Chinese Medicine and Canine Anxiety
Nervous Dogs Helped By Using Diet, Herbs, Acupuncture and Massage
Starting with the diet, which may contribute to increased anxiety, the TCM practitioner assesses underlying causes for canine anxiety problems. An herbal formula may help bring the dog’s body back into balance, while acupuncture or acupressure and massage can each contribute to making the animal more relaxed.
Calming Foods For Anxious Dogs
In Traditional Chinese Medicine fear and anxiety often have a Yin Deficiency component which means the dog will often be warm and dry as indicated by drinking lots of water, panting and preferring to rest in the coolest spot.
Dog diets tend to be based heavily on kibbled foods, which are drying. Many of the ingredients, lamb or trout for example, are warming. Owners willing to cook for their dogs can easily make a nutritious, cooling diet. This homemade dog food can be made in large batches and frozen into individual servings for convenience.
Grains that are cooling and moistening include millet, polenta and brown rice, peas, beans, lentils, celery and beets. Cooling protein sources include pork, rabbit, eggs and mackerel or sardines.
If the nervous dog also tends to have diarrhea or vomit food, a different diet is necessary and a raw food diet would be contraindicated. Warming foods such as lamb are appropriate in these cases. For owners who are unsure, a visit to a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who is experienced with animals will help them develop an appropriate health regimine.
A veterinarian should be consulted regarding balancing homemade diets, including ensuring the appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements are added. The dog should be gradually shifted over to the new diet. Abrupt changes in foods can cause serious digestive upsets.
For those unable to cook for their dog, choosing a kibble with some of the suggested ingredients and adding some fresh vegetables to increase the moistening and cooling properties of the diet will help the anxious dog.
Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage for Canine Anxiety
If there is a veterinary acupuncturist nearby, a series of treatments will help calm the fearful or nervous dog. It is also possible to do some basic acupressure and massage at home. Most dogs enjoy being massaged by their owners and by learning a few acupuncture/acupressure points specific for calming, the session can be especially beneficial for canine anxiety cases.
For example, massaging along the heart meridian will help calm a dog. This meridian runs along the front legs and across the chest. By massaging up the entire leg many of the points on the heart meridian will be stimuated. One place to concentrate on is the wrist, as a good calming point is found in that area.
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine for Nervous Dogs
If the dietary changes and massage are not enough, a Chinese Herbalist can be consulted. They will develop a formula specific to the individual dog. There is an entire category of herbs for Nourishing the Heart and Calming the Spirit.
But fearful dogs will benefit from a balanced formula that addresses all aspects of their constitution. The advantage is that other health problems may be treated as part of this holistic approach. And a happier, more relaxed dog is an easier pet to live with.
