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Biomedical subjects

N H Dodman

Publications and source records attributed to N H Dodman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Psychogenic alopecia in cats: 11 cases (1993-1996).

OBJECTIVE: To determine signalment, history, clinical signs, and response to treatment of cats with psychogenic alopecia (PA) and to identify factors associated with its onset and propagation. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 11 cats. PROCEDURE: A survey was used to obtain information about breed, sex, age at time of weaning, frequency and duration of licking bouts, age at time of onset of PA, situations eliciting licking bouts, results of diagnostic tests, treatment, response to treatment, and current status of the cats. Additional information was obtained from medical records and by telephone conversations with owners and attending veterinarians. RESULTS: Four cats were purebred, and 7 were domestic shorthair. Six were female, and 5 were male; all were neutered. Eight cats were kept exclusively indoors. Age at time of onset of PA ranged from 6 months to 12 years. Environmental stresses initiated or exacerbated PA in 9 cats. Various methods were used to confirm the diagnosis, including therapeutic trials with antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs in 10 cats. All 5 cats treated with clomipramine, 2 of 3 treated with amitriptyline, and 1 of 4 treated with buspirone responded positively. Only 3 cats were still receiving medication at the time of this study; none of those 3 groomed excessively while receiving medication. Psychogenic alopecia resolved in 6 cats after drug treatment, environmental modification, or both. Psychogenic alopecia continued to be a problem in the remaining 2 cats. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Environmental stress may initiate or exacerbate PA in cats. Drug treatment, environmental modification, or both may be useful in treatment of affected cats.

Alopecia↗
PubMed1998

Description and development of compulsive tail chasing in terriers and response to clomipramine treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with onset and continued elicitation of tail chasing in Bull Terriers and other terriers and to determine response to treatment with clomipramine hydrochloride, a serotonin-reuptake inhibitor. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 18 tail-chasing terriers (15 Bull Terriers, 1 Miniature Bull Terrier, 1 American Staffordshire Terrier, 1 Jack Russell Terrier). PROCEDURE: 5 dogs were evaluated for tail chasing by a veterinarian at the behavior clinic of the veterinary teaching hospital and 13 dogs were evaluated by the owner's local veterinarian, who confirmed the diagnosis and treated the dog. It was recommended that all dogs in the study be given clomipramine orally at a dosage of 1 to 2 mg/kg (0.5 to 0.9 mg/lb) of body weight, every 12 hours. RESULTS: Of the 18 dogs, 15 were treated with clomipramine within the recommended dosage range, and 3 dogs required treatment at a slightly higher dosage range to control tail chasing. After 1 to 12 weeks of treatment, 9 of 12 (75%) dogs were reported to have a 75% or greater improvement (reduction) in tail chasing. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Findings of this study may aid in recognition and treatment of compulsive tail chasing. In conjunction with appropriate management changes, clomipramine administration appears to be an effective treatment for this otherwise refractory condition.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed1997

Serum concentrations of zinc and copper in bull terriers with lethal acrodermatitis and tail-chasing behavior.

OBJECTIVE: To establish similarities or differences in tissue concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron in Bull Terriers with lethal acrodermatitis (LAD) and tail-chasing behavior (TCB) and to confirm the suspicion that copper is involved in the etiopathogenesis of LAD. SAMPLES: Serum samples from 29 Bull Terriers (9 control dogs, 6 dogs with LAD, 14 dogs with TCB), and liver and kidney specimens from 2 dogs and 1 and 4 dogs with LAD or TCB, respectively. PROCEDURE: Serum, liver, and kidney mineral (zinc, copper, and iron) concentrations in Bull Terriers with LAD or TCB and in a group of control dogs were analyzed, using flame atomic absorption after wet ashing technique. RESULTS: Serum zinc and copper concentrations were lower (P < 0.05) in dogs with LAD, compared with values for control dogs and dogs with TCB. Liver zinc and copper concentrations were similar to serum values. Kidney zinc and copper concentrations were similar among the 3 groups. Serum, liver, and kidney iron concentrations had a wide range of variability within all 3 groups. CONCLUSION: Copper deficiency is associated with LAD. The primary cause of LAD may be copper deficiency, with zinc involved secondarily, or combined zinc and copper deficiencies. The role of ion deficiency in TCB was not clarified. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Serum zinc and copper concentrations should be determined when LAD is suspected.

Acrodermatitis↗
PubMed1996

Use of fluoxetine to treat dominance aggression in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate fluoxetine for the treatment of owner-directed dominance aggression in dogs. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 9 dogs of various breeds, ages, and either sex determined to have owner-directed dominance aggression. PROCEDURE: Placebo and fluoxetine (1 mg/kg of body weight) were compared for the treatment of owner-directed dominance aggression in a single-blind crossover study. Owners were instructed to record aggressive and nonaggressive responses of their dogs daily on a canine-overt aggression chart for the 5-week duration of the study. Total aggression scores (linear and geometric) were calculated for each week of the study. The frequency of individual responses was also analyzed independently. RESULTS: Fluoxetine resulted in a significant (P = 0.01) reduction in owner-directed dominance aggression after 3 weeks of treatment. No particular aggressive response accounted for the overall reduction in aggression. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Fluoxetine may be useful in the management of dominance aggression in dogs.

