Download Mutts and Manic Man-eating Moggies

Manic Moods of Mayhem-making
Mutts and Manic Man-eating
Moggies
and what that means for Veterinarians
Presentation 2
Presented by
Dr Cam Day
Animal Behaviour Veterinarian
Cam Day Consulting
Phone 07 32550002
email [email protected]
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Objectives of this Presentation
To describe how mood
disorders of pets:Are similar to those of
humans
And are different to those
of humans
And how that relates
veterinary behaviour
management
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Behaviour 101
Moods and mood disorders of pets
Fears
Anxieties
Phobias
Panic Disorders
Post traumatic stress disorders
Compulsions
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What is Fear?
Fear and anxiety are confusing terms and they
are often used synonymously.
Fear is a body’s normal response to an
unexpected stressful event
huge flow of stress-related hormones occurs
Flight-fight response
Gazelle and lion
Escaping is an autonomic
response and is innate
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is the ‘prediction of a doomful event, location,
object or situation’.
We have spiders in our shed!
‘Doomful’ events pets may predict?
• Owners leaving
• Other dogs/cats approaching
• Thunder/noises approaching
• Visitors arriving
• Visiting the V-E-T!
BUT an anxiety is normal
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A fear-inducing event
teaches a pet to become
anxious
but:..
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That’s not a problem :
IF
a Vet can quickly get the
pet over it
What is an Anxiety
Disorder?
So – an anxiety is a normal and useful
reaction to perceived dangers
But - an Anxiety Disorder is when
the anxiety is abnormal or
inappropriate.
Anxiety Disorder is :
where the reaction is out of proportion
to the stimulus that has occurred.
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Panic Disorder
An extreme level of anxiety
In humans:Sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety,
usually associated with numerous physical
symptoms
heart palpitations
rapid breathing or
shortness of breath
blurred vision, dizziness
and racing thoughts 9
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Panic Disorder
In pets:Sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety,
certainly occur – especially in Veterinary
surgeries
heart palpitations
rapid breathing
shortness of breath
blurred vision, dizziness
and racing thoughts
AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR
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How to recognise Anxiety and Panic?
Signs to look for are:
Licking of lips and yawing
Increased respiration rate
Trembling/shaking
Hyper-vigilance and
Hyperactivity
Flight/fight/freeze/fiddle
Anal glands evacuation
Defaecation/urination
Aggression
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
PTSD is the ugly relative of an Anxiety
Disorder
Follows a traumatic event where that
event causes intense fear and/or
helplessness.
It’s often a perceived:
life threatening event
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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
In humans
re-experience the trauma through
nightmares
obsessive thoughts and flashbacks
Avoidance component - individual
avoids situations, people, and/or
objects which remind them about the
traumatic event
(e.g.,
a person experiencing PTSD after a
serious car accident might avoid driving or
being a passenger in a car)
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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
In pets :•
•
•
Dogs experiencing a dog fight
Being abused cruelly by
humans
Being hurt in a veterinary
surgery
•
particularly if made helpless by
being physically restrained, and
muzzled
Obsessions and Compulsions
Do animals have obsessive thoughts?
Obsessions are thoughts
that are intrusive
We can’t tell if animals have
obsessive thoughts.
Do animals show
compulsive actions?
Compulsions are actions
that are repetitive,
pointless and often selfdamaging
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Obsessions and Compulsions
Common compulsions
Dogs
Tail chasing, spinning, circling and pacing
Shadow chasing
Fly snapping
Pica
Some forms of barking
Self-directed aggression
Obsessions and Compulsions
Common compulsions
Cats
Tail chasing, circling and
pacing
Pica (sheet eating)
Some forms of vocalising
Over-grooming and furpulling
Medications are mostly needed for
compulsions.
Pheromones are not usually effective
But when to use pheromones
and when to use medications?
The choice is not easy and is the heart of
veterinary behaviour management.
But as a broad generality:–
Anxiety and panic disorders mostly require
medications.
But in the right environment – pheromones
can significantly help.
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What’s the role of Pheromones
and Medications here?
It’s not always obvious which animals need
the calming effect of medications and
pheromones
Ask one question of
the pet!
Can you learn now?
But remember this bit??
Behaviour therapy considers 4 strategies:Is there a medical issue that needs a
remedy?
Can the animal learn to be good? NO YES
How is the behaviour best managed?
Does the pet need to be calmed with
pheromones, homeopathics or
medications?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Recap
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fears are innate an normal
Anxieties are often learnt from fears and some
are in the animal’s ‘nature’
Anxiety is normal
But anxiety disorders are not
Panic disorders are high level, damaging
anxieties
Pets suffer from Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder if the experience a ‘life-threatening
event’
Some pets can learn not be anxious – some
cannot
Medications are pheromones are indicated for
many anxiety disorders and related problems
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