Nicholas Dodman

• BVMS DACVB
• Professor (Full) at Tufts University

Personal likes, experience, and deep-rooted interests to satisfy emotional needs such as companionship, affection, empathy, and security are some of the underlying human motivations for acquiring a pet companion. In this study, we asked how long the owner took to decide whether to adopt a dog, who their dog was adopted from, their primary motivatio...

In this follow up study, we investigate a subset of 1,308 dogs whose owners (n = 1,048) described as having at least one form of fearful/anxious behavior. Using a self-reported questionnaire, owners were also asked to indicate the resolutions employed, including training methods and equipment, behavior modification programs, behavior modification a...

An online survey about puppy training was sent to members of the Center for Canine Behavior Studies and posted on our social media platforms. Six hundred forty-one (641) qualifying owners provided information on 1023 dogs. About half (48%) of the dogs involved in the study attended puppy training and the balance (52%) did not. The goal of the study...

The amyloidoses constitute a group of diseases occurring in humans and animals that are characterized by abnormal deposits of aggregated proteins in organs, affecting their structure and function. In the Abyssinian cat breed, a familial form of renal amyloidosis has been described. In this study, multi-omics analyses were applied and integrated to...

In this follow up study we investigate a subset of 963 dogs whose owners (n = 800) described as having at least one form of aggressive behavior. We were particularly interested in learning which types of professionals, if any, were sought for assistance for the presenting behavior. Owners were also asked to indicate the resolutions employed, includ...

Kinesin-2 enables ciliary assembly and maintenance as an anterograde intraflagellar transport (IFT) motor. Molecular motor activity is driven by a heterotrimeric complex comprised of KIF3A and KIF3B or KIF3C plus one non-motor subunit, KIFAP3. Using exome sequencing, we identified heterozygous KIF3B variants in two unrelated families with hallmark...

Periodic canine population studies establish essential frames of reference for analyzing trends in demographics and the prevalence of problematic behaviors. An understanding of the correlations between individual behavior problems can shed light on the pathogenesis and comorbidity of various conditions. It is our hope that the results of this subst...

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

The development of high throughput SNP genotyping technologies has improved the genetic dissection of simple and complex traits in many species including cats. The properties of feline 62,897 SNPs Illumina Infinium iSelect DNA array are described using a dataset of over 2,000 feline samples, the most extensive to date, representing 41 cat breeds, a...

Article describes pharmacological treatment of an equine model of Tourette's Syndrome with drugs that stimulate or inhibit various neurotransmitter pathways.

Behavioral problems are a major source of poor welfare and premature mortality in companion dogs. Previous studies have demonstrated associations between owners’ personality and psychological status and the prevalence and/or severity of their dogs’ behavior problems. However, the mechanisms responsible for these associations are currently unknown....

Attitude to Training questionnaire. (DOCX)

Dogs naturally suffer the same complex diseases as humans, including mental illness. The dog is uniquely suited as a model organism to explore the genetics of neuropsychiatric disorders. Historical breed demographics have enriched purebred populations for founder effect mutations with tractable architectures, making genotypic analyses advantageous....

Objective: To determine the effect of intravenous acepromazine on the electroencephalogram (EEG) of normal Beagle dogs. Sample Population: Twelve healthy beagle dogs Procedures: Dogs were sedated and the EEG recorded for 20 minutes. Acepromazine was then injected intravenously in either low or high dose with the order chosen randomly and EEG record...

Oriental breeds, such as Siamese and Birman cats, are more prone to wool-sucking. Though there appears to be a genetic susceptibility for the behavior, we hypothesized that the expression of wool-sucking was associated with either physical characteristics (head shape in Siamese, coat color, claw status), an abnormally intense appetite, medical prob...

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by defects in communication and social interactions, as well as stereotypic behaviors. Symptoms typically worsen with anxiety and stress. ASD occur in early childhood, often present with regression and have a prevalence of 1 out of 68 children. The lack of distinct patho...

