Inappropriate Elimination Research Articles

Firework aversion in cats and dogs as reported by Dutch animal owners

Firework (noise) aversion is seen in cats and dogs relatively often and comes with a risk of animal welfare impairment. Affected animals may show behaviours like freezing, hiding, fleeing, but also inappropriate elimination, loss of appetite and (social) withdrawal. In The Netherlands, firework regulation has been a much-debated topic and we aimed to provide insight into how owners in this country report on their cat's or dog's firework aversion. We gathered reports on 3,009 dogs’ and 622 cats’ firework-related behaviours, exposure, animal (early life) characteristics and owner (dis)agreement with statements relating to firework aversion and animal guidance. We hypothesized that 1) suboptimal early life factors come with higher prevalence of firework aversion and 2) owners that report less firework aversion for their animal, agree more to the statement that owner behaviour affects an animal's future reactions to firework. Our findings confirm the first hypothesis for dogs and the second hypothesis for both species. Firework affects Dutch cats, dogs and their owners not just on New Year's Eve, but for multiple months a year: 64% of the owners heard firework noise from September onwards. Suboptimal early life factors, of for instance not being noise habituated as a young animal came with higher prevalence of firework fear for dogs, but not cats and habituating particularly kittens seemed uncommon (4% of kittens). Advice seeking was more common for dogs (54%) than cats (23%) with firework aversion. For both species reporting of lasting effects of therapeutic interventions was uncommon. Less than 30% of the most often applied interventions were reported to have a lasting mitigating effect on firework aversion. This may indicate a high importance of hereditary and early life preventive measures, but our respondents were not in high agreement with statements reflecting such importance. Although our study presents associative evidence only and was based on owner report, not on direct animal observations, we present attention points for future studies. One such attention point is a seemingly low awareness of the lifelong influence of an animal's early life factors. Studying how such awareness affects people that opt for a puppy or kitten as to facilitate acquisition decisions that may or may not come with firework resilient animals, may ultimately benefit animals that were in this study seen to experience firework aversion for multiple months a year, with limited long-term effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

New Advances in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-like Dogs.

Similar to humans, dogs could suffer an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-like syndrome (ADHD-like). In fact, several studies highlight the use of dogs as a model for studying ADHD. This condition entails behavioral problems expressed through impulsivity, attention issues, hyperactivity, and/or aggression, compromising the quality of life for both the caregiver and the dog. The pathophysiology of ADHD-like is complex and is associated with dysregulation of various neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. The expression of ADHD-like behavior in dogs would appear to depend on a classical gene-environment interaction as is the case with many neurological disorders in humans. In addition to the described symptomatology, ADHD-like dogs can exhibit strong comorbidities with compulsive behaviors, aggressiveness, inappropriate elimination and fearfulness, in addition to epilepsy, foreign body ingestion, and pruritus. In spite of the fact that there is no veterinary consensus about the diagnosis of ADHD-like, some validated questionnaires could be helpful, but these cannot be used as a unique diagnostic tool. The use of drugs, such as fluoxetine, in addition to an adequate environmental enrichment, relaxation protocols, and behavior modification can achieve an adequate quality of life for both the dog and caregivers.

A Conceptual Study of Lifestyle Disorders w.s.r. to Raktagata Vata (Hypertension)

A person's lifestyle is essentially the result of their physical and psychological capabilities working together. This lifestyle is manifested in their habits, behaviour, diet and way of life and is based on the training they received as children from their parents, siblings, peer and other close family members. As a result, it requires purely psychological and natural control over the activities of the body and senses. This behaviour was described by Ayurveda as "Pragyaparadha" (intellectual blasphemy), one of the three fundamental causes of any ailment. As a result of Pragyaparadha, numerous inappropriate behaviours that are the underlying causes of different ailments, like Pragyaparadha is a tendency of repressing any natural need, which is identified as the root of roughly 50% of disorders. The fundamental cause of a disease is the reversal of any neurotransmission or inappropriate elimination of the waste products created during metabolism, which results in an accumulation of toxins. Therefore, one of the main causes of lifestyle disorders can be attributed to the habit of suppressing urges in an unhealthy lifestyle. To understand the physiology of blood pressure and the etio-pathogenesis of hypertension from the perspective of Ayurveda, a thorough examination of the existing Ayurvedic literature was conducted. According to one theory, hypertension should be viewed as the Prasara-Avastha, which refers to the spread of vitiated Doshasfrom their specific places, specifically of Vyana Vata, Prana Vata, Sadhaka Pitta, and Avalambaka Kapha along with Rakta in their disturbed phases.

