Feelings Of Anxiety And The Affect On Our Pets

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furryfriends (TEAS)

furryfriends (TEAS)

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I really hope I don't cause any offence to anyone by this, but it is a subject I am very interested in.

I am currently undertaking a two year period of study on feline behaviour and I am doing a lot of work on chemical communication and pheromones. It has got me to thinking about how much our pets pick up on our feelings and whether we can impact our pets health and wellbeing by our own anxiety and stress.

I have noticed that some of the most dedicated pet owners seem to have pets with more fragile health, than those who are less emotionally bonded with their furry friend. Is this because those who are more involved pick up on things quicker and notice illness or, in some cases, is this due to the emotional state of the owner and the affect this has on the animal?

I would just love to hear other peoples thoughts on this subject.
 
It's interesting - and makes sense on the one hand because when the leader of the pack, or head-'whatever' is in a state of stress (emotional or pain) this can often be sensed by animals, some more so than others. It can put them on high alert, and therefore in a state of stress themselves.

However certainly not all illnesses are caused by stress, and not all animals are particularly affected by the stress of the human.

It also seems to me that the caring owners are the ones to pick up on health changes, or behaviour changes, in their animals and quick to investigate. How many pets die where the owner didn't realise something was amiss? I know that can happen with even the most dedicated and clued up owner, but if you are not too bothered, you are less likely to notice, and in which case these illnesses are likely to go unreported, and such people are less likely to request help from forums.
 
Bladders in particular are very affected by stress. Just think about how we are when we are nervous about something. We need to keep going to the toilet. A lot of cystitis in cats is caused by anxiety and a new cat in the neighbourhood will often have my own cat in and out of the litter tray, crying when urinating.

Also, do we over-treat? Would piggies recover from a lot of illness, without medical intervention, if we hadn't noticed it? As I provide a guinea pig boarding service, I have noticed that the guinea pigs that live outdoors all year round, appear to live a much longer, illness free life, than those who live indoors. Now is this because they are tougher and more hardy due to living outdoors or is it because very subtle illness isn't detected? We need to remember that those who pay to board their animals are going to be caring owners, so these aren't piggies who are neglected but just housed differently to how most of choose to house ours.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Bladders in particular are very affected by stress. Just think about how we are when we are nervous about something. We need to keep going to the toilet. A lot of cystitis in cats is caused by anxiety and a new cat in the neighbourhood will often have my own cat in and out of the litter tray, crying when urinating.

Also, do we over-treat? Would piggies recover from a lot of illness, without medical intervention, if we hadn't noticed it? As I provide a guinea pig boarding service, I have noticed that the guinea pigs that live outdoors all year round, appear to live a much longer, illness free life, than those who live indoors. Now is this because they are tougher and more hardy due to living outdoors or is it because very subtle illness isn't detected? We need to remember that those who pay to board their animals are going to be caring owners, so these aren't piggies who are neglected but just housed differently to how most of choose to house ours.
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This is what my mother always tells me, she always asks why mine are poorly when her friend's neighbours pigs lived outside for 8 years and were never ill. I do think that as they inside I pick up on things more often, and Ross always says I pick up on things before he does. I am a very anxious person though. I think the pigs pick up on our emotions too, there was the time I was crying and Moo came up to me and put her paw on my foot, and when I looked down she was gazing up at me. It was like she knew I was upset.
 
Not really sure I can help with long term obvservations as I consciously try not to worry about their health unless there is something to worry about. But they certainly do pick up on things like this.

Last November I had a call whilst I was doing the morning spot clean and feed and the piggies were scampering around, squeaking and getting in the way as normal. But the call was to say that my boss' wife died very suddenly that morning. As soon as my colleague said that, the pigs stopped. Just stopped everything. Then they went slowly into their hides and stayed there for the rest of the time I was in the room. They must have picked up on my change at having heard the news.
 
Hmmm, I never knew that about cats.

