Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Nonpharmacologic management of stereotypic self-mutilative behavior in a stallion.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1992
- Authors:
- McClure, S R et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
An 11-year-old Quarter Horse stallion was having serious issues with self-mutilation, which means he was hurting himself, and he was also acting aggressively. This behavior got worse when he was kept alone in a stall for long periods. After observing him, it was clear that stressful situations triggered these harmful actions. To help him, changes were made to his environment, diet, and exercise routine. These non-drug approaches proved to be effective in reducing his self-mutilating behavior.
Abstract
Self-mutilative behavior, a form of stereotypic behavior, can be a serious problem in stallion management. An 11-year-old Quarter Horse stallion was referred for evaluation of repeated episodes of self-mutilation and aggressive behavior. Historically, this behavior worsened when the horse was isolated from other animals and confined to a stall for long periods. Observations of the stallion revealed episodes of self-mutilation and other forms of stereotypic behavior precipitated by stressful situations. Modification of this behavior was achieved by environmental and nutritional management and provision of adequate exercise. Nonpharmacologic intervention can be a simple and inexpensive way to correct self-mutilative behavior.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1639708/