Dog Health

Your dog's emotional health: why you should pay attention to these signs.

admin • 29 May 2023

Pets are loving creatures that fill our lives with joy and every pet owner knows that they have feelings just like ours. Animals can have emotional lives as rich and complex as ours.

Living with our four-legged friends, we can notice the change in behavior they have when they feel jealousy, anxiety, anger, or other feelings that are easily identified.

However, few people know that domestic animals also have emotional health and that they also show signs when something is not going well in this area. And just like humans, illnesses and emotional problems can affect the entire lifestyle, behavior, and even physical health of our best friends.

Depending on the type of emotional suffering, the consequences can be more serious: such as allergies, gastritis, weight loss, obesity, depression, and even death. There are many signs that, if observed and treated early, inhibit future major problems. That's why it's important to understand a little more about it to help your pet if he needs you.

Know the types of emotional disorders that can be developed by your dog or cat and understand how to identify the symptoms in your pet. See also what might be causing these disorders and how to eliminate them.

Signs we can identify

One of the most common symptoms among domestic animals is boredom​. Yes, our little friends can get bored and that triggers a series of complications. Boredom may seem simple and harmless, but it is triggered by a sedentary lifestyle and social isolation.

You must have witnessed the sad scene of seeing a dog serving as a guard dog in some environment. This animal is alone for days and even weeks, often tied to chains and with reduced mobility.

This shakes the dog's emotions deeply. He may become depressed and aggressiveness emerges as an instinctive mechanism.

A more common scene and probably closer to reality for many pet owners is the following: leaving for work and leaving your best friend alone in the apartment all day. This habit also negatively influences your pet's emotional health.

That's why it's important to play and interact with him as much as possible when he's at home, to make up for the long hours he's away.

Boredom and social isolation cause changes in the behavior of dogs and cats, such as chewing on furniture and objects, appetite disorders, aggression, apathy, chasing one's own tail, insistent barking, and even self-mutilation.

Other causes of depression in pets

When an animal loses its owner: without a doubt, this event directly affects the emotional integrity of pets. A death in the family is traumatic even for dogs, cats, and other species of domestic animals. Unfortunately, many animals die days after their owners leave.

A sudden change of environment: Sudden changes affect the emotional reflexes on the physique of dogs and cats. This involves changes of residence or even a place of coexistence. The pet organism gets used to habits and routines just like ours. Changing an environment is changing the whole logic of functioning and predictability of the body and this causes anxiety and other emotional disturbances.

It's important to be careful with sudden changes in our pet's routines. If changes are necessary, they should be made cautiously and progressively.

The arrival of new members in the family: Just like children, pets are also impacted by the arrival of a little brother, be it a baby or even another pet. Jealousy, strong changes in habits, indisposition, and lack of appetite are some of the most common symptoms. Who has never witnessed their own dog peeing in a different place just to get the attention of visitors? Imagine what he can't do when he feels like he's losing space and attention to a new family member.

How to avoid or reverse a case of emotional problems in animals

As in humans, emotional disorders are likely to be identified and treated. For this, it is necessary to carefully observe the changes in the behavior of our four-legged friends. There are signs that we can notice to identify if something is wrong.

It is necessary to investigate the environment in which the animal lives and the routines of the house and the guardian's habits, as problems are often caused by the repetition of a routine that is harmful to the health of the pets.

It is always best to look for a veterinary professional to diagnose and prescribe the best treatment. The forms of treatment are the most diverse and varied, depending on the severity and situation of each pet. There are services on the market offered by professionals in order to minimize causes and assist in treatments.

Many owners do not have enough time or space to spend quality time with their pets, so walking the animals and socializing in dog hotels are some of the alternatives.

For the more sociable, it is still important to adopt a new friend, as long as this is gradually integrated into the family and in a way that does not cause discomfort to those who have already lived in the house for a while... This way, both will have company to play together and not be left alone. lonely or bored.

In short, we can observe and feel when something is not going so well with our best friend. After all, he lives with us and lives directly with our habits. Everything we do or change in our lives affects them directly. And everything they feel can be noticed and investigated early to prevent it from evolving into a more serious condition.

They take very good care of us and influence our own psychological health, with companionship and great joy. Nothing is fairer than us also taking care of their health.