Depression in pets: Signs, causes, and treatment strategies

Chances are, at one point or another, most veterinary professionals have had a client wonder if their pet might be depressed. Many pet parents are very attuned to their pets’ behavior and want to do anything they can to alleviate any discomfort their pets may experience. And while veterinary teams are experts at interpreting animal behavior and body language, animals’ inability to communicate verbally limits how well we truly understand what they are experiencing.

According to Lore Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB, CABC, Veterinary Behaviorist and Owner of Texas Veterinary Behavior Services, depression in animals has not been clearly defined. She said that while the physiologic basis of depression in animals has been used as a basis for study of animal behavior, it is difficult to assess the cognitive component of depression that is a significant component of depression in humans.

“Nevertheless,” she said, “animals likely do suffer from some type of depression, although it is difficult to know how similar their emotional state is to a human with such a diagnosis.”

There are multiple scenarios in a pet’s life where depression is more likely to develop, Haug said. These include changes in the household makeup (the arrival of a new baby or other family member, the departure of a family member, adopting a new pet, the death of a pet) and changes in environment such as moving from one home to another. Changes in a family member’s work schedule, such as transitioning from a remote role to an in-office role, can also be very stressful for some pets.

Even without a major change, some pets can be at increased risk for depression if they are not given sufficient environmental enrichment and/or cognitive challenges, Haug added. “All pets should have consistent enrichment opportunities,” she said. “This improves welfare and also increases their problem-solving abilities.”

Common signs of stress in pets

Pets experiencing chronic stress can present with a wide variety of symptoms depending on that animal and their situation, said Haug. “Cats frequently show hiding, withdrawal, and/or irritability,” she said. “Dogs may also show withdrawal, but may will also show an increase in aggression, irritability, and hyperactive behavior.”

And it can impact other aspects of pets’ wellbeing, too.

“Chronic stress can cause atrophy in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and have a negative impact on learning and cognitive function, Haug said, adding that it can also manifest with other physical symptoms, including gastrointestinal disease or increased susceptibility to infection.”

Essentially, just about any change in behavior can indicate that a pet may be experiencing stress, and pet parents are in the best position to take note of these changes. Eating or drinking less (or more), new sleeping patterns, reduced interest in favorite toys or activities are all cause for concern. However, it’s important to make sure pet parents know that there can be other causes for behavior changes, including pain or disease, so any time they notice something new, the best first step is to contact their veterinarian and schedule a check up to rule out medical causes for those changes.

The role of resilience

Different pets have different reactions to stressful situations, and knowing whether a pet tends to be sensitive to stress in general is helpful when determining how to prepare them for (or treat the stress caused by) bigger changes.

Resilience, or how quickly an animal recovers from stressful situations, is something Erin Askeland, MSc, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, a Fear Free animal welfare professional and board member for the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, looks at when trying to understand a pet’s sensitivity to stress.

“There’s stress in everyday life. Going on a walk can be stressful—and sometimes, it’s good stress,” she said. Seemingly innocuous things, like changing out an old dog bed for a new one, or moving a cat tree when you rearrange furniture, could be difficult for highly sensitive pets who might hide, refuse food, or otherwise behave differently than they normally would.

When helping a client determine how sensitive to change or stress their pet is, you can approach it from a couple of angles: How quickly they recover from changes, and how likely they are to react in the first place.

“The pets who take a little longer on occasion to recover, or who are more reactive to a lot of little things—even if they recover quickly—those are probably the ones I’d say are more likely to be triggered by another event or big change,” said Askeland. “Not always, but in general, if you have an animal who, when you get back from the vet, they’re hidden away for the rest of the day, maybe that one’s going to be a little more sensitive to change.”

Asking the family to take notes of how pets react to change can help them work with the care team to better understand their pet’s resiliency (or lack thereof) to stress.

“We know our pets really well, but planning to actually log [their reactions to change] helps,” Askeland said. For example, when you moved the cat tree, how long did it take before Biscuit climbed on it again? Did she ignore it for a while? “The more information you have, the better off,” she said. Taking note of the duration of a behavior, the time of day, or any other factors that might have contributed is also useful.

Planning for prevention

Understanding how resilient a pet tends to be to stress is especially helpful when a family knows a change is coming and want to take preventive measures to address the stress it might cause.

Anytime you can plan ahead, that’s an opportunity to make changes easier on your pet, said Askeland. For example, say you’re moving house. “If you know you’re going to move, you’ve done your due diligence, and you’ve talked to your vet. What else can you do to start preparing your pet?” she said. “Those are things like practicing if they’re going to have to be in a kennel, and they haven’t done that in a while. So reintroduce that in a positive way, where it’s their choice to go in and explore.”

