This article is about separation anxiety brought on by a disruption in the social structure of your companion...the loss of another beloved companion. Now your dog's world has been turned topsy turvy besides the accompanying horrific grief.

Currently Hammy has suffered the trauma of his life, the lost of his littermate Morgy with whom he spent the first 13 3/4 years of his life of which the first eleven years were immersed with play
Hammy appeared to be aware that Morgy was leaving as his anxiety increased greatly a month or two before Morgy died. He started crying nonstop when I left the two alone along with our two kitty cats and bird.

Morgy's body lay in rest on the floor for five hours until I could take the "container" to the vet. Hammy avoided it. At the vet's, I let Hammy sniff but Ham showed disinterest. That was in keeping with Hammy's very dominant personality. He hates to show emotion and he appears to get upset when his impulses take care and he kisses me...less upset when he nips me on the nose :-)..I sometimes wonder if that is one of the reasons why his separation anxiety and grief are so pronounced..from holding back so much.

Things immediately changed when we got back to my small apartment without Morgy. Whenever I moved in my studio apartment, Hammy was next to me. The slightest move, Hammy would get up and move next to me. This behavior continued for two weeks. The walks outside changed drastically. Hammy would always like to go his own way. His behavior first changed when Morgy lost energy. Then he would let Morgy set the pace and the place and not pull on the double lead. After Morgan died, Hammy would walk slowly behind me. Wherever I went Hammy would follow slowly behind me..Gradually I would pull the lead up so Hammy would be next to me. It took almost a month until Hammy started redoing his think and taking the lead and going this way and that and following the sniff.

Dogtoys also sells wonderful treats. They sell Alaskan Salmon Yummy Chummies. The first day I gave them to Hammy, he spent two hours searching for more of them. He is 15 years old. Their first ingredients are whole Alaska Salmon, Salmon Meal Wheat Flour and Vegetable Protein.

For the next medication Hammy was put on Elavil. My vet warned me that it probably wouldn't work but it was worth a try. We first had to wait for several weeks to get into his system and then see. One of the drawbacks was that it had to be given every day. Except for bladder stones a la schnauzer, Hammy has been a very healthy dog. The thought of giving him drugs every day was definitely not appealing. The Elavil didn't work.
My vet said not to worry and there were more drugs in the arsensal. Clomicalm(generic clomipramine) was one and one of the few that is approved for separation anxiety. He didn't recommend it. Research says that it works sometimes with behavior modification.
I asked my vet about Paxil,good for social anxiety and panic disorder but he said no..that it was hard on the liver.
I next requested Xanax..which is also used more for social anxiety and panic disorder. Hammy's anxiety at this point seems more related to his social structure and readjusting to being the only doggy after all these years. Also over seven months have past since Morgy passed on.

Xanax seems to work. The first time he was given it was so funny if not for the worry about what it was doing to his body. After about fifteen minutes after ingesting it, Hammy started having the munchies. He started eating his dry food which he eats at the last resort...gradually his legs started swaying as he continued eating..he finally was sprawled on the floor but continued eating. I called the vet in terror...to see what I should do and if this was normal. Yes..the dog will act stoned or high. I was told it was safe to leave him
He watched me from the place I had put him on the carpet..he had no traction on the wooden floor. For the first time, he hadn't run to the door to try to go with me. I returned home two and half hours later and he gave me a kiss hello and appeared fine and ready to go and happy.

Hammy now also has a deluxe bark collar.
I have had to up the Xanax with a consultation with the vet. I don't want to mention the dose because this is between you and your vet.
I gave him too much. I found him sprawled in the kitchen. I was able to get him up but he wasn't himself until the next day. All he did was want to sleep. All I wanted was a Xanax! I gave it to him an hour before I left and saw little signs that it was working. It must have hit him finally like two tons of bricks. As I don't want to keep on giving him xanax when I leave him for shorter periods of time, my vet said I should try one of those bark collars. After research, I bought one with 18 levels that is set off by noises other than barking. Hammy doesn't bark. He howls, whines, groans, and makes the most painful sounds of grieving. A regular bark collar just takes care of barks. Although this bark doesn't keep him quiet 100 percent (he is quiet 99.99 percent while I am home), it acts as deterrent..As a postscript, the bark collar no longer acts as a deterrent. Hammy is very stubborn.

