Pets with Compulsive Behavior Problemsby Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger 23 Mar 2009 08:03 AM There is a cat who comes to stay at the cats-only boarding facility who has chewed her rump and the base of her tail naked. We have another guest who has stripped the fur off her throat and chest. My dog Moose sometimes licks bare spots onto his forelegs. My parents' dog Becca used to chew her tail raw during the day while my parents were at work. All of these may be compulsive behaviors. Sometimes, behaviors like licking, chewing, tail-chasing, and spinning are normal. Sometimes they're beyond normal and into harmful for pets AND their owners. Yes, pets can be diagnosed with compulsive disorders! Some common compulsive behaviors in pets can include:
What causes these emotional problems in pets? There are many possible causes, including emotional stress, genetics, environment, and medical conditions. Between those four, there are a lot of possibilities! In general, the longer a behavior goes on, the harder it is to associate it with a specific trigger. In the case of Becca (my parents' dog), the family quickly noticed that she wasn't chewing when there were people present. She was only doing it when she was home alone! Something that was going on during the day was stressing her out -- whether it was loneliness, boredom, or whatever she saw out the window during the day. Once my parents retired, the behavior went away. Some breeds are prone to particular problems. Herding breeds may be more likely to chase light or shadows. Dobermans can develop a condition where they grab a fold of skin and suck on it, known as flank sucking. Oriental breeds of cats are more likely to do wool sucking. Up next, we'll take a look at how veterinarians try to uncover the source of compulsive behavior in pets. Learn more about Aimee Amodio  Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover... Relevantpets tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Discuss this article
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