Aggression As A Mental Disorder In Canines
Aggression As A Mental Disorder In CaninesAggression As A Mental Disorder In Canines
People across the world keep dogs as pets. These dogs are usually a big part of their owners lives and often grow up to truly be, "man's best friend,". What, then, can be done for a dog with behavior problems? Through recent research it has been established that dogs, like many humans, do suffer from mental disorders. There is however, a variety of treatments available and a complete cure is often achieved. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, in his book, The Dog That Loved Too Much, says that, "Aggression is the most common behavior problem reported in dogs,"(10). With this said, it is important to clarify that there are many different types of aggression found in dogs a ll of which show different symptoms, have different causes, and different treatments.
One type of aggression is dominance-related aggression. Dominance is mainly expressed in two ways: competition over resources and self protection (Dodman 23). Dominance-related aggression is usually directed toward those who reside with the dog which makes affected dogs difficult to live with (Horwitz 42). According to Dodman, traditional treatments of dominance-related aggression include an increase in exercise, brushing up on obedience training, and ceasing to engage in any rough play or wrestling (35) . More recently, however, drugs such as Prozac have been used as treatment. Dodman says that Prozac is,"...extremely effective at curtailing dominance-related aggression...enabling owners to quickly gain the upper hand,"(34). Another type of aggression found in canines is seizure-related aggression. Symptoms of seizure-related aggression include a pre-aggression mood change that can last for minutes or hours before a seemingly unprovoked attack suddenly occurs (Dodman 48). Dogs with seizure-related aggression, "...may wake up from a deep sleep and immediately attack whatever is there..." (Dodman 38). In order to positively diagnose a dog with seizure-related aggression, a test known as the electroencephalographic (EEG) examination must be used. This test measures the electrical activity of the brain. Treatment of this disease usually includes medicating the dog with an anti-convulsant such as phenobarbital (Dodman 48).
Another form of aggressive behavior is known as territorial aggression. There are two types of territorial aggression: fear-related and anxiety-related. "Dogs with fear-motivated aggression come in all sizes, shapes, and breeds...,"(Horwitz 45)....
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