NamiDearest nails drug market creep

The bipolar dog’s heartbreaking dilemma

What I find so odious about the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is its whole-hearted embrace of the pharmaceutical treatment of mental illness. It is so enamored of pharma that it is constantly on the look-out to help its good friend find new customers. The childhood bipolar market is saturated, but now there are PETS! And who’s to say that Fido isn’t bipolar? You know you’ve been ignoring his behavior for too long, thinking he’d grow out of it. But, there’s good news on the horizon.  Bipolar dogs face enormous challenges, including society’s stigmatization and the discrimination that results from these prejudices. Substance use counseling, housing, work and educational skill development are among other supports frequently required to maximize your pet’s prospects for a higher functional level.

NamiDearest inspired today’s post.

Even our furry and feathered family members can have a mental illness

Many of us think of our pet as just another member of our family, so why shouldn’t we treat them like we treat our own children? It makes sense that if mental illness runs in families, our pets could become mentally ill as well. Indeed, this is what veterinary psychiatry has discovered. Mental illness in pets is on the rise!

“Dr Carter, a leading animal psychiatrist, said animals were being put on anti-depressant medication in increasing numbers as vets and owners became more aware of the signs of mental illness. “We use a lot of drugs like Prozac and other anti-depressants and Valium,” Dr Carter said.”

“Not only dogs can develop mental disorders. Dr Carter said she had treated cats, horses and even birds. Birds being kept as pets quite often display signs of mental illness. The most common sign for birds with mental illness is plucking out their feathers. There are lots of reasons a bird might pull its feathers out, but anxiety can be a cause for it.”

Read on to learn more about signs of mental illness in the family pet. Please do not further stigmatize our beloved pets by laughing at the images you will see.