Every dog’s parent adores their pup, but it is devastating to watch them when their mood is off. Dogs suffer from depression and struggle with sadness, just like human beings. If you ask your vet, they will agree that depression is not entirely uncommon. But, in sporadic cases, it lasts for a long time. As a responsible dog parent, you need to understand how depression in dogs works, what symptoms they exhibit, and what kind of treatment can help a dog get better.
Eight Signs and symptoms a dog exhibits while they are depressed:
- Sleeping a lot
- Decreased activity
- Change in eating habits (or not eating)
- Not greeting his owner
- Excessive paw licking
- Loss of interest in things he used to enjoy
- Drinking less water
- Hiding or staying in one place for long periods
If you notice any symptoms in your dogs, make sure you take them to the veterinarian for immediate health assessment. This way, the vet will rule out any medical condition that gives away the same symptoms before your dog gets diagnosed as depressed.
Four primary reasons dogs suffer from depression;
Below mentioned are a few of the most significant reasons, because of which dogs suffer from depression, and they are as follows;
- Changes in Routine
- Separation Anxiety
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Loss of a Companion
To treat these significant reasons for depression, you can use antidepressant pills that significantly help improve your mood. But medications can also have considerable side effects on the dog. Most of the time, for that reason, the vet will do a blood test before prescribing the antidepressant pills. Also, your dog needs to be taken to the vet periodically to check how the medication is working.
Apart from using medicines, there are others to cheer your dog up, and they are as follows;
- Ensure that your pet is getting more exercise. You can take your dog for a regular walk or schedule a plan for outdoor games with your dog.
- More bonding time with your dog will help you do better emotionally. Choose activities with your dog that he enjoys the most.
- Your Furry buddies’ mood can be uplifted if they can socialize with their kind, so consider taking them to a dog park.
So these are some ways you can keep your pup happy. Dogs are considered the best antidepressant, but the truth is they can get depressed and impact physical health.
You should have dog insurance because the vet expenses are steadily increasing. It’s great that your pup is in a cheerful state of mind, but their physical health can deteriorate even if the dog is mentally fit.
Many of our pets are like us, and just like we fall sick, they fall sick too. We have pet health insurance which will be a great help for you.
If you are a dog parent, you can precisely get dog insurance, and the Insurance For Pets Online is readily available, so you can even go anywhere to get a good pet insurance quote.