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Dogs Get Blue Too

cute english bulldog isolated on white background

Signs Your Dog May Be Depressed:  Loss of appetite, weight loss, lack of responsiveness, and not wanting to play.

Whether or not we realize it, dogs get depressed as much as people do and for that reason it is very important to make sure that we are doing all we can to monitor their behavior and know that we are taking care of all of their needs. Since dogs are creatures of habit, they often get confused. Many things can mess with the way that dogs feel in their environment; one of the largest is when there is a new environment. When you move, your pet will suffer from a sense of being completely out of place that means that your dogs could become depressed.

One thing that causes this is the fact that your dog will have a completely new environment and that means that they will have to learn where everything is that they knew in the past. One thing that we have to note is that when animals are sad, they act out and that means that they may be mopey, they may lay around, they may not be able to be as playful as they have been in the past as they are sad. Dogs like people also may have long term issues with depression and things may not go and come as quickly as we might think they should. What are some of the symptoms of depression?

  1. Loss of appetite: When your dog is depressed, he or she may not eat the normal amount of food that she has in the past. That means that she is going to require a little more attention from you. You can try giving her some treats so that she is going to be able to enjoy her meal and know that you are showing her some time in her time of need.
  2. Weight loss: Dogs will sometimes stop eating the amount that they are accustomed to when they are not happy and that means that they will lose weight. One thing that is very important is making sure that you are playing with your dog and rewarding them when they react as though they are happy.
  3. Lack of Responsiveness: When a pet is sad or depressed, it will often as well not be as responsive to you trying to play with it or speak with it. For many reasons, the pet will appear as though it is going to be blue and it will not be responsive to your calls or actions.
  4. Not Wanting to Play: Whether or not your pet used to be responsive and is not anymore, it may be that he or she is depressed. For that reason always try to encourage as much athletic activity as you can and that will mean that you are able to play with the dog on a regular basis.

Cures for depression in animals can be as simple as taking them to the track to play outside, or allowing them to spend more time in their favorite places. Quite often, a lack of enjoyment from a pet can also be the loss of a friend or a pet and this can be something that depresses them greatly. For all of these reasons, it is important to know when your pet is depressed and when you are going to need to spend time with the pet so that you will be able to know if the pet is chronically depressed or whether it is not.

If you have a pet who is chronically depressed, it is very important that you spend time with him or her in the long term to get them the treatment that is required for the health of the animal. That can mean that antidepressants are required or many other forms of treatment in order to ensure that the pet is healthy and happy. Whatever it takes to keep the pet on track, you must remember that pets are members of your family as well and that they have emotions as well. Do not hesitate to take them out and help them get that little extra bump from enjoying some exercise and sometime in the sun. If something happens that you believe that your pet is not recovering and if they need more attention make sure you make the time to take your dog to see a professional so that they can get on the path to health and recovery as soon as possible. There is nothing more important than ensuring that your pet is happy and healthy.

The sitters of 2 Paws Up Inc have suggested to our clients that overnight pet sitting might be an option for dogs who get depressed because their owners go out of town.  Give us a call for a free phone consultation 770-695-3096.

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