The recent finding that the neuronal cadherin gene CDH2 confers a highly significant risk for canine compulsive disorder led us to investigate whether missense variants within the human ortholog CDH2 are associated with altered susceptibility to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette disorder (TD) and related disorders. Exon resequencing of...

To evaluate and define the characteristics of tail chasing in Bull Terriers and explore the association between tail chasing and other behavioral and physical characteristics. Survey and case-control study. 333 Bull Terriers (145 dogs with tail-chasing behavior and 188 unaffected dogs). Owners of Bull Terriers with tail-chasing behavior were survey...

Behavioral medications may be used to augment behavioral treatments for fear-based problems in dogs, particularly when the signs are severe or the feared stimulus is impossible to control. In some cases, a single pharmacologic treatment may not completely manage fear and thus multiple medications may be required. The objective of this study was to...

To analyze factors associated with interdog household aggression and determine treatment outcomes. Retrospective case series and survey. Animals-38 pairs of dogs with interdog household aggression. Each pair of dogs was considered 1 case. Records of dogs with interdog household aggression that were examined during initial or follow-up consultations...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common debilitating psychiatric illness that typically improves but does not remit with first-line medication and behavioral treatments. Serotonergic agents including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and clomipramine have provided the mainstay of OCD medication management for decades. Combined dopamin...

Sixty-seven million pounds of horsemeat derived from American horses were sent abroad for human consumption last year. Horses are not raised as food animals in the United States, and mechanisms to ensure the removal of horses treated with banned substances from the food chain are inadequate at best. Phenylbutazone (PBZ) is the most commonly used no...

Molecular Psychiatry publishes work aimed at elucidating biological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders and their treatment

A Bernese mountain dog was diagnosed with complex partial seizures that were supported by electroencephalographic findings. Clinical signs of the problem included "star gazing," fly snapping, licking, vacuous chewing, and ongoing anxiety. Treatment with Huperzine A, a compound isolated from Chinese club moss with NMDA receptor blocking activity, an...

Canine thunderstorm phobia is considered a noise phobia, however, it has been theorized that pain associated with discharge of accrued static electricity could contribute to this malady. This project aimed to determine if a purported anti-static cape (the Storm Defender®) and a non-anti-static cape (placebo cape) were therapeutic for canine thunder...

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is currently treated with behavioral modification and psychotropic medications, with varying degrees of success. The most popular drugs for the treatment of OCD are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Another drug, the N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist memantine, has recently been tested in the tre...

Medication plays an important role in the treatment of canine compulsive disorders (CCD). Not all cases can be managed with the current medications, and new pharmacological options are needed. This case series assesses the efficacy of the NMDA receptor blocker memantine as a possible new treatment option for CCD. Thirteen dogs with different manife...

As part of a study of possible causes of postoperative pulmonary complications of general anesthesia in the horse, lateral cervical radiographs were taken after endotracheal intubation in nine randomly selected horses. The epiglottis was found to be retroverted in three. Subsequently, the effects of epiglottic retroversion during anesthesia on post...

To investigate the validity of remote consultation for treatment of canine separation anxiety, this study compared the efficacy of 2 types of behavioral services offered by Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (TCSVM): (a) "PetFax," a remote consultation service in which dog caregivers (owners) and a certified applied animal behaviorist cor...

To evaluate blanket and flank sucking and any association with pica in Doberman Pinschers. Survey and case-control study. 153 Doberman Pinschers (77 dogs with blanket or flank sucking and 76 unaffected dogs). Owners of Doberman Pinschers with blanket sucking, flank sucking, or both were surveyed regarding the age of onset, triggers, frequency, dura...

Statement of the Problem A 9-year-old Toy Poodle was evaluated because of progressive self-mutilation of the right nasal area. The dog also had a history of repetitive licking of items in its environment. Signalment The dog was a 7.5-kg (15-lb) neutered male Toy

Decreasing litter box odor may be an important treatment component in addressing feline inappropriate elimination. A three-phase study was conducted to determine if the use of Zero Odor litter box spray increases the preference of litter boxes to cats, presumably by its odor-eliminating quality. In the first phase, cats were given a litter box pref...

Two groups of 42 dogs which were aggressive towards their owners were enrolled into a study designed to compare the efficacy of remote consultations with direct personal consultations for the treatment of the aggressive behaviour. The level of aggression of the dogs was assessed before and after programmes designed to modify their behaviour. Both p...

Animal models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) either may be induced in a laboratory setting or may arise spontaneously in veterinary patients. Both models have their usefulness and may replicate some or a constellation of signs associated with the human disorder. Classical laboratory models of OCD are induced by behavioral or pharmacological...

To evaluate the efficacy of oral dextromethorphan in dogs with a repetitive behavior problem (self-licking, self-chewing, and self-biting associated with chronic allergic dermatitis). Fourteen dogs with chronic allergic dermatitis were enrolled in the study. Twelve dogs completed the study. The dogs were treated for 2 weeks each with dextromethorph...

To determine potential risk factors and behaviors associated with separation anxiety and develop a practical index to help in the diagnosis of separation anxiety in dogs. Case-control study. 200 dogs with separation anxiety and 200 control dogs with other behavior problems. Medical records were reviewed for signalment, history of behavior problems,...

To learn more about predispositions for, signs, and progression of canine thunderstorm phobia, a survey for owners was posted on the Internet. Questions addressed signalment, age of onset, behavior during storms, and treatments tried. Sixty-nine responses were received. Herding dogs and herding crossbreeds accounted for the majority of dogs. Sevent...

Stereotypic cribbing in horses is thought to involve excess dopaminergic activity within the striatum. Various models of stress-induced stereotypies including cribbing in horses postulate that stress stimulates the release of endorphins, triggering the release of striatal dopamine. Dopamine in turn activates basal ganglia motor programs, reinforcin...

To evaluate the effect of high- and low-protein diets with or without tryptophan supplementation on behavior of dogs with dominance aggression, territorial aggression, and hyperactivity. Prospective crossover study. 11 dogs with dominance aggression, 11 dogs with territorial aggression, and 11 dogs with hyperactivity. In each group, 4 diets were fe...

To survey veterinarians in small animal practice concerning their attitudes about delivery of behavior services, frequency of common behavior problems, manner in which services were provided, confidence in their clinical ability to treat these behavior problems, frequency of use of pharmacologic intervention, and number of dogs and cats euthanatize...

To determine signalment, history, clinical signs, and response to treatment of cats with psychogenic alopecia (PA) and to identify factors associated with its onset and propagation. Retrospective study. 11 cats. A survey was used to obtain information about breed, sex, age at time of weaning, frequency and duration of licking bouts, age at time of...

To identify factors associated with onset and continued elicitation of tail chasing in Bull Terriers and other terriers and to determine response to treatment with clomipramine hydrochloride, a serotonin-reuptake inhibitor. Prospective study. 18 tail-chasing terriers (15 Bull Terriers, 1 Miniature Bull Terrier, 1 American Staffordshire Terrier, 1 J...

To establish similarities or differences in tissue concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron in Bull Terriers with lethal acrodermatitis (LAD) and tail-chasing behavior (TCB) and to confirm the suspicion that copper is involved in the etiopathogenesis of LAD. Serum samples from 29 Bull Terriers (9 control dogs, 6 dogs with LAD, 14 dogs with TCB), an...

This study was undertaken to characterize 20 cases of dominance aggression seen at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and to investigate the efficacy of our non-confrontational behavior modification program for 8 weeks. The 20 cases included 18 pure breed and 2 mixed breed dogs. Thirteen of the dogs were male. The dogs' ages ranged from...

Oriental breeds, such as Siamese and Birman cats, are more prone to wool-sucking. Though there appears to be a genetic susceptibility for the behavior, we hypothesized that the expression of wool-sucking was associated with either physical characteristics (head shape in Siamese, coat color, claw status), an abnormally intense appetite, medical prob...

To evaluate fluoxetine for the treatment of owner-directed dominance aggression in dogs. Prospective study. 9 dogs of various breeds, ages, and either sex determined to have owner-directed dominance aggression. Placebo and fluoxetine (1 mg/kg of body weight) were compared for the treatment of owner-directed dominance aggression in a single-blind cr...

Animal models of obsessive-compulsive disorder may be derived naturally or generated experimentally. Either may be considered a full or partial model, depending on the extent of resemblance to human OCD. Although many models appear to be valid at first glance, complete models should demonstrate “compelling similarities” in all areas examined. Parti...

To determine the success rate of positive training methods and behavioral modification techniques in dogs with dominance aggression and to compare personality profiles between owners of dominant-aggressive and nondominant dogs. Prospective clinical study. 10 dominant-aggressive dogs and 10 non-dominant, nonaggressive control dogs. Dominance aggress...

The speed of mask induction using an in-circuit vaporizer may be influenced by vaporizer setting. To investigate this in clinical patients, 18 dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Each dog was premedicated and then mask induced with isoflurane using a Stephen's in-circuit vaporizer set at 1/2, 3/4, or full ON. We determined inspired...

To identify and treat a range of abnormal behavior, including tail chasing, unprovoked aggression, and extreme irrational fear, in Bull Terriers and to correlate the behavioral signs with electroencephalogram (EEG) or anatomic evidence of abnormal brain geometry or deafness. Prospective clinical study. 8 affected and 5 unaffected (control) Bull Ter...

To determine the effect that feeding diets containing a low (17%), medium (25%), or high (32%) protein content would have on behavior in dogs. Prospective, controlled study. 12 dogs with dominance aggression, 12 dogs with hyperactivity, 12 dogs with territorial aggression, and 14 control dogs without behavioral problems. Dogs were fed each of the d...

Treatment of canine acral lick dermatitis (ALD) represents a challenge for veterinarians. Our retrospective open label clinical study summarizes detailed follow up data on 10 cases of ALD treated with clomipramine (2 mg/kg, once daily, orally). Clomipramine therapy led to reduced self-licking and caused significant healing of ALD lesions in 8 of 10...

To provide an overview of canine, feline, equine and avian behavioral problems for veterinarians, 323 cases presented to the Behavior Service of the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, between July 1, 1994 and June 30, 1995 were collected. Subdivided by species and diagnosis, the frequency of occurrence of different criteria, such as ag...

Five cribbing horses and six control horses were used in a latin square design dietary study to investigate the effects of different diets on the frequency of cribbing behavior and plasma levels of beta-endorphin in the horse. Feeding grain or sweetened grain rations was found to cause a significant increase in the cribbing frequency whereas alfalf...

Debates about the advantages and limitations of animal models for psychiatric research do not usually involve behavioral disorders seen in veterinary practice. Nevertheless, naturally occurring behavioral symptoms in domestic animals may comprise important models or provide a valuable perspective for human psychiatric disorders. We review the promi...

Owners who believed they had a horse with self-mutilating behavior were asked to complete a questionnaire to obtain information on the signalment, clinical history, clinical signs, management, and treatment of the condition. Fifty-two owners of 59 horses responded; 2 cases were omitted because an organic cause was determined. Owners also were asked...

The most frequent type of behavior problem in cats for which veterinary consultation is sought is problem urination. Urine spraying and urine marking have been treated by use of long-acting progestins and diazepam, a benzodiazepine antianxiety drug. Effectiveness of the nonbenzodiazepine antianxiety drug, buspirone, in suppressing urine spraying an...