Why is my pet showing obsessive behaviors? Is it an animal disorder?

Obsessive behavior is something learned over time. They do it out of habit. How the behavior came about can be different from pet to pet. Boredom, stress or anxiety can induce a behavior then it just becomes habits, even after the starting factor is resolved. So they can go hand and hand. I would talk to you vet about what his problems are, because they do make medication that can help stress and anxiety and depending on what the obsessive behavior is, you may be able to break the cycle

You have described an obsessive compulsive disorder (aka: stereotypy). You are not likely to change this behavior but you could always consult with a professional dog trainer if you wan to attempt to redirect the behavior which may help to minimize it. ( https://www.sfspca.org/sites/default/files/dog_behavior_repetitive-behavior.pdf )

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a real disease in dogs. It is hard to say whether or not this is the actual case since it only started with any regularity with the switching to a new diet. I would encourage you to try switching back to the original diet (or to something else entirely) before jumping to a diagnosis of OCD. If the symptoms resolve or dramatically decrease with the change, I would hesitate to start treating for this condition. If OCD starts to look like the likely diagnosis, I would encourage you to try and use behavioral modification and more natural remedies before use of pharmcologic intervention. The use of training exercises that divert or distract Duke would be useful if the undesired behavior is witnessed. Any positive response should be rewarded immediately. If you end up needing to use medication, the most likely one to be utilized is fluoxetine (Prozac). It takes weeks to begin taking effect and at least a month to know if it is having a positive effect. It requires semi annual blood work to make sure it is not having adverse side effects on any of the body's organ systems. Hope this helps.

It's pretty widely accepted that dogs can develop obsessive-compulsive disorders associated with lights, but it's not so recognized in cats. However, I'd say that it sounds like your cat may have developed something like this. Some suggestions I've seen with dogs that have worked is to sort of interrupt the OC cycle by offering a food reward to sort of break the fascination with the lights. Be careful not to offer too many treats as this can lead to obesity, but you can certainly just use her regular food in this game. Also try to limit exposure to light sources, and certainly don't contribute to the obsession with laser pointers. Try to find other games she might be interested in, such as ball-chasing or perhaps those toys that have a ball that goes around a track around a circle that the cat can bat at.

Dogs can develop obsessive compulsive behavior just like humans can and this may be the issue with Rex. Less common would be a neurological abnormality or pain in the leg. OCD is a complex behavior and there is not one simple treatment. I recommend to read books about behavior disorders in dogs as that will give you more insight. I also recommend to make an appointment with your veterinarian who will check Rex over for any pain or neurological disorders. To aid with the behavior, the doctor may prescribe medication but it is unlikely to help in its own. These dogs need daily hard exercise, a job to do and then diversion when they start to exhibit the behavior. A trainer may be the best person to contact after the vet to teach you diversion techniques. i hope you find this helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there. This behavior is actually a common compulsive behavior in Miniature Schauzers, and is thought to have a genetic basis in some affected dogs. It sounds like your veterinarian has done a good job of ruling out an obvious medical issue that could be contributing, such as constipation, spinal pain, dermatitis, anal gland issues, etc. You might consider talking to your vet about a trial course of an anti-inflammatory medication such as prednisone and/or a medication for neuropathic pain such as gabapentin if these things have not been tried yet - some dogs will respond favorably to these meds, even without a specific diagnosis. If there is no response to medical therapy and no evidence of a physical problem can be found, then the problem is likely behavioral. In that case, I would recommend seeing a veterinary behaviorist for a full evaluation and treatment plan, as these issues can be challenging to treat without expert help. Most dogs with compulsive behavior issues will require a detailed training and management plan as well as medication to see significant improvement. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Hi and thanks for your question about Fiona. From just judging by the pictures and her appearance alone, she appears to be enjoying the couch! I cannot judge from the pictures alone if she has a mental disorder or not. Mental disorders in animals are really not reported or studied as we do not have a good way to measure these in animals. Every cat is different and has their own unique personality to them, just like people have their own personalities. :) Best wishes and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.