Depression In Dogs: Know What Can Happen

Although it seems like a human disorder, depression in dogs also occurs frequently. And while furry ones can’t talk to tell you how they feel, if you look closely at them, you’ll notice that the signs that they’re depressed can be very similar to those of humans. But why do dogs get depressed? The causes are very diverse. Today we will talk more about this.

What can cause depression in dogs?

Although depression in dogs can be caused by endogenous causes, in general the reasons have to be looked for in some traumatic situation in their surroundings, more or less transient.

Sudden changes are the ones that most often influence your furry person to get depressed. For example:

Author: Soggydan Benenovitch

• The incorporation of a new member into the family: another pet, a baby, etc.
• The death or absence of any member of the family group (human or animal).
• A change of residence.
• Modifications in the routine: that humans are absent for more hours, that they enter and leave at unusual times, etc.
• A fight with another dog during a walk.

In addition, weather issues such as the arrival of winter, as they usually affect people, can also influence your four-legged friend to become depressed.

Other reasons that cause depression in dogs

But there are also deeper reasons that can cause depression in dogs. In these cases, the owners have the greatest responsibility for not being properly responsible for their pets. We refer to:

• Do not socialize your pets, especially with other dogs.
• Not getting them to exercise enough.
• Overprotect them.
• Humanize them.
• Leave them alone all day or not give them the necessary attention.
• Mistreatment in different ways (hitting, screaming, keeping them tied up and/or isolated, etc.).

Also, if the pet owner is suffering from depression, the pet is likely to be depressed as well. Because of this inconvenience, the owner will not provide the dog with all the care that an animal requires.

Know the signs that a dog may be depressed

Although we have mentioned that the signs of depression in dogs tend to be similar to those in humans, some signs can be confused with tiredness as well as boredom. That’s why a lot of attention must be paid, because if not detected in time, the disorder will possibly get worse.

Among the signs that allow you to identify a depressed dog are :

• Lack of interaction with humans and other animals, both at home and during walks.
• Downtime. He doesn’t feel like playing, walking, running, walking…
• Modifications to your eating habits. Eat more – even gaining weight – or the opposite, lose interest in food.
• Changes in sleep. Generally, a dog with depression sleeps longer. But you can also be more nervous or restless and have difficulty sleeping.

Other Signs of Canine Depression

Some other signs that may also indicate depression :

• To be with the tail down all the time. Remember that understanding the body language of dogs is a good way to know what’s going on with the furry ones.
• Start doing your necessities inside the house.

• Have strange behavior. Behaviors such as moaning or crying frequently, being restless, becoming excessively attached to the owner or hiding can also be behaviors related to depressive states.
• Manifest self-destructive behaviors. In more serious cases, the animal can hit walls, stop feeding and even self-mutilate.

So, with the slightest doubt that your four-legged friend may be developing a depressive condition, the best thing to do is to go to the vet so that he can show you how to deal with the situation in the best possible way.