Dog with behavioural issue

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Stephen Courtney — Thu, 08 May 2014 22:40:02 GMT

I spent the last day of congress in Danny Mills' and Gary Landsberg's lectures, was very impressed with both.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Richard Carter — Thu, 08 May 2014 18:19:40 GMT

Our favourite referral behaviour expert is the behaviour clinic at Lincoln University - Daniel Mills and Helen Zulch - both vets. We have a springer who was terrified of wind and rain even indoors - was sorted with a combination of medication (alprazolam then sertraline) and retraining/ 'safe' zones (sound proofed) - took about 6 weeks

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Stephen Courtney — Wed, 07 May 2014 16:31:25 GMT

Drugging? A bit of an emotive word, filled with bias. I prefer to term it 'medication'.

I'm well aware medicating alone is not an answer - but very unlikely it can be avoided in a case like this.

With expert advice, choosing the right medication alongside behavioural therapy, can help, but only if the owner is willing to work at it. If they aren't then they only have 2 choices - do nothing, or PTS. Personally I think doing nothing is a poor choice that doesn't address welfare issues.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Emma Middleton — Wed, 07 May 2014 16:30:47 GMT

Agree with others that drugs are not going to cure, but with some proper behavioural counselling/modification (if the owner is committed) drugs like fluoxitine, clomipramine can help as an adjunct.

Like so many behaviour cases, depends so much on the owner - sometimes they are inadvertantly reinforcing or exacerbating the behaviour and dogs can be entirely different animals in a more suitable environment.

Very frustrating, I do sympathise. Get a qualified veterinary behaviour specialist (if the owner is willing to put in the work).

+1 for euth if not, this dog sounds incredibly stressed.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Dagmar Steele — Wed, 07 May 2014 10:15:19 GMT

Drugging alone will not do the trick. After such a long time drugs need to be involved but also a lot of time, effort and work from both owner and veterinary behavourist. If the owners are not prepared to (finally) put time and money towards this dog, it will not work and euthanasia is the better option. If they are prepared to work with the dog, go for referral.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

James Laidlaw — Wed, 07 May 2014 07:58:33 GMT

http://asab.nottingham.ac.uk/accred/reg.php Accredited veterinary behaviour specialists in the uk can be found on the above website.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Suzanne Kelly — Wed, 07 May 2014 00:50:31 GMT

Sounds like a behavioural referral is in order. Don't think drugging this guy will help.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Stephen Courtney — Tue, 06 May 2014 22:07:00 GMT

Clomipramine can be very useful, also fluoxetine, in several phobic type reactions, but I would recommend taking advice from an expert before starting meds.

But if not meds then what? Euthanasia, not unreasonably, is high on the list.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Emily Rainbow — Tue, 06 May 2014 15:48:17 GMT

Sounds a bit like something I saw in a young- middle aged uncommon (ie I can't remember ATM) pure breed at uni. Turned out to have a very strange MRI with evidence of a degenerative brain condition - might be worth considering? The dog was perhaps a little lethargic, but the main sign was hyper-reativity to noise with no cranial nerve deficits or nervous abnormalities seen.

Re: Dog with behavioural issue

Miriam Lodewyks — Tue, 06 May 2014 13:05:28 GMT

So sad and frustrating, these cases.

To me it sounds like this dog is simply not suited to that home environment. I'd bet that in a completely different setting, perhaps surrounded by lots of space and with a pack of other dogs to learn from, this dog would be a reformed character within weeks. Unfortunately homes like that are rare, and owners often unwilling to even consider the option. But if this has been building for 5 YEARS, then there is NOT going to be a magic pill that will make everything alright. So, if rehoming is impossible, I would consider euthenasia, as this dog's mental distress must be immense.