I am not in a position to bring another companion into the house. Have also read this isn't always a solution to grieving. Time does heal. One should attempt to be more dominant to add security to the social structure may also help. Punishment shouldn't be used. If the dog hasn't been used to being crating, it may create more anxiety and frustration. If your dog was crate trained as a pup, you might try it as it might give your companion a sense of security. They are naturally den animals.

Hammy is also receiving supplements for his heart and liver and as little Xanax as possible.

It has been over seven months now since Morgy died and Hammy still shows anxiety when I leave him alone. The one m. xanax doesn't have the strong same effect as that initial time, but it helps. He still "pretends" he is the aloof doggy and spends a lot of his time with his back to me..except when he knows there is a treat in store..the other day he did kiss me five times and gave me two nips upon my return after leaving him for three hours...the biggest display of affection towards me in his life. He displayed affection with Morgan by play fighting for eleven years until Morgan grew lame. Then he pretended to pay little attention to Morgan for the next two and half years but let Morgan set the pace on the walks..which he never did before..never showed signs of jealousy when Morgy got fed first with his supplements and medication..never showed jealousy when Morgan was carried a great deal or held..but his howls over the past seven months certainly make up for it...and I don't blame him
Shortly a new product should arrive D.A.P. which is written up below. I am hoping the pheromones may mellow him out a bit when I leave him alone but so far only Xanax has worked.
More people are speaking up in the forums I am in about their dogs who have been left behind. One manifests separation anxiety not through howling but through constant pacing and constant attention seeking. Laurie is also going to try the new D.A.P. and is still resisting medication. Another dog is depressed and is clingy. A few other dogs are showing signs of depression. I don't know if SamE would work for them since they are not exhibiting any pacing or separation anxiety.

I think Snowball, our kitty cat knew that Hammy would soon be joining Morgy. For the last two and half months of his life, Snowy kept on following Hammy around and would rub his body against Hammy. It so beautiful. Then Hammy would sometimes rub his head against Snow's body. They even would rub heads. I would watch with such delight..being clueless to what was about to ensue.

I was also in denial as to how much weight Hammy lost. He looked thinner but his appetite was good. I didn't realize he was suffering from cachexia from renal failure where the body starts wasting because the metabolism is no longer in balance. I was prepared to have an incontinent dog who all of a sudden changed personalities from a very dominant and "aloof" dog to a docile and non alert dog from canine cognitive dysfunction...as long as I had Hammy and he wasn't suffering. Hammy did start responding to the medication for canine cognitive dysfunction on the fourth day of medication but he had already stopped eating and started dry heaving and had diarrhea. I took him to the vets for a blood test. The vet gave him fluids that day and the test. The next day the results came back. His kidneys were shot. As soon as the vet had an opening, three hours after I phoned the vet for the results, I took the vet's advice and spent half hour petting him. He knew. Then we went into the vet's office and I pet Hammy with one hand and sang to him and held his head in my other hand and vet gave him the injection. Hammy died with nobility and dignity. When I left the vet's office without Hammy and got to the end of the street, I had a vision of Hammy's face in front of me with a huge beaming smile. I knew I had done what he wanted me to do. As I write this, I am still in deep mourning and feel lost without my two pack member, Morgy and Hammy.