It's also the case that guineas pigs are expected to live longer than they used to, and this may be because of a better understanding of health than before..... which I know contradicts a little with what you are saying

Interesting. I do get what you say about over-treating, but I think it very much depends. There are many things that simply get worse without treatment, and many things that surely just don't get better on their own. I think it would be risky to leave cystitis for example (not that you are advocating doing so), as an infection can spread to the kidneys.
 
With regard to 'over treating' the only potential experience I have is when Chew lost 50g over a week and then a further 20g before I could get a vets appointment. She had her check up and nothing seemed wrong so vet advised, as she wasn't underweight at this point, to see how she went. She was stable but not increasing for several weeks and then slowly climbed up again and is steady now at her adult weight. Would it have done her more harm to rush in and do bloods and scans etc due to the stress that would involve? Maybe

Obviously has she continued to lose we would be straight back for more investigation!
 
Critter said:
Hmmm, I never knew that about cats.

It's also the case that guineas pigs are expected to live longer than they used to, and this may be because of a better understanding of health than before..... which I know contradicts a little with what you are saying

Interesting. I do get what you say about over-treating, but I think it very much depends. There are many things that simply get worse without treatment, and many things that surely just don't get better on their own. I think it would be risky to leave cystitis for example (not that you are advocating doing so), as an infection can spread to the kidneys.
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Whether something is caused by anxiety or physical illness, it should be still be treated. I was just saying that a lot of cystitis is anxiety related as bladders are very linked to our emotional state.
 
Guineapigfeet said:
With regard to 'over treating' the only potential experience I have is when Chew lost 50g over a week and then a further 20g before I could get a vets appointment. She had her check up and nothing seemed wrong so vet advised, as she wasn't underweight at this point, to see how she went. She was stable but not increasing for several weeks and then slowly climbed up again and is steady now at her adult weight. Would it have done her more harm to rush in and do bloods and scans etc due to the stress that would involve? Maybe

Obviously has she continued to lose we would be straight back for more investigation!
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Quite possibly. These tests surely cause stress and discomfort.
However Oreo bled out of her privates, quite a lot of blood came out and so we took her to the vets for an examination. The vet tested her wee and gave her a good inspection and found nothing, and we both thought perhaps she had passed a stone and all would be well. Then within a couple of days she suddenly died. To be fair I recon she would have died anyhow, but who knows, if she has the full works done in terms of investigations they may have saved her.

Symptoms can be a sign of not very much at all or something that may turn or already is serious, so do we risk causing stress by investigating or do we go ahead so that we know what to do next?

Sadly with people too, what appears as the 'flu' can actually be something deadly. What seems like an innocent rash can be...... usually not, but even doctors miss the signs and under investigate at times.

But yes, I do certainly see the point where interfering in something minor may not be of help and just causes stress and discomfort. But how do we know which way it would go without investigating?
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Whether something is caused by anxiety or physical illness, it should be still be treated. I was just saying that a lot of cystitis is anxiety related as bladders are very linked to our emotional state.
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And now I think I understand your question more fully. It's the bond isn't it. That's the key to what you are pondering - those pets who are so bonded with their owners that they sense the emotions of their humans may come down with stress-related illnesses more than those who's relationship is a little more - distant. Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick :)
 
I am a petsitter and it's not unusual for owners to contact me just before they go away to say they have had to take their cat to the vet due to cystitis and to say they are now on metacam. Often the cystitis has started as soon as they've seen the suitcases come out. Once the owner has gone and they realise that life is still good and they will still get fed, then the symptoms disappear.
 
Critter said:
And now I think I understand your question more fully. It's the bond isn't it. That's the key to what you are pondering - those pets who are so bonded with their owners that they sense the emotions of their humans may come down with stress-related illnesses more than those who's relationship is a little more - distant. Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick :)
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Yes, I think it is the bond and the fact that the pet is so tuned into our emotions that they pick up on this and in turn it can affect their health.

I have been mega stressed this past couple of weeks, with Simon away and Benji having such fragile health. I have tried to make sure that I keep all negative thoughts out of my mind when I am having physical contact with Benji and concentrate on all the positive things. Benji's abscess has started to refill but for every tiny bit of pus I get out of it I think how positive that is, rather than the negative thought of omg will we make it until next Tuesday.
 
