Dr Magdoline Awad, Chief Veterinary Officer Greencross Vets, Dr James Carroll, National Operations Manager Specialist & Emergency Centres and Dr Kersti Seksel come together discuss how to look after your pet as we gradually move out of lockdown.
If you have any questions about your pet’s health or well-being please contact your local Greencross Vets team.
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As you transition into a new daily routine so too does your pet. We share some tips to help your furry friend feel confident as you both (re)create your new normal, to reduce stress and separation anxiety when we resume our normal lives by slowly transitioning your dog to a new routine now.
to reaccustom them to being left at home alone
like interactive toys and long-lasting treats so they can keep themselves entertained.
based on when you’ll be able to walk them once you’re back at work.
to set expectations of when and how often they’ll be fed.
Your local Greencross Vets team can also provide personalised advice on helping your dog adjust to a new routine.
to readjust them to sights and sounds that have become less familiar.
to reaccustom them to being left at home alone.
to set expectations of when and how often they’ll be fed.
like interactive toys so they can keep themselves entertained.
like Feliway diffusers and sprays which are scientifically proven to comfort and reassure cats.
Your local Greencross Vets team can also provide personalised advice on helping your dog adjust to a new routine.
The most frequently asked questions from our Petbarn pet community answered by Dr Magdoline Awad, Chief Veterinary Officer Greencross Vets
We highly recommend to consult with a Greencross Vet to assess your pet and they may refer you to a veterinary behaviourst in your area To find your local Greencross Vet, click here.
You may also want to try the WebVet option, where a vet can asses your pets symptoms over the phone, to learn more click here
Crate or confinement training is an incredible tool to teach your puppy that being alone is okay or even fun. When taught properly you puppy learns that the crate or the confined area is a "safe spot" and "good things happen there
A change of routine could be stressful for some cats. Look for the common signs of anxiety, such as abnormal urination habits, excessive grooming, excessive vocalisation, change in eating and drinking habits and sometimes aggression. Feliway is a very good product to help reduce stress during transition. It is a calming pheromone specifically designed for cats. Enrichment feeding will also be very helpful, to keep your cat busy as well as an outlet to preform normal behaviour when no one is home. Ditch the food bowls, become creative on how to offer food to your kitten. There are many toys and food puzzles that are designed for this purpose. My favourites are the Kong Wobbler, Catnosphere, AiKiou Stimulo and scattering dry food around the house.
Adaptil collar would be beneficial, it is a calming pheromone for dogs. Keep offering enrichment toys like the Kong you have. Have a few different ones and rotate them daily to keep them interesting. Zylkene could also be helpful, it's a supplement with proven results, you can speak to your local Greencross Vet about it
Firstly, get a good tool. The Gentle Leader walking harness is a good beginner tool. Some people like to use the Halti, which will require a little bit more training to help your dog get used to it.
Not all animals are going to have a problem when we go back to work. Getting some of their own space back may not be too traumatic. Look into over-the-counter products to help ease them into it. Get used to a new routine by taking short trips out before heading back to work. Pheromones are fabulous for these cases to transition them out. Diabetes in dogs and cats is something we manage with routine.
Enrichment feeding will also be very helpful, to keep your dog busy when no one is home. Ditch the food bowls, become creative on how to offer food to your dog. There are many toys and food puzzles that are designed for this purpose. My favourites are the Kong Wobbler, Kong Tiltz, snuffle mats, Buster Activity mat, and scattering dry food on the lawn.
Knowing what triggers your dog's anxiety is good start. We need to avoid those triggers and start working on calming techniques. Believe it or not, dogs can learn to calm down on cue if you put some work into it. Is it possible to reduce visitors until your dog is able to calm down on cue? I suggest you implement crate or confinement training as well, so your dog learns that the crate or the confined area is a "safe spot". When there are visitors, your dog stays in the crate/confined area. until everyone is settled down then you let your dog out to come and greet. Find a dog trainer to help you because these training techniques involve reading your dog's emotions and rewarding the calm behaviours at the right time. You can find a trainer equipped with these skills on IMDT website
We need to look at what the triggers are and reasons for the behaviour of that particular dog. Sometimes they snap because they're playing, but sometimes it's a tool for dogs to communicate its emotional state at that time. Without knowing the details I'd suggest to always supervise your dog's when they're together, when you noticed one of them is getting too excited then to separate them and allow them to calm down. It's always important to have your dogs assessed by a Vet. I also recommend you see a dog trainer to help teach your dog alternative behaviour
Yes, we are pleased to re-commence our Petbarn Puppy School and Greencross Vets classes however please note that due to social distancing requirements we have limited class sizes. Only one member of the family may attend with each puppy until social distancing laws are further relaxed.
Yes, our grooming salons remain open and there are no changes to salon operating hours. To make a grooming appointment, click here.
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