AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterTwitterShare to PinterestPinterestPinterestShare to MoreAddThisMore17
“Behave while we’re out” I used to hear my grandmother tell her little miniature poodle, Mimi, on our way out the door. She usually had a day full of activities planned for me when I would go to visit her. We would sometimes go to the park, to an amusement park, the zoo, or to a movie. When we got back to her home, grandmother would start walking around her house taking an inventory of what Mimi had destroyed while we were gone. When something was discovered, she would quickly bring Mimi to the “crime scene” and, while swinging a newspaper, she would keep saying “You’re such a bad girl Mimi, I’m going to teach you to obey me if it’s the last thing that I do.”
An unwelcome thought enters the mind, and any attempt to disregard it only results in magnifying it even more. It is recognized as irrational, time-consuming, and draining. Obsessive behavior is very challenging and frustrating for humans to deal with, and in dogs it can be even more so. Dogs do not necessarily understand the nature of the obsessions and have no basis of comparison between a healthy thought and an unhealthy one. many owners do not understand why their pet is continuously tearing shoes apart, excessively barking, destroying furniture, and continuously licking. Some pets have mild obsessive behavior, and others have a severe condition.
The old-fashioned methods of instilling discipline with a rolled up newspaper like my grandmother used to do only served to increase the level of stress and anxiety. There is very little chance that Mimi was associating the correction with the particular crime; too much time had usually elapsed. correction in canines has to come the instant that the behavior occurs – even 2 minutes later could be too long for the pet to make the proper association.
Obsessive behavior may first occur from the animal being bored, anxious or stressed. You start to notice things like constant digging, biting, attacking inanimate objects in the house among other similar behaviors. If the veterinarian diagnoses that the condition is based on boredom, a suggestion may be made to include behavior modification and possibly more exercise. exercise is a terrific way to relieve the body of stress and boredom. working with an animal trainer can help to recognize and appropriate destructive behaviors. In some cases, the veterinarian might also recommend a medication like reconcile or Clomicalm to treat the condition. If the obsession is not treated properly it can possibly lead to separation anxiety. Separation anxiety in pets presents itself as annoying symptoms such as destroying clothes, shoes, furniture, chasing the tail, and even defecating and urinating unnecessarily. essentially much of the time that we think our pet is misbehaving it usually is a manifestation of an obsessive compulsive disorder.
There are several medications that may be used for treating dogs that exhibit symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder and separation anxiety. the most common of the medications are Clomicalm (clomipramine), Elavil (amitriptyline), and reconcile (fluoxetine). belonging to the class of drugs called tricyclic anti-depressants, Clomicalm elevates levels of serotonin and norepinephrine which helps alleviate some of the obsessive behaviors and anxiety in dogs. The usual dose of Clomicalm is 0.9-1.8 mg/lb. Clomicalm may cause dizziness and tiredness especially early in the treatment. It is also essential to be aware not to give other antidepressants or behavior modification medications along with Clomicalm because of increase chance of adverse reactions. other adverse effects from clomipramine include agitation, loss of appetite, dry mouth, dry eyes, and headache. It is especially essential to keep plenty of clean water available at all times. If the dry eyes become bothersome, a product such as LiquiTears may be used to relieve those symptoms and keep the pets’ eyes moist.
Elavil (amitriptyline) is another medication that may also be used for dogs that suffer from compulsive disorder. Amitriptyline also works by raising levels of norepinephrine and serotonin. The usual dose is 0.5mg/lb every 8 to 12 hours. Some side effects include dizziness and drowsiness, urinary retention, and loss of appetite. This medication would not be recommended for any dogs with urinary retention problems because it could exacerbate the condition even further.
The third medication that may also be used for Obsessive Compulsive disorder is actually a medication that has gotten much press and attention over the past decade because of its very popular use in human medicine. reconcile (fluoxetine) – also known as Prozac – is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which increases the amount of serotonin in the brain; this serves to decrease anxiety and has a calming effect on dogs, helping to reduce their symptoms. The dosing of reconcile is based on the weight range of the dog. This medication comes in different milligrams for a variety of particular weight ranges. The 8mg strength if for dogs between 8.8 and 17.6 pounds, and the highest strength (64mg) is for dogs anywhere from 70.5 and 140.8 pounds.
Another option that veterinarians often recommend that is vital in relieving obsessive behavior alone or with any of the above medication is behavior modification. changing the behavior with the help of a trainer is a terrific way to help the canine break the cycle of obsessive behavior. giving the canine something to chew while you’re out, making sure the canine gets a lot of exercise, and making sure your canine develops a sense of independence. Pet owners can try to reduce the amount of time interacting with the canine while at home, trying to sit in another room and limiting the amount of time the canine follows the owner around are all ways to help the canine develop a sense of security on their own.
Although dealing with obsessions is challenging and frustrating for everyone involved in the care of a pet, there are many solutions to alleviate these behaviors. If your veterinarian decides on medication, there are many options. It is essential to follow the instructions of your veterinarian closely, because many of the medications that treat this condition interact with each other and have side effects that must be monitored for. As discussed in my previous blog about medications that increase heat sensitivity, many of the medication that effect serotonin and norepinephrine can make it more harmful for the pet to be exposed to hot weather. Having clean water readily available is also very essential when on some of these medication.
Developing a good relationship with the veterinarian and making sure the pet goes in for frequent examinations can be one of the best ways to guarantee our pets medical needs are properly met. Also, as always, there is a 1800PetMeds pharmacist that is available to answer any medication related questions or concerns that you may have.