Snap at the air and pets with no hair: differentiating neurological and dermatologic from behavioural

Authors: Landsberg G
Publication: Proceedings of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Annual Conferences, Volume 2014 AVA Annual Conference, Perth, Issue Small Animal / Behaviour, May 2014
Publisher: Australian Veterinary Association

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Abstract: Repetitive behaviours in companion animals have been termed compulsive, obsessive-compulsive, and stereotypies, or may be signs of other behaviour pathology including hyperactivity disorders and dissociative syndrome. One recent paper speculated a possible link between tail chasing in Bull Terriers and autism in humans.1 However, unlike autism, social interactions are generally not affected in dogs. Since these behaviours likely represent a heterogeneous group of conditions with differing pathologies, abnormal repetitive behaviour (ARB) might be used to describe the clinical presentation until a diagnosis can be made...

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