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 ownerâ€), 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 Animalsâ€. 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.