Aggression↗
PubMed1996

Influence of owner personality type on expression and treatment outcome of dominance aggression in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the success rate of positive training methods and behavioral modification techniques in dogs with dominance aggression and to compare personality profiles between owners of dominant-aggressive and nondominant dogs. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: 10 dominant-aggressive dogs and 10 non-dominant, nonaggressive control dogs. PROCEDURE: Dominance aggression was quantified, using an aggression score, in the 10 dominant dogs before and after a nonconfrontational behavior modification program. The personality profile of the owners of dominant and control dogs, assessed by means of a Keirsey temperament sorter, was compared, as was the influence of owner personality on the outcome of behavioral modification in the dominant dogs. RESULTS: 9 of 10 dominant dogs responded to the nonconfrontational treatment program by a decrease in aggressive response to similar eliciting stimuli. Significant differences were not found between the personality of the owners of dominant versus control dogs, and owner personality did not significantly affect the outcome of behavior modification treatment. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Nonconfrontational behavior modification programs are effective in reducing owner-directed dominance aggression in dogs. Owner personality does not necessarily predispose certain individuals to assaults by dominant dogs or profoundly affect their ability to engage in a successful behavioral modification program.

Aggression↗
PubMed1996

Behavioral changes associated with suspected complex partial seizures in bull terriers.

OBJECTIVES: To identify and treat a range of abnormal behavior, including tail chasing, unprovoked aggression, and extreme irrational fear, in Bull Terriers and to correlate the behavioral signs with electroencephalogram (EEG) or anatomic evidence of abnormal brain geometry or deafness. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: 8 affected and 5 unaffected (control) Bull Terriers. PROCEDURE: All dogs were examined neurologically, including use of EEG, brainstem auditory-evoked response, and computed tomography or postmortem examination of the brain. In addition, plasma concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron, and the activity of zinc- and copper-dependent enzymes (alkaline phosphatase and ceruplasmin oxidase) were measured in affected and control dogs. RESULTS: An abnormal EEG was found in 7 of 7 affected dogs and in none of the control dogs subjected to this examination. Seven of 8 affected dogs and 2 of 3 controls had various degrees of hydrocephalus. Metal ion and enzyme concentrations were not different between affected and control dogs. Treatment with phenobarbital was effective in 5 of 7 dogs. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Bull Terriers with compulsive tail chasing and extreme affective disorders should be regarded as neurologically disturbed, with partial seizures perhaps underlying their behavior. Treatment with anti-convulsants is a logical first step in treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effect of dietary protein content on behavior in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect that feeding diets containing a low (17%), medium (25%), or high (32%) protein content would have on behavior in dogs. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled study. ANIMALS: 12 dogs with dominance aggression, 12 dogs with hyperactivity, 12 dogs with territorial aggression, and 14 control dogs without behavioral problems. PROCEDURE: Dogs were fed each of the diets for a 2-week period, and owners were instructed to score their dogs' behavior on a daily basis. RESULTS: Behavior of the dogs with dominance aggression, dogs with hyperactivity, and control dogs was unchanged by the dietary manipulations. Territorial aggression was significantly reduced when dogs were fed the low- or medium-protein diet, compared with territorial aggression when fed the high-protein diet. Post hoc analysis indicated that this effect was attributable to a marked reduction in aggression in a subset of the group (n = 7) in which territorial aggression was a result of fear. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results of this study suggest that a reduction in dietary protein content is not generally useful in the treatment of behavior problems in dogs, but may be appropriate in dogs with territorial aggression that is a result of fear.

Aggression↗
PubMed1994

Equine self-mutilation syndrome (57 cases)

Owners who believed they had a horse with self-mutilating behavior were asked to complete a questionnaire to obtain information on the signalment, clinical history, clinical signs, management, and treatment of the condition. Fifty-two owners of 59 horses responded; 2 cases were omitted because an organic cause was determined. Owners also were asked to complete information for unaffected horses on the same farm. Various breeds were affected, and of the 57 horses, 20 were stallions, 31 were geldings, and 6 were mares. Affected horses tended to develop the condition prior to sexual maturity. Clinical signs included glancing or biting at the flank or pectoral areas, bucking, kicking, vocalizing, rubbing, spinning, or rolling. Several management and environmental factors were examined, but none were found to be exclusively related to expression of the disorder. Castration was associated with improvement in 7 of 10 stallions. Medications and changes in management reduced or prevented the behavior in some horses. The syndrome appears to be similar to Tourette's syndrome of human beings.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

Effectiveness of buspirone on urine spraying and inappropriate urination in cats.

