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ANS 142 - Captive & Companion Animals > Aggression-related behaviors > Flashcards

Aggression-related behaviors Flashcards

1
Q

Statistics

A
  • 1.8% of American population bitten by a dog each year = 4.7M
  • 2019 - 48 dog attacks resulted in human death
    • 13 child victims, 3 victims age 10-18, 32 adults
  • California had the most dog bite related fatalities in 2019 w/ 9 deaths
  • Huge financial impact of dog bites
    • ⅓ of insurance liability claims
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2
Q

A serious animal welfare issue

A
  • Breakdown of human animal bond
    • relinquishment
    • “healthy” euthanisia
  • Potential for neglect & abuse by frustrated owners
    • Use of punishment based training techniques
    • Ostracized from house/family
    • Only likely to make the problem worse
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3
Q

trigger stacking

A
  • compound stimuli
  • involves multiple triggers that pushes animal over threshold
    • Individual events occur simultaneously
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4
Q

Canine bite levels

A
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5
Q

Level 1

A
  • pre-bite (snapping)
  • get help before it escalates to actual bite
  • don’t punish warning signs or dog may progress to biting w/o warning
  • Learn dog’s warning signs of fear & anxiety and the human actions that contributes
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6
Q

level 2

A

near bite (tooth contact on skin but no puncture)

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7
Q

level 3

A

(a) skin punctures, single bite (b) skin punctures, multiple bites [all punctures shallower than length of canine tooth]

(a) still reportable, mandatory if victim is treated in hospital - dog always considered a liability

(b) multiple bites generally mean dog is in higher arousal state, dog is reacting w/o thinking in between bites

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8
Q

level 4

A

very serious, single bite w/ punctures deeper than length of canine (dog bit and clamped down) or w/ slashes in both directions from puncture (dog bit and shook its head)
- much higher liability, can kill a child

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9
Q

level 5

A

very serious, multiple bite attack w/ deep punctures or multiple attack incident

  • Generally have practice biting at levels 3 and 4
  • Some dogs are so fearful that a scary event triggers a high arousal state that they get stuck in reactive mode & continue to bite
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10
Q

level 6

A

death

  • Victim killed or flesh consumed
  • May be due to overly aroused play or rather viciousness or feat
  • Seek qualified help before dog reaches level 2
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11
Q

Legality of dog bites

A
  • Regulations vary state to state
  • CA - dog bite owners liable to compensate a dog bite victim for their injuries
  • If you’re attacked by dog, contact police
    • Medical expenses are covered by person who owns dog, lost wages, damages, etc.
    • Required by law to report dog bite
  • The Vet’s Rule shifts liability for bite from dog’s owner to person who chooses to work w/ dogs
  • The Vet’s Rule applies to anyone who works w/ dogs
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12
Q

Risk assessment (what are the options?)

A

For Owner
- Treat the animal in home - important to understand owners’ goals
- Relinquish to someone w/ more experience or a better environment for problem
- Euthanize

For vet/behaviorist
- Treat - simple cases w/ low risk of injury
- consider having owner sign a release form
- Refer - anytime you are unsure if you are capable of handling it

  • Aggression is improved/managed but not “cured”
    • Can be reduced through management and behavior modification but there’s always a chance of relapse
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13
Q

Factors to consider for risk assessment/prognosis

A

Owners - family composition, perceptions, experience, dynamics, dependability and dedication, home environment
- lack of control = disaster

Animal - Physical characteristics, arousal/impulsivity, other behavioral problems
- Assess potential for and likelihood of damage

Aggression details
- Bite level, frequency, target, triggers, predictability
- Lack of predictability = disaster

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14
Q

Categorizing aggression by motivation or function

A
  • fear related/defensive
  • Resource guarding/possessive aggression/food-related aggression/conflict
    • Conflict about preferred resources, interactions, handling, reprimanding
  • Territorial & protective
    • Directed towards ‘outsiders’ w/n a perceived territory, or protection fr. threat to home or family member
    • fear/defensive?
  • redirected: high arousal, interference elicits bite but not original target
  • predatory: related to prey drive (chase/hunt instinct)
  • play related: unruly play w/ lack of bite/scratch inhibition
  • petting induced: feline aggression during touch
  • pain induced: reduced threshold due to injury or illness
  • maternal/parental: protection of offspring, often hormonal, temporary
  • pathophysiological: underlying neural dysfunction
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15
Q

general treatment strategies

A

Owner education
- Warn owner of liability issues
- treatment/management is ongoing
- Beware of unfamiliar situations
- Proper recognition of signs of fear & aggression and appropriate methods for approach and response

Management
- Identify all stimuli that elicit fear/aggression and avoid
- Manage w/ separation/barriers
- Improve safety and control w/ head halter/basket muzzle

Change pet behavior
- Obedience, settle, watch, touch, learn to earn
- D & CC as appropriate - do not elicit aggression!
- fluoxetine/clomipramine for fear/anxiety only
- not licensed for aggression
- may indicate “do not use”
- monitor carefully