Small, incremental adjustments to their routine can also help them to learn that, for example, eating dinner 15 minutes later (or earlier) than usual doesn’t have to be scary. If their exercise routine will be changing during or after the move, making slight adjustments to move toward that change ahead of time can help to reduce stress when the bigger changes come.

Even things like slowly moving furniture, toys, and food bowls around in your home may help your pet understand that these changes don’t mean anything is wrong or scary. But, Askeland stressed, this must be done slowly. Aim for one tiny change at a time and take note of how they respond. How long does it take for them to become comfortable with the new location? And is it reducing overtime? The goal, she said, is to normalize that transition for them. “Little tiny micro adjustments can help with that transition. And they may seem really minute or like it doesn’t make a difference, but change is very noticeable to pets, so anything you do that’s a little different they notice.”

Treatment strategies

Treatment for depression in pets will vary depending on the cause, duration, and needs and abilities of both the pet and their family. Although no standard time frames have been established, Haug suggested two weeks as a time frame beyond which stress or depression could be considered chronic as opposed to transient. In some cases, she said, it may be appropriate to monitor and provide support to a pet (as opposed to starting medication and creating a behavior modification plan) while determining if their signs are transient or if they become more chronic. In other cases, however, it can be preferable not to wait to intervene. “I think we also look at the degree of disruption to the individual’s relationship status or life to know, hey, this might be a major ordeal,” she added.

Haug said that in cases where treatment is indicated, medication, supplements, and behavioral modification can all be very helpful. While she said that anxiolytic medication and supplements are often more effective when they are used proactively when compared to starting them once clinical signs have already appeared, they can still be helpful for treatment of depression or anxiety caused by unexpected events.

She also recommends teaching pets behavioral skills using positive reinforcement that can help them both navigate their changing environment with more confidence and have increased access to rewards and reinforcers that they enjoy. Haug often teaches targeting behaviors, both for dogs and cats, and calls them “immensely helpful” in a variety of situations. Regardless of the specific skill being taught, she said, “just the act of teaching these things to the animal can change their brain chemistry and given them a sense of control and communication.”

Even apart from medication and formal behavioral modification programs, Haug pointed out that pet owners can do a lot to help their pet just by being intentional about their daily interactions with their pet and their own self-care. “During times of change,” she said, “pet owners should try to keep to routines that are familiar to the pet and also seek help for their own anxiety/depression when indicated.”

Haug acknowledged that pets (and their families) face many stressors that challenge their health and wellbeing. “Like many humans in today’s world,” she said, “pets are struggling with a society that often does not meet their needs as animals.” It can also be challenging for us as humans—even those of us who are well trained in typical animal behavior and body language—to understand what animals experience. Nonetheless, Haug feels strongly that veterinary professionals have an obligation to learn as much about animal behavior as possible to ensure that the advice they give to their clients is accurate and appropriate.

In cases where veterinary teams don’t feel as comfortable guiding families on their own, they can reach for a variety of resources to support their clients and patients. Board-certified veterinary behaviorists are an important resource for diagnosis, prescription of anxiolytic medication, and for the creation of customized behavioral modification plans that work for both clients and their pets.

In instances where an in-person visit to a behaviorist may not be possible due to distance or other factors, a remote consultation may be an option depending on state licensure and VCPR regulations. In some cases, a remote consultation may be structured as a consultation between the client, the referring veterinarian, and the behaviorist. The referring veterinarian would keep responsibility for maintaining the VCPR, performing a physical exam and any needed diagnostics, and prescribing medication if needed, with the behaviorist’s guidance. The behaviorist would consult on the patient’s diagnosis and recommend a behavior modification program that is appropriate for the patient’s needs.

When help with medication management is not needed, certified (non-veterinarian) animal behavior experts can be an excellent option for behavior modification guidance, Haug said. The key is knowing what to look for in finding a behavior expert who focuses on positive reinforcement. She recommends International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) certified behavior consultants.

Askeland also likes the training and programs provided by the Companion Animal Science Institute, the Karen Pryor Academy, Behavior Works with Dr. Susan Friedman, and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Trainers who promote the use of aversive methods like prong collars or who talk about dominance and pack mentality should be avoided.

For pet parents who want to do some reading and research on their own, Haug recommends the Fear Free Happy Homes website along with the American College of Veterinary Behavior’s Decoding Your Dog and Decoding your Cat books.

For more information, veterinary teams can consult AAHA’s 2025 Referral Guidelines for ways to support a positive referral relationship and the 2015 AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines for expert insight on the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety and distress (among other conditions) in dogs and cats.

Further reading:

Decoding your Pet

Photo credit: Zontica/iStock via Getty Images

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