• 
  The store above has best price I have found for the Deluxe Bark Control Collar The Deluxe Bark Control Collar is the most advanced bark control collar ever made! Our patented Perfect Bark™ Technology simultaneously senses both sound and vibration, and only a combination of sound and vibration will trigger the electronic correction.
  The Deluxe Bark Control Collar accurately detects a dog's bark every time. Some bark collars detect barking with a microphone and activate on sound, these can be set off by other noises or by another dog's bark. Some bark collars use only vibration, these can be set off by motion or jostling. Only Perfect Bark Technology™ ensures fool-proof bark detection. They also sell a sound attachment for a collar but I don't think it works for the different noises a grieving dog might make or a highly anxious dog makes.
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• J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002 Nov 15;221(10):1445-52 : Clinical features and outcome in dogs and cats with obsessive-compulsive disorder: 126 cases (1989-2000)
  . Overall KL, Dunham AE.
  Center for Neurobiology and Genetics-Psychiatry Department, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical features and outcome in dogs and cats with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 103 dogs and 23 cats. PROCEDURES: Records of patients with OCD were analyzed for clinical features, medication used, extent of behavior modification, and outcome. RESULTS: Most dogs affected with OCD had been obtained from breeders. Male dogs significantly outnumbered females (2:1). Female cats outnumbered male cats by 2:1 in a small sample. Most affected dogs lived in households with 2 or more humans and other dogs or cats, and had some formal training. Client compliance with behavior modification was high. A combination of behavior modification and medication resulted in a large decrease in intensity and frequency of OCD in most animals. Clomipramine was significantly more efficacious for treatment in dogs than was amitriptyline. Only 1 dog and 1 cat were euthanatized because of OCD during the study. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: OCD in dogs does not appear to be associated with lack of training, lack of household stimulation, or social confinement. In cats, OCD may be associated with environmental and social stress. Obsessive-compulsive disorder appears at the time of social maturity and may have sporadic and heritable forms. With appropriate treatment (consistent behavior modification and treatment with clomipramine), frequency and intensity of clinical signs in most dogs and cats may decrease by > 50%. Success appears to depend on client understanding and compliance and the reasonable expectation that OCD cannot be cured, but can be well controlled.
• Risk factors and behaviors associated with separation anxiety in dogs.
  J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001 Aug 15;219(4):460-6
  Flannigan G, Dodman NH.
  Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
  OBJECTIVES: To determine potential risk factors and behaviors associated with separation anxiety and develop a practical index to help in the diagnosis of separation anxiety in dogs. DESIGN: Case-control study. ANIMALS: 200 dogs with separation anxiety and 200 control dogs with other behavior problems. PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed for signalment, history of behavior problems, home environment, management, potentially associated behaviors, and concurrent problems. RESULTS: Dogs from a home with a single adult human were approximately 2.5 times as likely to have separation anxiety as dogs from multiple owner homes, and sexually intact dogs were a third as likely to have separation anxiety as neutered dogs. Several factors associated with hyperattachment to the owner were significantly associated with separation anxiety. Spoiling activities, sex of the dog, and the presence of other pets in the home were not associated with separation anxiety. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results do not support the theory that early separation from the dam leads to future development of separation anxiety. Hyperattachment to the owner was significantly associated with separation anxiety; extreme following of the owner, departure cue anxiety, and excessive greeting may help clinicians distinguish between canine separation anxiety and other separation-related problems.
• Use of clomipramine in treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and noise phobia in dogs
  Aust Vet J 2001 Apr;79(4):252-6 Seksel K, Lindeman MJ.
  Seaforth Veterinary Hospital, 55 Ethel Street, Seaforth, New South Wales 2092.
  OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of a treatment protocol for obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety and noise phobia in dogs. DESIGN: A study was undertaken to assess clinical responses in 24 dogs diagnosed with one or more of three behavioural disorders stated above to a treatment regimen that included clomipramine and behaviour modification. PROCEDURE: A detailed behavioural and clinical history was obtained for each dog. Obsessive-compulsive disorder was diagnosed in nine cases: primary presenting complaints were tail-chasing, shadow-chasing, circling and chewing; one case was diagnosed with concurrent separation anxiety. Separation anxiety was diagnosed in 14 cases: presenting complaints included destruction, vocalisation and escaping in the absence of the owner; four cases also exhibited noise phobia. The study also included one dog diagnosed with noise phobia only and another with inappropriate fear responses. Clomipramine was administered orally twice daily. The starting dose was 1 to 2 mg/kg bodyweight. The dose was increased incrementally to a maximum of 4 mg/kg if needed. A behaviour modification program was designed and the owner instructed on its implementation. Dogs continued medication for at least 1 month after clinical signs disappeared or were acceptably reduced, then withdrawal of medication was attempted by decreasing drug dosage at weekly intervals while behaviour modification continued. RESULTS: The presenting clinical sign was largely improved or disappeared in 16 dogs, 5 demonstrated slight to moderate improvement and the behaviour was unchanged in 3. Clomipramine withdrawal was attempted in nine cases: this was successful in five. CONCLUSION: Clomipramine was effective and well-tolerated in controlling signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or separation anxiety and/or noise phobia in 16 of 24 assessable cases, when used in combination with behaviour modification, and improvement in clinical signs was noted in 5 others.
• Differences in background and outcome of three behavior problems of dogs.Appl Anim Behav Sci 2001 Jan 26;70(4):297-308
  Takeuchi Y, Ogata N, Houpt KA, Scarlett JM. Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8657, Tokyo, Japan
  In order to characterize the three major behavior problems, aggression toward owners, aggression toward strangers and separation anxiety, backgrounds of dogs and general outcomes of the behavioral treatments were analyzed retrospectively. There were 169 cases of aggression toward owners, 84 cases of aggression toward strangers and 78 cases of separation anxiety which did not overlap each other during the 5 years from 1993 to 1997 at Cornell University Animal Behavior Clinic. Based on the case records, including discharge instructions, follow-up information, and pre-presentation questionnaires, several variables were compared among these three groups. The sexual status of these groups was not statistically different, although dogs with aggression toward owners had the highest proportion of males and there were more males in all behavior groups than in the hospital population. Also, breed types were different among three groups with a significantly higher proportion of mixed breed dogs among dogs with separation anxiety and aggression to strangers as compared to dogs with aggression to owners and to the hospital population. A higher percentage of dogs in the separation anxiety group tended to live in apartments and to be disciplined only verbally by the owner than in the other two groups. Age differences were apparent among the three groups in relation to when the dogs were obtained, and the separation anxiety group was different from at least one of the other groups in the age when first obtained, the age the owners first noticed the problem, and the age of behavioral examination. Regarding the general outcome of the behavioral treatment, there were no significant differences among the behavioral groups with regards to the proportion of dogs reported improved. These results provide new characterizations of these three major behavior problems.
• Vet Rec 1999 Sep 25;145(13):365-9
  Evaluation of clomipramine as an adjunct to behavioural therapy in the treatment of separation-related problems in dogs.
  Podberscek AL, Hsu Y, Serpell JA.
  Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge. Forty-nine dogs showing signs of separation-related problems were randomly assigned to one of three groups: group A (15 dogs) received a placebo twice daily; group B (17 dogs) received clomipramine at 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg twice daily; and group C (17 dogs) received clomipramine at 1.0 to 2.0 mg/kg twice daily. All the dogs also received behavioural therapy. Their owners were required to complete questionnaires about their dog's behaviour initially, and one, four and eight weeks after the treatment with clomipramine began. Bipolar ratings scales were used to monitor the frequencies of 'general', 'attachment-related' and 'separation-related' behaviours. Kruskal-Wallis tests and Kendall Rank correlations were used to determine any initial differences between the treatment groups, and the association between the initial scores and behavioural changes after one week of treatment with clomipramine. Extended Mantel-Haenszel statistics were used to evaluate the effects of clomipramine treatment versus the placebo, and Page's test was used to assess the effectiveness of behavioural therapy on its own. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics of the owners of the dogs assigned to the three groups. The dogs differed slightly in age between groups, and the dogs in the two clomipramine-treated groups were reported as showing problems at a significantly earlier age than those in the placebo group. Clomipramine treatment had a sustained suppressive effect on the dogs' general activity levels, and a more modest suppressive effect on their attachment-related tendency to want much physical contact with their owners. The typical signs of separation-related behaviour problems were not significantly affected by treatment with clomipramine, but behavioural therapy on its own was highly effective in reducing behavioural problems.

