Veterinary Medicine - April 2008 - (Page 210)

Repetitive licking PEER-REVIEWED for more than 112 days at 3 mg/kg every 12 hours has been shown to signi cantly decrease total thyroxine, free thyroxine, and 3,3’,5’–tri-iodothyronine concentrations.18 Signs of clinical hypothyroidism were not reported at this dose. But being aware of these medication-related effects should help you avoid unnecessary treatment for hypothyroidism.18 Fluoxetine. Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, may also anxiety-related disorders might respond to pharmacologic intervention within a few days or weeks, compulsive disorders might respond much more slowly. An owner should be prepared to treat for a minimum of four to six weeks before deciding if improvement is noticeable.10 If the medication appears to be helping, continue treatment for at least one or two months after the cessation of the clinical signs and then gradually taper the dosage and stop the drug if signs do not An owner should be prepared to treat for a minimum of four to six weeks. be useful in treating repetitive surface licking behavior. It has fewer effects on other neurotransmitters than do other antidepressants, such as the tricyclic antidepressants, so it may have fewer side effects.19 Similar to clomipramine, uoxetine has been shown to be effective in treating canine compulsive disorders20 as well as other anxiety-related disorders in dogs and cats.19 In one study in dogs receiving uoxetine, the adverse events were limited to lethargy and decreased appetite, and no side effects were severe enough to warrant discontinuing the medication.20 The recommended dosage for uoxetine in dogs is 1 to 2 mg/kg administered orally once daily.19 Fluoxetine may affect blood glucose concentrations, so diabetic patients should be monitored carefully while receiving this medication.19 As with clomipramine, never give uoxetine with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and use caution when giving uoxetine or clomipramine to patients with existing renal or liver failure.18,19 Duration of drug therapy. More information about the safe and appropriate use of the psychotropic drugs can be found in the text Veterinary Psychopharmacology. Remind clients that while some reappear during dosage reduction.2 Some patients with compulsive disorders will always require medication to maintain remission, especially if the causal factors cannot be identi ed and changed. CONCLUSION A dog’s excessive licking of surfaces is most likely a result of a medical condition leading to nausea or gastrointestinal distress. It may occasionally be a result of anxiety or con ict leading to displacement behaviors and eventually an actual compulsive disorder. An accurate diagnosis will require excellent history-taking skills and patience on the part of the clinician and dog owner. If the cause is determined to be primarily behavioral, treatment includes attention to the dog’s environment and behavior modi cation in addition to pharmacologic therapy. Pharmacologic therapy is not as likely to be effective without behavior and environmental modi cation, and remission is likely when the drug is discontinued if causative factors have not been identi ed and changed. REFERENCES 1. Tilley LP, Smith FWK. Pica. In: The 5-minute veterinary consult. 2nd ed. Baltimore, Md: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000;1079. 2. Landsberg G, Hunthausen W, Ackerman L. Stereotypic and compulsive disorders. In: Handbook of behavior problems of the dog and cat. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders, 2003;195-225. 3. Johnson SE, Sherding RG. Diseases of the liver and biliary tract. In: Birchard SJ, Sherding RG, eds. Saunders manual of small animal practice. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders Co, 2000;824-873. 4. Peterson M. Endocrine and metabolic disorders. In: Birchard SJ, Sherding RG, eds. Saunders manual of small animal practice. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders Co, 2000;235-304. 5. Tilley LP, Smith FWK. In ammatory bowel disease. In: The 5-minute veterinary consult. 2nd ed. Baltimore, Md: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000;860-861. 6. Podell M. Seizures. In: Birchard SJ, Sherding RG, eds. Saunders manual of small animal practice. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders Co, 2000;1270-1273. 7. Hollander E, Kwon JH, Stein DJ, et al. Obsessive-compulsive and spectrum disorders: overview and quality of life issues. J Clin Psychiatry 1996;57(suppl 8):3-6. 8. Garner JP, Weisker SM, Dufour B, et al. Barbering (fur and whisker trimming) by laboratory mice as a model of human trichotillomania and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. Comp Med 2004;54(2):216-224. 9. Meehan CL, Garner JP, Mench JA. Environmental enrichment and development of cage stereotypy in orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). Dev Psychobiol 2004;44:209-218. 10. Luescher A. Compulsive behavior in companion animals. In: Houpt KA, ed. Recent advances in companion animal behavior problems. International Veterinary Information Service, Ithaca, NY (www.ivis.org), 2000;A0804.0900. 11. Plumb DC. In: Plumb’s veterinary drug handbook. 5th ed. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publishing Professional, 2005. 12. Neilson JC, Hart BL, Cliff KD, et al. Prevalence of behavioral changes associated with age-related cognitive impairment in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;218:1787-1791. 13. Landsberg G, Hunthausen W, Ackerman L. The effects of aging on behavior in senior pets. In: Handbook of behavior problems of the dog and cat. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders, 2003;269-304. 14. Marder A, Reid PJ. Treating canine behavior problems: Behavior modi cation, obedience and training. In: Voith VL, Borchelt PL, eds. Readings in companion animal behavior. Trenton, N.J.: Veterinary Learning Systems, 1996;56-61. 15. Hewson CJ, Luescher AU. Compulsive disorders in dogs. In: Voith VL, Borchelt PL, eds. Readings in companion animal behavior. Trenton, N.J.: Veterinary Learning Systems, 1996;153-158. 16. Landsberg G, Hunthausen W, Ackerman L. Treatment: behavior modi cation techniques. In: Handbook of behavior problems of the dog and cat. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders, 2003;91-116. 17. Hewson CJ, Luescher AU, Parent JM, et al. Ef cacy of clomipramine in the treatment of canine compulsive disorder. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998;213:1760-1766. 18. Crowell-Davis SL. Tricyclic antidepressants. In: Crowell-Davis SL, Murray T, eds. Veterinary psychopharmacology. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publishing Professional, 2006;179-206. 19. Crowell-Davis SL. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. In: Crowell-Davis SL, Murray T, eds. Veterinary psychopharmacology. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publishing Professional, 2006;80-110. 20. Irimajiri M, Luescher AU. Effect of uoxetine hydrochloride in treating canine compulsive disorder. In: Mills D, Levine E, Landsberg G, et al, eds. Current issues and research in veterinary behavioral medicine: papers presented at the 5th International Veterinary Behavior Meeting. West Lafayette, Ind: Purdue University Press, 2005;198-200. EXTRAS See for more information on canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome. 210 April 2008 VETERINARY MEDICINE http://www.vetstreamcanis.com/ACI/April08/VMD3/dis02916.asp

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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