As we know, behavioral problems are not infrequent in our clinics.
As in other pathologies, the first step that needs to happen is a correct diagnosis of this type of ethological disorders.
It will be very useful to rule out another type of pathology as a reason for this behavioral change, especially those that involve pain or stress derived from it.
In these cases, a correct anamnesis and a complete physical examination will be fundamental and will be the basis for our investigations. Both to perform a physical examination and to help identify disorders that involve pain and/or a high degree of stress, we can use Dinbeat UNO®. In addition to other tests such as blood tests or imaging tests. In these cases, hormone analysis will be especially useful.
Dinbeat UNO® will be of great help in identifying or ruling out other pathologies that do not involve purely ethological anomalies.
Some endocrine disorders, such as canine hypothyroidism or feline hyperthyroidism, may cause significant behavioral alterations. Likewise, they can also be the cause of some metabolic and neurological alterations.
By means of the parameters offered by Dinbeat UNO®, especially in ambulatory and maintained monitoring, we can suspect and/or identify these processes. In addition, the different results and complete assessments of the patient can guide our suspicions and diagnosis.
In the case of pain identification, the use of pain rating scales can be a great help in case of suspicion.
These types of scales, adapted to each situation, will provide us with an objective view of the existence of pain and to what degree.
The identification of situations involving high levels of stress, heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature, especially in situations of rest and inactivity, can guide us in that situation.
In stressful situations, the pituitary-adrenal axis will be activated. This will produce a release of cortisol into the bloodstream by the adrenal cortex. Problems will occur when this release is sustained over time.
In cases of patients under stress, frequencies and temperatures will tend to be high and maintained.
Similarly, the variability of the heart rate should be taken into account, seeking its concordance with the activity carried out by the animal. For this purpose, it will be particularly useful to carry out a few hours of monitoring, preferably with a duration of 24 hours. Vocalization may also reinforce the suspicion of these situations.
As far as purely ethological problems are concerned, Dinbeat UNO® can be a useful tool for diagnosis, control and follow-up.
Parameters such as activity, position and vocalization, in addition to the physiological parameters offered by Dinbeat UNO®, will help us to better monitor the case and the treatment.
Cases such as canine separation anxiety, phobias or compulsive behaviors are examples of behavioral disorders, in which the approach is complex. In these situations, an experienced ethologist should make a diagnosis of the situation and can guide us in the possible therapeutic possibilities. In these cases, Dinbeat UNO® can help us with long-term monitoring and control.
Commitment and following the petmate’s guidelines will be the two key factors for success in most of these situations.
