Tranquil tails: transform your dog or cat’s anxiety with natural ingredients
So often, we rely on our fur kids to give us emotional support when we are feeling sad, anxious, or stressed. We use them as our living, breathing stress toys – cue the silky ear burrito-making, enveloping bear hugs, purring as they lay on our chest, or a furry belly pillow for our spinning head. However, our furry companion animals can experience all these emotions themselves – just as fiercely as we do – but with very little recourse to soothe their own restless souls.
Your dog or cat’s stress or anxiety could be caused by separation, loud noises, an unfamiliar environment, strangers, unfamiliar dogs or cats, or something else entirely. In some cases, stress and anxiety can be a normal sign of aging, brought on by memory loss or some other cognitive deficit, or pain from aging bones and joints. In any case, it’s essential first, to recognize the signs of stress and anxiety in our dogs and cats, and second, to then find safe and effective ways to help calm them.
Signs your dog is anxious or stressed
- Aggression against other dogs and/or people
- Peeing or pooping in the house
- Excessive drooling
- Unexplained panting (not associated with play or exercise)
- Destructive behavior (goodbye couch arms, goodbye favorite sweater)
- Depression and lack of energy
- Excessive barking
- Pacing
- Restlessness
- Repetitive or compulsive behavior
Signs your cat is anxious or stressed
- Exaggerated or repetitive behavior
- Trembling
- Withdrawal and hiding
- Becoming less active
- Destructive or aggressive behavior
- Diarrhea
- Failure to use the litter box
- Sores or lesions from over-grooming
If your cat or dog is consistently displaying one or more these behaviors, then he or she needs your help to restore calm. Enter ThorneVet’s Peaceful Pet calming formula.
Botanicals for Calming
Instead of relying solely on traditional methods, more and more pet parents are turning to natural remedies to alleviate stress and anxiety in their fur kids. Certain botanicals are already well-known for their calming properties in human health. Now, with increasing studies to back up their safety and efficacy for use in companion animals, these therapeutic agents can be incorporated into your dog or cat’s routine to promote relief and relaxation as well.
For example, American skullcap and valerian root are popular natural choices known for their soothing effects. These two herbs can be administered in various forms, such as in herbal teas and tinctures, or as an ingredient in treats. ThorneVet’s Peaceful Pet incorporates both of these natural ingredients to provide a comprehensive solution for anxiety in cats and dogs.
In fact, Peaceful Pet combines six well-researched botanical extracts known to reduce stress and anxiety in animals. This includes the proprietary blend RELORA®: a blend of bark extracts from the Magnolia tree and the Phellodendron tree, shown to reduce stress, moderate anxiousness, and improve mood.
Other anxiety-busting inredients
Additional soothing ingredients included in Peaceful Pet are:
- L-theanine, an amino acid found to be effective at alleviating anxiety-like symptoms in both humans and animals, and
- Two bioactive forms of vitamin B6 for supporting healthy nervous system function.
All of which combine to provide synergistic support for
- reducing nervous tension,
- alleviating stress, and
- providing balanced responses throughout the nervous system.
With the right approach – and the help of science-backed natural supplements like ThorneVet’s Peaceful Pet – you can turn even the most anxious of pets pawsitively serene.
AUTHOR PROFILE
Dr Keith Weingardt, DVM, CVA, CTCVM
Dr. Keith Weingardt is a 1999 graduate of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed acupuncture certification from the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2004 and certification in herbal medicine at the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in 2006. He has started successful integrative veterinary practices in San Diego, CA and Portland, OR. He is a dedicated herbalist and enjoys working with the plants of the Pacific Northwest. Currently, he works as a consultant for ThorneVet, specializing in product development and continuing education.