Do you know more about the cystitis? Is it stress causing the bladder to want to evacuate it's contents? (I knew someone who's son was in a near-fatal accident and when she heard she literally lost ALL control of her bowels and bladder - there and then - whoosh). Her son made a full recovery by the way, thank goodness.
The body, when faced with extreme shock or fear, can let go of some functions and throw up food in order, it's believed, for the body to be able to pool all of its resources into the fight or flight. If you are in that stress mode for some time I guess the bladder does not want to hold much....

Or does the bladder become inflamed as stress releases cortisol, which can cause inflammation?

Or does the stress cause an imbalance of bacteria, causing an actual bladder infection?
 
Aw it can take a lot of effort to stay positive.
I hope Benji will be OK :hug:
 
Oh so they actually often have lower levels of cortisol than unaffected stressed cats and higher levels of catecholamine. I don't know much at all about catecholamine.
 
I think, generally speaking, that high levels of stress and anxiety can weaken one's immune system whether you are a human, cat, dog, reptile, whatever. I also think that people who are close to their pets (and vice versa) tend to transmit their own emotional state to their pets who usually see them in a care-giving role. If the caregiver is stressed or anxious it would seem natural for anyone dependent on the caregiver to worry as well.

I tend to pick up on signs of illness quite early with my animals. For years I worked in cat rescue, often fostering trickier older cats (who took awhile to find homes) and I've been known to pick up on things "not being quite right" and take them to the vets to find that they were only just starting to show early designs of Chronic Renal Failure, for example. On the other hand, because I'm used to dealing with ill or needy animals (whatever the species) I have a better idea of what's worth worrying about, what should be checked out but isn't urgent, and what can be merely observed for any changes as it might resolve on its own. Because of this, I don't tend to stress and my own pets--the ones who started their time with me in a good state of health--tend to remain healthy overall. The ones who arrived unwell MAY make a full recovery or MAY always be plagued by problems. It depends on what their own individual issues are.

Running a (mainly) rat rescue as I do, I deal a lot with introducing adult groups of rats to each other and supporting other people on forums when they introduce new rats to their mischief. One of the most important things for successful introductions, in my experience, is for the human overseeing everything to stay calm and back off asap. The ones who worry and hover tend to have more hiccups with the whole process and it generally takes longer. (They are also the ones less likely to follow clear instructions, which also doesn't help)

Goodness, I've rambled a bit, haven't I? lol

TL;DR Stress can weaken the immune system so yes, in theory, pets who pick up on their human's anxiety or stress MAY be more likely to fall ill.
 
I have experience with emotions affecting dogs. Whenever I was sad or upset when I was younger our dog would comfort me. There was a few times when she would ignore her food to stay with us.

The guinea pigs aren't the same. They're not bothered whether I'm feeling stressed or not as long as they get their food! But, thinking about it I think my anxiety does reflect on the pigs. Especially when they're seriously ill. I used to have a better success rate at bringing a pig around from poor illness but I've become a lot more anxious over the years, and I've failed the past few times I have tried. I must be radiating bad vibes and stress at them.

My pigs do seem to be in worse health now than my first pigs, but I think that's more to do with a) them being indoors so I seem them more often b) me being more knowledgeable so I can spot things easier. However, my anxiety does reflect on that, and I do feel like I'm looking for illnesses in them. I should be doing a happy dance and kissing Podrick every day knowing that he's 100% healthy but I'm always poop checking and weighing him... just in case...

Also, about over-treating. I definitely agree with that, and have witnessed quite a few threads on here that I think the illness is being way over medicated (just my opinion, people should always follow vet advice). If you can, have a word with Kim about it when she's back from holiday. I had an interesting chat with her about over-treating when she first saw Jon Snow and his rumbling tum. There was various options that we could have tried with him, but we've gone down the route of doing nothing at the moment.
 
