How to tell if my dog is depressed and what can I do?

Question

How can you cure depression in dogs? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | 8 years and 11 months old | 12 lbs

Chad Brown, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello and thank you very much for your question. The world of human medicine in veterinary medicine are more similar than most people know. There are veterinary behavioral specialists that deal with possible depression issues every day. But before we diagnose depression, usually a full physical examination as well as diagnostic testing for medical rather than behavioral depression should be performed. What I mean by this is that the dogs depression could be due to a medical disease that is causing them to be or act lethargic. Therefore, things such as full bloodwork, chest and abdominal x-rays, urinalysis, etc. should be looked at on your dog before being sent to a behaviorist. If all of these tests come back normal then please have your veterinarian refer you to a veterinary behaviorist because there are so many good medications and recommendations they can make that can help your pet be happier.

How to tell if my dog is depressed and what can I do?

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