Mental Illness isn't limited to the Human Race.

Lost in the fog

A former friend of ours who lives in Ireland posted this link recently about animals and mental illness. Seems humans are not so different from the animal world at all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20150909-many-animals-can-become-mentally-ill

unsure

I've experienced this first hand in a dog.

smiddy3

I have no problem believing this having a dog and cat for over 16 years and observing both of their behaviour`s.

waton

snakes, donkeys talking in tongues, related to religion, sick.

LoveUniHateExams

Like Smiddy, I have no problem believing this.

Captive animals may exhibit stereotypies such as pacing, bar-biting, grooming to the point of mutilation, and other repetitive, mechanical behaviours. These are pathological behaviours that could be connected to mental illness.

But zoos fight against this with different types of enrichment.

And now on to pets ... how is a vet to know if a pet cat or dog is mentally ill? How would they go about exploring this?

I mean, you could give a pet all the enrichment and then some, and yet it could still be mentally ill. But how are we supposed to know this or explore this?

Still Totally ADD

I know our almost 14 year old lab is suffering sun downers. We now give her a anti-anxiiety pill every afternoon. It has help a lot. Old age is catching up to her. So sad, so sad. She has been a good companion. Still Totally ADD