Case Study: Jumbo — Extreme Fearfulness in a Cat

What do you do when your newly-adopted cat refuses to stop hiding under the bed? 4-year-old Jumbo had a rough start in life, and now he was in danger of losing another home. When Certified Cat Behavior Consultant Hongfei Li was called, his caregiver was at her wit’s end because the noise, inappropriate elimination, and disruption were upsetting her and her neighbors, even forcing her to sleep on the couch every night. Over the ensuing weeks, through a few simple games, patience, and attention to the environment, Jumbo and his caregiver Poppy were able to connect and finally develop a relationship of trust.

Human-cat emotional closeness and unacceptable behavior in cats: A Brazilian perspective

Evidence supports that cats’ behavior influences the level of emotional closeness between the animals and the owners. In some circumstances, a bad relationship can result in neglecting, mistreating, or abandoning the animal. We aimed to assess the level of emotional closeness between the owners and their cats in Brazil, evaluating some specific human-cat interactions based on the cat-owner relationship scale (CORS), and the association between the owner's level of emotional closeness and the presence of unacceptable behavior in Brazilian cats. A cross-sectional study design was used to selected Brazilian cat owners through snowball sampling in social networks. Owners answered an online survey adapted from the (CORS) containing additional questions regarding the cat-owner environment and behavior. Five hundred owners answered the survey, and the mean cat-owner level of emotional closeness in our population was 3.94 ± 0.66. Most of the interviewees were female, and the level of emotional closeness was higher in this group than in male owners. As expected, factors such as having other pets, attributing more characteristics to the animal, and frequent visits to the veterinarian were directly associated with a higher level of emotional closeness by the owner. No association was found between the owner's emotional closeness level and the presence of aggression, excessive vocalization, or inappropriate elimination in the cat. Surprisingly, owners of cats that do not scratch the furniture had a lower level of emotional closeness compared to those reporting this inappropriate behavior. In summary, the human-cat emotional bond in our Brazilian cohort was considered medium to high. Our study adds new insights into cat-human emotional bonds and confirms this interaction in Brazil.

The Hidden Potential of Herbal Remedies and Neutraceuticals in Canine and Feline Behavioural Disorders

Veterinary practitioners may encounter a wide variety of behaviorual problems such as aggresion, anxiety, compulsive behaviours, inappropriate elimination and cognitive dysfunction in daily practice. With the advance of scientific researches regarding usage of herbs and nutraceuticals in order to treat these behavioural problems, veterinarians and animal owners look for reliable sources to gain knowladge about that therapeutics. As elucidated by many published researches, neurotransmitters such as GABA, serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine act in pathology of many psychiatric disorders and most of the modern drugs show their mechanism of action by regulating these neurochemicals. There is increasing evidence that herbal extracts and nutraceuticals act in a similiar way with the conventional therapeutics however, lots of conventional medicines have remarkable side effect unlike herbal and nutraceutical therapeutics. Despite the increasing number of studies, the mechanism of action of these therapeutics has not been fully elucidated. This review aims to introduce recent scientific knowledge on herbal and nutraceutical remedies, that may be alternative treatment models in dog and cat behavioural problems.

Epidemiology of behavioural problems in pet rabbits: An owners’ survey

The present paper was designated to assess the perceived frequency of problematic rabbit behavior in a sample of pet rabbit owners and to characterize this behavior. For this purpose, a questionnaire was administered to 423 rabbit owners from Spain and Latin America. The collected data was processed descriptively and using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). Results indicated that, among the studied population, the most common behavior problems according to owners’ perception were inappropriate elimination followed by non-social fear, destructive behavior and compulsive disorders.Rabbits generally showed more than just one behavioral problem; there seemed to be an association between non-social fear and destructive behavior as well as between owner-directed aggression and owner-directed fear. MCA indicated that the studied behavior problems were more frequent in entire females. Rabbits acquired before weaning and, to a lesser extent, between weaning and puberty were more likely to show compulsive disorders and inappropriate urine elimination. These two behavior problems seemed to be also more common in rabbits from breeders and pet stores. Such data support previous findings and provide new information in the field of epidemiology of behavioral problems in pet rabbits.

