BehavioRx Case of the Month
for April 2000

A married couple in their 40s, owners of a 4-year-old male Husky, had him neutered in order to control his aggression towards neighborhood dogs who urinated on the outside of his ivy-covered wall at the front of the property while being walked by their inconsiderate, irresponsible owners. The neighborhood dogs were ruining the outside ivy, the Husky was doing the same to the inside, while becoming increasingly frustrated about the dogs, themselves. The clients were advised to speak to the neighbors, explaining pleasantly that another neighbor had photographed their dogs urinating on the ivy, and that the new city regulations accepted photos as sufficient evidence to issue citations and fine the dog owners involved.

One week after castration the Husky, "Musky," turned on his 8-year-old, spayed female Visla, snarling and driving her away from the kitchen door when both were waiting to go outdoors. Musky did not bite "Siren," but she was visibly shaken for some hours thereafter. He had never before shown any aggression toward her or any female dog, spayed on not.

Two days later the lady of the house was washing dishes at the kitchen sink when she thought she heard a car idling outside the front driveway gate. She turned to look through the dining room windows and saw Musky, lying underneath the dining room table, glaring at her, showing all his menacing ivory. She called his name and Musky seemed to "come out of his trance," wagged his tail and sat up. Mrs. Client was understandably unnerved, since Musky had never growled at her before.

When the clients called for assistance, they were advised to have their veterinarian run complete blood tests on the dog, and use the W. Jean Dodds, DVM, HEMOPET profile for thyroid function. They telephone for the proper forms*, which were faxed promptly. When the tests were completed, Musky was found to have low thyroid function. The hormone replacement program was instituted and the dog's behavior "normalized" in four days. A follow up thyroid test 6 months later indicated that Musky's thyroid function was back to normal. The medication the phased out and Musky's behavior remained normal.

* Hemopet/Pet Life-Line
11330 Markon Drive
Garden Grove, CA 92841
(714) 891-2022
(714) 891-2123 Fax
www.hemopet.com
hemopet@hotmail.com

Previous Cases

March 2000
February 2000
January 2000
December 1999
November 1999
October 1999
September 1999
August 1999
July 1999
June 1999
May 1999
April 1999
March 1999
February 1999
January 1999
December 1998
November 1998
October 1998
September 1998
August 1998
July 1998
June 1998
May 1998
April 1998
March 1998
February 1998
January 1998
December 1997
November 1997
October 1997
September 1997
August 1997
July 1997
June 1997
May 1997
April 1997
March 1997
February 1997
January 1997
December 1996
November 1996
October 1996

Return to Case of the Month

Return to the BehavioRx Home Page