Compulsive Disorder in Cats and Dogs
Niwako Ogata, BVSc, PhD
Small Animal Track
2012 ISVMA Annual Conference Proceedings
Compulsive disorder is characterized by repetitive activity that seems to serve no
apparent function and persists regardless of the environment. These behaviors are often
derived from otherwise normal behaviors, like grooming and locomotion, so careful
history taking and behavioral observation is important following a medical rule out. It is
thought that compulsive disorder can be a manifestation of anxiety or stress the dog
cannot control6 and becomes pervasive in daily life after a period of time. Clinical case
reports regarding canine compulsive disorder show treatment typically consists of a
combination of environmental manipulation to reduce or remove initiatory stimuli and
stressors, behavior modification to engage the dog in other behaviors, and
pharmacological approaches. The same is true in cats.
Although cases of compulsive disorder identified early may be treatable without
medication, most cases require psychotropic medication for improvement. Selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine or tricyclic anti-depressants
(TCAs) such as clomipramine are commonly employed. These same medications are
administered to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in humans. Recently, for a
refractory compulsive disorder in dogs, a new treatment that is a combination of
fluoxetine with an NMDA receptor antagonist was reported to be effective. These clinical
reports suggest that different types of compulsive disorders may have different
underlying pathophysiologic causes.
Any breed may develop a compulsive disorder, however, a study reported a strong
correlation between particular breeds and types of compulsive disorder, and a familial
morbidity as well. This suggests there are genetic influences as a basis for compulsive
disorder manifestations. The same study showed that lack of training, lack of household
stimulation, and social confinement does not appear to be associated with compulsive
disorder. Thus, it is important for behavior medicine to investigate underlying
mechanisms of compulsive disorder to choose the correct medications as well as predict
the vulnerability for individuals.
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