Is Your Pet Feeling Blue? This Could Be Why

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Most of the time, our pets are bundles of joy, always looking forward to the next adventure, but sometimes they can feel a little down. 

If you’re the type of owner who pays a lot of attention to her pets, then you immediately pick up on this. They can’t hide it from you. There’s just something about their demeanor that isn’t right. They look sunken and sad, and they don’t move around like they usually do.

Why your pet feels under the weather, though, can be tricky to figure out. You know there’s something wrong, just looking at them, but coming up with an accurate diagnosis is a massive challenge. Pets have the misfortune of not being able to tell you why they feel under the weather. 

There are a bunch of common reasons, though, why your pet might be feeling blue. Here are some of the candidate diagnoses you’ll want to strike off your list first.

Lack Of Exercise

Given that most of us have been locked in our homes for weeks on end, it is not surprising that the exercise habits of our pets have started to slip a little. It is hard to keep dogs happy unless they’re moving. The risk of picking up an infection, however, has prevented many owners from going to the park or even walking their dogs on the street. It just seems too risky. 

Here’s an idea: pop the dog in the car and go somewhere in the countryside where they can roam free. Find out whether any local farmers in your area have opened up their fields to the public. Many have. 

They’re In Pain

Chronic pain from conditions like arthritis can affect the mood of pets, just as it can people. They seem down and listless, even though there’s no external evidence of trauma. If an older dog or cat seems under the weather, it could be that their immune system is wreaking havoc on their connective tissue. 

The good news is that you can fight back. Many owners now use organic CBD oil for pets. It’s a type of ointment that you place in their food that helps to improve their mood and reduce pain. For some animals, the effects can be quite remarkable. 

Your other option, of course, is to take them to the vet. They could have an internal problem that is causing them pain that you can’t see. 

Lack Of Social Interaction

Photo by Bruno Cervera from Pexels

Just like people, pets need a minimum level of social interaction to keep them happy. If they don’t get, then it can have tremendous knock-on effects on their state of mind. Dogs isolated from other animals or people can feel extraordinarily unhappy and seem irritable all the time. 

Here again, the solutions are pretty simple and straightforward. A lot of owners like to take their dogs on playdates with other animals. Others organize family gatherings and then invite the pet to join in. Ultimately, it is about making sure that you surround the pet with warm bodies. They’ll soon lighten up.