Pets on Prozac: Drug treatment can help anxious dogs

Dogs who suffer with separation anxiety become more optimistic when taking the animal equivalent of Prozac during behavioral treatment, according to the results of an innovative new study. Canine separation-related problems -- also described as separation anxiety or separation distress -- are among the most common behavioural complaints of dog owners. But the issue of using psychoactive medication to help pets with behavioural problems is a widely debated one. Treatment with psychoactive medication in parallel with a behavior modification plan is well documented, but it is unknown if this is associated with an improvement in underlying emotion or mood, or simply an inhibition of the behavior.