Can My Dog be Depressed?

[Delphine]

I have been watching Rosalee (my Chocolate Lab, Chesapeake Bay Lab, Katrina Kreation) this evening. We just drove back from New Orleans to the house in Mississippi. We do this quite a lot, but she is ALWAYS with me...unless I go to the store or something.

But, she seems depressed. I googled to see if it's possible and it is. But, I don't know what to do. My guy is her other care-giver, and even though she is with me 24/7, she really loves him best. He is gone a lot working in New Orleans.

She is suddenly (within the last 4 hours or so) lethargic. Her nose is cold and wet...I always heard that was a sign of "health" or no temperature. I don't have a rectal thermometer and wouldn't use it if I did.

She has been eating well until we got here this afternoon...well, maybe that is nothing to be worried about for now. She was fine and glad to be home and then all of a sudden this hit her. She loves to lie on the sofa, but is choosing her bed on the floor, which she normally hates.

I read some causes and one that hit me was changing an animals environment continually. However, she's always glad to see the apartment in New Orleans and happy to come back to Mississippi. But, maybe this is too much constant change.

I thought someone might have some experience with this. Any ideas would help...she's the four-legged love of my life.

BTW, this is some of what I found....

What Are Dog Depression Symptoms?

The signs of depression in canines are actually similar to those experienced by human beings. Canines have down days and bad moods just like people. When your dog seems particularly lethargic or appears to be moping around the house or yard, it's possible that she is feeling depressed.

Other symptoms of canine depression can include:

Loss of appetite
Drastic weight loss
Reduction in water consumption
Excessive sleepiness
No desire to play CHECK
Loss of interest in activities and toys
Slow movement CHECK
Atypical shedding
Aggressive behavior
Restless and anxious behavior

What Can Trigger Depression in Dogs?

Environmental Changes

As with people, events going on around your pet can result in depression and anxiety. Any type of environmental change that impacts your canine companion can trigger depression and anxiety. For example, dogs can experience depression and grief when another pet or human member of the household is ill or dies. This is also true when a family member moves away or changes schedules. When summer ends and your dog is suddenly alone most of the day after having children around all summer, symptoms of depression triggered by separation anxiety and loneliness can occur.

[Judee]

It sounds like your 'puppy' (and I have labs) is suffering from two things. 1. Seperation anxiety from your 'other guy', which as you say, she loves bestest. 2. Yes, changing the environment of an animal, especially if they are being taken away from someone they love, can cause temporary depression. BUT... Ask yourself why she loves your 'other guy' so much, and then try to give her what she gets from him. Just try to bond with her a little more. It's true that dogs are prone to bond with 'one' person more than anyone else, but that doesn't mean that you can't be that one person Delphine. Since you seem to be the main care taker, then it should be you that she bonds more closely with.

[Sadhu]

Yes, Delphine, if it's alive, it has feelings, and if it is a vertebrate, especially, it has glands, and thus sentiments. Of particular attention for the dog in this predicament, the thymus and kidneys may be experiencing trauma. As a consequence, the adrenals, stomach, and systolis of the intestine may be hampered as well as the lungs.

Massaging and petting in the areas of these glands and organs will facilitate your dog's emotional rescue, and 'inspired' and 'inspiring' physical activity will facilitate remedy, activate its vitality toward optimization, and give it deep breaths of "inspiriation".

Have you heard of "Bach Flower Remedies"? They work for us and the'll work for your dog too. The one that immediately comes to mind is "scleranthus". It works exceedingly well for unanticipated losses and changes in life, even works for other life forms as well, including our plants as we repot them or otherwise relocate them. They'll flourish better, despite the change and the shock that brings, when we spray them with a dilution of the scleranthus remedy for a few days at different times of day. Some cosmetologists have used mists of scleranthus remedy on clients' hair as well, debilitating the sense of shock as to the transformation a major adjustment of hair and self-image can be, including going from very long hair to very short hair, or none at all. Using scleranthus facilitates accepting the transition.

[aaradia]

Absolutely! I think animals have most of the same emotions we do.

When my first dog died, the other dog HOWLED sadly for days. We tried to comfort him. Basically, we had him next to us more than he used to feel a need for.

It was so obvious he was sad and depressed about the passing of the other dog. He never howled other than that, except briefly at sirens.

Sounds like he misses his other family member. But keep an eye on him to make sure it is not a physical issue.

