Can Pets Experience Trauma After a Scary Event?

The wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles in January brought out the best in the pet community. Animal lovers eagerly stepped up to help by adopting and fostering pets affected by the fires. One local veterinarian opened an empty hospital to care for dozens of pets, while a Los Angeles shelter rescued more than 800 displaced animals.

These acts of kindness are a wonderful reminder of how communities can work together, but the road ahead is a long one. The people who went through these horrifying events will no doubt be processing them emotionally for a long time to come. But what happens to our pets’ little nervous systems after they go through something scary?

Pet parenting deals, just for our kin

Get (totally free) deals for food, treats, accessories, tech, and way more pet parenting must-haves.

Get Deals

Traumatic events can affect animals in the same way as they do humans; most mammals share the same basic brain structure. “The triggers can be different for different species due to many years of evolution and the need to avoid different dangers, says Dr. Ori Stollar, a veterinarian and behavior specialist with Massachusetts Veterinary Behavior Service. “But any trigger that causes severe fear or any emotional or physical stress has the potential to cause trauma.”

So, if pets react like we do to upsetting events, can they experience trauma or even get post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), too? And if so, how can we help them heal?

Pets respond to trauma like we do.

Just like with humans, science has found that companion animals sometimes respond fearfully to triggers after experiencing extreme physical injury, disease, loud noises, and traumatic events like natural disasters. But veterinarians might hesitate before labeling these responses “PTSD.”

Although we know that pets can internalize trauma, the term “PTSD” is generally a human term. Veterinary medicine does not have its own DSM-5 (mental-health diagnostic manual), Stollar points out, so veterinarians might hesitate to label a pet with any kind of condition or disorder. Still, he says, several studies have revealed behavioral changes in pets that mirror those seen in human PTSD — like anxiety, hypervigilance, and increased aggression. 

“Not every pet with these behaviors has PTSD,” Stollar says. “But they might help us diagnose this condition if a comprehensive history is available and might also indicate the triggers that might lead to it.”

How can you tell if your pet is traumatized?

Sometimes, it’s hard to know how to care for an animal who’s struggling emotionally — we can’t exactly ask a dog or cat for a list of triggers. Still, veterinarians do have a few tools to help them better understand what’s going on with fearful pets.

“There is progress being made with using techniques, such as fMRI, to monitor the brains of living animals without causing physical trauma to them,” Stollar says. And outside of that, monitoring dogs’ and cats’ behavior can also reveal a lot about their state of mind. 

For instance, experts might ask pet parents to fill out questionnaires to explore how their dogs and cats interact with their environments — effectively mapping out how they respond to stress. (A distressed dog may lick their lips, while an anxious cat may make their ears low and flat.) In some studies, Stollar adds, scholars have observed animals trying to perform a task or solve a problem to find out if they are more optimistic or pessimistic. 

If you believe that your pet is dealing with trauma, the best thing you can do is watch for any differences in how they act. This applies to dogs, cats, horses, and all other animals. 

“It might be something very easy to notice,” Stollar says — like a dog or cat becoming more aggressive to humans or other animals. They might become less sociable or begin avoiding specific people, locations, or situations. They might become hypervigilant or more reactive to their surroundings than they have been in the past. 

In other cases, Stollar says, the signs are more subtle. Your pet might change their eating habits, either by eating less or at a different pace than usual. Pets who used to graze throughout the day might start wolfing down their food all at once, and those who used to chow down immediately might begin taking their time. Their sleep patterns might change as well. 

More often than not, Stollar says, cats are a little harder to read than dogs, “unless the change is presented as increased aggression.”

“Many cats tend to avoid people and hide more when traumatized,” Stollar says. “And many cat owners might regard it as normal cat behavior. So, my advice would be that any behavior change, especially a sudden one or one that follows a traumatic event, should be addressed by going to the primary care veterinarian to rule out a medical issue, and then to a reward-based trainer with experience in this type of issues or a veterinary behaviorist.”

What should you do if your pet exhibits signs of trauma?

If you know your pet’s triggers, avoid them as much as possible. For instance: If your dog can’t stand loud noises, don’t take them to loud venues and celebrations. If your cat suffered an extreme illness that required a specific diet, avoid reminding them of that experience by steering clear of foods that might taste or smell similar. 

“Because every pet is different, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution,” Stollar says. “So knowing what the triggers are and avoiding them is a great first step.” 

In some cases, pet parents can create positive experiences around old triggers to make them less stressful. In those cases, however, it’s best to move slowly and, when appropriate, work with a trainer to avoid scaring your pet even more. “Sometimes, the pet will be able to bounce back without us having to actively do anything,” Stollar says. “But if the behavior persists, then you should try to address it and prevent it from worsening.”

When should you see a vet?

Early treatment is always better than waiting, Stollar says. In some cases, anti-anxiety medications might be necessary to help your pet live peacefully and without fear. 

If you’re familiar with gentle, rewards-based training methods, counterconditioning, desensitization, and environmental enrichment, you can try some work at home to see if your pet becomes more at ease. At the same time, Stollar cautions, “behavior issues can get worse fast — especially if they lead to physical danger to the pet or others around. If the pet parent is not skilled, then he or she should seek help as soon as possible.” 

The sooner a qualified professional intervenes, the better off everyone involved will be.