When I had to choose between taking Comet to the vet daily for injections or just leaving it, I chose to leave it for two reasons. One was that it was stressing him out badly, the one injection the week before proved that much, but the other was because it was stressing me. I knew how unhappy he'd been about the whole thing, tbh it was the same with his oral meds. The more he refused to take them, they're more frustrated I was. The more frustrated I was, the more pointedly he refused to take them. And I knew I had to stop for both our sakes...and that was when he'd climb onto my chest, whether for a cuddle or to feel safer I don't know.

But they know something is up. Since this whole situation with my neighbour kicked off they've been more subdued. Not unfriendly, but there's not a lot of "happy" energy there. They are still eating and drinking fine so they're not unwell, but I miss my exuberant Comet :( however, on the plus side, it seems to have made Blitzen a lot more friendly. Not so much relaxed but he's more interested in interaction with me, raising his head so I can see his mouth, letting me feed him stuff by hand, coming out of hiding to eat said food. I don't know why he's gone that way about things though.
 
I think asking if stressed owners can be a factor in a pet becoming unwell is a bit different to asking if their stress can exasperate a stress-induced medical condition in their pet..

Cystitis is so common in cats, and cats are commonly highly strung by changes. There's so much that would stress one out and not the other- which would also apply if they had a stressed owner.. Some cats may become stressed if their stressed owners actions are something that triggers them I.e being overly cautious with grooming them, clipping nails or bathing. But then, if your animal has a condition that is stress related, any owner should be aware of NOT stressing them out.. But this may not always ring home with some people, and on that hand- yes, owners could be unknowingly making their pets health worse by simply being over cautious.

To others, a pets health may SEEM worse because of their owners anxiety i.e you go to the vet because your animal has an ongoing issue that your vet can't diagnose and it's really affecting their quality of life- when ultimately, it's the fact your vet can't give you an answer and it's affecting YOU which makes you persist and potentially create a bigger problem by over treating them to make yourself feel better.

I think it's something you may struggle to get clear responses from as they will either be from more relaxed pet owners who don't pick up on slight health changes but have always provided adequate care and encountered few problems (this could be argued from both sides and as one thinks their pet had a healthy life until the end, others may think the end shouldn't have happened should they have been more cautious).. Or your other responses will be from Anxious owners who either genuinely have unwell pets, or pets that undergo regular veterinary treatment for issues that may or may not need treating.... But who, as an outsider, can differentiate between that ?

Personally, I am a worrier. I have 2 young sows with zero health issues, one elderly sow with 2 ongoing interrelated health issues and another more elderly sow with several problems.

Do I pick up on the slightest changes with all of my girls? Yes. Would I react quicker if it where my elderly sows that encountered a problem? Yes, because it could have much larger implications if I don't react due their age and ongoing health problems. Would I accept antibiotics from a vet within 24 hours of my pig being "sniffly"? In my elderly sow with heart peoblems- yes, because she is at high risk of URI's.. In my youngsters, I would give more time granted all other aspects of their health and development where normal.

As an anxious owner with 2 unwell pigs out of 4, one with extremely complex needs- I find it hard to give a clear answer to the question. Some may deem me as over treating one but under treating another- Fudge has caused me a lot of worry over the past 20 months, and required a lot of care and veterinary treatment. I am extremely cautious with her- if I wasn't, fudge would have died long ago. Personally, I don't think my anxiety over her health has caused HER any adverse problems- she is a pig that has such zest for life, she is a happy girl. Without my worry and cautious care with her, she wouldn't be ruling the roost right now, she wouldn't be here at all. But I'm not the same with my youngsters, they are healthy and cared for but don't have the same complex issues as fudge- things My vet would treat fudge for WOULD be over treating in my youngsters as they just don't have the same requirements- only I understand fully the needs of my pets and ensure that their wellbeing and quality of life is of utmost priority at all times.. But that's my judgement, as an "anxious owner".

Other than Obvious neglect of a pets needs or causing suffering by over treating an animal AGAINST veterinary advice.. I don't think anyone will ever be able to clearly say another owners actions or health of their pet is a direct result of their anxiety levels.
 