My sisters cat started acting depressed, but she took him to a vet. it turned out to be some weird fungal infection in his brain from breathing in diseased bird dung. It was a very rare thing. He has to stay on an anti fungal medication for all his life, but fully recovered other than that.

[Delphine]

Thank you for all your input. I'm really worried and will probably watch her most of the night. I'm mulling over everything you all said.

[Alpha]

Delphs, so sorry to hear that your Rosalee just doesn't seem right. :hug:

Couple of other questions/suggestions:



are her stools normal?
is she drinking and urinating?
lift up her upper lip and make sure the color of her gums is a healthy pink
check her tummy for any distention
check her ears for any infection or black gunk [yeast infection)
give her a favorite treat and see if she takes it

Let us know. How is she doing today?

[Sadhu]

Absolutely! I think animals have most of the same emotions we do.

When my first dog died, the other dog HOWLED sadly for days. We tried to comfort him. Basically, we had him next to us more than he used to feel a need for.

It was so obvious he was sad and depressed about the passing of the other dog. He never howled other than that, except briefly at sirens.

Sounds like he misses his other family member. But keep an eye on him to make sure it is not a physical issue.

My sisters cat started acting depressed, but she took him to a vet. it turned out to be some weird fungal infection in his brain from breathing in diseased bird dung. It was a very rare thing. He has to stay on an anti fungal medication for all his life, but fully recovered other than that.

This would be an opportune moment to illustrate a fact, a priciple that pervades the Universe.

Some times an event causes, or seems to cause an emotional reaction in a being, whether human, animal, or plant, though at such times, there can even be a concurrent physical event that anchors material contributors causative for perpetuating such a mindstate. A person or other being that experiences a psycho-social loss of another, for example, can also unknowingly or unwittingly come across something like a fungal infection or other adjutant that further perpetuates such a state of ill-being. Dogmatic materialists will bitch and bark back and forth their petty small-mindedness about which of either are causative, though in the holographic paradigm in with we more really live, in subtler realms, such events may be concurrent.

One material example is the parallel escalations, in time, of pollution and global warming. The myopias are in both the narrow-mindedness that humans are the sole contributors of any pollutants or other substances that would create the greenhouse effect, whereas better informed scientists know that long before humans evolved on this Earth, especially those of the subtler mind with inventive capabilities, that Earth had many cycles of escalating carbon dioxide filling the air, global warming resulting from it, and followed by -- most, if not all times -- an ice age. The escalation and redistribution of additional precipitation resulting from warming oceans facilitates laying down, over time, enough frozen precipitation that a hegemonious crawl of permafrost and glaciers moves towards the equator from either or both planetary poles. This will bring you to a new threshold of ice age, and truly could resemble the implications and rapidity demonstrated in "The Coming Global Superstorm". It appears, to scientists exploring such climate and other geophysical concerns, that the average or median temperature during the last ice age was nothing more than 6 degrees Fahrenheit different from the average temperatures covering the Earth from approximately, at least, the 1940s to the 1990s, one of, if not the most comfortable temperature and weather periods comfortable to human interests than in any other measured period, so far.

The sectarianly invested and emotionally disfunctional belligerent tribalists arguing issues of global warming, and either no such thing at all or arguing that what's really coming is a new ice age are demonstrating the territorial beastiality applied to what "should be" science. There is no sectarian tribalism within science, only small minds expanding quantumly to encompass the Universe and come to a greater understanding of it and operate as facilitators of its principles in a progressively loving manner for the benefit of all beings. That is true science, and it is true in our search for solutions in healing each other, finding the causes of diseases, demystifying our relationship with the Universe, and finally releasing all individuations so that we too will fully reflect and express the continuities of the Universe unfetteredly in our every thought, word and deed.


10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Ever since we were children we've seen this illustration, daily while we were in school, and subconsciously while away from school ever since. This is a graphic illustration, also, of the Zorastrian concept of the Universe, a bifurcation expanding polarly in opposite directions. Zorastrianism, refered to as "the old religion" as it predates Abraham [http://Abraham-WhoWasHe.resolve.at/] What are the social implications of such a paradigm for imagining the Universe? If instead of the number line being a numerical balance scheme, what if it was a social equation? The results would be: "You'ze either wit' us 'r 'gainst us!" You'll find that many people with belligerant argumentative dispositions will also argue their points in this way. Do a forum post search of "number line" under my name for more information.

