appetite

Furry friends love to eat. Noticing they cannot eat at all can be upsetting. The lack of appetite can be accompanied by significant weight loss as a stress indicator.

Excessive Sleeping

As a pet owner, you know the sleeping schedule of your pet. You can recognize a change if they become more lethargic or sleep more than usual. Such signs and symptoms could mean they are anxious and stressed.

For more about stressed pets, visit Dr. Mike's Affordable Vet Care at our office in Arlington, Texas. Call (817) 663-8160 to book an appointment today.