Skin - behaviour Flashcards
What are stereotypies?
Repeated motor patterns
What is a compulsion?
Fixation on a goal
What comprises a compulsive disorder?
- repeated, exaggerated and sustained behaviours - out of context behaviours - Interferers with normal functioning
Physical causes of compulsive disorders
- Stress triggers - Inflammation, pain and infection
Doberman has a predisposition to?
Flank sucking
German Shepherd has a predisposition to?
Tail chasing
English Bulldog has a predisposition to?
Spinning in tight circle and sticking head in between objects
Aus cattle dog has a predisposition to?
Tail Chasing
Miniature Schnauzer has a predisposition to?
hind end checking
Siamese/Burmese has a predisposition to?
Wool sucking
Physiological causes of compulsive disorders
- Stress - frustration - Conflict
What are some displacement (out-of-context) behaviours?
Yawning, lip licking, humping, sniffing, scratching, licking, blinking, puffing cheeks
Progression of compulsive disorders
What are some physiological stressors?
LACK OF CONTROL AND PREDICTABILITY
- inconsistent owner interactions
- lack of training and inconsistent commands
- inappropriate use of punishment
- inconsistent ruitine
- frustrated in metting social, interactive and exploratory needs
Ddx for compulsive disorders
CNS lesions
Seizures
GI - pain
Neuropathies
Musculo-skeletal - pain
Dermatological - licking
Conditioned behaviour - attention seeking
Acute conflict behaviour - occurs in response to trigger
Diagnosis of compulsive disorder
Rule out other ddx first
- out of context behaviour
- excessive
- unusual raget objects
- repetitive, sustained
- conscious
- can be interupted
- no post ictal stage
- owner doesn’t need to be present
- high arousal situation
First steps of treating compulsive disorders
Manage self harm
- bandages
- muzzle
Reduce stress
- Train
- consistent routine
- daily walks
- opportunity to control environment
Pharmacotherapy - treat early and wean
- SSRI’s
- TCA’s
Prognosis with compulsice disorders
Cotrol > cure
relapse with stress
Failure with poor owner compliance, long duration of problem, not attempting treatment.
What is this lesions?
Acral lick dermatitis (lick granuloma)
What is acral lick dermatitis?
- ulcerative plaques secondart to chronis licking, biting and chewing
- Carpus, metacarpus > radius, metatarsus, tibia
- occurs when owner present and absent
- history of trauma to area possible
Signalment of acral lick dermatitis
More common in large breeds
Males 2x more than females
Treatment of Acral lick dermatitis
Manage self harm - bandage
Remove stressors
Response substitution
Medication
What is this?
Physiologic overgrooming
Causes of physiologic alopecia?
- Environment or social changes
- confinement stress, social stress, social isolation?
Treatment of wool sucking?
Alternative oral stimulation
- reduce anxiety and conflict
- TCA, SSRI
Features of hyperaesthesia in cats?
Rippling skin, muscle spasms, vocalisation, arched back, exagerated tail movt, agitation
Ddx of hyperaesthesia
Dermatological
CNS (toxoplasmosis, FIV, FeLV, seizure)
Pain and discomfort
Feather picking Ddx
Nutritional deficiencies
Toxins
infections
Ectoparasites
Endoparasites
Organ pathology
Feather cysts
Dermatitis
Causes of feather picking?
Behaviour
- confinement
- limited stimulation
- stress.frusteration
- attention seeking
- crowding
- dominance
environmental
Genetics
- female amazons
Treatment of feather picking
- limit self trauma
- increase space and option of flight
- structured interations and training
- 12 hours dark
- changing mate?
- toys
- diet
TCA, SSRI
