by Chris Straigis
Dogs are fascinating animals. They are thinking animals that have distinct personalities, behavioral traits and habits. Anyone who’s owned one can attest that a dog can be funny, quirky, caring, sympathetic and even inquisitive. They can be very much like us.
Sometimes though, they also can share more challenging traits with their human counterpart. In this ongoing series of Case Studies, we will examine some not so common conditions that can affect dogs such as hyperactivity, extreme insecurity or, as the following example highlights, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Sampson is a German Shepherd with a long history of canine OCD. “We adopted him at about two months old and he was just like a normal puppy” confirmed his owner, Angie. “But at about six months old he started obsessively chasing his tail. It became clear soon after that it was worse when he didn’t get enough exercise.”
Whether it was caused by over-excitement, pent-up energy or mere impatience while he was waiting to eat his dinner, Sampson’s OCD behavior was worrisome and disruptive. Upon seeing their vet, they were advised to give him medication that would help to calm him and hopefully to lessen the symptoms. “We weren’t really comfortable giving him the medication long-term so eventually we decided to stop the treatments,” said Angie. The choice was made instead to focus on exercise as a way to expel more of Sampson’s energy which helped keep his tail chasing at bay. Their choice to work with Sampson’s condition and love him for who he is, quirks and all, paid off. Today he is a happy and healthy 6 year old dog with a long life ahead of him.
Canine Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can manifest in a number of ways and can be the result of anxiety, situational stress or just plain boredom. It can present with symptoms such as obsessive digging, biting at the paws, destruction of furniture or, as in Sampson’s case, barking and tail chasing. When the root cause is boredom, the best solution is exercise. After all, a tired dog is a happy dog. A long walk or run at the park, a day at a local doggie daycare center or a hearty game of catch in the back yard can be the perfect medicine.
If the problem goes deeper, as would be the case with stress from separation anxiety or insecurity, the best course of action is to see your vet. There are courses of medicine and/or behavior modification that can help calm the overly anxious dog and alleviate the symptoms and results of destructive OCD behaviors.
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