How To Know If Your Pet Is Sad

With a pet, life changes dramatically. Animals are incredible beings who, without our realizing it, transform us into better people and better human beings. Even our little friend, just like us humans, can be sad.

As owners and friends, their well-being should always be at the top of our list of priorities.  Since we are most responsible for their lives, we should always make sure they are in excellent physical and emotional health.

In this regard, one of the most delicate circumstances that one can face is the one in which one’s pet feels sad ; unlike physical injuries, in fact, emotional wounds are not always visible, and it will be up to us to pay close attention to identify them and find a solution.

For these reasons, today we are going to show you the most common symptoms of emotional problems, so that you can understand when your friend is having a hard time.

Afraid or hyperactive attitudes of a sad dog

When the animal is overwhelmed by a sense of sadness, it will tend to manifest it in ways that are sometimes contradictory and difficult to understand.

One of the most common symptoms of sadness, for example, is showing fearful attitudes, such as hiding behind the sofa or under the bed, or responding clearly nervously to your calls.

Do you think that if he behaves in the opposite way, it means that he is not sad? Well, it happens that the reverse situations, in which the animal tends to show itself more active and energetic than normal, are also a clear indication that it is going through a difficult moment on an emotional level. In this way, in fact, the animal is able to let off steam.

In both cases, the best thing to do is to be patient and attentive and not be overly concerned, as if the dog detects a change in the owner’s attitudes, he could be worse off.

Abrupt changes in nocturnal habits

Just like with humans, analyzing an animal’s nocturnal habits is particularly effective in determining whether it is suffering emotionally.

Just like in the previous case, the opposite extremes can both highlight a problem of sadness in your little friend. When he sleeps a lot more than normal or is constantly lying down and sleepy, he is making you realize that he is sad.

However, the dog can also show his sadness in the opposite way, that is when it is very difficult to reconcile sleep and sleeps for a few hours. When their mood is bad, in fact, anxiety and restlessness can lead them to rest less.

Loss of appetite

As with people, lack of appetite in animals can be symptomatic of a sense of sadness,  as their delicate emotional state can cause them to lose their appetite.

Although it usually occurs gradually, the decrease in the desire to feed can be sudden, allowing you to easily identify the state of sadness in your pet.

When you notice that he has stopped eating, take him to a specialist immediately so that he can tell you all the measures to take.

Other symptoms

In addition to those already mentioned, there are other symptoms that commonly indicate that your pet is sad. Here are some of the most obvious:

• The tendency of cats to stop washing can be a clear indication of sadness
• Aggressive attitudes towards owners, even in the case of trained animals

• On a more serious level, the attempt to harm oneself
• In dogs, an apparent sense of discouragement that can lead them to refuse even to play

What can I do to help my pet?

If you want your pet to overcome this difficult period and return to a state of normalcy, here are some remedies you can follow:

• Give your little one as much time as you can. For him your presence is the greatest demonstration of the fact that he can count on a friend and a master who cares for him.
• Although it is not always necessary, another solution is to prepare a delicious homemade recipe for them, not only because they like it, but also because interrupting the routine always turns out to be therapeutic.

• If none of this works, the best thing to do is to take the animal to a vet, who will give it the healthiest and most effective medicines to combat its sadness.