Depression in dogs: causes, symptoms, treatment

A dog appears in the house mainly in order to bring a fun variety to boring everyday life. She does not get bored, filling the house with a cheerful commotion. But over time, it turns out that the pet requires attention, especially if it is a puppy. We have to not only feed the dog, walk with her, but also give her constant attention, otherwise, oddly enough, she will begin to get bored and sad. This all confirms that animals are too emotional, and they must be treated as carefully and carefully as people.

Dogs actually understand much more than people who don't have pets think. If a dog waited all day at the owner’s door and when meeting with him joyfully wags its tail and waits for a kind word, but receives an annoying grunt of a tired person or complete disregard in response, it will certainly leave, feeling guilty. But she will quietly suffer in loneliness, nevertheless sensitively listening to whether she will be called, so that her master can prove her loyalty and love.

Looking for the right diagnosis

The whole difficulty of recognizing depression in a dog is that its symptoms are very reminiscent of some diseases. For example, a common dangerous disease, parvovirus enteritis is expressed by the following symptoms:

• lethargy;
• retardation of movements;
• refusal of food;
• nausea and vomiting.

But depression has exactly the same characteristic manifestations. And, if for a few days the dog was also unhappy, there is reason to take him to the veterinary clinic so that the specialist checks for the presence of the disease, and laboratory tests were performed. Only then will it be clear whether this is a physiological or emotional problem, and what therapy is needed.

What was the cause of depression

The most common cause of emotional shock is a change of ownership. For the dog, in any case, this event will be unforeseen. Even a living four-legged in a shelter, where the conditions are far from perfect, and the food is very poor, will experience and may become depressed if he gets into new good conditions with good and attentive hosts. For some people, this behavior will seem inexplicable, because the conditions for the pet are now the most favorable, is there really a reason for sadness?

In this difficult time for the animal, the greatest care and patience are required. The dog’s behavior may seem a little strange, because at this time she:

1. Very alert, will not allow household members to approach, and manifestation of aggressive behavior is also possible.
2. Can find a specific place and stay there for hours or, conversely, walk around the apartment.
3. Try to find a way to escape.
4. It will be bad to eat and sleep restlessly.
5. Will not respond to commands or requests.

But, if people come to the rescue, are affectionate and kind, such a state will disappear without a trace in a few days. Prolonged depression and more severe depression due to adaptation can occur several weeks if the previous owner created better living conditions.

A prolonged absence of one of the family members or his death can also affect the dog as a trauma. A dog, even a decorative one, always remembers that in its “pack” everyone should come together, and she constantly notices the absence of someone immediately.

A pet can become ill if suddenly a new animal appears in the house - not just a dog. Of course, the newcomer will receive more attention, and the old-timer will become more and more depressed if the owners do not pay attention to him in time.

However, if there was another pet in the house that was taken away, and the dog was left without it, this fact can also cause illness.

The occurrence of a depressive state often pushes the dog to unexpected actions:

• she can leave home;
• become too aggressive;
• Do not respond to people.

Species particularly prone to depression can be distinguished. These are all kinds of spaniels and guide dogs.

There are such owners who believe that keeping a dog in great severity is the best way to achieve full submission and obedience. But the restriction of freedom only exacerbates the condition of the animal. Of course, making a decision is the right of the owner, but experts recommend giving the pet the opportunity to be in the room, rather than huddling on a tight rug in the hallway, frolic in the street, and not gracefully walk on a leash. Reprimands are not always appropriate; the dog also needs praise.

A dog can change emotionally after a severe physical injury. In this case, treatment will be needed to restore the pet not only health, but also a good cheerful mood.

The behavior of the dog may change due to a change in housing. Sometimes it’s enough to swap furniture, giving the dog a new place, as it will dramatically change behavior.

Winter depression or postpartum can visit the dog

Cold and short daylight hours can significantly affect the psyche of animals. And in this winter time, people must change their care. Domestic dogs are pampered due to the fact that they spend most of the time in comfortable conditions, and their resistance to cold is reduced, especially in dogs with short hair and decorative ones. Constant hypothermia cause fear of the street, and active games and running will not help in this case - it is better to return to a warm room faster. But the danger lies in the fact that the paws suffer because of the reagent with salt, which is abundantly sprinkled on the road. It tends to corrode the pads, as a result, cracks and irritations appear, and the most sensitive breeds have painful allergic reactions.

Depression can also occur because walks are much reduced in winter, which means that the dog lacks the proper amount of light and fresh air. As a result, immunity decreases, vitamins are not enough, lethargy and drowsiness appear. In this case, a balanced diet saturated with useful components will help a lot. A pet’s winter depression can be defeated with caress and attention to the animal.

After giving birth, any dog ​​can behave unpredictably. But there is nothing to be done, if hormones began to control health and mood. Then those anxious conditions appear that can lead to depression.

The dog may manifest:

• unreasonable aggression, and puppies often suffer from such behavior;
• complete apathy, the mother may refuse to care for the children and feed them.

Since in this case nature itself is the cause of the pathology, the owners of the dog can only take the negligent mother urgently to the veterinarian.

Each person suffers depression in his own way

Dogs also have different characters, they perceive any situation in their own way, because each person suffers depression individually. The animal can remain just as cheerful and active, and someone will begin to show aggression and anger. But a large category will become discouraged, bored, and begin to hurt, losing interest in everything that happens around. So a severe form of apathy can begin.

In a pet, the desire to be optimistic about the world can be revived only with the help of a calm and thoughtful approach.

How can I find out about depression?

Depression is therefore considered dangerous because a depressed psychological state begins to adversely affect physical health. It is possible to identify this disease in a dog if it has:

• lost your appetite;
• insomnia began;
• constant lethargy;
• no interest in games;
• very little mobility.

This condition leads to a weakening of the immune system and exacerbation of chronic diseases. Particular manifestations in this case are various allergic reactions.

Fighting Depression

When the depressed state is repeated more often, the dog should be carefully monitored. The investigation of the causes and the correction of the mistakes of the owners that they made regarding the animal will help to understand and restore a good mood.

But it is very important not to miss that important time when veterinary care is really needed. Sometimes doctors decide on the appointment of the drug "Prozac".

Important! No need to try to prescribe medications yourself - this is dangerous for the health of animals.

If possible, it is better to avoid drugs, as there are some ways to deal with the problem:

1. Create comfortable conditions so that the dog can relax and sleep. So she will restore mental and physical health.
2. Refusal of games should not be taken as a whim. It is not necessary to force participation in the game, this will not lead to positive changes. Typically, this loss of interest disappears in a few days.
3. Make every walk more vivid and interesting. Go to a new place or invite for games dogs on the site. But, if the pet does not like it, the experience must be stopped.
4. Goodwill and love are the best proofs that a family needs a pet. Most often it is the feeling of uselessness that depresses the dog.

Of course, all this requires effort and time, but overcoming difficulties, you can achieve significant changes in the behavior of the pet, mitigating the possible effects of depression. To do this, try to eliminate the possible causes that can lead to depression, and therefore, maintain the dog’s usual way of life. If there is a change of place, it is better to bring the dog in advance there for dating.