An animal model for obsessive compulsive disoder: fluoxetine treatment of acral lick dermatitis in dogs
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Date
2014-03-24
Authors
Wynchank, Dora Rebecca Mascha Souleika
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Abstract
Acral Lick Dermatitis (ALD) is a self inflicted skin disorder found in dogs. It is
caused by excessive licking of paws and flanks. ALD has been proposed to be
an animal model of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in humans. In both
conditions, serotonergic neural dysfunction is believed to be responsible for
aberrant gooming behaviour. ALD is the first animal model proposed for a
psychiatric condition. Serotonergic antidepressants are recommended as first
line treatment in OCD and preliminary work has shown ALD sufferers to respond
to serotonergic antidepressants. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess
the efficacy and tolerability of fluoxetine treatment of ALD in dogs and to
investigate ALD as an animal model of the psychiatric condition, OCD. Method:
Sixty three dogs with ALD were treated with fluoxetine 20 mg daily, or placebo,
for 6 weeks. Results: In the fluoxetine group, owners rated both appearance of
the lesion (t = 7.02, df = 29, p < 0.0001) and licking behaviour (t = 10.2, df = 29, p
< 0.0001) as significantly improved by the end of the trial. Veterinarian-rated preand
post-treatment photographs showed statistically significant improvement in
the fluoxetine group alone (mean = 2.55). There were no significant changes in
the placebo group as rated by owners and veterinarians. Conclusions: These
results demonstrate the efficacy of fluoxetine in the treatment of ALD and lend
further support to ALD as an animal model of OCD.