Herbal food best for pet anxiety, says vet expert

Veterinary expert and TV personality, Joe Inglis, is raising awareness of the benefits of herbal dog food, which can reportedly work to ease separation anxiety and stress in pets. 

It comes as the expert, who has appeared on Vets in Practice, Blue Peter, The One Show and This Morning, anticipates an increase in separation anxiety amongst dogs as families begin to return to workplaces and schools. 

According to Inglis, chamomile and valerian are two proven herbs that can have calming effects on animals. Having incorporated them into recipes, he said the calming effects were “noticeable”.

Inglis said: “This is an understandable situation for our pets – after so many months of daily security and companionship, they face suddenly being left alone again. Separation anxiety can be a big problem for pets, and especially dogs.

“The condition manifests itself through a range of undesirable behaviours, that all pet owners will recognise, such as a constant loud barking that drives neighbours wild, chewing furniture or going to the toilet where they shouldn’t.”

He added: “However, calming herbs also can have a role to play in relaxing your pet at this time. While working as a vet, we could prescribe chemicals to sedate pets who were behaving out of character due to separation anxiety. However, these are not a long term or a natural solution.

“So, I started looking into herbal remedies and what would work to ‘take the edge off’. It’s hard to get inside a dog’s head, but they are mammals like us and social creatures like us.”