Introduction
Like people, dogs can have psychological disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, commonly called “OCD”. Dogs demonstrate OCD through repetitive, self-directed and seemingly purposeless behaviors that would be normal but for their constant, almost frantic nature.
Examples of these behaviors include tail chasing, flank sucking, pacing, chewing on fabric, fence running, circling, persistent chewing or licking of the skin and hair and eating non-food items. Dogs with OCD continue with these behaviors despite training or restraint.
Diagnosing OCD in Dogs
Diagnosing obsessive-compulsive disorder in dogs involves ruling out other diseases or conditions that could contribute to or cause the observed behaviors. Your veterinarian will take a detailed history of your dog’s behavior and environment, and will ask you for details of the repetitive and troublesome behaviors to help determine which tests should be run to rule out other contributory conditions.
Depending upon your description of the clinical signs, these might include tests for dermatological diseases, external parasites, neurological diseases, organ dysfunctions, metabolic diseases and/or other painful conditions that could be causing the dog’s abnormal behavior. Your veterinarian will most likely recommend doing a complete blood count, serum chemistry panel and a urinalysis as an initial baseline data base to assess what is happening internally with your pet.
Once your veterinarian has ruled out other diseases or underlying medical problems, he may recommend that you videotape your dog’s unusual behavior. Behaviors at home that are unusually excessive in frequency, intensity or duration, and those that interfere with normal daily routines, can best be identified via a videotape, making them easier to treat, and to treat early.