Anxiety disorders including generalised anxiety, separation anxiety, and social anxiety cause chronic suffering in dogs. A combination of medication and behaviour therapy achieves the best welfare outcomes.
Anxiety disorders cause chronic welfare compromise through repeated stress responses, sleep disruption, and reduced ability to engage in positive activities. The suffering of an anxious dog is real and significant, even when no obvious trigger is present. Combined medication and behaviour therapy achieves better outcomes than either alone. Medication reduces the baseline anxiety level, allowing behaviour therapy to have effect. Identifying and avoiding triggers, providing predictable routines, and creating safe spaces supports welfare management between behaviour therapy appointments.