Episode 85. What Pet Parents Should Know About Trauma and PTSD in Dogs with Caroline Alupo

Did you know that the most common cause of trauma in dogs is at the hands of people – particularly harsh handling by Pet Professionals such as groomers, veterinarians and dog trainers?

Caroline Alupo is a Sweden-based ethologist and dog trainer who literally wrote the guide to diagnosing PTSD in dogs.  This topic is extra-personal for me as I believe my dog, Neno, meets the criteria for Complex PTSD from abuse and neglect he experienced before we adopted him.

Caroline shares the signs to look for in your dog’s behavior AND physical health when determining if PTSD is present. 

We’ll also learn the Do’s and Don’ts to creating a healing environment for dogs that have experienced traumatic events. And we’ll learn tips for protecting our dogs and how to prevent these situations from happening in the first place.

Learn more from Caroline on the Petli app!

Caroline & I discuss:

  • Her background with pets and when she decided she wanted a career working with animals;

  • What is an ethologist?

  • How Caroline become aware of PTSD affecting dogs;

  • Using the DSM 5 to create a diagnostic criteria for PTSD in dogs;

  • How PTSD shows up in dogs’ behavior and physical health;

  • Erin’s experiences with Neno and PTSD;

  • What types of situations cause trauma in dogs?

  • Primary and secondary triggers;

  • Complex PTSD;

  • What Pet Parents do that makes their dog’s problems worse?

  • What is flooding?

  • How to create a healing environment for dogs experiencing PTSD;

  • The role of medication in managing dogs with PTSD;

  • What Pet Parents should do if they think their dog may have PTSD:

  • How can Pet Parents protect their dogs?

  • Caroline’s dog training app, Petli

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