How Does Stress Affect Your Dog's Health

Stress Affect

Dog's Health

Change of any kind-like disruptions to routine or a new home can bring about a lot of stress for dogs because they get accustomed to routines & change increases stress.

Some other common factors for stress include loud noises, boarding or kenneling, traveling, and meeting new people also cause stress in dogs.

However, if the change is an improvement in the dog's situation, the body's stress response will return to its normal status soon.

If your dog is stressed for a long period of time, you will start noticing changes in his health or behavior, some of which can lead to serious problems.

Here are the ways through which stress affect your dog's health.

Loss of appetite

Any type of stress can cause a loss of appetite, but prolonged stress can cause weight loss from decreased food intake.

This is dangerous for all dogs, but even more so for those that are underweight, young, experiencing other medical problems, or eating a poorly balanced diet.

In addition to this some dogs who are suffering from stress may start chewing or even eating non-food objects.

Weak immune system

When dogs are stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol as part of the fight-or-flight mechanism because cortisol helps the body to respond to a stressful event.

However, when stress becomes a chronic problem, cortisol also causes problems, such as a weak immune system, and dogs will be unable to fight off infection or diseases.

So it is important to minimize dog's stress levels, otherwise, in due course of time, a mild problem can become a bigger problem.

Diarrhea

In stressful situations, the body also releases adrenaline, which helps in fighting the stress or an immediate threat.

However, adrenaline causes a decrease in blood flow to the intestines and stomach, which can result in diarrhea in many dogs.

Stress-induced diarrhea often comes on suddenly and is typically not accompanied by other symptoms like fever or vomiting.

Issues in urination

Stress most often causes inappropriate urination in pets and a clear example of this is the urination that occurs in response to fear.

The immediate release of stress hormones will relax the bladder sphincters and urination will occur and sometimes defecation may also occur.

Finally

If your dog is constantly isolating himself from other pets or people, then he is suffering from anxiety, which might be caused due to stress.

If your dog develops any unusual symptoms, it is best to consult with a veterinarian before assuming that stress alone is to blame.

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