The most frequent type of behavior problem in cats for which veterinary consultation is sought is problem urination. Urine spraying and urine marking have been treated by use of long-acting progestins and diazepam, a benzodiazepine antianxiety drug. Effectiveness of the nonbenzodiazepine antianxiety drug, buspirone, in suppressing urine spraying and marking in 47 male and 15 female cats was evaluated. The effect of the drug in correcting inappropriate urination in 9 cats also was evaluated. Buspirone resulted in a favorable response (> 75% reduction) in 55% of cats treated for urine spraying or marking. There was no sex difference in effectiveness of the treatment, but cats from single-cat households responded favorably significantly (P < 0.001) less frequently than those from multiple-cat households. The 55% response rate was within the range of treatment effectiveness that has been reported for diazepam, and was greater than that reported for progestin. In contrast to diazepam, with which over 90% of treated cats resumed spraying or marking when the drug was gradually discontinued, only half of the cats treated with buspirone resumed spraying when the drug was discontinued after 2 months of treatment (P < 0.001). This difference between diazepam and buspirone in resumption of urine spraying was attributed to diazepam's induction of physiologic and behavioral dependency, not found with buspirone. Cats that resumed spraying were placed on long-term treatment ranging from 6 to 18 months. Buspirone also did not cause the adverse effects of sedation and ataxia, which commonly are seen with diazepam treatment. In cats treated for inappropriate urination, 56% returned to normal litter box usage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Tail chasing in a bull terrier.

A Bull Terrier that was continuously chasing its tail was examined clinically, electroencephalographically, and by computed tomography of the head. The dog was also given test treatments with an anticonvulsant (diazepam) and a pure opioid antagonist (naloxone). The dog appeared to be hysterical and dissociated from its surroundings. Electroencephalography revealed a seizure pattern that was most marked over the temporal lobe, and computed tomography revealed mild hydrocephalus. Diazepam effectively controlled tail chasing, whereas naloxone did not. The dog was discharged on anticonvulsant therapy but subsequently had to be euthanatized when aggression developed. Results of examination and treatment have led the investigators to propose a hereditary mechanism for tail chasing, perhaps related to zinc malabsorption.

Aggression↗
PubMed1993

Effect of midazolam infusion and flumazenil administration on epinephrine arrhythmogenicity in dogs anesthetized with halothane.

BACKGROUND: Midazolam is being selected increasingly for use in patients with cardiovascular compromise. Although clinical doses of midazolam have minimal effects on cardiac function, the influence of midazolam (and other benzodiazepine sedatives) on cardiac arrhythmogenesis has yet to be elucidated fully. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effect of midazolam, with and without flumazenil, on the arrhythmogenic serum concentration of epinephrine (ACE) in six halothane-anesthetized dogs. Midazolam was administered as a loading dose (1.5 mg/kg over 5 min) followed by a 4.5-h infusion at two rates (10 and 40 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1) to achieve and maintain predetermined clinical and supraclinical plasma midazolam concentrations. The arrhythmogenic serum concentration of epinephrine determinations were made prior to midazolam infusion, following 2 h of midazolam infusion and following 3.5 h of midazolam infusion and 1 mg flumazenil/kg i.v. Saline control studies were also performed in four of the six dogs. RESULTS: Plasma midazolam concentrations ranged from 363 to 855 ng/ml in the low-dose infusion study, essentially spanning the clinically effective range for humans. In the high-dose infusion study, plasma midazolam concentrations were up to four times greater, ranging from 1168 to 3563 ng/ml. The arrhythmogenic serum concentration of epinephrine values were unchanged following low-dose midazolam infusion and saline. In the high-dose study, ACE increased from baseline values of 68 +/- 13 (SEM) ng/ml to 112 +/- 25 ng/ml (P = .03) following midazolam infusion and decreased to 79 +/- 13 ng/ml with flumazenil administration. Plasma midazolam concentrations, however, were poorly correlated with ACE values normalized for control ACE (ACE ratio). Diastolic arterial pressure was significantly depressed following both low-dose (-14%) and high-dose (-19%) midazolam infusion. This decrease in blood pressure was unaffected by flumazenil administration. Other hemodynamic parameters were unaffected by drug treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study has demonstrated that midazolam infusion results in either no effect (with clinical plasma midazolam concentrations) or flumazenil-reversible suppression (with supraclinical concentrations) of halothane-epinephrine arrhythmogenesis.

Anesthesia, Inhalation↗
PubMed1992

Phenobarbital-responsive episodic dyscontrol (rage) in dogs.

Episodic dyscontrol (rage) was diagnosed from the clinical history, electroencephalographic findings, and response to oral treatment with phenobarbital in 3 dogs. Clinical features included a mood change heralding aggressive incidents, explosive aggression directed at people or objects, and a postaggressive phase characterized by lethargy and lack of responsiveness. Abnormal electroencephalographic findings included spike activity in the temporal recordings. All 3 dogs responded well to anticonvulsant medication with phenobarbital.

Aggression↗