Depression among pet dogs on the rise

KOCHI: Ever wondered why your pet dog has stopped taking food all of a sudden? Next time your dog shies away instead of cuddling up to your feet, make sure you give it due attention. Depression in pet dogs is now one of the major concerns of canine lovers. Vets reveal that anxiety disorders among pet dogs are also on the rise. “At least three in 10 pet dogs suffer from depression. Anxiety disorders in dogs are not uncommon. It is slowly increasing as proper pet care is still a concern here,” said Dr N N Sunil, senior surgeon at the district veterinary centre, Ernakulam.Juna, the four-year-old dachshund, may still shudder to think of its owners going out without him. Gigila Austin, Juna’s owner said, “We went to Malaysia four years ago and boarded Juna at a pet station based in the city. But when we got back, we were told that he refused to take food for eight days. Only later did we know that he was depressed as we left him alone”. Subsequently, the family decided not to leave their pet alone and travel. Yet each time they go out of the house, the canine turns upset.While loss of appetite and inactivity are the most common symptoms, some dogs also distance themselves from their owners.Mathew Kurian, a businessman based in Vytilla said his dog stopped coming near him all of a sudden. “I was later told that Paulho, my labrador, had fallen into depression. We knew dogs were the first to get affected if we have no time to spare for them, but this was totally unexpected and it took a week for him to get back to normal.”“This is observed in dogs that usually live indoors with its owners. But irrespective of the breed, all of them are prone to mental disturbance,” said Dr NN Sunil. A change in routine and sleeping habits and a tendency to attack are symptoms seen in dogs having anxiety disorders. Dr T P Sethumadhavan, professor at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University said, “Such anxieties disorders can be due to various reasons. It could be due to separation, loud noise or social anxiety, like being thrown into a totally new environment. All the behavioural patterns and changes which are seen in humans can be seen in dogs too”.Loud noises not only disturb them, but also lead to a loss of appetite, something which most people are unaware of, said Dr Sethumadhavan. “Special care and training should be given to the dogs that fall ‘emotionally sick’ and their diet too needs to be properly taken care of,” he said.