For parents, back-to-school season means supply lists, earlier bedtimes, and finally settling back into a routine. For pets, however, it often means a confusing transition filled with an empty house, unfamiliar schedule, and new opportunities to get into trouble.
While children are busy adjusting to new teachers and classrooms, dogs and cats are trying to make sense of a household that suddenly feels very different. The people they spent all summer with are gone for hours at a time, the house is quieter than they’re used to, and backpacks full of tempting snacks and supplies suddenly appear by the front door every afternoon.
While many pets adjust without issue, back-to-school can create situations that require veterinary attention. Here are a few of the most common back-to-school considerations easily overlooked for pets this time of year.
The backpack buffet
Backpacks may look harmless, but they often contain a surprising number of hazards for curious pets.
Forgotten lunches can include chocolate, grapes, raisins, or foods sweetened with xylitol—an artificial sweetener that can cause life-threatening low blood sugar and liver damage in dogs. Prescription medications or even school supplies like rubber bands, staples, scissors, and erasers tucked into a pocket can be just as dangerous if they’re swallowed.
The best defense? Keep backpacks zipped up and stored where curious noses can’t reach them when everyone gets home.
A quiet house can mean big trouble
Stress and boredom can cause pets to chew furniture, raid the trash, scratch at doors, or swallow objects they normally wouldn’t touch. Socks, toys, clothing, rocks, and household items can all become foreign bodies that may require urgent veterinary care—or even emergency surgery.
If your pet has never been home alone for long periods, try easing them into the new routine before school starts. Food puzzles, frozen enrichment toys, snuffle mats, and regular exercise before and after school can help keep both their mind and body occupied.
Separation anxiety: When it’s more than boredom
It’s normal for pets to need a week or two to adjust to a quieter home. But persistent distress could signal separation anxiety rather than simple boredom.
Signs to watch for include:
- Excessive barking, whining, or howling after you leave
- Destructive chewing or scratching near doors and windows
- Escaping crates or fenced yards
- House-soiling in a previously house-trained pet
- Excessive drooling or panting
- Refusing to eat while alone
- Injuring themselves while trying to escape
Some of these behaviors don’t only damage your home—they can result in broken teeth, torn nails, lacerations, foreign body ingestion, or other injuries that require prompt medical attention.
You may not notice something is wrong until it’s serious
During summer break, someone is usually home to notice subtle changes in a pet’s behavior. Once school starts, the busyness may mean that a day or more passes before you notice that they skipped breakfast, vomited several times, or have become increasingly lethargic.
When you do notice, it’s tempting to hope they’ll feel better by the weekend—especially when the evenings are already packed with homework, practices, and family commitments. But many illnesses and injuries become more serious when treatment is delayed.
If your pet suddenly seems ill, don’t ignore your instincts. Seeking care sooner rather than later can make a significant difference.
When should you seek urgent care?
While not every injury or illness requires an urgent visit, it’s best not to delay care if your pet:
- Swallowed a medication, toxin, or foreign object
- Experienced a traumatic injury
- Has developed a sudden limp
- Has several bouts of vomiting or diarrhea
- Seems weak
- Simply isn’t acting like themselves
When you’re unsure, it’s always safer to call us and ask than to wait.
Help your pet start the school year safely
Back-to-school season is exciting, but it also brings new routines, temptations, and opportunities for accidents. A little planning—along with secure backpack storage, enrichment while you’re away, and knowing the signs of an emergency—can go a long way toward keeping your pet safe.
If your pet has been showing signs of illness, gotten into something they shouldn’t have, or suddenly isn’t acting like themselves, the team at Animal Urgent Care of Bentonville is here when you need us, seven days a week. We provide compassionate, same-day care for illnesses and injuries that can’t wait, so your pet can get back to feeling their best as quickly as possible.