Are We as Therapeutic to Them as They Are to Us?

by Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger

20 Nov 2008 01:42 PM

It's been a week since Murph's cast has come off, but he hasn't quite been the same. In fact, I'd venture to say he's been a little depressed.

His appetite's still okay, and his ears perk up at the offer of chewie sticks or Scooby Snacks, but he just hasn't quite been himself. Even with the cast on, he'd been kind of rambunctious. Especially in the last couple of weeks before it came off. It was clear he was feeling better and getting his pep back. He'd go search out one of the many sympathy toys he'd been given, bring it to me, and, with tail wagging, expect me to play.

He hasn't done that once in the past week. He just sort of lays around moping.

If he wasn't eating I'd worry that maybe he didn't feel okay physically. But because food still interests him, I suspect it's more psychological.

I swear he understood when I made such a big deal about how we'd be free to cross the street again after Cast Off Day. Well, that day came like I said it would, but then I think he understood crossing the street was still off limits when the vet said as much during last week's appointment.

Because I do believe Murph can understand me, I've been apologizing up and down for misleading him. I should have known better. After all, the surgeon had told me from the start that recovery could take upwards of six months.

I guess I figured since he'd been hopping and bopping around more and wanting to play that meant he was healing faster than expected and his recovery time would be speeded up. You know what they say about assuming things....

So now poor Murph's suffering because of his momma's eagerness.

I've been thinking about all the studies that show how beneficial pets can be to people's health. Heck, right here at Families.com we've written about some of them.

Like over in the Pet Therapy section of the Health Blog. Aimee's written about things like how pets relieve stress and cats can lower heart attack risk. And over in Mental Health, Beth's written about how beneficial the unconditional love of dogs can be to a person's mental health. Heck, even I've written about how Tabby's special powers have been so healing to my own depression.

Now I'm wondering if humans are as therapeutic to their pets as they are to us. I'm trying to be for Murph.

If he was well enough, I'd take him to the park in a heartbeat. That's always a sure cure for what ails him. But since that's not feasible just now, I've taken to giving him some extra TLC. (Longer and more frequent belly rubs, in addition to just snuggling up next to him on the floor when we watch TV and stuff.)

I also recently rediscovered his favorite doggie ice cream at Publix and have been treating him to ice cream cups every couple of days. That perks him up for a bit.

And I tell him as frequently as I can what a great dog he's been through all of this and that it's all going to be okay eventually. Maybe not as soon as we want, but we will be back on the bunny hunting trail before we know it.

I don't know if any of it's helping at all, but I hope I can help him as much as he always helps me when I'm blue.

Courtney Mroch writes about animals great and small in Pets and the harmony and strife that encompasses married life in Marriage. For a full listing of her articles click here.

Learn more about Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k.

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