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Flank sucking, OCD study in Dobes


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#1 doberpagegirl

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Posted 22 May 2015 - 09:06 PM

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Up to 30 percent of Doberman Pinschers have compulsive tendencies, such as blanket and flank sucking. The behaviors, which are unique to Dobermans, are considered inherited disorders that are likely encoded in the primitive areas of the brain.

 

New findings by researchers at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University along with colleagues from the University of Massachusetts and the Van Andel Institute show structural differences in the brains of affected Doberman Pinschers compared to unaffected Dobermans. These differences affect specific regions in the brain similar to those in people who suffer from hoarding, a type of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

 

The discovery by the Tufts researchers in 2009 of a mutation in the neural cadherin-2 (CDH2) gene on chromosome 7, believed to be linked to canine compulsive disorder (CCD), is now thought to provide a hereditary foundation for compulsive behaviors. The same gene has recently been confirmed by other researchers to be associated with compulsive tail-chasing behavior in the Belgian Malinois.

 

Modifier genes may impact the expression of the CDH2 gene, altering the severity of the condition. “Some of the suspect modifier genes seem to involve the serotonin system,” explains Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, DVA, DACVAA, DACVB, founder of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Cummings veterinary school. “Our latest research shows significant genetic differences between dogs that are mildly and severely affected, and the differences appear to lie in a cluster of genes that regulate serotonin.”

 

Dobermans affected by flank sucking repetitively suck, lick or chew the hair or skin on their flanks, causing skin irritation, hair loss and raw, open sores. Dobermans that suck or chew on blankets could develop lip calluses or digestive problems if they chew and swallow fabric, a condition known as pica.

 

“Blanket sucking and ingestion of inedible objects appear to occur on a continuum,” Dodman says. “Dogs begin sucking and then progress to chewing and ingestion as an extension of the same behavior. Pica may require emergency surgery to remove obstructions from the throat or intestines of affected dogs.

 

“If owners take away the blanket, an affected Doberman usually finds another object. Similarly, dogs disciplined for flank sucking often simply hide away to engage in the behavior rather than discontinue it. These behaviors provide relief from anxiety, but the anxiety quickly returns and leads to more of the same behavior. It becomes a vicious cycle.”

 

An Anatomical Blueprint for CCD

 

A study showing insights about the differences in the brains of affected and unaffected Doberman Pinschers came from sophisticated brain scans, performed in cooperation with the McLean Imaging Center in Belmont, Massachusetts, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Eight dogs with flank or blanket sucking behaviors and eight unaffected dogs were included in the study.

 

“We found an anatomical blueprint for canine compulsive disorder,” Dodman says. “The structural changes in the brain were significantly different, and those changes were almost the mirror image of changes in people with hoarding disorder. Not surprisingly, many dogs that suck blankets and flanks also compulsively collect objects.”

 

Likewise, the first mutation discovery in the neural cadherin-2 gene relates to the role of cadherins in humans and their association with autism spectrum compulsive disorders. “It’s a huge coincidence that first we find the CDH2 gene on chromosome 7 that activates a pathway in the brain responsible for the formation of receptors blocking nervous system communication, and now we find modifier genes connected to the serotonin system,” says Dodman. “We believe the serotonin genes are responsible for modifying the severity of the condition.”

 

Research has shown that blanket and flank sucking are related to nursing and eating behaviors. Some Doberman Pinschers exhibit only one behavior, and others develop both. “The onset of flank and blanket sucking occurs most commonly before sexual maturity, and the behaviors may be precipitated by anxiety or stress,” Dodman says. “The behavior soon becomes fixed and then occurs in the absence of obvious stressors.”

 

The compulsive behaviors are believed to originate from an insatiate suckling drive. Early weaning may aggravate the tendency for both sucking disorders. Later weaning after 12 weeks seems to protect Oriental cat breeds that suffer from pica, in which they suck, lick, chew, and swallow objects such as wool, paper and plastic, Dodman says.

 

Canine compulsive disorders usually require lifelong medical management combined with behavior modification. Medical management using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) prescribed alone or in combination with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists has proved to be effective.

