Behaviour Modification - Medication

Question 1

How long do some drugs take to reach effective levels

Answer 1

1-2 months

Question 2

What can an abrupt discontinuation of drug therapy lead to?

Answer 2

‘Rebound’ or elevated behavioural problems
- Recommendation: reduce 25% of drug dose of 1-2 weeks

Question 3

What are the 4 primary categories of drug therapy (aka most common anti-anxiety drugs)?

Answer 3

1. Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
   - Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zolof), Paroxetine (Paxil),
2. Tricyclic antidepressants
   - Clomipramine (Clomicalm), amitriptyline
3. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
   - Selegiline
4. Novel Anticonvulsants
   - Gabapentin

Question 4

Does Gabapentin have different effects than GABA?

Answer 4

YES! Gabapentin does not bind to GABAergic receptors.

Question 5

Which is/are the best drug category?

Answer 5

SSRIs because there are less complications

Question 6

What are 3 reasons as to why owners are reluctant to drug therapy?

Answer 6

1. personality change
   - only goal is to reduce anxiety, but there can be unexpected behavioural changes
2. drugs are unsafe
   - all have risk, but these drugs will be used under proper vet supervision and monitoring
3. pet will be sleepy
   - this can occur, but with proper drug doses, the likelihood of sedation is limited

Question 7

Does use of meds guarantee success? Why/why not?

Answer 7

NO. Drug therapy alone will likely not cure the behavioural problem without implementation in behavioural or animal husbandry practices.

Question 8

What is the physiology of anxiety and emotional memory in the brain?

Answer 8

Amygdala
- processes sensory signal and interrupts these signals, alerts brain of danger, can trigger anxiety
- stores emotional memories

Hippocampus
- encodes threats into memories

Question 9

What are canine problems associated with anxiety?

Answer 9

• Aggression btw household dogs
• Compulsive disorder
• Fear-related aggression
• Fear/phobias
• Inappropriate attention-seeking behaviour
• Leash reactivity
• Resource guarding
• Separation anxiety

Question 10

What are 5 potential treatments for anxiety in dogs?

Answer 10

1. Punishment
2. Confinement
3. Systematic desensitization
4. Pharmacological (drug)
5. Complimentary (non-pharmacological adjuncts) to drug

Question 11

What are 4 drug therapy considerations?

Answer 11

1. Drug therapy alone will likely not cure the behavioural problem without implementation in behavioural or animal husbandry practices
2. Drugs can have short, intermediate to long term effects and this will influence the type of drug used for treatment
3. Some drugs may take 1-2 months to reach effective levels
4. An abrupt discontinuation of drug therapy will often lead to rebound or elevated behavioural problems and should never be done
   - Recommendation: reduce 25% of drug dose over 1-2 weeks.

Question 12

What are non-pharmacological agents?

Answer 12

• L-theanine
• Pheromone diffusers
• Prescription diets
• S-adenosylmethionine
• Vitamins and natural compounds