Can Dogs Have Panic Attacks?

While there isn’t a specific diagnosis for dogs, they can experience sudden, intense episodes of distress similar to human panic attacks.

By
Dr. Kate Mornement Phd, CAAB
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Published:
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Dogs can have panic attacks, or at least sudden fear episodes that are very similar.
If your dog is having a panic attach, stay calm, find a safe place for them, and use soothing strategies where possible. Never punish a dog experiencing a panic attach as it could make the fear and anxiety worse. Credit: Alexandra Jursova | Getty Images
Have you ever wondered if dogs can have panic attacks? Many pet owners are surprised to learn that our four-legged friends can experience sudden and overwhelming episodes of fear that look a lot like human panic attacks.
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Dr. Kate Mornement Phd, CAAB
Dr. Kate Mornement Phd, CAAB
Dr. Kate Mornement is a Ph.D. qualified, Board Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist (CAAB) through the Animal Behavior Society. She has devoted the past two decades to sharing her expertise through her consulting business Pets Behaving Badly and she recently founded Pet Behaviour Academy; an online education platform for pet owners and pet industry professionals. In her role as a consultant, Kate has had the privilege of educating and advising pet parents, pet professionals, industry groups and local government. She also enjoys sharing her knowledge across various forms of media as a pet writer and media spokesperson. Kate appeared in the three-part Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) docu-series "A Dog's World" as a subject matter expert and is a sought-after speaker at major pet events, expos, and conferences. She has also worked as an expert witness in dangerous and menacing dog cases since 2010.

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