Can Dogs Get Seasonal Depression?
You may have experienced mood changes as the seasons shift and long, sunny days become darker and shorter, but can the same thing happen to your dog? We know humans can suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Is seasonal affective disorder in dogs something to worry about?
To find out the answer to “Can dogs get seasonal depression,” we talked to two veterinarians, Sandra Faeh, DVM, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and Karen Fine, DVM in Central Massachusetts, for the science behind behavior changes.
Can Dogs Get Seasonal Depression?
Seasonal affective disorder in dogs isn’t a known medical problem, at least not in the way humans experience it, according to our experts. That being said, your dog can experience mood fluctuations — particularly during times of the year when their humans’ schedules change.
Perhaps you had a young adult home for the summer who then moved back to college at the start of the school year. Or, if your kids were home all summer or other family members spent a lot of time with your dog and then they returned to school or work, your dog might be moping around a bit. This could lead you to ask, can dogs get winter blues?
Some dogs are very routine-oriented, from their feeding times to even putting themselves to bed, says Dr. Fine, author of The New York Times bestseller The Other Family Doctor: A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us about Love, Life, and Mortality. For these dogs, a disruption like a person moving out or another pet dying might have more of an impact than it would on another dog.
Signs of Seasonal Depression in Dogs
There are some physical or behavioral signs you might notice that could indicate your dog isn’t feeling like themselves. Again, while this isn’t technically referred to as seasonal depression, it’s still possible for a dog to act depressed during the wintertime.
Signs your dog has the winter blues or is generally feeling down may include:
- Decreased appetite
- Sleeping in unusual locations
- Loss of interest in playing or engaging with family
- Unexpected weight loss
- Self-soothing via licking or chewing
- Vocalizing, such as howling or whimpering
- Sad facial expressions, such as pinning ears back or droopy eyes
- Staying close to family members
If your dog is exhibiting any of these signs, reach out to your veterinarian.
“One of the first things a veterinarian will ask when they do a checkup on your dog will be something like, ‘Have there been any changes in the household or routine?’” Dr. Fine says.
Consider whether your dog is getting less attention than normal, for instance, and if that could be playing a part in your dog’s sadness or boredom.
How to Help a Dog Beat the Winter Blues
“Can reducing physical activity or mental stimulation during the colder months impact a dog’s mental health? Absolutely,” Dr. Fine says.
Here’s how to keep your dog active and happy as the seasons change:
Stick to your walking commitment. Daily exercise is good for your dog, Dr. Fine says. Make sure you’re taking your dog on a walk each day and change up the route as well. “Not only is the exercise good for them and their behavior but the sights, smells, and sounds help with mental stimulation,” Dr. Faeh adds.
Stimulate their minds. Change up your dog’s toys and add in some treat puzzles to fire up their brain. There are a lot of brain games that can keep your dog occupied.
Give them extra attention. If your dog’s favorite person in the house just left for college, they might need a little more TLC from you. They don’t understand what happened or when their person will be back. Play with your pup before or after work and make an effort to give them pets and snuggles as often as possible.
Drop them off at a doggy daycare. Taking your dog to a doggy daycare-type of setting where they are getting a lot of attention, exercise, and stimulation can be a great option for busy pet parents.
Add a dog walker to their routine. You could also recruit a local neighbor, friend, or relative or hire a professional dog walker who can take your dog out in the middle of the day. This can be especially helpful if you have a work commute and it’s dark when you leave in the morning and/or dark as you arrive home, making it more challenging to walk your dog.
Avoid rearranging or moving stuff around. While dogs don’t necessarily get depressed in the winter more so than other times of year, they do sometimes act a little differently around the holidays. This is especially true if you put up a lot of decorations and furniture or other items get moved around the home. “I had a client whose small dog would use dog pee pads in the house and he didn’t want to go on the pee pads all of a sudden,” Dr. Fine says. “So I made a house call and saw the client moved things around to accommodate Christmas decorations and the dog’s pee pads were in a new place. We moved them back to where they previously were and the dog urinated on them right away.”
Take a class with your dog. Sign up for a learning or enrichment class with your dog when the weather changes. “You can have them work on tricks or obedience, and it’s very stimulating for your dog as well as a great way to bond with your dog,” Dr. Fine says.
Will Vitamin D Supplements Help?
You might be wondering if dogs should take vitamin D supplements if they’re experiencing the blues or seem to be depressed or anxious.
“Unlike people, dogs are unable to synthesize vitamin D (more specifically, vitamin D3) through exposure of their skin to sunlight, and they don’t experience seasonal fluctuations in vitamin D or seasonal affective disorder as people do,” Dr. Faeh says.
Dogs get most of their vitamin D needs met through their diet. “This means it’s important to ensure they’re getting enough vitamin D through their food,” Dr. Faeh says. Feed your dog a high-quality diet that meets standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) to ensure they’re hitting their daily quotas, she advises.
“While it’s true that too little dietary vitamin D may cause depression—and other health problems—so can too much vitamin D, which may happen when a dog accidentally gets into vitamin D supplements that someone in their household is taking,” Dr. Faeh adds. In fact, too much vitamin D can cause vitamin D poisoning, which can be fatal if left untreated. Always check with your veterinarian first before trying supplements.
Currently, there isn’t evidence that light therapy is a tool to help dogs with depression in the winter months.
Be a Good Friend to Your Dog
“When it comes to changing seasons, some dogs may be affected by shorter days or colder temperatures, as this can mean changes to their routine, including fewer opportunities for exercise and mental stimulation,” Dr. Faeh says.
Any time you notice significant changes in your dog’s behavior, it’s a good idea to consult your veterinarian, who can work with you to determine the cause and develop a solution tailored to your dog’s (and your) needs, she suggests.
If your dog is otherwise healthy, do the best you can to keep them active, give them attention and cuddles, and stay positive and calm yourself. Dogs can tell when you’re stressed and upset and may feed off of that energy, Dr. Faeh notes.
