According to Dr. W. Jean Dodds, an expert in pet thyroid and vaccines, the most predominant reason pets are euthanized today doesn’t stem from a disease process. In most cases, it’s undesirable pet behavior to blame.
If personal protection dogs have a sudden and unexplainable change in behavior or mood, such as depression, aggression, fearfulness, hyperactivity, or obsessions, it’s a mistake to automatically label him/her as a ‘problem’ animal. Instead of looking for new personal protection dogs for sale, consider your canine’s health may be in jeopardy.
Canines, like humans, are subject to a number of medical issues that could be causing the problem behavior(s.) Reactions to vaccines, drug interactions and reactions, thyroid dysfunction, intolerance to certain dog foods, and so forth can all cause behavioral changes. Training or retraining may be necessary to overcome the behaviors, but your canine’s health is the main priority and should be checked by a veterinarian before training options are explored.
Medications And Pet Food Can Cause Behavioral Changes In Dogs
It’s important to understand those pet medications, just as their human counterparts, have possible side effects. Some of these side effects may involve the pet’s behavior or contribute to secondary disease processes that impact behavior. Always research medications carefully, administer medications as prescribed, and thoroughly discuss the potential risk versus reward of medications with an experienced veterinarian.
Pet food is another culprit in behavioral changes in dogs. Corn, for example, as a primary ingredient has been shown to contribute to negative behavioral symptoms in certain breeds. When looking at personal protection dogs for sale, ask nutrition questions before buying and starting the personal protection dog off on a diet that may not be suitable.
Discuss your pet’s total nutrition with the veterinarian to develop a meal and food guide specific to your dog’s breed, weight, overall health, and nutritional needs.
Puberty Can Cause Behavioral Changes In Dogs
Research has shown that young adult dogs going through puberty often experience a sudden onset of behavioral changes. Neutering doesn’t appear to alter the course, and may even intensify the behavioral symptoms. There’s a predilection for certain breeds, especially purebred and crossbreed types. This should be a consideration in looking at personal protection dogs for sale.
Allergies Can Cause Behavioral Changes In Dogs
Inhaled and ectoparasite allergies may cause skin and coat disorders, which in turn cause itching, alopecia, pyoderma, and dermatitis. These allergens have also been linked to behavioral changes in dogs.
Thyroid Disease Can Cause Behavioral Changes In Dogs
Dr. W. Jean Dodds and Dr. Linda P. Aronson, authors of “Behavioral Changes Associated with Thyroid Dysfunction in Dogs,” write extensively about the link between thyroid issues in canines and their behaviors.
They write that both dogs and cats with aberrant behavior may have thyroid dysfunction. The signs and symptoms of which may include a trance-like state involving episodes of:
- Aggression towards people and/or other animals that’s unprovoked.
- Adult sudden onset of seizure disorder.
- Moodiness.
- Hyperactivity.
- Erratic temperament.
- Hypo-attentiveness.
- Fearfulness.
- Depression.
- Compulsions.
- Submission and passiveness.
- Disoriented.
Afterward, the dogs are likely to return to normal personal protection dogs, completely unaware of any usual behavior exhibited.
Breeds such as the Golden Retriever, Rottweiler, English Springer Spaniel, Doberman Pinscher, Akita, and German Shepard are prone to allergen, thyroid, and immune problems. Again, this is a consideration in purchasing a personal protection dog.
Prior to behavioral aggression, the dog may appear to have an allergy and scratching attacks, skin and coat disorders, fearfulness, or be inattentive. These also happen to be early warning signs of thyroid dysfunction.
Dodds and Aronson describe mild-tempered, well-mannered, obedient, outgoing, and friendly young dogs from reputable breeders without any history of behavioral problems then going through puberty and becoming completely different animals as they suddenly incessantly whine, fear strangers, sweat and scratch, fail to pay attention, and exhibit schizophrenic-like up and down behaviors. Without medical attention, these behaviors may progress to aggression with people, children, and other animals in unfamiliar, albeit unprovoked, circumstances.
Aberrant behavior can be broken down into four main categories – aggression, seizures, fearfulness, and hyperactivity. A study by Dodds and Aronson of 1500 aberrant dogs found that thyroid dysfunction was found in 31% of hyperactive, 47% of fearful, 77% of seizing, and 62% of the aggressive case study dogs.
According to experts, such findings warrant veterinarians’ complete thyroid antibody profiles on all aberrant patients.
Vaccination Can Cause Behavioral Changes In Dogs
Expert on pet vaccinations and author of “Mark of the Beast” Dr. Patricia Jordan writes about how often she’s seen vaccines result in disease and behavioral changes in animals over her 25-year career. She points to the commercialization of vaccines as the reason for a lack of consensus on the dangers, despite over 150 years of ongoing research by the scientific community.
Anger, aggression, and anxiety are just some of the symptoms a UC California at Davis study recently found in humans and animals after vaccinations.
Jordan wasn’t surprised by these findings and points to the continued use of mercury and aluminum in vaccines as the likely neurotoxic culprit. Aluminum opens the door in the brain for mercury, viruses, and contaminants to enter, which in turn causes inflammation and encephalitis within the brain. Aluminum affects the endocrine regulation headquarters of the brain, the hippocampus, which causes behavioral changes.
In his book, “Vaccination: The Rise of Criminality and Social Violence: The Assault on the American Brain,” Dr. Harris Coulter documented the rise of criminal behavior and social violence with the rise of vaccination usage. He discusses how encephalitis and fevers following vaccines (in combination with elements like neurological disorders and learning disabilities) are linked to anger, aggression, and violence in humans. Dr. Jordan correlates the same information in the animal kingdom.
Many dog trainers and handlers have reported a corresponding pattern of behavioral changes in certain dogs following their vaccinations..
While the American Veterinary Medical Association agrees that the immune system of pets is similar to that of humans, they stand firm that viral vaccines are good for life when administered to mature animal immune systems once.
Jordan recommends seeking out a homeopathic, holistic veterinarian to address vaccine concerns.
Rabies Vaccinations Can Cause Behavioral Changes
The rabies vaccine, in particular, may cause a number of behavioral changes. Dr. Michael Dym, a homeopathic veterinarian, explains vaccinosis following rabies vaccines being given to particularly sensitive animals. He says that chronic disease or indefinitely-lasting mental, emotional, and physical symptoms may occur due to the laboratory modifications made to viral disease in the making of vaccinations.
Symptoms of rabies include:
- Vicious anger.
- Restlessness.
- Seclusion.
- Unusual forms of affection.
- Nomadic behavior.
- Strange voice – cries, howls, barks.
- Destructive behavior.
- Self-harm.
- Gaging while drinking or eating.
- Eating non-food items.
- Staring.
- Convulsions.
- Increased mating desire.
- Breathing abnormalities
- Throat spasms.
- Impulsiveness.
- Unusual fears and suspicion.
Dr. Dym points out that behavioral changes involving rabies vaccinosis usually involve a lack of impulse control and that many pets will indefinitely experience these symptoms.
Like Dr. Jordan, he recommends a homeopathic veterinarian to simultaneously remain in accordance with vaccine laws and still be given homeopathic options to either reduce the rabies vaccine side effects or possibly reverse existing vaccinosis symptoms.
