Doggies and moggies feel the pain of winter as depression and illness take toll

IF YOUR moggy or canine friend seems to be a bit under the weather it could be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Recent news that dogs suffer depression in winter months may have been a surprise to non- pet owners

But to domestic animal lovers it might not seem so out of the ordinary.

Conditions normally associated with humans are also found in cats and dogs, according to figures from Tesco pet insurance.

Anorexic cats numbered 737 and anorexic dogs 428, records of claims made on pet insurance policies show.

Eighteen dogs were treated for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), 11 cats were treated for behavioural problems, while the figure for dogs was 56.

Other surprising conditions include cystitis (1,363 feline cases); anaemia (214 dogs); allergies (267 cats; 954 dogs) ; asthma (149 cats); ear infections (3,661 dogs); heart murmurs (1,118 dogs); eczema (391 dogs); and cataracts (319 dogs).

Allan Burns, head of pet insurance at Tesco Personal Finance, said: "As a nation of animal lovers it is comforting to know our pets are protected. We provide cover for all sorts of medical and psychological problems that can otherwise be very expensive ."

To help animal owners, Tesco PF is offering a 50 per cent online discount on its pet insurance.

Prices start from £2.40 per month for cats and £4.20 for dogs.

Customers buying over the phone will receive a 40 per cent discount. If you insure more than one pet, there is also a further 5 per cent discount.

There are two levels of insurance: standard, providers cover up to £2,500 per condition, and extra which offers cover up to £4,000 per condition.