Depression is a disease that affects many people all over the world. That has become an accepted fact over the years, although not always looked upon as anything more than being a person of weak countenance. What many of us have never heard of, however, is that pets can also become depressed. There can be a number of reasons for this, with one of the most extreme being the loss of their owner, especially through death and especially if the pet witnessed the passing. While there’s still much we don’t know about the millions of species sharing our planet, scientists and everyday people alike generally agree that animals are capable of experiencing emotions just like we do.
One of the most documented incidences of depression is a police dog, or a military dog that loses its handler. 
These animals work so closely with their handler that they almost become one unit. They can anticipate their partner’s every move, and when their handler is killed or even retires from the service, the animal is left with a hole in their heart than is hard to fill. If the dog happens to see their partner killed in the line of duty, they take it especially hard. Like any police partner, they can even feel a measure of blame…even though they were not to blame and could not have prevented the death. House pets, who have learned to trust and live closely with us, can sometimes show signs of depression or anxiety, often through unusual behaviors like losing interest in their favorite activities. For reason, other than the loss of an owner, pets can become depressed. When a household has more than one pet, the loss of companion pet can bring noticeable sadness to the remaining pet, as well as the pet owner.
In the past, these animals would be left to deal with their sadness on their own, as many still are today. 
However, these days, pet psychologists can help identify these issues and provide advice on how to improve their well-being. That is rather a strange occupation, in my mind. I really don’t understand how a human psychologist can communicate with an animal to identify depression, PTSD, or any other problem…aside from possibly fear of thunder and lightning, which presents itself in a very clear way. Animals can’t tell us what is bothering them, and yet professional psychologists profess to be able to understand the problems they have. Nevertheless, Pet Psychologist is a very real profession that pays in the vicinity of $52,000 a year. I guess in might be a profession for a pet lover to consider.
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