Wednesday, November 15, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
serotonin, a brain chemical
that affects mood, might play
a role in the disorder.
Scientists have also dis-
covered that the change in
season can disrupt the bal-
ance of the body’s level of
melatonin, which plays a role
in sleep patterns and mood.
Common symptoms
include feeling depressed,
having little energy, or sleep-
ing too much. What sets this
condition apart from other
Jodi Schneider McNamee
forms of depression is the
Columnist
symptoms will naturally go
away on their own during the
brighter and warmer months
of the year.
Since this is a very real
problem in humans, it’s
understandable to wonder if
Just about everyone has pets are also susceptible to
heard the phrase “winter mood shifts with seasonal
blues.” Some individuals changes.
are negatively affected by
According to Steve Dale,
the shift into winter. Serious a certified animal behavior
depression of this nature is consultant, “The definitive
known as seasonal affective answer is — maybe.”
disorder (SAD), a condition
Dale says we share much
that affects one to 10 percent of the same brain chemistry
of the population depending with dogs, including hor-
on the specific location.
mones melatonin and sero-
The reduced level of sun- tonin. So, it’s conceivable that
light in fall and winter may pets can get SAD, but there
cause winter-onset SAD. could be other explanations.
The decrease in sunlight may
The People’s Dispensary
disrupt your body’s internal for Sick Animals (PDSA),
clock and lead to feelings of the United Kingdom’s lead-
depression because a drop in ing vet charity, found that
Paw
Prints
Seasonal changes
can affect your
pet, too
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approximately 40 percent of
dog pet parents saw a con-
siderable decline in their
pet’s moods during the win-
ter months. In addition, half
of the pet parents felt that
their dogs slept longer, with
around two in five reporting
their pets to be less active.
The PDSA states that ani-
mals who suffer from SAD
are likely to display symp-
toms very similar to that of
humans, such as depression,
lack of energy, and fatigue.
And according to Dr.
Nicholas, a veterinary behav-
iorist and professor at Tufts
University in Maryland,
“Everything in the psycholog-
ical or psychiatric arena that
affects people is eventually
discovered to affect domes-
tic animals. Knowing this, it
would be very surprising if
SAD didn’t exist in animals.”
So, what can you do if
your pet is showing signs of
this seasonal disorder?
If you’ve noticed your
furry friend acting a little
more down than normal at
this time of year and you
want to take action to help
prevent any blues from set-
ting in, the good news is there
are definitely way you can
help. The first is to keep your
dog active. While you’ll want
to protect your pet from harsh
PHOTO BY JODI SCHNEIDER MCNAMEE
Your dog may get down when the days grow short.
weather conditions, taking
your dog out for a walk is
proven to release endorphins
and ease any stress.
And if your pooch seems
to have a really tough time
when the seasons change
and you’ve gone to your vet-
erinarian to rule out any other
medical conditions, it may
be worth investing in a light
box. This type of treatment is
a common option for people
struggling with SAD. You can
actually find a device known
as the Sol Box that is spe-
cifically designed for dogs.
Since there is not enough
data to support a definite
diagnosis of SAD in pets,
lack of energy, lack of appe-
tite and other SAD-like
symptoms that may occur
during this time of year can
also be attributed to other
factors. Taking a few simple
steps like bonding with your
furry friend, promoting exer-
cise, increasing lighting, and
ensuring a proper diet, can
go a long way to promote the
health of your pet – not just
during colder months of the
year.
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