Short-term imepitoin treatment reduces stress level in dogs with generalized anxiety disorder

Forster, Barbara; Engel, Odilo; Erhard, Michael und Bartels, Angela (2020): Short-term imepitoin treatment reduces stress level in dogs with generalized anxiety disorder. In: Journal of Veterinary Behavior-Clinical Applications and Research, Bd. 38: S. 67-73

Abstract

Dogs with generalized anxiety disorder exhibit constant or almost constant signs of anxiety and fear regardless of the context, impairing quality of life and daily functioning. In addition to behavior therapy, psychopharmacological interventions might be necessary for a satisfactory treatment success. In this study, we aim to characterize the effects of imepitoin compared to placebo as short-term intervention in dogs with generalized anxiety disorder. Sixty privately owned dogs with diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder participated in this trial, with a behavior test and serum cortisol measurement before treatment start and after 3 days of treatment. The treatment consisted of either imepitoin or placebo at a dose of approximately 20 mg/kg orally twice each day. The behavior test comprised 14 everyday situations presented in a standardized way. Observed behavior changes on video footage and serum cortisol were assessed for differences between the groups. After three days of treatment, no difference in anxiety-related behavior was observed between treatment groups. At the same time, the difference in cortisol between day 3 and day 0 decreased in the imepitoin group (-21.1 nmol/l in median) compared to the placebo group (+11.6 nmol/l;Mann-Whitney U, N = 49;P < 0.05). In conclusion, short-term treatment with imepitoin resulted in reduced serum cortisol in dogs with generalized anxiety disorder, indicating a lower stress level. However, it did not result in a change in behavior, which might be explained by the short treatment duration and the absence of concomitant behavior therapy.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Tiermedizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 1558-7878
• Sprache: Englisch