A compulsive disorder is one where an animal continually repeats a behaviour for no physical reason. It is more common in some breeds of dog and cat, and more common in certain social situations. These behaviours may include tail chasing (dogs going around and around), paw licking and overgrooming in cats causing baldness.

It is very important to note that medical problems may also cause these problems, which is why assessment by us is important.

An example is that dogs and cats that are itchy from allergies or mites will often lick their paws and overgroom (lick or chew themselves). This is not a behavioural problem, but a normal behaviour to being itchy.

These behaviours can be difficult to solve at home because physical intervention is often tried to stop the behaviour. However what this really does is gives the pet attention while it is performing these behaviours and therefore encourages it.

Social situations also lead to compulsive disorders- especially in cats. Overcrowding (where there are many cats in a household) can cause anxieties which lead to compulsive disorders. The difficulty in determining this is that signs of stress or anxiety are often very subtle, again especially with cats.

This is why we recommend a behavioural consultation. This involves about ½-1 hour of your time and costs $65. We will try to determine the underlying problem to the disorder and recommend the appropriate treatment.

The good news is that there are several medications that, depending on the problem, can work very well at controlling these disorders. Many of them have very few side effects and can be extremely effective.

Treatments are often long term treatments, and may also involve training or changing social situations. The long term prognosis is good with the appropriate treatment.

Don't let inappropriate behaviour distance your relationship with your pet. If you are unsure about your pet's behaviour, please contact us.