Is your dog mentally ill? Maybe.
Dog Health
My friend Hilary shared this link a while back (The Signs of Mental Illness in Dogs) and I thought it was worth sharing. It’s a piece highlighting a new textbook on canine mental illness and some of the mental illnesses being found in our furry friends.
Reports like these always interest me because they provide insight into a dog’s mind and behavior. They also allow me to be more aware and better educated about dogs in general.
As dog owners, I think we most often attribute dog behavior to the dog or the owner (i.e., “bad dog” or “bad owner”), but as this piece demonstrates, sometimes the behavior can be mental illness. I have known some dogs who have suffered a mental illness, I just never realized that so many different types exist.
Among the many illnesses described by the author, Diane Garrod, are:
Schizophrenia
Depression
Unprovoked acts of aggression
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Separation Anxiety or Panic Disorder
Extreme fear
Neurological diseases and disorders
Symptoms vary, but among the ones mentioned are:
Appetite suppression
Aggressive behavior
Increase or decrease in water intake
Stress Hair loss
Fatigue
Obsession
Accelerated hyperactivity
Garrod also references a new textbook by Dr. Franklin D. McMillan (the Director of Well-Being Studies at Best Friends Animal Society), titled “Mental Health and Well-being in Animals”. Although textbooks aren’t usually my favorite reading material, I have to admit that this one sounded interesting.
One of the statements on the publishing site caught my eye: “Recent research shows convincingly that an animal’s physical health and immune system function are strongly influenced by its mental state.” It makes sense doesn’t it? A dog that is mentally stressed is likely to show it in their physical being as well. A dog that is balanced and happy is less likely to show symptoms, but not always.
Understanding how a dog’s mental health can impact behavior is just as important as understanding how their physical health can impact behavior. I am so glad that now veterinarians and animal behaviorists will have one comprehensive place to find this information. In the end, it benefits us and our dogs.
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Is Jersey mentally Ill? Yep. After experimenting with varying doses of Clomicalm, I think that we’ve got it under control. Peace reigns in the household again!
Oh Karen! I meant to comment on your post when I first read about Jersey’s strange behaviors. I was going to suggest a mental imbalance or possibly the onset of senioritis. I am so glad the Clomicalm is helping. Lady was on that before she went missing – mostly for anxiety. Since she had almost been off it for the full 14 days it takes to leave her system, I decided to see how she would do without it. I was always ready to put her back on if needed, but miraculously, she didn’t. I think she seems to have settled so no Clomicalm! It’s amazing how much it can help isn’t it?
This is intriguing Mel. I joke a lot about Leroy’s mental status but I honestly think that he may have some issues. He’s a great, goofy dog, but some of his tendencies make me question his mental health. Pica, his obsession with licking things, the way his eating habits fluctuate, etc. I mean it defintley could be just him but sometimes I wonder if something’s not right upstairs. I guess some could say the same thing about me, though:)
I thought so too Jen. Although I think many dogs suffer from Pica (including two of mine). I once had a little guy who used to stay with me and he always had to lick his toy before bed. I think it was a comforting thing to him. I am not sure if it is the same with Leroy, but maybe. At least this piece by Garrod makes us think huh?
BTW – They could say the same about me.
You’ve gotten me thinking about this all day.
In my family, mental illness is similar to other families with diabetes and high blood pressure. it’s a strong genetic tendency.
And it’s so complex. Because medication can be key to helping people. But mentally ill people also need to exercise some autonomy over their lives to manage their illness. Dogs have very few opportunities to exercise autonomy. And so it’s no wonder we’re seeing incidents of clinical psychological conditions.
This is definitely something that’s gotten my thinking juices flowing. Thanks for working my brain.
So happy to help out Pamela! I think my family has a lot of genetic issues,mental illness among them. I think many people don’t think of pets having a mental illness. I know I didn’t know anything about this for a very long time. That’s why this piece interested me. I’ll be interested to see what your creative juices come up with.
I have been saving this for a time when I had time to really read it. My mom has a dog that I have sworn for many years is mentally ill. She’s a Sheltie, and we had several Shelties growing up. When you look at her, you can see it. There’s something about her eyes that isn’t right. She was turned in to a shelter by the first family that had her because she bit the mom and the daughter. She’s also bitten my mom so badly that she has required medical attention several times. I keep praying that the dog dies before my mom and stepdad, because I don’t want to inherit her. I could go down the whole list of all her insane symptoms, but it would be a novel.