User:Pixels3587/Separation anxiety in dogs

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Signs and symptoms
Dogs suffering from separation anxiety typically exhibit these behaviours:


 * Following handler excessively
 * Pacing
 * Excessive salivating
 * Excessive shaking (usually seen in smaller breeds like the Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier)
 * Vomiting
 * Destructive chewing
 * Barking, howling, whining
 * Urination, defecation in the house
 * Coprophagia
 * Self harm
 * Digging and scratching at doors or windows in an attempt to reunite with the handler
 * Escaping
 * Anorexia
 * Overactivity (excessive greeting, restlessness)

Diagnosis
It can be difficult to differentiate separation anxiety from other disorders in dogs since there are no specific diagnostic tests available. There is no known genetic component to this disorder; it can occur at any point in the dog's life but has been shown to coincide with times of stress and major life changes.

Research presented among strays indicated diagnoses of separation anxiety to be 56 percent higher, and in mixed breeds, 67 percent higher. Therefore, the dogs' previous and current living conditions have an impact on the diagnosis, as many of these animals developed separation anxiety due to traumatic experiences.

Diagnoses are made by examining dogs' behaviour before and during departure, when the owner is absent, and when the owner returns home. It is encouraged by pet professionals to record behavioural responses after departure to increase the probability of an accurate diagnosis. By observing the dogs behaviour, professionals can exclude external factors that could influence the behaviour that would not have been identifiable without the recording. Repetitive behaviours and autonomic responses such as tachycardia, tachypnea, and trembling may also be identified on a recording in the owners absence. As some of the behaviours presented by the canine could be related to other medical or behavioural problems, behavioural response characteristics must be examined to provide an accurate diagnosis.

Urination and defecation are prominent behavioural response within canines experiencing separation anxiety. Elimination must only occur within one to thirty minutes after companions departure or when the canine is prevented from being near it's companion. Destructive behaviour to its environment or itself can also be present immediately after departure of the owner. Behavioural responses such as chewing, digging, and scratching could apply to any personal objects or areas in the environment, but is usually directed towards possible exits (i.e., doors and windows). Vocal responses such as whining, howling, and barking could precede departure and/or begin following departure. This may persist for a longer period in comparison to other behavioural responses presented preceding departure of the owner. In severe cases, excessive vocalization can lead to damage to the dog's voice box, losing the ability to bark or howl for a period. Behaviours need not persist until return of the owner, apart from vocalization, but may be present at arrival. As well, the above behaviours must be correlated with signs of distress and restlessness within the period of time leading to or immediately after the behavioural response.

Common Misdiagnoses
As behaviours presented through separation anxiety can be linked to many other behavioural and medical disorders, careful diagnostic criteria must be followed.

As a preventative measure, and to exclude other possible explanations for the behavioural responses, diagnostic testing is performed. A physical examination is performed, and tests relating to the animals age and medical history may be required. In relation to the elimination behaviour, a urinalysis is suggested and a stool sample may be required if it presents as abnormal or the dog is expressing other digestive issues.

Medical Problems

 * Urinary Incontinence related to Medical Problems
 * A large number of medical problems can influence canine house soiling, including urinary tract infection, weak sphincter caused by old age, hormone-related problems, bladder stones, diabetes, abnormalities of the genitalia, and neurological problems . It is most common among large breed, spayed female dogs, but it can occur in intact females, male dogs, and cats . Urethral sphincter incompetence is the primary cause of urinary incontinence . It is important to seek veterinary aid if urinary incontinence presents frequently.
 * Medication
 * Medication can affect canine behaviour in relation to elimination, destruction, and vocalization. If negative behavioural patterns persist in relation to these symptoms, it is important to seek veterinary advice. It may be necessary to change or adjust the canine's prescription if it is inducing negative behavioural responses.

Behavioural related-problems

 * Incomplete Housetraining
 * In the case of house training issues, there is no pattern or correlation within the behaviours, as elimination, destruction, and vocalization frequencies do not change . However, it is more prominent in younger dogs. Behavioural responses related to incomplete housetraining do not exhibit distress or restlessness and the canine is usually not aware that they are participating in a wrongful behaviour.


 * Submissive and Excitement Urination
 * Submissive and excitement-related urination usually presents in puppy's and the behaviour reduces with age. Excitement-related urination occurs during greetings or playtime, however urination can occur due to submissive behaviour which can be related to fear and nervousness . In these cases, the dog may change its posture, approaching or fleeing individuals with its head and tail pointed downwards, crouching, and/or rolling over and exposing its belly - presenting submissiveness.
 * Urine and Fecal Marking
 * Marking can occur under normal circumstances as it is primarily performed as a territorial mechanism towards other animals. However, it is not normal for this behaviour to reoccur in the household or in the absence of a threatening stimuli. A possible explanation behind the inappropriate occurrence of this behaviour could be due to the canine being threatened or exposed to an unsafe environment. As a stress-related response to territory disturbance, alteration, or invasion by another species, dogs can also engage in this behavior..
 * Boredom
 * Lack of attention given to the dog can induce the animal to exhibit behaviours such as elimination (i.e., urinating), destruction (i.e., chewing and/or scratching personal and household items), as well as vocalization (i.e., whine, bark, or howl) in the absence of a stimuli. As this predominantly occurs while the owner is away as a form of entertainment, it can occur during departure or upon arrival, to obtain attention . Behavioural responses initiated due to boredom are more prominent in younger canines and can be correlated with juvenile destruction (i.e., incomplete housetraining).
 * Abuse
 * Behavioural and emotional responses that are consistent with those of separation anxiety can be side-effects of abuse. This is commonly found in rescue or shelter dogs . As abuse side-effects can be misunderstood as separation anxiety, a history of abuse can also contribute to separation anxiety.