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  ( Clomipramine-Anafranil)

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• : J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002 Nov 15;221(10):1445-52 : Clinical features and outcome in dogs and cats with obsessive-compulsive disorder: 126 cases (1989-2000).
  Overall KL, Dunham AE.
  Center for Neurobiology and Genetics-Psychiatry Department, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical features and outcome in dogs and cats with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 103 dogs and 23 cats. PROCEDURES: Records of patients with OCD were analyzed for clinical features, medication used, extent of behavior modification, and outcome. RESULTS: Most dogs affected with OCD had been obtained from breeders. Male dogs significantly outnumbered females (2:1). Female cats outnumbered male cats by 2:1 in a small sample. Most affected dogs lived in households with 2 or more humans and other dogs or cats, and had some formal training. Client compliance with behavior modification was high. A combination of behavior modification and medication resulted in a large decrease in intensity and frequency of OCD in most animals. Clomipramine was significantly more efficacious for treatment in dogs than was amitriptyline. Only 1 dog and 1 cat were euthanatized because of OCD during the study. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: OCD in dogs does not appear to be associated with lack of training, lack of household stimulation, or social confinement. In cats, OCD may be associated with environmental and social stress. Obsessive-compulsive disorder appears at the time of social maturity and may have sporadic and heritable forms. With appropriate treatment (consistent behavior modification and treatment with clomipramine), frequency and intensity of clinical signs in most dogs and cats may decrease by > 50%. Success appears to depend on client understanding and compliance and the reasonable expectation that OCD cannot be cured, but can be well controlled.

  ---

• Aust Vet J 2001 Apr;79(4):252-6 : Use of clomipramine in treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety and noise phobia in dogs: a preliminary, clinical study.
  Seksel K, Lindeman MJ.
  Seaforth Veterinary Hospital, 55 Ethel Street, Seaforth, New South Wales 2092.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of a treatment protocol for obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety and noise phobia in dogs. DESIGN: A study was undertaken to assess clinical responses in 24 dogs diagnosed with one or more of three behavioural disorders stated above to a treatment regimen that included clomipramine and behaviour modification. PROCEDURE: A detailed behavioural and clinical history was obtained for each dog. Obsessive-compulsive disorder was diagnosed in nine cases: primary presenting complaints were tail-chasing, shadow-chasing, circling and chewing; one case was diagnosed with concurrent separation anxiety. Separation anxiety was diagnosed in 14 cases: presenting complaints included destruction, vocalisation and escaping in the absence of the owner; four cases also exhibited noise phobia. The study also included one dog diagnosed with noise phobia only and another with inappropriate fear responses. Clomipramine was administered orally twice daily. The starting dose was 1 to 2 mg/kg bodyweight. The dose was increased incrementally to a maximum of 4 mg/kg if needed. A behaviour modification program was designed and the owner instructed on its implementation. Dogs continued medication for at least 1 month after clinical signs disappeared or were acceptably reduced, then withdrawal of medication was attempted by decreasing drug dosage at weekly intervals while behaviour modification continued. RESULTS: The presenting clinical sign was largely improved or disappeared in 16 dogs, 5 demonstrated slight to moderate improvement and the behaviour was unchanged in 3. Clomipramine withdrawal was attempted in nine cases: this was successful in five. CONCLUSION: Clomipramine was effective and well-tolerated in controlling signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or separation anxiety and/or noise phobia in 16 of 24 assessable cases, when used in combination with behaviour modification, and improvement in clinical signs was noted in 5 others.

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