Almost all types of animals feel emotion; for us to “feel,” emotion will play a vital role in the ability of animals to respond to their environment. For animals to remain alert, especially when there is a clear and present threat of predators and hazards, they will need to be anxious. Anxiety and the deep sense of fear are known for being one of the most primal emotions that both animals and humans are familiar with.
Naturally, through experiences, dogs, cats, and other types of pets will get anxious if they sense danger. But in different situations, animals will also get nervous if they’re placed in an area or a strange situation or unfamiliar with. It’s because of this that pets will usually get anxious on their way to the vet.
Let’s face it: nobody wants to have their cat or dog being restless while they’re driving to the mall, to your friend’s place, or their vet. Travel anxiety is known for being a prevalent condition among humans and animals. However, this is even more pronounced among animals like dogs and cats that rely on their emotions and instincts. In most cases, this can ruin road trips and can make trips to the vet more daunting.
But the good news here is that there are various ways of ensuring that your dog or cat doesn’t have any form of anxiety, even when you’re on a long road trip or just walking them around the neighborhood for a couple of minutes. Here are some tried and tested strategies that can help keep your pets calm and anxiety-free for the rest of the trip.
Helping Your Pet Enjoy the Trip
First and foremost, one of the most important things that you’ll need to consider is that pets such as dogs and cats are territorial and will become anxious if they’re outside their familiar living space. This type of anxiety is even more pronounced if placed in a strange environment, such as cars and trucks.
Like humans, experiences will also influence anxiety; if the experience is generally bad, they’ll typically associate negative emotions to driving and going to the vet. Animals like dogs and cats should have a pleasant experience when inside your car or the truck used for transporting them to their destination.
Fortunately, many pet handlers are quite aware of this situation. One of the best ways of removing anxiety from pets is by getting help from professional shared pet transportation services. The use of professionally designed vehicles that are specifically tailored to the needs and wants of pets can ensure that they arrive at their destination safely.
Medication and Supplements
Next, it’s essential to keep in mind that biochemical reactions of the body usually cause anxiety. That said, calming supplements from local vets and pet shops can help dogs and cats relax for different types of situations, even operations and surgeries. Still, it’s essential to consider what your pet needs and its specific breed. Sometimes, this process is trial and error. Although, most experts would say that these types of medication and supplements are reliable.
If you’re in doubt or not quite sure what you’ll need to give your pets, you can always talk to a certified vet in this situation.
Calming Pheromones
Another vital way of calming down pets is through the use of pheromones. Just like the previous section, being able to change chemical signals in your pet’s body can ensure that they’ll stay calm throughout the whole trip. One of the main advantages of calming pheromones is that you don’t necessarily need to administer medications and supplements for just one pet since these pheromones are usually sprayed into the enclosed environment’s air or on the toys of these animals.
This is especially important for pets with a history of being scared when it comes to injections and medication since the effects are quite subtle. Many companies usually use this to their advantage by using pheromones of female mother dogs known for soothing and calming young puppies.
Giving Them a Feeling of Security
Lastly, one of the simplest and cost-effective ways of making pets less anxious is by giving them a sense of physical security in their car. This can come in many forms, but most pet owners usually use travel pet carriers, crates, and harnesses fixed on car seats to help pets become more secure. Not only will this help simulate a better sense of security, but this can also maximize safety, especially in the case of vehicular accidents.
The best types of restraints will ultimately depend on a variety of factors. The size of your pet, their level of comfort, and the type of transportation you’re using. It’s also important to keep tools to ensure that you won’t have any problems if pets ever get restless.
There are a variety of ways to address restlessness and anxiety among pets. Whether it’s through calming pheromones, helping them enjoy the trip better, investing in a better car environment, or giving them a good sense of security by physically securing them, there are several ways of keeping them calm. The last thing you’ll want is a restless dog or cat that could make the trip unbearable or distract you while you’re driving.