Treatment
Dogs suffering from separation anxiety are often "owner addicts." While treatment and management options are available for dogs suffering from separation anxiety, there is no instant cure. However, the disorder can dissipate on its own if the trigger stimulus is removed from its environment or the trigger stimulus is desensitized over a period. The canine may not suffer from separation anxiety on a long-term basis if training, consistent routines, lifestyle changes, or medication is in place. A better prognosis is achieved by providing treatment.

Non-drug approaches
There are different approaches suggested for owners to take as replacement for drug therapy, which can be used during departure, while the owner is absent, and during arrival.

Environmental Management
Managing and controlling the canine environment is one method used to help treat separation anxiety in dogs. The focus is to reduce the canine's anxiety while eliminating possible means of self-injury or harm to the surrounding environment. In the cases of some dogs, crate training can provide an effective enclosure in which the canine feels safe and comfortable, whilst eliminating possible means of harm in the environment, as they are enclosed. The use of a crate or small, enclosed structure is effective for dogs who have been accustomed to crate training before, however introducing this method past the accustomed age of house training, can worsen the symptoms experienced by the dog. As well, confining a dog who is unaccustomed to the crate or enclosure environment can increase a stress induced behavioural response known as lip licking. Self-harm and injury to the animal can also increase as confinement can cause distress leading to the canine trying to escape.

Another method used to reduce distress in dogs experiencing separation anxiety is the use of a dog-appeasing pheromone. Studies proved that 83 percent of dogs exposed to a pheromone, in the absence of their owner, experienced reduced stress and anxiety; 70% of dogs prescribed clomipramine, a psychotropic drug, experienced said reduction in separation-induced symptoms. The dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP), also known as apasine, is a pheromone secreted by lactating females by the sebaceous glands in the intermammary sulcus. Young and adult canines detect the pheromone through the Jacobson's organ or vomero-nasal organ (VNO), and in result, detection ameliorates symptoms related to separation anxiety, phobias, and hyper-attachment. Synthetic forms of dog-appeasing pheromone, such as Adaptil, have been developed by the pharmaceutical industry for over-the-counter use, however their efficacy is reduced in comparison to natural DAP.

Behavioural Management
Behavioural management consists of several non-medication type treatments that reduce the effects of separation anxiety on the dog and homeowners. A behavioural technique found to aid in management of the disorder is to cease all forms of punishment related to the animals behaviour. Punishment in cases of separation anxiety does not reduce the behaviour or anxiety levels of dogs; it increases their stress levels, prolonging the symptoms and behavioural responses induced by separation.

Systematic desensitization is a technique used to reduce anxiety-induced behavioural responses; is based on classical conditioning. As the stimulus, absence of owner and behavioural responses relating to separation anxiety are present, exposure to small intervals of owners' absence can condition the behavioural responses to change and become calm and positive. Absence period is gradually extended up to a suitable period of time of which anxiety-induced behavioural responses no longer occur .By repeatedly demonstrating short owner absence times, non-anxious behaviour over longer absence times is eventually encouraged. The main goal of this step is to extend absence time where the canine does not experience separation-related behaviour problems; reducing anxiety for the dog and homeowner. It is important that the canine does not experience a traumatic event during this training, otherwise desensitization will not be successful. Counterconditioning is also used in conjunction with systematic desensitization; the intent to change an animal's emotional response to a stimulus. Counterconditioning is achieved by pairing the stimulus that elicits the negative response with a stimulus that elicits a positive response, thus changing the emotional response from fear and anxiety to calm and positive. The canine is conditioned to associate the fearful stimuli with a positive outcome (e.g., given toy or food during departure of owner). Treatment had a greater success rate when systematic desensitization and counterconditioning were paired; canines treated by Rogerson with systematic desensitization and counterconditioning for anxiety-related behavioural responses had a 100% success rate.

When leaving the house, or while still within the household, but out of sight, an important strategy to employ is to ignore clingy or attention-seeking behavior. Responding to canines' attention-seeking behaviours can also be related to operant conditioning; positively reinforcing the behaviour increases the likelihood of the behavioural response to re-occur, however the use of negative reinforcement (i.e., not acknowledging behaviour) will reduce attention-seeking behavioural responses, which reduces the dog's dependency on the owner.