Tuesday, February 24, 2009

How To Recognize Dog Depression Symptoms

It is not unusual for dogs to become depressed. Usually, such a behavior is related to someone they feel attached to, as their masters. If that certain someone leaves for a period of time, you will notice how the dog will stay for hours staring at the door, or spending there the entire day, without moving or doing something else. In such cases, the depression disappears when the master turns home.

Which are the signs?

Dog depression symptoms can be recognized. If the dog refuses to eat or refuses to play or go outside, you will know that this is depression. The dog may even stop drinking enough water. As you may well see, they are not so different from us, in that matter. Also, our pets can develop some serious conditions due to the lack of water or food in the body.

What causes dog depression?

When something bad happens to them, the dogs can get depressed. If they had another dog to play, and this one dies, then they will not forget that easily.

Other changes can affect the dogs condition. For instance, if you move into a new home, the dog may not recognize the environment, and with this lack of familiarity, depression may occur.

There is a certain chemical balance in our brains and the dogs brains as well. When something damages this balance, depression may appear, as a result of the imbalance that occurred.

Even changes in weather conditions may affect a dog, in the same way that they affect humans. You may have heard that, usually, animals know when a storm approaches or there will be severe weather changes.

Which are the treatments?

You may treat your dog for depression, if you want to. There is a medicine, called Prozac for dogs, that can be applied; it is a canine anti-depressant.

If you involve your dog in activities, you can help it get rid of depression. Just take it out for a walk, or play with it.

In case that the dog depression was caused by the disappearance of another dog that it was used to play with, try make it other canine friends. You may even buy another puppy, so they can keep each others company.

Which is the conclusion?

It is not unusual for dogs to suffer from depression, in the same way as humans do. You can treat your dog with drugs, or you can involve a little and see what you can do for it. After all, your pet is a friend of yours.

Author : Balva Rudick
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/How-To-Recognize-Dog-Depression-Symptoms/1028987

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