Still flat after a month or more

What this tends to look like

• Still sleeping more, playing less, and generally disengaged well past the first few weeks
• No clear trajectory. Not obviously better than it was a month ago
• Sometimes gradual weight loss that has crept up unnoticed
• Occasionally subtle physical signs: a duller coat, less grooming, stiffness, mild bad breath
• May have stopped doing specific things: jumping onto a surface, going upstairs, greeting at the door
• Frequently an older animal, where the change gets attributed to age as well as grief

What is usually going on

The reason to change approach at this point is arithmetic rather than pessimism. Most grief-related behavior change in surveyed households resolves within two to six months, and a good deal of it within weeks. An animal still flat at a month is either in the slower part of that distribution or has something physical, and there is no way to tell those apart by watching. Meanwhile the list of physical problems that present as nothing more specific than lethargy and reduced interest is long: dental pain, arthritis, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism in cats, hypothyroidism in dogs, anemia, and in older animals cognitive decline.

Arthritis in particular is worth naming, because it produces exactly this picture and it is routinely missed. An arthritic animal does not usually limp. It stops doing things: stops jumping, stops playing, sleeps more, and looks for all the world like a sad animal. If the low mood arrived around the same time as a loss, the loss gets the credit and the joints do not get examined.

The other reason for a check-up is that a household loss and an illness often coincide, particularly where two animals were of similar age. This is not an argument for worry, it is an argument for one appointment. If everything is clear, you can carry on with routine and time knowing you are treating the right thing.

What people commonly use

Educational information only — not veterinary advice. Check with your vet before starting anything new.

Where to find them

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What you can do at home

• Book a full physical check, including a mouth examination and a discussion about joints
• Ask for bloods. A thyroid test in a cat and a general panel in either species is a reasonable request at this point
• Write a list of the specific things they have stopped doing. It is far more useful than saying they seem sad
• Weigh them and compare against any earlier weight in their records
• Meanwhile keep the routine steady and keep offering short bursts of activity rather than sympathy
• For an older animal, ask specifically about cognitive change and about pain relief, both of which are underused

What progress should look like

How long to give this before you conclude it is not working.

• This monthGet the physical check and the bloods. This is the recommendation on this page.
• Two to four weeks after any treatmentIf pain or a thyroid problem was found, expect visible change on this timescale.
• Two to six months from the lossThe outer edge of the usual range for grief-related change to resolve on its own.
• If everything is clearThen routine, activity and time are the right treatment, and you can commit to them properly.

When to stop and call your vet

• Weight loss, increased thirst, or a change in appetite in either direction
• Any vomiting, diarrhea, or coughing
• Confusion, night pacing, or getting lost in familiar rooms
• A further decline rather than a plateau