Abstract
Simple SummaryThe effects of a nutraceutical product, DìRelaxTM, were tested in a cohort of anxious dogs by the C-BARQ questionnaire to assess the presence of problematic behaviors, and by the impossible task paradigm, an experimental procedure to explore dogs’ cognitive performance following an expectancy frustration. Hematological and biochemical analyses showed no adverse effects. The treatment with DìRelaxTM showed a positive effect on the dog’s performances, with some of the behaviors appearing improved. The results suggested that DiRelaxTM may have some ameliorative effect on the cognitive performances of anxious dogs.This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of DìRelaxTM, a nutraceutical formulated to reduce anxiety in dogs, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. The C-BARQ questionnaire, some clinical investigations, and the impossible task test were performed in dogs before and after treatment. The C-BARQ questionnaire is particularly useful for assessing the frequency and severity of problematic behaviors. The impossible task paradigm provides insight into the decision-making processes in the realm of expectancy frustration. Results showed an ameliorative effect on the performances of treated dogs during the solvable phases, with a significant decrease in the time needed to solve the task. No behavioral difference was found between treated and untreated anxious dogs during the unsolvable phase. According to the results from the C-BARQ questionnaire, some of the behaviors appeared to improve. Clinical investigations, including a complete blood cell count and blood chemistry, showed no difference between groups, thus suggesting the safety of the product. In general, this study suggests that DìRelaxTM can be safely administered with no adverse effects and can exercise a beneficial effect on anxious dogs by enhancing their cognitive abilities, but further studies should investigate the best method of administration.
Highlights
It is well known that inappropriate behaviors could represent a serious problem that menaces the physical and psychological integrity and welfare of the dog and of the people around it [1–3]
Flannigan and Dodman [7] observed that dogs who live in a home with a single adult human were more predisposed to have separation anxiety compared with dogs from homes with multiple owners
The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of DìRelaxTM (Dynamopet, Verona, Italy) in improving anxiety in dogs
Summary
It is well known that inappropriate behaviors could represent a serious problem that menaces the physical and psychological integrity and welfare of the dog and of the people around it [1–3]. Anxiety is a condition induced when an environmental stimulus is improperly perceived as dangerous or threatening, and it becomes pathological when it is continued or occurs without environmental conditions justifying it [6]. Symptoms of anxiety such as excessive vocalization, destructive behavior, restlessness, inappropriate defecation and urination, hyper-salivation, and escape attempts appear when a dog is exposed to unfamiliar persons or situations. The most frequent anxiety-related disorders are separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, aggressiveness, fears, phobias, and obsessive–compulsive disorders. Flannigan and Dodman [7] observed that dogs who live in a home with a single adult human were more predisposed to have separation anxiety compared with dogs from homes with multiple owners
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