Using Synthetic Pheromones to Relieve Stress in Dogs

A company named Ceva Animal Health has been marketing a line of products for dogs called Comfort Zone using synthetic pheromones. The company's objective was to develop products to relieve stress in dogs, thereby improving problem behaviors.

But what are pheromones?

Pheromones are biological chemicals that are generated by the glands of animals and are emitted through the pores of the skin. Pheromones from one animal can cause natural involuntary responses by another animal of the same species. In mammals, pheromones are detected by the vomeronasal organ, an auxiliary olfactory organ which is also called jacobson's organ and is located just behind the nostrils in the dividing wall of the nose.

There are many categories of pheromones each serving their own function. Some of the types include alarm pheromones, territorial pheromones, trail pheromones, releaser pheromones, signal pheromones, sex pheromones and appeasing pheromones to name a few.

Ceva Animal Health has taken the appeasing pheromone, analyzed it and synthesized their own manmade version for use in the Comfort Zone line of products. This synthetic pheromone is called dog appeasing pheromone or DAP for short.

Appeasing pheromones are produced by mammals that have just given birth and are nursing their offspring. The purpose of appeasing pheromones is to relieve stress, create a calming environment and reassure their young. Ceva Animal Health claims that their synthetic version, dog appeasing pheromone, does the same thing.

Ceva Animal Health states that the use of their dog appeasing pheromone can relieve stress in dogs. Suggested uses of the product are: dogs that suffer from separation anxiety, dogs that are frightened of thunderstorms and fireworks, dogs who bark continuously, dogs who exhibit destructive behavior, dogs who move into a new environment or any other stressful situation.

Ceva Animal Health's Comfort Zone line consists of three products, a diffuser, a spray and a collar.

The dog appeasing pheromone plug-in diffuser emits and circulates the dog appeasing pheromone throughout the air. This should be used in the room that the dog spends the most time in. The diffuser lasts for about thirty days with refills available. The cost of the diffuser is $27 - $35 and the refill is about $20.

The dog appeasing pheromone spray is used for travel, in hotel rooms or trips to the vet and should be sprayed on the dog's bedding, in the car, or in the hotel room. It should never be sprayed directly onto the dog. The 60ml bottle costs $30 - $40.

The dog appeasing pheromone collar releases a continuous stream of dog appeasing pheromone. The collar lasts for about thirty days and costs about $22.

How well do do these dog appeasing pheromones products work?

Clinical trials carried out by French scientist Dr Patrick Pageat have shown that the dog appeasing pheromone can be very successful in helping to relieve stress in dogs, thereby improving problem behaviors. At the conclusion of Dr Pageat's month long trial, 85 per cent of the 26 dogs, who had existing behavioral issues, were cured or improved.

Additional studies done at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Scotland and the University of Lincoln Animal Behavior Department in the United Kingdom have also concluded that this synthetic pheromone can be very effective.

The use of dog appeasing pheromones should not be employed as a substitute for the basic obedience training which every dog should have. It should also not be used for dogs with aggression or dominance behavioral problems.