Canine psychiatry: Addressing animal psycho-pathologies

Abstract

Animals exhibit analogous behavioural conditions that are equivalent to certain human psychiatric disorders. Canine psychiatry is a growing field at the moment that is focussed on working with our fuzzy companions. The most commonly reported psychiatric disorders in dogs are generalized anxiety disorder, Obsessive compulsive disorder, Separation anxiety disorder and Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The canine behavioural disorders have healthy legitimacy at all explored levels for human psychiatric disorders like generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, impulse control disorders and panic disorders. In addition, natural canine models can assist our understanding of human psychiatric disorders. There are number of drugs used to offset psychiatric disorders in pets like tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, benzodiazepines and atypical antidepressant. Besides medication, behavioural teaching and counselling is done with a final aim to offset the medication.