Karl Marx had a similar problem in his efforts to design an ideology. His mindset was so perpindicularly oppositional to "what existed" then that he created an ideology that was "opposite" to what he despised, yet as an opposite it reflected exactly the same thing, as we have seen in both the Soviet Union and mainland China since their "supposed" communist revolutions. Read "Animal Farm" for a simple and deeper insight.

[Delphine]

Delphs, so sorry to hear that your Rosalee just doesn't seem right. :hug:

Couple of other questions/suggestions:



are her stools normal?
is she drinking and urinating?
lift up her upper lip and make sure the color of her gums is a healthy pink
check her tummy for any distention
check her ears for any infection or black gunk [yeast infection)
give her a favorite treat and see if she takes it
Let us know. How is she doing today?


THANK YOU, ALL. And, Alpha, Rosalee is doing much better today, although I didn't get any sleep...checking on her.

Her potty habits are normal. She's not eating or drinking much, but she did eat her favorite treat. She's less lethargic and went outside to get the mail with me...a trip she loves, because she gets to carry an envelope.

She does have ear problems, which we treat constantly, but I saw some recommendations in another thread...I'll have to go back and reread them.

So, I think we're on the mend. But, I will still be watching her carefully. Her "daddy" comes from New Orleans tomorrow night and I suspect she'll have a miraculous recovery. At least, I'm hoping.

[Alpha]

Delphs, I'm glad to hear that she's doing o.k. :)

Have you considered that maybe she needs a routine or something to look forward to?

You said she likes to go get the mail and carry it back home.

Cesar Milan says that all dogs need a routine and/or a "job" ...likely more like a purpose or something that fulfills their breed natural instinct.

Is there something you could do or try with her that she would just love? Is there something your guy does with her that she might be missing?...just thinking out loud and throwing it out there....:dunno:

[Delphine]

Delphs, I'm glad to hear that she's doing o.k. :)

Have you considered that maybe she needs a routine or something to look forward to?

You said she likes to go get the mail and carry it back home.

Cesar Milan says that all dogs need a routine and/or a "job" ...likely more like a purpose or something that fulfills their breed natural instinct.

Is there something you could do or try with her that she would just love? Is there something your guy does with her that she might be missing?...just thinking out loud and throwing it out there....:dunno:

You are too right, Alpha. He slaps her derrierre and routinely calls her a "worthless bit**." Hmmm.... I roughhoused with her one day on the floor but she pulled my earrings out. Obviously, I need to make some adjustments.

I patted her tummy and she moved away from me. I am concerned that she may have bruised something yesterday when we were travelling from Louisiana. There was a sudden stop on the Xway and I was between 2 semi's. I was pumping my brakes to stop safely and avoid the one in front, while concerned about the truck behind me hitting me. Rosalee travels in the back of my car...seats down with her blanket to lay on. Probably not too safe. But, we've had no problems.

I just want to figure out what's wrong. She's better, but just not her usual aggravating self. :) And, I miss it.

[Delphine]

Rosalee, the aggravating, has been rejuvenated!!!! :arms: (And "Daddy isn't even home, yet. :) ) Thank you for all the help ya'll gave.

I'm in a hurry now, but, I think she bruised something when we were travelling back to Mississippi from N.O. I have a friend who has a special seat and seat belt for her Boston Terrier, but Rosalee is 80 pounds!

More later....questions on her ears.

Thanks, again!

[Alpha]

Rosalee, the aggravating, has been rejuvenated!!!! :arms: (And "Daddy isn't even home, yet. :) ) Thank you for all the help ya'll gave.

I'm in a hurry now, but, I think she bruised something when we were travelling back to Mississippi from N.O. I have a friend who has a special seat and seat belt for her Boston Terrier, but Rosalee is 80 pounds!

More later....questions on her ears.

Thanks, again!

Glad to hear this Delphs!! :)

You might want to check out:

Natural Pet Medicine - Supplements - Remedies - Recipes - Recommendations & Requests (http://www.imaginativeworlds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16274)

[maryals]

That's wonderful news! One more thing, as Cesar Millan always says, our dogs pick up our energy. So, if you are feeling distraught over her health she will pick up that energy and that could make her depression even worse.
The best "medicine" for my depression/anxiety has been Bessie. I always have to "be strong" for her and her response to that is always wonderful.
I'm so glad your puppy is feeling better.

Mary and Bessie :dance: