from 1997 Tuft University Newsletter.
 

Hope for Habitual Tail Chasing.

Veterinarians have been going in circles trying to understand how to help dogs that go in circels. DR Alice
Moos, clincal assistant professor to Tusts University School of Veterinary Medicine. Was part of three studies
at Tufts University. Two where completed when this articel was written.
The 1st suggested a link between the seizure throry and the obsessive compulsive theory of tail chasing. The
seizure theory posits that partial seizures-abnormal electical activity focued in one area of the brain-caused the
behavior. Tail chasers in the first study all had electronencephalographic readings indicating partial seizure, but
when anticonvulsant phenobarbial was given to the dogs the results were underwhelming, accoding to Dr.
Nicholas Dodman director of the clinic.
The obsessive-complusive theoiry postulates that tail chasing stems from the preditory instinct gone awry. The
highly predatory terriers and herding dogs are overrepresented in the tail chasing population, Suggest Dr.
Moon and Dodman. Moon suggests a connection between the two prevailing theories: partial seizures in the
part of the brain that controls the predatory behavior and may cause compulsive tail chasing in some dogs.
In the second Tufts study tail chasers recieved clomipramine, a drug that increases the serotonin levels in the
brain and has helped humans with obsessive-compulsive diorders. All the dogs that stayed on the
clomipramine for 12 weeks showed 75 percent or better improvement, suggesting that the obsessive-
compulsive element of tail chasing is quite amenable to treatment.
The Third study in ivestigating whether diets that promote the internal formation of serotonin decreases the
frequency, intensity and duration of tail chasing. The study compares the effects of three diets: one high protien,
another low protein, and a third low in protein and supplemented with tryptophan- an amino acid that helps the
body make serotonin. Studies in people have show that low protien diets help push tryptophan form the blood
stream into the brain. The hypnothesis is that the third diet will have the greatest effect on tail chasing.
Unfortunately I never did get to follow up on the results of the third study.
I hope you find this interesting reading and I am not sure it will help. I have heard some Veterinarians treating tail chasing with Valum. Veralin is a natural alturnative that may be worth investigating. I know of a product that
could help without really drugging them out. If you want more info please e-mail me.

Nancy Johnson OR Shepmom