4 Reasons Why Isn’t My Pet Acting Normal [What to Do!]
It is natural for every pet owner to be fond of their pet animal. The pet also reciprocates to the bestowed warmth on him. Both of them are well aware of each other’s daily activities.
Like humans, pets too have days when they do not feel like following the daily routine. But at times they also act against their natural behavior. These unnatural behaviors can get complicated and upsetting for both the pet as well as his human parent if they persist for a long time.
There can be instances during the life span of a pet, especially for dogs when they may not be of their best behavior. The duration of such disorientation may be different for each one of them as per the symptoms.
It is essential to identify the signs and reasons for such abnormalities. Along with love and care for pet animals, their unnatural behavior also needs to be amended at the right time. All-round development is necessary for them to lead a normal and healthy life.
4 Reasons why does your pet act abnormally
Dogs are known to have certain kinds of abnormalities when they are not able to cope up. The reasons for this are as follows:
Environmental:
A sudden change in the environment of the pet can cause behavioral changes. It may take some time to adjust. The conditions of the previous habitat may be different from the present one. For instance, a recently adopted dog may show poor manners.
Some pets may not be able to cope up with the weather changes. While shifting dogs from one location to the other, they may not be as adaptable as humans. Some dogs are also quite insecure about achieving attention or may even feel a threat from someone whom they shall also dislike.
Emotional:
Dogs tend to show a lot of emotions. A sudden loss of a dear one may be the human parent, or a puppy can cause discomfort among them. There can be changes in the emotional state provided they get separated from their close ones, such as separation from a beloved family member and getting adopted by another or separation from a child from his mother dog.
Medical:
Underlying diseases can cause a lot of changes in the normal activities of a dog. Some symptoms may be visible, and some may not. Changes in food habits or consumption of unsuitable items can cause uneasiness. Some dogs are also hyper allergic to various kinds of food. There can be body pain in some or severe pain in the case of untreated wounds.
Genetic:
A lot of pets, especially dogs, exhibit serious issues related to discomfort due to some genetic disorders. Some hereditary issues may include epilepsy, cardiac and neurological problems. Both pure breeds, as well as mixed-breed dogs, can have links with such distress have links to their parental strains.
Identify Symptoms:
Due to the various reasons for discomfort and unnatural behavior in pets, sometimes situations can become quite alarming. Every human parent must be aware of the changes in their pets and act immediately when significant symptoms persist.
Some of the indications which hint towards the distress in pets such as dogs are as follows:
Behavioral Symptoms:
Whenever there are noticeable changes in the behavior of dogs, it is necessary to check the reasons for the same. These changes are generally due to inherited, environmental or psychological issues. Some of these indications are:
- Continuous and excessive barking can indicate that they either are feeling a threat from another human or animal. The parent needs to attend and be able to recognize which is a friendly bark and which is not.
- When well-behaved dogs suddenly start chewing almost everything in and around the house, it can be an indication that he is having some sort of issues. Although chewing is an inborn mannerism in dogs and its puppies, but a destructive manner of chewing is not a healthy symptom.
- Biting among puppies is common, but if even after a certain age of being an adult if the dog still bites everyone, it is a matter of concern. Dog bites can be harmful to humans. It can be due to emotional stress like fear and aggression.
- Fatigue is generally present in older dogs. But if a young dog does not seem to be interested in games and outdoor activities, it can be a matter of worry.
Visible Symptoms:
If a pet dog is acting abnormally and not following the usual routine, one must look out for noticeable symptoms in the body. Try taking a look in detail over the body and identify if there is an occurrence of some distinct changes. Such as:
Body temperature: 100 to 102.5degree F is the usual range of temperature among pets like cats and dogs. Change in body temperature may be one of the reasons which may have occurred due to changing weather or mild infection.
Injuries: Check the body parts to find any unusual wound or swelling. Thorough checking is necessary from head to paws, including eyes, ears, mouth, and other body parts. Allergies and other skin problems can irritate as well.
Vomiting: Pets generally do not vomit in readily visible areas. The pet owners can look for corners and backyards where the dog is suddenly more interested in going than any other usual day. Gastrointestinal problems may lead to severe vomiting.
Diarrhea: Stomach infections and other digestion problems can result in frequent loose motions. They can be due to parasitic infections. If the fecal discharge is in increasing number, it is a matter of concern.
Allergies: Consumption of allergy-causing food can cause allergies in dogs. Fungal infections in the skin cause itching. Severe itching can crop op rashes and wounds on the skin
Invisible Symptoms:
Discomfort in dogs can also have symptoms other than the visible ones. These may not be readily noticeable.
- Underlying genetic issues in a pet can cause internal problems which can become severe as the pet grows older.
- Invisible symptoms can also be related to internal injuries due to fall or accidents like a fracture or severe blow in the head.
- Internal issues will gradually change the food habits and may also have a loss of appetite. The pet dog may not be eating correctly as much it would have done otherwise. There can be a gradual loss of weight as a result of less consumption of food.
How do you comfort pets?
Different symptoms can cause issues under different circumstances in a pet. It is rational if the changing behavior or other symptoms on the pet linger only for a few days. Sometimes these changes can cease by themselves within a few days.
However, if the signs of distress endure for a long time, i.e., more than three days, it is appropriate to consult an experienced veterinarian. Some remedies for various kinds of abnormalities in dogs are as below:
- Proper training must be provided to a puppy or a grown-up dog if adopted recently. With appropriate guidance, they will be able to adapt to the new environment with ease.
- For behavioral issues, pet owners can try some fun activities so that they are distracted from disastrous barking or chewing. Dogs find it interesting to play with soft toys. A new toy can divert their attention. Fetching is a typical game that almost all breeds of dogs are excited to perform.
- Regular outdoor activities are also necessary for their overall development. A morning walk and a stroll in the park in the evening is an effective way to boost their emotional strength.
- On-time vaccination and regular health check-ups will keep their health conditions under scrutiny. Any underlying diseases diagnosed at the right time and specific treatment can help the pet to ease the discomfort.
As pet animals, be it of any species cannot express themselves through words, so it is a bit difficult to know about their distressful conditions.
However, a close watch on their behavior and activities can reveal if any such situation is disturbing them. Every living body can have various issues affecting the overall health, be it mental or physical.
Similarly, dogs too can face problems due to which they may not act as per their normal behavior. Identifying at the right time and taking immediate action can help them reduce their discomfort. As a result, it will allow them to live a happy and cheerful life.
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