If you are interested in ensuring that your dog is as happy and healthy as it can be and want to make sure that your dog enjoys a high quality of life, it’s well worth continuing reading in order to discover some of the top signs of mental health conditions in dogs. That will help you discover whether your dog exhibits any unusual behaviors that could be attributed to a common health condition.

Destruction of your belongings:

If you return home from outings to find that your dog has destroyed your furniture, shoes or clothes, it’s likely that your dog is suffering from a mental health issue such as separation anxiety. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, which is a common mental health condition in dogs, it’s a great idea to find ways to decrease the duration of time which you spend away from your dog. For example, you may want to work from home or to visit your dog during your lunch break, if you work close to your home. In this scenario, it’s well worth contacting your vet for more solutions.

Shaking or trembling:

If you find that your dog shakes frequently, they may be afraid. For example if you find that your dog shakes when you are preparing to leave the house, it may be experiencing anxiety about being left alone. Or as another example if your dog shakes when it sees another dog when it’s out for a walk or at your local dog park, they may be experiencing a dog version of social anxiety. Especially if the dog is unfamiliar to them or they feel threatened by the other dog’s posturing.

Confusion:

Just like human elders, canines who are in their twilight years can also become more and more confused as time goes on if they develop dementia. Sometimes canines with dementia may also become disorientated. For example, if you have a canine with dementia they may forget how to navigate your home or where their bed is or where their food is kept.

Irregular toileting behaviors:

Dogs you have dementia are likely to get up to urinate multiple times per night, while a dog that urinates in your lounge, may be experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress. So if you find that your dog’s toileting behaviors have recently changed, it’s well worth further looking into the possibility of your dog suffering from a mental health condition.

Depression:

If your dog loses their excitement when it comes to going for walks, eating or playing, they may be suffering from depression. Particularly if they also avoid eye contact and sleep longer than normal.

In conclusion:

So if you have noticed that your dog has irregular toileting behaviors or is becoming increasingly confused or shakes or trembles in uncomfortable situations or rips your furniture and belongings apart when they are left alone, there is a significant chance that they may be suffering from a mental health condition.

There is no denying how much joy your pet can bring into your life. They make excellent companions, can help to give you a sense of purpose, and love you no matter what. It’s for these reasons and more that you need to make sure you’re showing your pets the love and care they deserve, and to do that, it’s important to keep yourself organized. Sometimes it is easier said than done, but pets do need a routine, so it is your responsibility to manage this as a pet owner. To help you stay more efficient, here are a few tips.

Set Reminders and Alarms on Your Phone

If you tend to be forgetful, it could be a good idea to set reminders and/or alarms on your phone to indicate when your pet needs feeding or to remind you of the other pet-related chores you need to do that day, such as cleaning out the tank or litter tray. If you have a dog, fit in their daily walks with your routine, such as before or after work, or during a lunch break if you work from home.

Use Subscription Services

Another way you can help yourself to stay more organized as a pet owner is by making use of subscription services. You can get your pet’s food delivered to your door each month or every couple of weeks, so you don’t need to remember to go to the store if you have a busy schedule. You can also get litter delivered, toys, and other pet essentials via these services. While all subscriptions will vary in price, some might even end up being more cost-effective for you in the long term, too.

Book Vet Appointments in Advance

If your pet is sick unexpectedly, you should always contact your vet as soon as possible to make an appointment. However, there will be times at least once or twice a year when your pet will go in for a general health check, where they will be given vaccinations, deworming and flea treatments, etc. Rather than leaving it last minute to get an appointment, book these health checks in advance. Vet clinics can get busy, so if you don’t want your pet to be waiting too long to be seen by their vet, you need to make sure you secure an appointment sooner rather than later. If you’re looking for a new vet clinic or need to register your new pet, check out veterinarianplanotx.com for a great example of what you need to be looking for in a clinic.

Remember to Budget

Working out a monthly budget is useful even when you don’t have a pet to look after, as it can help you save money and make sure you are covering all your essential expenses. Once you do own a pet, their food and other supplies that they will need are also essentials, so make sure you’re working out a monthly budget, and including these costs, so you or your pet never have to go without.

There are many perks to being a pet owner, but you must make sure you are organizing yourself properly so that your pet is always getting the best care possible from you.