Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
'Battered pets': Munchausen syndrome by proxy (factitious illness by proxy).
- Journal:
- The Journal of small animal practice
- Year:
- 2001
- Authors:
- Munro, H M & Thrusfield, M V
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies · United Kingdom
Plain-English summary
This study looked at nine cases where pet owners may have been causing their pets to appear sick or injured to gain attention, a situation known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. These cases were part of a larger review of 448 instances of non-accidental injuries in small animals in the UK. The pets showed a mix of real and possibly faked health issues, and their owners often displayed behaviors like seeking attention, harming the pets, and trying to get care from multiple veterinarians. In one alarming case, the owner even attempted to poison other animals and a child. The findings suggest that this troubling behavior mirrors similar cases seen in children.
Abstract
Nine cases of suspected Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), involving pets as proxies, were identified among 448 cases of non-accidental injury to small animals. These cases, recorded by a random sample of small animal practitioners in the UK, demonstrated several combinations of features, including attention-seeking behaviour by the owner, real and apparently factitious clinical signs, deliberate injury, markedly abnormal biochemical profiles, serial incidents, interference with surgical sites, recovery after separation from the owner, and 'veterinarian-shopping' by the owner. All of these features are consistent with those identified in the well documented MSBP in which children are the victims. Furthermore, one of the cases involved serial attempts at poisoning other animals and a child.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11518417/