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16
Q

Common types of aggression

A
17
Q

resource guarding (diagnosis)

A
  • Natural to protect valuable resrouces
    • Directed at people/other dogs and animals
    • Occurs w/ highly valued food/objects
  • Becomes abnormal when it starts interfering with normal life & injuries result
  • Different forms of RG, not clear whether they’re related
    • rapid indigestion
    • keep away/body blocking
    • threats
    • bite attempts
18
Q

resource guarding (treatment)

A

Management
- Don’t compete for resources
- Remove triggers
- Restrict access to valuable objects
- Feed separately, limit treats that can be monopolized
- Empty food bowl often a trigger
- Do not take item away if access happens - just wait or trade up

Modify pet’s behavior
- Other people and dogs mean good things are coming
- D & CC for approach w/ item
- Trading up (if safe)
- Teach “drop it” and “leave it”
- Begin w/ low value items and work up
- Use high value food or toys to reward
- Medication only w/ fear/anxiety issues
- D & CC to others approaching items
- General Approach
- Start w/ relatively low value items and restrict access to high value items
- Provide low value item and throw higher value treats from a distance
- Gradually work to dog remaining calm while getting closer
- When ok w/ close contact, can make trade off

19
Q

fear-related aggression (diagnosis)

A
  • Response to threatening stimuli
  • Directed at familiar & unfamiliar people/dogs/other animals, inanimate objects
  • Fearful body postures early on, but can switch to “confident” aggressive behaviors over time
  • Often increased by leash/crowding
    genetic/breed tendencies for dogs
  • Often environmental
    • Traumatic event or aversive training
    • Inadequate socialization and environmental exposure
20
Q

fear-related aggression (treatment)

A

Mangement
- identify stimuli that elicit fear and avoid

Modify pet’s behavior
- develop plans for D & CC, medication if necessary

21
Q

stranger-directed aggression (diagnosis)

A
  • Directed towards outside people/animals
  • Onset generally at social maturity
  • Occurs on family “property” or with family
  • More common in “guard” breeds, intact males
    Influences by previous success
22
Q

stranger-directed aggression (treatment)

A

Management
- prevent access to windows, doors, fences
- restrict interaction
- provide safe place

Modify pet behavior
- D & CC to visitors, strangers
- teach “quiet” command for excessive barking in dogs

23
Q

redirected aggression (diagnosis)

A
  • Heightened emotional state
  • Aggression is redirected to unintended target
24
Q

redirected aggression (treatment)

A
  • Avoid over-arousal
  • Avoid contact when over-aroused
  • Understand and treat initial trigger
    • use D & CC to treat fear of trigger
25
Q

predatory aggression

A

Diagnosis
- predatory sequence w/ no threat behaviors
- Stalk, chase, attack moving or screaming “prey”

Prognosis
- generally poor w/ strong prey drive

Treatment
- Reduce exposure/segregate for safety
- Alternative outlets for energy and play
- Training for strong recall
- Difficult to treat if motivation is high => high effort for behavior modification

  • New study - high protein diet + enrichment = reduced prey drive in cats
26
Q

play related aggression

A

Diagnosis
- Excessive play behavior directed towards people or other animals
- Aggression is inhibited, associated w/ playful behaviors but can still cause damage
- Often encouraged by owner
- More common in young animals, but can be ongoing if encouraged

Prognosis
- good w/ early prevention, poor if long term
- Ignore & redirect

Prevention/Management
- Do not use hands/feet for play
- Adequate enrichment to meet play needs - lots of active play toys
- Interrupt and redirect inappropriate play
- Avoid over-arousal, reward calm behavior

27
Q

petting induced aggression (cats)

A

Diagnosis
- Seek attention but become aggressive
- Low threshold for physical contact => check for pain as contributor (arthritis is common)
- Sometimes lack of socialization

Prognosis
- good if owner respects boundaries

Prevention/Management
- Identify threshold for attention and respect it
- Re-training with D & CC
- Pet for short periods w/n threshold
- Provide w/ treats, gradually increase level of contact
- Avoid petting cat when showing increased arousal

28
Q

Intercat and interdog aggression (same household)

A

Diagnosis
- Many different possible causes -> territorial, fear/anxiety, redirected, etc.
- Inadequate resource provision
- New addition, change in social dynamics or environment
- Poor socialization, social skills

Prevention
- gradual introductions w/ positive associations

Management
- Separate unless supervised
- Don’t reinforce one animal over the other
- Provide adequate resources to avoid competition
- Avoid overarousal when together

Treatment (change pet’s behavior)
- Neutering males can help
- Keep them tired & busy
- Determine underlying cause & tailor treatment
- Obedience to get dogs under control
- Identify triggers, D & CC
- Separate animals w/ gradual reintroduction
- Reward good interactions, interrupt inappropriate interactions

ANS 142 - Captive & Companion Animals (11 decks)

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