Anxiety disorders in dogs are common and increasingly well-treated with veterinary medications, but appropriate diagnosis and ongoing monitoring are essential for welfare-focused pharmacological management.
Anxiety disorders cause chronic suffering in dogs that is often invisible to owners who attribute fearful or avoidant behaviour to personality rather than treatable distress. Dogs with untreated anxiety experience a sustained reduction in quality of life through chronic fear, hypervigilance, and the physiological consequences of sustained stress responses. The availability of effective veterinary medications has transformed treatment outcomes for anxious dogs, but medication is most effective when combined with behaviour modification that addresses the underlying learning associated with anxiety triggers. Welfare-focused anxiety management requires accurate diagnosis, appropriate medication selection, concurrent behaviour therapy, and regular monitoring to optimise the treatment while managing side effects.