Suicidal Pets Get Anti-depressants!

Saw this article online and thought maybe it was from one of those joke sites or perhaps a "parody site" or something like that - but evidently it’s true!

Suicidal Pets Get Anti-depressants
News.com.au Online
February 25, 2008

What will these drug dealers (err... I mean drug 'companies') think of next?​

Good Luck!

 

Unreal, The slew of ads on TV for all the drug companies are so prevalent I don't even notice them anymore.
However if they advertised one for pets that'd probably get my attention.

 

This also shows that wild animals that are improperly kept in zoos etc. are adversely affected. I've seen video of large cats continously rubbing their snouts on their cages to the point of bloody rawness. Perhaps we should rethink the 'zoo' concept instead of medicating them into submission.

 

I saw this on TV, have never seen a tiger or any cat attack an elephant, now that is suicidal if you ask me.
Seriously animals can break just like people, being confined and mistreated you can't blame them for lashing out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4jsyfJcIIc

 

How do you tell if a pet is suicidal and isn't just plain weird? :confused

 

I'm not surprised you take beautiful animal from its native environment where its lovely and warm,it can fly,mate,hunt for food and stick it in a tiny cold cage where all it gets to do is mimic the phone all day and be gawked at by humans.

And Instead of banning them they just keep them doped up all day:confused The worlds a twisted place.

 

It is a well researched and known fact that animals can suffer depression for a number of reasons. Posts in this thread have touched on some. I've also seen animals signalling depression whether domestic (eg cats, dogs, birds), in some overseas' zoos, or those in circuses (thankfully, there now is a cry against circuses with animals, and most Sydney councils refuse access to sites to discourage use of certain animals (eg big cats, elephants, etc) in circuses.

Zoos here are painfully aware of how changes, environments affect animals and go to great lengths to cater for animals' enclosures to be as close a natural environment as possible...our Taronga Zoo does well for it size, and it's the people who are in cages to view the animals who have lovely, open, natural surroundings.

But our Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo, in my opinion, is the type of zoo animals should live in, that is, if Zoos must exist, because of its open range principle. (http://www.taronga.org.au/western-plains-zoo/plan-your-visit.aspx)

So don't think animals don't suffer depression and trauma...they do. A simple example in evidence are those dogs used in searching disaster areas for bodies. These dogs suffer the same trauma as their handlers.

Keeping animals drugged up (imho) is not the solution...rather, prevention of the cause is better than cure, as far as I'm concerned.

 

Well said LS.

 

Animal preserves are a much better idea I believe. Some time back I went visiting relatives in San Francisco and we ended up at the zoo. I hadn't been there since I was a child and was shocked to see it was exactly the same. Small cement enclosures with motes, most in cages, wish I had not gone now.
Think it was the same elephant too. rolleyes

 

My dog went psycho a couple of years ago. Had him on prozac for a few weeks. Vet says 'seperation anziety.' Crazy critter broke a window, ripped out some sheetrock, crapped on the floor, and just generally trashed my house.

Now Fred is a 13 year old Lab/Chow mix, who USED to be a total house dog. Now he is inside when I am home, outside when I am not home. He tore up an empty charcoal bag the other day... He is not on the drugs anymore. It is funny to go to the pharmacy to get drugs for Fred Canine...

I figured out that after I moved, the dog likes it outside. So outside it is. He does give me some evil looks when it is raining... (he has shelter)

E

 

A friend's dog had same problems as yours, 'separation anxiety.'...also due to boredom with no one home...after getting some particular toys for distraction and feeds (type with small amounts of treats that dog had to work at before getting treats - kept dog occupied/interested), resolved the destructive trait.

Another friend got another animal as companion for her dog, and after initial "adjustment and settling in" period, both pets happy and quiet inside alone.