RE OBSESSIVE DISORDER

Modifying the compulsive disorder syndrome in dogs


Perhaps the difficulty begins with the label: Should the behavior be called stereotypical, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, or just compulsive disorder? Do the terms refer to the same thing? From one point of view, yes. A stereotype is a repetitive pattern of behavior that serves no obvious purpose in the context in which it is performed. What about obsessive-compulsive behavior? Some animal behaviorists have objected to the use of the word obsessive since no one can know if an animal can show this human trait. So as Dr. Caroline J. Hewson and Dr. U. A. Luescher of the University of Guelph in Canada would have it, the syndrome of repetitive, purposeless behavior seen in dogs should best be termed simply compulsive disorder. Except that the behavior may indeed have some purpose.


The two behaviorists believe that compulsive behavior may begin as a normal response to a situation of
conflict or frustration, but then the conflict behavior is freed from the original situation or context. The compulsive behavior may then be performed in other situations if arousal is provoked beyond a certain threshold. A simple example: if a dog has no opportunity for exercise and no social contact, it may indulge in compulsive—that is, repetitive and apparently purposeless—circling. There may also be changes in the animal's central nervous system operating at the same time to keep the animal behavior in the same stereotypical manner. Moreover, the owner may respond to the behavior in such a way that the behavior is unintentionally reinforced.

These experts say there are no solid figures on how prevalent compulsive disorders are, although at their hospital about 6 percent of canine behavior problems are of this nature. The more usually quoted figure is about 2 percent, which leads them to suspect that compulsive disorders are unrecognized or mis-diagnosed.


There appears to be a breed predisposition to conflict or compulsive behaviors. Large breeds— Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, for instance—show compulsive behavior by licking persistently at one area of the body, creating a skin lesion called lick granu-loma. English Bull Terriers whirl around and then freeze in one position. German Shepherds are known to chase their tails, and Dobermans are notorious flank suckers. Compulsive behaviors can be seen in other breeds, of course, and there is some evidence of neurological involvement in some of these behaviors, which is why a neurologic examination is part of the general physical examination of any dog with a compulsive behavior pattern.


Although various drugs have been used to control compulsive behavior, there is no generally approved treatment. Drs. Hewson and Luescher report that the treatment they have developed has been used with success in their own practice. Given the assumption that the behavior stems from conflict (a normal, adaptive response is thwarted and then becomes stereotyped), removing the sources of conflict should help. The sources might be:


• Physical restraints such as close confinement and chaining.
• Social conflicts that arise from competition for status, changes in social group, or separation.
• Unpredictable or uncontrollable environment.
• A lack of target object for normal behavior.For example, a dog kept isolated has no normal outlet for its instinct to interact within a group, animal or human.


The experts say that it is possible to desensitize the dog to whatever stimuli incited the compulsive behavior. First of all, the owner must be rigorously consistent in his reaction to the dog, because inconsistent signals may in themselves be a source of conflict. In the first two to four weeks of training, the interaction is strictly limited to daily exercise and daily reward-based training, another opportunity to interact in a consistent and predictable manner.


Punishment is ruled out in this program, as is the use of choke collars. Drug therapy may be initiated early in the program, but it should not be the sole therapy, and the dog should be weaned from the drug as soon as feasible. The owner should be advised that if a breed predisposition exists, behavioral management may be long-term or even lifelong.

Thanks for this Staffsrock, it isn't just in dogs, zoo animals often show this especially in the olden days when they were in small cages. It was normal to see pacing up and down the cages, horses also have this, they do things like crib bite or weave. Crib bite is were the horse gets old of wood, stable door, fence etc, and sucks in air, this is detremental to the horse's health and wears down their teeth. Weaving is were they are standing but their head is weaving from side to side, bad cases, their front feet come off the ground as well. Again this is detremental to their health and damages their front legs.

Gracie will like a section of her back leg at times but the vet thinks this is pain cause by arthritis which gets inflamed. She is on Metacam for life and has antibiotics twice a week which seems to keep this at bay.

An old girl now at the Bridge used to do circles chasing her tail, once she caught it she turned and went the other way. She came like this at 6 months old. We used to distract her but with 3 young sons, they became more interesting to her. Her previous owners used to go out about 8am and often didn't get home until midnight so she was on her own for most of her life with them.

I wouldn't worry about managing any problem, it becomes a way of life so you do it automactially, the dog gets used to the management and eventually you can step away and the dog continues with it.

Hi Mattie, when i was researching seasonal alopecia i came across a piece sounds similar to your Gracie called commonly 'lick alopecia' where they mainly lick thier legs and the topical area is bald, red and inflamed dont know if its the same cause it wasnt anything to do with arthritis,, as Gracies but will try find it again and post it.