[by Navily Zhen] Stress reduction and relaxation techniques are important for dogs and people alike. When under stress, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol has many important roles in regulating your body, such as controlling your sleep/wake cycle and boosting energy so you can handle stress. However, in both humans and dogs, too much or too little cortisol can lead to Cushing’s Syndrome or Addison’s Syndrome. With Cushing’s Syndrome, when the body produces too much cortisol, rapid weight gain, hair loss, and skin that bruises easily. However, too little cortisol results in Addison’s Syndrome, which leads to muscle weakness, lack of appetite, and depression, as the body cannot fight stressors properly.
What causes stress in dogs? For humans, stress comes from emotional issues, traumatic events, illnesses or injuries, and much more. But for dogs, stress can be caused by memory loss that comes from aging, various fears, and separation to name a few.
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14
JUN
2020