Ask the Vet: Easing meal time anxiety for a newly rescued pup

Guest post by Dr. Scott Sanderson

Q. We recently adopted a rescued 1-year-old Cavalier King Charles. Hard to believe, but he was found wandering the streets about six weeks ago. The rescue organization thinks he was a stray for a little while. he was badly infested with fleas.

He looks great now--healthy weight and his coat has mostly grown back. However, he is really (understandably) panicked during meal times. He will inhale his food and seek out the other dogs bowls.

We separate them for feeding and I've begun hand feeding our little guy. One handful of food each time, he is calm. Hopefully this will keep him from eating too fast and help us help him to trust that his food isn't going to disappear. I'm not sure what else to do to help him work through his anxiety surrounding meal times.

Thank you for your thoughts on this. --Jenny

A. Congrats on the new addition to your family! I am a firm believer that with unconditional love, attention and consistency you can train your new dog and help him overcome the trauma of his past life. Food is a great motivator so keep on using it to reinforce good behavior. Fresh or dehydrated meat treats are the best.

Bach Flower remedies are a wonderful nontoxic therapy to help with anxiety and adjustment issues. Start with the 5-flower combo called Rescue Remedy. You can put a few drops in his mouth, in his water, and make a spray using a small cosmetic bottle with spring water and 10-15 drops diluted. Add another remedy called Quaking Grass, which helps animals adjust to living together in groups. There are many more Bach Flower remedies to use so you can do a little homework and pick out some on your own!

Good luck, I salute your efforts to rescue this puppy!

---

Got a pet-related health question? Use this form to Ask the Vet. Scott Sanderson DVM runs the Animal Wellness Center in Columbia, MD and is a sponsor of Columbia Dogs on the Go. He is a certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and has completed training in the Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET). Dr. Sanderson is a member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncturists, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Animal Hospital Association. He is a local resident of Howard County, and a past president of the Howard County Veterinary Medical Association.