Could my dog be depressed?

Dr. Watts
Published: November 9, 2008

Q: I may be overreacting but my dog seems to be showing signs of depression. She seems to have an overall lack of interest in everything. I gave her a bath today. Normally once I’m done, she races around the house like a little spaz. But today, nothing. I decided to take her out for a car ride and a walk, which normally she loves. She didn’t come when I called her and when I showed her the leash, there was no reaction at all. She is a 3-year old Lhasa, which is normally a pretty mellow breed anyway, but this is just completely abnormal behavior. She has shown no signs of a physical illness, her stool seems normal and she hasn’t thrown up. I’m really concerned.

A: Thank you for your question. In dogs, clinical depression is not a psychological disorder like in people. Depression is generally a sign that something else is going on. It would be wise to have a veterinarian examine your dog and run a couple of easy tests.

A physical examination alone may reveal the problem. For example, Lhasas are prone to tooth infections, increased eye pressure (glaucoma), and back/neck problems. All of these may manifest as “depression” alone. 

If the physical exam does not give the answer, the first tests I would run would be a fecal floatation analysis and heartworm test. Sometimes parasites can cause non-specific “depression.” Smart parasites do not cause overt illness in their hosts, since a healthy host leads to healthy parasites.

Another useful diagnostic test would be a tick disease screening. In my practice, many pets that present for “depression” without any other symptoms are experiencing a tick-borne disease, like Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, or Anaplasmosis. In people, Lyme disease causes mild aches and decreased energy. Sometimes people experience mild symptoms for months before complaining to their doctor. Since dogs are generally tougher than people, their symptoms can be little or none. Also, 40 percent of people with Lyme disease do not know they ever had a tick on their own body, so I wouldn’t rely upon seeing a tick as an indicator.

All of these tests can be run in your veterinarian’s office. If they all come out normal, your veterinarian will probably want to run a small metabolic panel to rule out hormone imbalances and other hidden problems. In a 3-year-old dog, most of these are unlikely.

The most important thing is not to wait too long. Animals are programmed to hide pain or illness as long as they can. Some problems can progress from seemingly mild “depression” to very serious disease in a short period of time. Call your veterinarian today. I wish you luck and I hope your little girl feels better soon.

Q: My large German Shepherd mix decided to eat some of my jeans. It’s not the first time and he was able to pass them in the past. However, I fear he ate more than the first time and may begin to have troubles. He had a good bowel movement today, but I was wondering what I should be on the lookout for, or if there might be anything I could do short of taking him in to the vet (unless you feel this might be an emergency).

A: Most commonly, intestinal obstructions cause frequent vomiting, regurgitation, and abdominal discomfort. Sometimes a decreased or absent stool production may be present. I have seen pieces of fabric stay in the stomach for days or weeks without causing problems, only to cause trouble later on. If your dog is not showing illness, you do not need to rush him right to the vet. However, any gastrointestinal symptoms in the next couple of weeks warrant an appointment. To help the fabric pass, large meals with plenty of fiber may be helpful. Canned pumpkin and some high-fiber bread or cereal can work. Good luck.

Dr. Watts is a companion animal general practitioner and owner of Clevengers Corner Veterinary Care. He can be reached through ClevengersCorner.com or by calling 428-1000. Some columns contain material contributed by the Veterinary News Network.