Why do dogs chase their tails?
March 25th 2009 20:10
Not all dogs chase their tail, some do rarely, and some do it all the time. My American Pit Bull Terrier was once a frequent tail chaser, and now it's just funny because she has three legs so she's like a little tornado going from one side of the house to another.
Well, a team of veterinarians performed a study on what exactly causes dogs to chase their tail, and although the study is not 100 percent definite, it does give a little more incite into the situation.
The veterinarians tested blood from 15 otherwise healthy dogs that are avid tail-chasers and 15 dogs who rarely chase their tails. They found that female dogs were more prone to tail-chasing then male dogs, and that the dogs with higher cholesterol levels were more prone to tail-chasing.
As for females dogs being more prone to chasing their tails, there is no reasoning behind that one, but higher cholesterol levels (both HDL and LDL) made the dogs more prone to behavioral problems such as panic attacks, and obsessive compulsive disorder, such as frequent tail-chasing.
It's thought that the higher cholesterol levels affect the cell membranes at a microscopic level, which can cause a disruption of some sort to the flow of hormones, such as serotonin, through the brain. (Serotonin is involved with both mood and behaviors.) The study actually makes sense, considering that people with higher cholesterol levels are subject to panic disorders and certain phobias, as well as an increased hormone activity level, which can lead to the "light or fight" response.
The overall hypothesis is pretty interesting, especially considering the veterinarians seldom test for cholesterol in dogs. The veterinarians that performed the study, did come out and state that higher cholesterol levels in dogs do not affect them as it does humans with clogged arteries.
You may also notice that after a physical trauma, surgery, or illness, you dog may have a short bout of chasing his tail.
The veterinarians also found that certain breeds are more compulsive tail chasers, to include Bull Terriers and German Shepherds.
Generally, puppies WILL chase their tails when they discover that they have one, but after that, they typically grow out of the phase. When tail chasing becomes compulsive, the behavior can be due to a genetic or environmental cause, such as stress.
Well, a team of veterinarians performed a study on what exactly causes dogs to chase their tail, and although the study is not 100 percent definite, it does give a little more incite into the situation.
The veterinarians tested blood from 15 otherwise healthy dogs that are avid tail-chasers and 15 dogs who rarely chase their tails. They found that female dogs were more prone to tail-chasing then male dogs, and that the dogs with higher cholesterol levels were more prone to tail-chasing.
As for females dogs being more prone to chasing their tails, there is no reasoning behind that one, but higher cholesterol levels (both HDL and LDL) made the dogs more prone to behavioral problems such as panic attacks, and obsessive compulsive disorder, such as frequent tail-chasing.
It's thought that the higher cholesterol levels affect the cell membranes at a microscopic level, which can cause a disruption of some sort to the flow of hormones, such as serotonin, through the brain. (Serotonin is involved with both mood and behaviors.) The study actually makes sense, considering that people with higher cholesterol levels are subject to panic disorders and certain phobias, as well as an increased hormone activity level, which can lead to the "light or fight" response.
The overall hypothesis is pretty interesting, especially considering the veterinarians seldom test for cholesterol in dogs. The veterinarians that performed the study, did come out and state that higher cholesterol levels in dogs do not affect them as it does humans with clogged arteries.
You may also notice that after a physical trauma, surgery, or illness, you dog may have a short bout of chasing his tail.
The veterinarians also found that certain breeds are more compulsive tail chasers, to include Bull Terriers and German Shepherds.
Generally, puppies WILL chase their tails when they discover that they have one, but after that, they typically grow out of the phase. When tail chasing becomes compulsive, the behavior can be due to a genetic or environmental cause, such as stress.
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