Do you think animals get depressed ....

[RGL_UK]

Questions regarding the mental state of animals has run into a philosophical sandbank because we cant be sure how self aware animals really are, but animals have been observed exhibiting the symptoms of cinical depression (lethargy, compulsive behaviours, disrupted appetite and even self harm).

Zoo animals seem to be prone to this behaviour.
So what do we think, could your very pet be depressed right now?

[Prospero]

There's no doubt about it.
Any pet owner can tell when there's a change in it's behavior, sleeping pattern, or eating habbits.

If the vet says he\she's physically fine, take a page from MP's confuse-a-cat.
Try changing things up - food, toys, different dog park, etc...

[imahobo]

without a doubt they can get depressed, animals have a brain just the same as humans do, infact the only differance between us and animals is we are supposed to have more advanced brain. anger, happiness, and sadness are all emotions and can be observed in every type of animal including us so it would make sense to me that if they can have those emotions then they could have an emotion like depression as all depression is is a long time of sadness.

personally i have a dog and when she dosent get what she wants she sulks worse than my kids do and there are times when i havnt took her out for a couple of days and i would swear she gets depressed she is like a different dog when she is like that, its like she cant be arsed but a good walk an a bit of a play she seems to get bac to her old self.

hope that makes sense i am knackered!:P

[Prospero]

personally i have a dog and when she dosent get what she wants she sulks worse than my kids do and there are times when i havnt took her out for a couple of days and i would swear she gets depressed she is like a different dog when she is like that, its like she cant be arsed but a good walk an a bit of a play she seems to get bac to her old self.

That's exactly it.

Used to look after our neighbors' dog on the odd occasion they couldn't bring her with them.
She was so used to going everywhere with them that she'd be in a total funk for a few days from being left behind and then give them the cold shoulder for days after they'd been back.

[RGL_UK]

Do you think we should invest money into providing medicine and research into animal depression?

[kool_ari]

No, animals know things that we don't like when earthquakes and tidal waves are coming, also they don't have social probles like MONEY and job stress, the only things animals would be stressed out about is how they are treated by humans, and running out of food. In the wild animals would either find food or die, in the hands of human's how much meaning does an animals life have?

[WeLsh_bEn]

Deffinately, my dog has off days. And when he has done something wrong and he knows, for the rest of the day he is all quiet and just sleeps..