How to Recognise PTSD, Depression or Alzheimer's in Pets

A sad look, reluctance to play, and lack of interest in favorite treats - these are universal signs that indicate something is wrong with our pet. And if earlier the "diseases" of cats and dogs were mostly limited to poisoning, disorders, and intoxication, in recent decades scientists have significantly expanded this list. We now know that animals suffer from mental disorders, dementia, or cognitive dysfunction, among other things. 

Is it possible to detect such disorders in the early stages of development? And how can we help our "silent" friends?

Alzheimer's disease

The risk of developing dementia in dogs is doubling every year, National Geographic writes. Scientists have noticed a link between the decline in cognitive abilities - attention, thinking, perception and the development of what is called canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD).

Symptoms may include disruption of the usual sleep and play schedule, disorientation in space, and atypical behavior.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Stephanie McGrath, associate professor in neurology at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, says: "We all know that Alzheimer's and other dementias are among the most common diseases that people can face in their old age," but "people don't realize that our pets - dogs and cats - can also have this disease, and it's probably very common."

Dogs and cats suffer from many "human" age-related diseases

Brain cells die in about one-third of dogs aged 8 and over, and in cats, such processes are more common after 11-13 years.

While signs of illness in animals may be mild or invisible, pet parents can still try to discover the symptoms at an early stage. To do this, it is first of all important to pay attention to the atypical behavior of your pet.

• disorientation;
• refusal to follow familiar commands or use the litter box;
• changes in their sleep-wake cycle;
• excessive "vocalization" – crying or howling;
• changes in social behavior – hissing or growling during normal interactions;

If you suspect a decline in your pet's cognitive function, you should first consult a vet to rule out other conditions.

Experts say that many conditions, such as arthritis pain, cancer, hearing or vision loss, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, can cause symptoms that mimic dementia in pets and should be ruled out before a cognitive disorder is diagnosed.

Ask your vet about supportive therapy - medications, supplements, or a diet that can help support your pet's brain. Keep a routine for pets, as "it can be difficult for them to cope with change."

Try to stimulate new neural connections by teaching your pet new commands and playing new games.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 

A study by Save pets of Ukraine found that the war in Ukraine has resulted in a 20-30% decrease in the number of dogs in shelters in the rear regions and a 100% increase in shelters in the frontline regions.

According to animal psychologists in Svidomi publication, hundreds of animals in Ukraine hear the sounds of explosions, lose their owners, get lost and suffer physical and psychological trauma.

"The PTSD symptoms in animals are similar to those in humans and include chronic anxiety, hypervigilance [a state of extreme vigilance - ed. note], avoidance of members of their own species, places or situations, sleep disturbances, fear of loneliness, decreased interest in everything, complete apathy or aggression, and a systematic tendency to injure themselves," says animal psychologist and rehabilitation therapist Nataliia Martyshko.

Anxiety, fear, deterioration of physical condition, sometimes unintentional self-harm - after experiencing stress, such conditions in pets can be manifested by any loud sounds, such as a garbage truck passing by or fireworks.

Therapy in such cases consists of "desensitization" practices that teach the animal to cope with stress by gradually increasing nervous tension and increasing tolerance to it. Music therapy, aromatherapy, bodywork (TTouch, massages), being near a well-trained dog, increased exercise, and a gradual load of mental stimulation are also used.

Depression

Three-quarters of British dogs show signs of anxiety and depression. A survey of 1,000 dog owners by the charity Guide Dogs found that 74% of dogs, i.e. approximately 8.8 million dogs in the UK exhibit behaviors that indicate anxiety and depression.

In the Science journal, Oliver Burton, associate professor of neuroscience, and his colleagues from the University of Pennsylvania presented a detailed analysis of studies of the behavior of rodents, primates, and fish that showed a clear decrease in interest in the environment and other interactions with other animals.

As it turned out, some of them showed signs of depression.

In humans, depression is diagnosed based on a list of highly subjective symptoms, such as feelings of guilt, thoughts of death, and loss of pleasure. Animals cannot communicate and will not talk about such experiences, even if they are living through them.

At the same time, there are certain aspects of the disease that can be observed in animals. First of all, it is anhedonia - a decrease and loss of ability to feel pleasure including interest in favorite food, motivation for sexual activity, and social interaction with other animals in the group.

Another typical behavior for depressed animals is the willingness to give up when they find themselves in a stressful situation

How to help? Experts recommend increasing the amount of mental stimulation, adding more puzzles and additional incentives to the daily routine to find a new solution to problems...

Ideal are puzzles involving the search for food or goodies, e.g. a licking mat with patterns or special toys where the animal needs to pass over the ledges to get the treat.

A great option would be to increase the number of outdoor walks and additional stimulating activities, for example, playing with specialized bacon-scented soap bubbles for dogs or using voice-activated moving lures.

Traditionally, a good way for your pet to get out of depression is to maintain a consistent sleep schedule and good nutrition.

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Besides caring about our pets' health, understanding and researching cognitive diseases in animals can give scientists new and unexpected clues to understand how human diseases progress. After all, according to scientists, all mammals share similar basic connections in the brain.

So, it seems that we and our pets can help each other in finding mutually beneficial solutions to overcome common problems.