Pacing and profoundly increased activity.Immobility/freezing or profoundly decreased activity.Vocalization (excessive and/or out of context) often frequent repetitive sounds (including high-pitched whines, like those associated with isolation).Drooling, panting, freezing, withdrawal, and cognitive signs of anxiety are less commonly diagnosed because they are less apparent to people, but dogs displaying them may be even more profoundly affected than dogs that show more obvious signs ( Box 2 lists signs of anxiety). Signs of distress should be evaluated in currency and terminology that are meaningful for the individual patient because the most commonly reported behaviors (elimination, destruction, excessive vocalization) are only the most readily apparent and easily recognizable signs of anxiety for the clients and veterinary team. Results of these routine clinical assessments should be recorded and evaluated to determine whether they meet diagnostic criteria ( Box 1). 2,3 Because the development of both conditions ranges from subtle to explosive, veterinarians should screen for them at each appointment using a standardized clinical assessment tool 4 to identify and treat them early. These are commonly comorbid conditions, 1 as is the rule among anxiety disorders. Recognizing Clinical Signs and Comorbid ConditionsĬonsider patients with 2 common behavioral diagnoses: separation anxiety and noise reactivity/phobia. An advantage of this approach is that the clinical signs provide a baseline against which targeted signs can be assessed for response to medication and other treatment. The earlier appropriate behavioral medication is prescribed, the less the patient will suffer from fear, anxiety, or aggression and the cognitive and social changes that result from these pathologic conditions.Ī helpful approach to understanding the thought process involved in choosing medications is to consider practical diagnostic examples, review the signs exhibited in these examples and the regions of the brain involved, and review effects of medications on those regions and on neurochemicals affecting these regions.
As for all other conditions in veterinary medicine, the best and most successful treatment is early treatment. As is true in internal medicine, relevant clinical signs in behavioral medicine are not specific, but too few veterinarians are taught to recognize and quantify behavioral signs and to do so as part of routine evaluation. Unfortunately, practitioners often feel helpless in the face of behavioral complaints because the signs seem so nonspecific. Use your treatment to modulate these factors in a manner that can be measured and tracked by alterations in the clinical signs and profile.Understand the factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of the diagnosis.Nest these within a diagnosis or diagnoses.