News: Depressed pets take drugs, 19th May 05

Depressed pets take drugs

By Jade Bilowol
May 19, 2005
From: AAP

YOUR dog frantically scurries around in circles and snaps at imaginary flies. What can you do to settle down man's mentally unstable best friend? Throw it a bone? No. Take it for a walk? Maybe.

Shake a packet of anti-depressant tablets instead of some doggy biscuits? Bingo.
Proclaimed animal behaviour consultant Robert Stabler says a rising number of domestic animals in Australia are being sedated by anti-depressants to beat the ravages of depression.

The Newcastle-based vet says between 3 to 6 per cent of dogs and cats in Australia suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – a similar figure to their human counterparts.

And before pet owners shake their heads in disbelief while thinking over images of their dog languishing in the sun, Dr Stabler implores owners not to bark up the wrong tree.

"One of the worse cases I saw was a bull terrier who took half an hour to get from the shed through the door because it was constantly turning around in circles, it was so sad, it had to be euthanised," Dr Stabler says.

Destructive habits that could lead to a dosage of Clomicalm, the animal equivalent of Prozac, include anything from constant shadow chasing to stone chewing to pacing and excessive grooming.

Dr Stabler warns Australia mirrors an American study that found one in 23 cats and one of 103 dogs were put down after their OCD had gone too far.

However, he says early intervention significantly boosts the chances of animals overcoming their neurotic habits.

What could possibly trigger a mental breakdown in your beloved pet?

Dr Stabler puts it down to a mixture of genes and environment, with owners playing a master role in the development or hindrance of OCD in their pets.

"It could be environmental overload, social overload or the opposite ... they could be anxious about separation issues and feeling left behind," Dr Stabler explains.

"For instance, border collies pace up and down the yard, which is often genetic.

"But sometimes environments such as corner blocks or those that are close to schools and shops get the animals aroused and excited and they start spinning in circles."

And whatever you do, don't take the stress of a hard day's work out on your companion.

"Sometimes people are anxious and after a stressful day at work they pass it on to their animals, who might start chewing on stones or pacing," Dr Stabler says.

"The dog might smell their owner's adrenalin or see body language change and may try to get attention by running around in circles.

"And then that makes it worse when the owner laughs and the animal gets attention that way."

While Clomicalm is a potent way to release doggy endorphins by raising the level of Serotonin in the animal's brain, Dr Stabler warns it's not a panacea.

"We have such a busy lifestyle and there is a loss of quality time – love, respect and understanding of what the animal is doing helps," he says.

Suburban Brisbane-based dog trainer Libby Baker says it's crucial more owners detect depression that is hindering their pets.

Ms Baker suggests the problem is compounded by many owners' blindness to their animals' neurotic tendencies.

"Owners are often so used to seeing them perform these habits that they don't know to act on them and help their pets," she says.

Any stigma surrounding administering anti-depressants to pets is unfounded, Ms Baker says.

"OCD has a big impact on the welfare of the animal and while owners may be worried about a behaviour prescription they probably wouldn't think twice about giving their animals drugs for physical problems," Ms Baker says.

She says humans have been quick to take advantage of many seemingly neurotic habits of animals, such as a border collie's herding instinct.

Ms Baker also says that inbreeding could have contributed to the condition.

From News.com.au

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