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I am naturally extremely overprotective of Oreo, because I love him so much and to me he's a frail elderly boar, although he is only 5. In comparison, with Pemba, I am not nearly as cautious because he weighs more and is a lot younger, so I see him as much lower risk.

Oreo and I are very close and I do think he understands me and does pick up on my emotions slightly (I am naturally a worrier and I don't deal that well with stress) but he is naturally a laid-back guinea pig, so it is very rare for the vets to stress him out. The only thing that bothers him is nail clips, otherwise he is like a teddy bear. I credit this to having a stressful start where he would regularly travel to my dad's with Toffee, so now it doesn't bother him.

Pemba I haven't had nearly as long, so I can't compare, but we are working on getting him tamer. Pemba did come to me with mild, intermittent cystitis, which I just left to see if it would get worse or fix itself. I only took him to the vet about it when he started peeing blood and I could confirm it was blood. The first vets gave me a low dose of Baytril to cure it. It didn't work, so they x-rayed him and essentially all they could do was give him a scan after a clear urine sample and x-ray. We declined the scan as it was very expensive and unnecessary. I took him to a different vet about it a week or so later (my mum was scheduled to have an operation otherwise it would have been sooner) and we saw a much better vet who diagnosed cystitis and prescribed an appropriately dosed course of Baytril, which he is still on. I haven't noticed blood recently, so fingers crossed.

I think the reason some owners overtreat is because of the classic "guinea pigs go downhill very fast and hide their symptoms until their illness is fatal" and want to be good owners and get them treated. My guinea pigs were probably healthier when they lived outdoors and I was less aware of their health, but you could also argue that they were much younger and that their regular health problems didn't start until they were 3 or just turned 4.

There is also the fact that guinea pigs who lived outdoors probably didn't have their symptoms noticed at all or until it was too late and the guinea pig had passed away. Those who live indoors do have illnesses noticed faster and earlier, giving them a higher survival rate but it seems like they aren't as healthy.
 
This thread is really interesting.
Of my experiences, I would say that animals are much like humans, in that they can't help but mimic/pick up some of your ways, and vice versa. Like how if somebody says "Like whatever" all the time when you are talking to them, you end up saying it too. I think that goes for all interactions, like body language, likes and dislikes, sounds and emotions. Some will pick up more than others, and the bond you both have will influence how you both behave. Every animal has as wide a personality as we humans.
 
Ironically, this thread made me anxious...
I'm very anxious and we've had the pigs since last August with no problems that may've been caused by anxiety, that I can recall. Would they be better housed outside? Hmm:(
 
When I was coming off the morphine Choc and stripey really affected by it because I was really really ill and in bed for most of the day for three weeks and that custom to really start fighting
That was back in January so I have no morphine in my blood anymore and since then the boys have been a lot happier and now there's girls in the house and with them and they seem a lot happier now that they're in the heard
 
My guide dog was very good at picking up on whether I was stressed out or not but then they say the dogs can see your brainwaves
 
My cat is very good at picking up on my anxiety, he comes to sit on me when I can feel a panic attack coming, even when I dont give any cues. On the other hand he is also prone to racing around the house like a thing possessed if I outwardly show my anxiety. He'll cry, scratch the carpet and just not settle, so I'm very aware my anxiety does cause him issues. He also has problems with bladder crystals so the second anything is wrong hes straight to the vets. I have health anxiety and I'm very aware I project that onto my animals. Better safe than sorry!

I'm not sure whether it affects the piggies, 2 of them are absolutely solid, healthwise. Bramble on the other hand, I'm not sure. Her e.cuniculi is made worse in times of stress, but theres only been 2 'episodes' and of course, the syringe feeding, medicating, sleep loss and going without food, the daily vet visits caused a huge amount of stress for me personally, she however took it in her stride and made a good recovery. So whether its had any impact on her at all I couldnt say.

The reptiles and amphibians, again, I dont know. I have some pretty solid, well used to captivity species as well as some more fragile, collected from the wild in south america toads, none of which seem to be affected and are all healthy. But given that theyre less communicative than mammals, its hard to say.
 
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