Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Amitriptyline with behavior training to reduce dog aggression
By Virga, V et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2001·Animal Behavior Clinic, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Efficacy of amitriptyline as a pharmacological adjunct to behavioral modification in the management of aggressive behaviors in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs showing aggressive behaviors was treated with amitriptyline, a medication, alongside behavior modification techniques to see if it would help reduce their aggression. Owners kept track of their dogs' aggressive incidents and overall improvement over two phases of the study. However, the results showed that there was no significant difference in aggression levels between dogs receiving amitriptyline and those only undergoing behavior modification. This suggests that amitriptyline may not be more effective than behavioral training alone for managing aggression in dogs.
People also search for: dog aggression treatment · amitriptyline for dogs · behavior modification for aggressive dogs
Abstract
The efficacy of amitriptyline as a pharmacological adjunct to behavioral modification in the clinical management of aggressive behaviors in dogs was evaluated in two phases. Twelve dogs presenting for aggressive behaviors were treated sequentially with amitriptyline (2 mg/kg body weight, per os [PO] bid) and a placebo for 4 weeks in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Standardized protocols for behavior modification were implemented throughout the trial. Owners maintained behavioral records and reported on the number of aggressive incidents as well as the dog's overall improvement at the end of each 4-week period. In the second phase, 27 cases of dogs presenting for aggressive behaviors and treated with amitriptyline were reviewed, and clients were contacted to record each dog's response to treatment. Reports were compared to those for dogs receiving behavior modification alone (i.e., placebo phase of prospective study). No significant difference was observed in the patients' responses to adjunctive amitriptyline versus behavior modification alone.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11450832/