FECAVA Newsletter – December 2020
21. Dezember 2020
Noise Reactivity
Anxiety disorders, fear, and phobias are among the most common behavioral problems of companion animals. These problems include generalized anxiety, separation-related problems, and phobias of specific stimuli such as storms, fireworks, or other noises. In each of these disorders, affected animals are in a state of heightened arousal and distress. They may cause damage to their surroundings or themselves as an expression of their anxiety. As such, anxiety disorders represent an important welfare issue for affected dogs and may negatively impact the human-animal bond, becoming one of the major reasons for relinquishment of animals to shelters.
Signs of light fear (subtle and commonly not understandable as fear by the owners) to severe uncontrollable fear (generally known as phobias) are common causes of referral to behavioral practices. The most commonly reported reactivity is noise (also known as a sound phobia), being fireworks and thunderstorms the most common triggers. Sometimes, dogs with separation-related problems can have their origin in sound phobias.
Gonçalo da Graça Pereira
European Specialist in Behavioural Medicine and
Diplomate in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law
https://mailchi.mp/fecava/fireworks-fear-pain