Veterinary Medicine - April 2008 - (Page 209)

an appropriate way to interact with the dog. The predictability and consistency of these command-response-reward exercises can dramatically decrease a dog’s anxiety. Response substitution. If the owner learns to recognize the circumstances in which the dog is likely to perform the licking behavior, he or she can try a technique called counter-conditioning or response substitution.10 As the latter term suggests, the purpose of this training is to teach the dog to provide an alternative response instead of performing the unacceptable behavior. There are several ways owners can accomplish this, but it will take time, patience, and consistency to be successful. Owners of smaller dogs can attach a long leash from their dogs to themselves as they move about the home. Ideally, the dogs should also be wearing head collars during this time. When an owner sees that the dog shows signs that it will begin licking, he or she should immediately but calmly distract the dog by pulling it to him or her or by giving the dog a command, such as come or sit. It is important that the owners only use a command that the dog knows well and is likely to respond to at that moment. For this reason, it may be necessary for the owner to practice the command-response-reward exercises as described above for a few weeks before beginning the counterconditioning exercises. Owners who feel uncomfortable tethering their dogs to themselves will need to try other methods of distracting their dogs when it appears they may start licking surfaces. Squeaky toys, whistles, shaker cans (a can lled with beans or coins), or other noise-making devices can be effective.2 Other alternatives are squirt water bottles, cans of compressed air, ultrasonic devices, or citronella sprays. It is important to make owners aware that the purpose of these devices is to interrupt a dog’s behavior so an alternate behavior can be rewarded. Their purpose is not to decrease the likelihood of the recurrence of the behavior (as appropriately applied punishment would do), so it is critical that the distracting device does not cause any fear or anxiety. If the chosen device appears to increase a dog’s anxiety or cause a fearful response, it should be stopped immediately, and a less-startling device should be tried. It should absolutely not be paired with the owner yelling or telling the dog, “No.” Once the dog is successfully distracted and looking to the owner for a command, the owner should calmly give the dog a command and reward it for responding appropriately. Initially, a dog should be rewarded every time it responds to a command, preferably with a valued item or food treat. After the dog responds to a command, the owner should attempt to engage the dog in other rewarding activities such as play. Pharmacologic intervention Pharmacologic treatment can be a useful adjunct to behavior modi cation and environmental management when treating any anxiety-related disorder. Drugs acting on the serotonergic system have been found effective in treating anxiety and both human obsessivecompulsive disorders7 and canine compulsive disorders.10 Clomipramine. Clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant with selective serotonergic properties, has anxiolytic as well as anticompulsive effects, so it is a possible drug choice for treating a dog that repetitively licks surfaces. Sedation and anorexia are the most commonly noted side effects,17 but nausea, regurgitation, or increased water consumption may also occur.18 The recommended dosage of clomipramine in dogs is 1 to 3 mg/kg given orally twice daily.18 Do not give clomipramine in conjunction with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, such as selegiline, which are commonly used to treat canine cognitive dysfunction. In addition, administering clomipramine VETERINARY MEDICINE April 2008 209 http://www.meridiananimalhealth.com http://www.meridiananimalhealth.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - April 2008

Veterinary Medicine - April 2008 Contents Letters Leading Off The Veterinary Medicine Interview: Dr. Barrak Pressler Idea Exchange Help! My Dog Licks Everything An Update on Anaplasmosis in Dogs CE Form Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - April 2008

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