High cholesterol is proving to be a marker for behavioral problems such as obsessive compulsive disorder and panic attacks. The Journal of Small Animal Practice published a study done by a team of veterinarians that has linked high cholesterol to tail chasing in dogs.
Though the studies on behavior disorders and cholesterol have done mainly on humans, the thought that it could be connected to the behavior disorders in dogs as well is quite feasible.
It is an interesting study and health should certainly be an area to be thoroughly checked out when a dog shows unexplained behavior problems. The dog study took blood from dogs that otherwise appear to be healthy and found that those with higher cholesterol also had a tendency to be tail-chasers.
Dogs who obsess on something usually have problems with stability. Owners and friends of dog owners many times focus on a dogs obsession as amusing and sometimes actually encourage the behavior. This in itself could be causing the unbalanced nature of that particular dog to progress faster than need be. Considering that it could be a health issue can easily become completely overlooked.
Dog food that contributes to high cholesterol isn’t easy to track down due to labeling and ingredient regulations are much different than human grade food products. Just like the human race, a well balanced dog should get plenty of exercise and a healthy diet.
More information on healthy dog food: Healthy Dog Diets
Read the full story: Dog Tail-Chasing Linked to High Cholesterol
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©Jt Clough and K9 Coach 2009
