Is your puppy stressed?
A quarter of pet owners believe that their dogs are suffering from stress, according to a new survey.
Direct Line Pet Insurance polled 1,000 animal owners and found that 53 per cent describe their lives as stressful, stress that is then passed onto their pets.
Symptoms of pet stress vary, a third of pet owners report their pets vomiting and having diarrhoea, while others mention weight loss, lethargy and loss of fur.
The insurer recommends taking out an insurance policy for pets, so that if it does become unwell, there will not be the burden of large vet bills.
Chris Price, business manager at Direct Line Pet Insurance, said: 'With the average annual cost of conventional treatment coming in at £350, treating a dog for stress and its symptoms can be expensive.
'For peace of mind and to avoid large veterinary bills, pet owners should consider taking out insurance.'
Pets are important to their owners and 23 per cent of animal lovers say their pet is more important to them than their job. | 