 

An SSRI medication, fluoxetine, helps to increase serotonin levels in the brain. SSRIs are most commonly used to help treat depression in people by blocking the reabsorption or reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. An NMDA receptor antagonist, memantine, a drug used to treat Alzheimer’s disease in people, helps block the functioning of glutamate, a brain chemical necessary for nervous system communication, memory and learning.

 

“We know you can increase serotonin and block NMDA receptors and glutamate to control compulsive disorders,” Dodman says. “When memantine is combined with fluoxetine, the effects are synergistic because lower doses of both drugs together produce a better reaction. SSRIs can help some dogs, but that alone is not a panacea.”

 

A Tufts study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior in 2009 showed the results of medicating 11 dogs affected with CCD with memantine. The treatment was effective and well-tolerated in many of the treated dogs.

 

“These disorders are best treated with a combination of medication and behavior modification therapy,” Dodman says. “Owners should adjust an affected dog’s environment to remove stress triggers and be sure the dog gets plenty of exercise and has an enriched lifestyle. It also is important to feed a complete and balanced diet. In some cases, canine compulsive disorders can be completely controlled.”  

 

Despite the challenges of dealing with blanket or flank sucking tendencies, it is good to know that with proper management an affected Doberman Pinscher can usually live a normal life. Meanwhile, genetic research to learn more about what causes CCD may one day lead to better understanding that will provide effective treatments and benefit breeding decisions.

 

Purina appreciates the support of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America and particularly May Jacobson, chair of the Medical Research Evaluation Com­mittee, along with Dr. Kathy Davieds, in helping to identify topics for the Purina Pro Club Doberman Pinscher Update newsletter.

 

Behavior Modification Tips

 

Behavior modification, combined with drug therapy, can alleviate blanket and flank sucking disorders in some Doberman Pinschers. Here are behavior modification tips.

 

    Avoid stress triggers that lead to sucking behavior

    Do not punish or reinforce compulsive behavior

    Be sure a dog exercises vigorously 20 to 30 minutes a day

    Maintain a consistent schedule for feeding, walking, playing, and sleeping

    Practice obedience training to introduce new commands, stimulate learning and decrease stress

    Provide an enriched environment with chew toys and interactive feeders

    Introduce sports such as agility and rally obedience to add variety

    Interrupt compulsive behavior using counter-conditioning techniques such as giving specific commands and redirecting the dog’s attention to other activities

Timeline of Canine Compulsive Disorder Discoveries

2002

Dr. Nicholas Dodman of Cummings Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University begins studying canine compulsive disorder (CCD) in Doberman Pinschers based on surveys of owners of 77 Dobermans with blanket or flank sucking disorder. The study provides insights on the age of onset, triggers, frequency, duration, ease of interruption, and associated medial and behavioral problems.

2007

Dodman and his colleague, Dr. Alice Moon-Fanelli, link blanket and flank sucking as canine compulsive disorders associated with pica. Dogs display abnormal behaviors at a median age of 4.8 months for blanket sucking and 8.5 months for flank sucking.

2009

Dodman and colleagues show that the prescription drug memantine combined with fluoxetine is effective in treating CCD.

2010

Dodman leads a genome-wide association study that links a neural cadherin-2 (CDH2) gene on chromosome 7 to blanket and flank sucking in Doberman Pinschers. The first genetic locus identified for any animal compulsive disorder, the finding raises the possibility that CDH2 and other neuronal adhesion proteins are involved in human compulsive behaviors.

2013

A collaborative study between researchers at Tufts University and the McLean Imaging Center shows structural and chemical differences in the brains of affected and unaffected blanket- and flank-sucking Dobermans. Ongoing research focuses on genes that affect specific chemical receptors in the brain and may hold promise for better treatment and prevention.

2014

Dodman and his research team discover a significant genetic difference between mildly and severely affected Doberman Pinschers with blanket and flank sucking disorders. A cluster of genes that regulate serotonin are considered suspect.


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#2 Arda

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Posted 23 May 2015 - 05:10 AM

Good article.  Wish I had had it 40 years ago when General Mark Bark was still alive.  His licking cost him his life.  And we did everything and then some to stop him.


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#3 Stef

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Posted 23 May 2015 - 05:44 PM

Tuxy contributed blood to this study. :)
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#4 Arda

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Posted 23 May 2015 - 08:04 PM

Stef:  The value of a rescued dog.  Ya just can't put a price on them.  Thank you Tuxy!


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