The History of Schizophrenia and Dogs
While there have been many case studies that can determine that dogs display schizophrenic behavior and schizophrenic- like systems, there have been no cases that can outright determine that dogs suffer from schizophrenia to the degree that humans do. Some dogs, though, certainly deal with the symptoms of it.
For example, Patty, a Jack Russel Terrier, was studied by a UK behavior group to research and analyze the behaviors she was displaying. Patty was, for the most part, a lovely dog with a pleasant demeanor, however, in a matter of minutes, she could turn into a “total nutcase.”
Researchers said she could break free from normal collars, tug your arm out of the socket, leap high walls, and turn into a ravenous, violent pup within minutes.
These behaviors bordered on multiple personality disorder, according to researchers. While Patty displayed symptoms that resembled schizophrenia, she was never properly diagnosed with the disease, as schizophrenia is a humans-only condition.
Behavioural Evaluation Even if your dog does have serious neurotic or psychotic issues, an experienced behaviourist should help you plan what to do after medication has begun. The behaviourist can determine if a misbehaviour is simply learned (and therefore treatable with behaviour modification) or truly engrained in your dog’s psyche. And, even if a medication removes the biochemical cause for the misbehaviour, the behaviourist will be able to help your dog get over the conditioned responses she’s developed over time in response to the medical condition.
Hypo- or Hyperthyroid? Aberrant behaviours in dogs can sometimes be the result of hormonal, not environmental factors. A common example is when, for a variety of medical reasons, a dog’s thyroid gland either overproduces (hyper) or under-produces (hypo) hormones which regulate metabolism. Hypothyroidism often results in lethargy, weight gain, hair and skin disorders, and other metabolic symptoms, while hyperthyroidism, a less common condition, causes weight loss, overeating, hyperventilating, and excessive thirst. Oddly, both conditions can result in a more irritable, less trustworthy pet. Behaviour modifications cannot cure these conditions; only diagnosis and treatment by a veterinarian can. It becomes essential then, to rely on your veterinarian and an experienced behaviourist to identify and treat the issue.
Briggs was hallucinating. After a neurological evaluation, it was discovered he suffered from a form of epilepsy, causing him to hallucinate and become disoriented. This became the trigger and multiplier for his unpredictable aggression. He wasn’t fear-aggressive in the classic sense, but rather a delusional fear-biter.
Signs of a Problem Nothing is less fair to a dog than to discipline her for behaviours she is not capable of controlling. It becomes vital then to know the difference between a disobedient dog and one behaving badly due to a deep-seated neurosis or a genetically caused psychotic condition.
Dogs Get Depressed Too Anyone who has seen a dog grieve over a deceased owner or dog friend knows that dogs can, like humans, become depressed. This can cause a variety of behavioural problems, including eating disorders, housetraining mishaps, escape, and even aggressive episodes, especially toward younger dogs. Generally, the depressed dog will eat and drink less, sleep more, be less responsive to commands or invitations to play and in general appear sad. She might develop a compulsive licking or chewing behaviour or even wander the home or neighborhood looking for the lost friend. The good news with dog depression is that it’s usually not genetically based and often resolves itself over time. In rare cases, though, medication may be temporarily necessary.
Why is my dog acting psychotic?
This kind of “crazy” behavior probably stems from one of two things (or a combination of both): Over-arousal or uncertainty. Let’s start with over-arousal. Over-arousal doesn’t mean your dog is sexually aroused even if one of the behaviors they are engaging in is humping.