The Main Causes of Dog Depression and Its Treatment
written by: bettycares01
Depression is a severe despondency and dejection that is usually felt over a period of time. I t is accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy. Just like human beings suffer from depression, the dogs too can be depressed though dogs rarely get a long-term depression. Dogs can possess this condition especially during the long periods of change in their environment. The dog depression symptoms are alike to those of human beings such as feeling withdrawn and loss of energy. Their patterns of sleep and how they eat also change and there is the loss of interest in the daily activities that were earlier on enjoyed.
There are some minor causes of dog depression such as relocating to a new home, introduction of a new spouse or a baby in the household and even adding another pet. Change in the schedules that the dog was used to, for example an owner who used to stay at home but suddenly takes up a job, would lead to a dog suffering from depression. However, there are two main causes of severe dog depression. These include; a loss of a companion or the loss of its owner. This is so because the dog is able to identify and pick our emotions as we grief for the owner by getting attention he is accustomed to which makes him stressed.
There are various interventions that can be done to relieve dogs of depression. Spending more time by playing with a depressed dog and doing the things he enjoys most such as walking, cuddling, and exercising or riding around in a car would ease a dog of depression. Rewarding a dog for showing positive behaviours such as the signs of happiness like giving him a treat would make a dog happier.
If at all the dog does not show any improvements, it is advisable that the owner should visit a veterinarian for depression medication. Medications for treating depression in dogs are similar to those prescribed to human beings. They include the following; Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. It is not guarantee that these medicines would treat the dog’s depression within a span of few hours. It can take as long as two months for the medication to work on dogs but it usually it takes about six to twelve months for the dog to be improved. Dog’s depression can be a sign of a serious underlying condition, veterinarian should therefore check for possible medical problems if present