Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Canine Depression And Treating The Doggy Blues

By Shari Evans


Whenever an enthusiastic and playful dog suddenly becomes quiet, lazy and refuses to eat, pet parents tend to go on a panic thinking that their baby pooch might be sick of something. The truth is that, illness is not just the cause of this strange attitude as this is only a part of a bigger struggle which is known as depression. Dogs that have fallen victim to this shows laziness, loss of appetite, clinging, anxiousness, lethargy and oversleeping. There are many causes behind depression and knowing them will help you understand your dog's feelings towards different things that are happening around the both of you.

What Causes Depression on Dogs?

Once you have found the signs of despair on dogs, the first question that may come to your mind is why. There are many possible answers for this and some can be very obvious. Canine depression is caused by many things and most of those are the same reasons why people are falling into a depressed state. Diseases can be one of the best downers. If a dog is not feeling well, they will refuse to join some activities and just lie down in a corner so that they can rest and recover. Medication adds up to the burden and it contributes to their depression.

One of the ultimate wishes of dogs is stability or for things to stay as it is. If things around them have changed, they can be anxious about it before they can fully adjust themselves. Examples of changes that can cause an emotional loop for dogs are change of residence, a divorce, change of schedule and adding a new pet in the house. Loss can also turn their world upside down. If people found death or parting to be devastating moment of their life, it is also heartbreaking for dogs.

Cure for a Dog's Depression

Medication is not always the answer especially for dogs under a depressed condition. Like on people, time can heal wounds inflicted by unwanted and shocking experiences for dogs. They tend to bounce back right after they have accepted the changes and adjusted themselves fully. In the process, your presence and assistance is badly needed for immediate recovery. You can start helping them as soon as you have determined the cause of their depression.

Dogs love so much attention from their pet parents and this is the key for their recovery from depression. You can try to play with them or do something they love to cheer them up. If they tend to ignore or they still feel heavy to do different things, you can just rely on the power of snuggling. Take the time to sit beside them for a gentle petting and a playful cuddle. Once he showed some sign of improvement, give him a reward for it. In case that your dog remained to be the same for days, call a veterinarian or a canine psychiatrist for assistance.




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