10/10/2024
Today's a special day - we commemorate World Mental Health Day and we recognise that it should be an open conversation every day. Let's take a dive into how mental conditions affect our dogs too. There are 2 most common forms of mental health conditions in canines and they are:
1. Depression: While health experts can't be certain that dogs experience depression the same way humans do, there are a few situations in clinical practice in which it tends to be the only explanation. Symptoms of depression include a sudden change in behaviour, decreased appetite, and lethargic behaviour just to name a few. Ruling out any underlying medical issues is always the first step. Some common triggers for this can be chronic pain, environmental changes, trauma, grief or social isolation. According to AKC, treatment plans often involve support from the owner and can be as simple as taking them on extra fun and long walks, play time and just overall extra attention. In more serious cases, medication may be introduced.
2. Anxiety: As an umbrella term, anxiety is usually subcategorised into Fear, Separation, Age-related. Common symptoms include drooling, excessive panting, pacing around, destructive behaviour, defecation, compulsive behaviours and more. The first thing you should do if you suspect your dog suffers from anxiety is to speak to a professional (medical and training) to identify the type of anxiety your dog is suffering from. From this, you would have a clearer treatment plan that may involve training, counter-conditioning and/or medication.
Let's love our dogs better ❤️
