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Separation Anxiety: The Dog Who Destroys the House
Dr. Rosemary Stolzer-Bolton, DVM, DVM
Separation anxiety is one of the most distressing behavioral diagnoses in small animal practice, affecting an estimated 14–17% of dogs and representing a genuine neurobiological disorder — not a training failure. This course follows Baxter, a 4-year-old shelter-adopted mixed breed dog whose destructive behavior, house soiling, and self-injury during owner absences are documented on Ring camera footage. We cover the complete clinical approach: differential diagnosis and severity assessment, HPA axis dysregulation and amygdala hyperactivity as the neurobiological substrate, FDA-approved and evidence-based pharmacotherapy with doses calculated for a real patient, systematic desensitization and counterconditioning protocols, and integrative adjuncts from Adaptil pheromones to acupuncture. Earn 1.0 RACE CE credit.
