BehavioRx Case of the Month
for December 2005

Antibiotics and Dog Behavior

An intact, two-year-old female English Cocker Spaniel suddenly acted as if she were terrified of the mother, husband and teen-age daughter, as well as domestic staff members who lived in the home. When family members or others tried to reassure her, she ran and hid in closets or other dark places, remaining there for hours on end.

She also had episodes when she was in the room with the family during which she would stand, staring at the floor near her front paws. Here eyes appeared glazed and, within a few minutes, her head would start drooping toward the floor, nose first. When her nose touched the floor, she would startle strongly and appear to be
terrified.

Her diet was pressure cooked rice with meat and vegetables added. One meal per day. This diet had been fed most of her life.

Health history:
She had developed an spot of eczema on her throat several months earlier. It was treated successfully with a topical antibiotic. However, she had recently developed another spot and her new veterinarian treated the dog with cephalosporin oral antibiotic capsules plus graphite, a homeopathic ointment. After 2-3 applications she scratched less often and the wound seemed to be drying up. However, this was also when she became so frightened that she wouldn't allow anybody near her and her weird behavior ensued.

We researched the homeopathic literature for graphite side-effects and found nothing that matched this dog's behavior. However, the antibiotic literature provided a gold mine of helpful information. Adverse reactions in humans, although rare, include headache, agitation, confusion and hallucinations! In experimental work with mice, I recalled reading about tests in which high doses of antibiotics induced retrograde amnesia. The mice would not perform previously well-learned maze problems while medicated.

It is also worth mentioning that eosinophilia had also been noted in the English Cocker Spaniel; and one symptom of eosinophilia is myalgia (sharp, stabbing pains in
the muscles).

We reported these findings back to the client and the Cocker's veterinarian. The medication was withdrawn and the dog showed almost immediate improvement. The family was soon able to treat the eczema with an antibiotic salve, as was previously effective.

Conclusion:
It now appears we should add antibiotics to the growing list of lifesaving drugs with possible adverse behavioral effects in pet animals.

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