What are the symptoms of depression in dogs?
Symptoms of depression in dogs can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, the most common of which are as follows:
- Apathy and isolation: the dog is insensitive to what's going on around him, and moves very little, isolating himself, or even moving away when someone wants to interact with him. He is no longer interested in games or outings.
- Decreased appetite: dogs are animals that rarely refuse a meal. If you notice that your pet has little or no interest in his bowl, and is losing weight, seek the advice of a veterinarian as soon as possible.
- Light sleep: the dog sleeps very lightly, raising its head at every noise or even jumping: its anxiety is permanent.
- Cleanliness problems: while your dog was clean, he sometimes has "accidents". This is a sign very often linked to stress, anxiety or a well-established depression.
Causes of depression in dogs
Have you noticed that your pet has one or more of the above symptoms and your veterinarian has just confirmed your suspicions? It is then important to determine the causes that may have contributed to your dog's condition. Here are a few clues:
- A change of environment: dogs are highly territorial. A move can sometimes be very disruptive for these animals, to the point of making them depressed if their new home does not suit them. For example, a dog that used to go out and can no longer do so.
- The absence, or loss of a loved one: it is well known that dogs can be very attached to a human or even another animal, such as a cat, or another dog for example. A separation, perhaps experienced harshly by your hairball, can cause anxiety, which can lead to depression.
- Boredom: Lack of stimulation or activity can be harmful to our pets. When dogs live in an apartment or house, with no possibility of going out, other than one or two daily walks, stimulation is sometimes rare, especially if there are no facilities to avoid boredom for the animals.
- Too early weaning: veterinarians agree that a puppy should not be separated from its mother before the minimum age of 8 weeks. To take the puppy away from its mother before this age, is to leave it lost in an unknown world, and difficult to face without the reassuring presence of its mother.
How can you help your pet overcome depression?
Now that you have determined the reason(s) that plunged your pet into this depressive state, you will be able to act more easily before the illness gets worse. For example, if boredom is the cause of the depression, plan several times during the day to play with your dog, as well as new toys, which you will change often so that your pet doesn't get tired of them. More activity will also contribute to a more restful sleep, and a quicker recovery. As part of a change of environment, place the things your dog likes in different areas of your home so that they are more welcoming to him.
Cannabidiol (CBD) and dogs: what research says
Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is a substance obtained from industrial hemp (Cannabis Sativa). Few people know this, but cannabis is actually a family of plants with very different properties:
- Cannabis Sativa (industrial hemp) rich in CBD, very very low in THC (less than 0.3% according to the law).
- Cannabis Indica, poor in CBD, and very rich in THC
- Cannabis Ruderalis, low in CBD and THC
THC is a psychotropic substance, which is illegal in many countries. CBD, on the other hand, does not have this intoxicating effect, but no CBD product sold to the public is a veterinary medicine, and research on depression in dogs is almost non-existent. Here is what some studies, mostly on rodents or humans, have explored:
- A study by the University of Cantabria (Spain, 2015) on rodents reported rapid antidepressant-like effects of cannabidiol (CBD) involving serotonin signalling pathways.
- An Israeli study published in 2016, on animal models, also reported antidepressant-like effects of cannabidiol.
- Other publications explored the effects of CBD on anxiety-related behaviour, mainly in rodents (Campos et al. 2012, Elbatsh et al. 2012); none of them involved dogs.
- In 2011, a study (Bergamaschi et al.) on 24 people with social anxiety disorder reported a possible anxiolytic effect of cannabidiol.
These results cannot be transposed to dogs and do not allow any conclusion. A depressed dog needs the attention of a veterinarian: never give him a CBD product without veterinary advice.