Nutritional status in children with non-IgE mediated gastrointestinal food allergy: the impact of nutritional counseling provided by a multidisciplinary team

Introduction: Non-IgE mediated gastrointestinal food allergies (non-IgE-GIFA) could have a negative impact on the nutritional status as consequence of inappropriate elimination diet and gastrointestinal tract dysfunction.

Spanish validation of the Fe-BARQ questionnaire: A replication study

The Fe-BARQ is a survey instrument designed to improve understanding of feline behavior that has been validated within a US population but not within a Spanish one. The Spanish version was translated and subjected to the same validation process, replicating the procedure described in the original research. Exploratory Factor Analysis of 816 questionnaire responses to 100 behavioral questions/items extracted the same 23 distinct factors that were reported in the original questionnaire, measuring most of the more common dimensions of cat behavior. Twenty two of the 23 factors demonstrated adequate–high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.6). The Spanish version of Fe-BARQ showed good inter- and intra-observer reliability across both extracted factors and items, and strong construct validity, showing a relationship between behavior problems reported by owners and their scale scores, confirming a loss of activity and an increase of inappropriate elimination issues with age, the relationship between predatory behavior and outdoor access, and less tolerance to contact in single cat households than in multicat households. Furthermore, behavioral differences among breeds were also confirmed. These results confirm the validity of the Spanish version of Fe-BARQ for use within a Spanish population.

A preliminary design embodiment analysis through the graph theory implementation

The work presented in this article underlines the embodiment design phase aiming at the determination of different possible architectures of a system according to the energy vision combined with the graph theory. Indeed, the embodiment design phase presents the difficulty of organizing the design alternatives. This difficulty is due to the fact that the various components of the system are not yet fully defined, and there are many arrangement possibilities. In this context, we seek to structure a methodology for the preliminary definition of the technical system architecture, while respecting the TRIZ law of completeness of the system parts. We consider the availability of the transmission elements of the principal energy flow (functional flow). The modeling of the system will concern the flow ensuring the positioning of the system principal component called (contact flow). The modeling of an optimal system composed of the main elements (converter, transmitter, operator, and reference) with a graph ensures the possibility to propose various architectures based on the combinations of these components. The proposed approach consists of three principal phases: appropriate graph-system model association, inappropriate solutions elimination, full system definition, and decision making. An illustration of the methodology is carried out on a wind system example.

Micção inapropriada em um gato doméstico: tratamento bem sucedido com fluoxetina

Inappropriate urination in feline medicine embraces the behavior of domestic cats to urinate for no specific reason in undesirable places for their guardians. Cats with behavioral problems are two to six times more likely to be abandoned and many animals are euthanized. The aim of this paper is to report a case of inappropriate urination in a domestic cat, from which a satisfactory response was observed in pharmacological treatment with fluoxetine hydrochlorid. A male domestic breed, male, sterilized at six months of age, four years old, was taken for clinical care. The tutor's complaint focused on the elimination of urine in undesirable places, such as dog’s bed, sofa. Through history and anamnesis, it was found that the feline at the time of the consultation had a strictly domiciled habit of living and that such behavior of Inappropriate urination had started after moving to a new apartment. The owner used to live in a larger home where cats had peridomiciliated habits. Clinical examination, laboratory tests (blood count and serum biochemistry), blood glucose, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibody testing and feline abdominal ultrasound did not result in changes. Noteworthy. Thus, through the diagnosis of elimination related to primary environmental / social factors, environmental enrichment measures were adopted that did not result in a satisfactory response. Consequently, the pharmacological therapy was prescribed with fluoxetine hydrochloride at a dose of 0.5 mg / kg orally every 24 hours until further recommendations. The animal presented improvement during the first 10 days after the start of drug treatment and 12 months after it remained without signs of periuria. There was no side effect associated with the therapy adopted. The factors that trigger the inappropriate elimination disorder are not necessarily those that maintain them, therefore justifying the non-response only to the environmental management adopted. Such a report may contribute to a better understanding and adoption of treatment techniques for inadvertent urination disorder in cats, which may help to reduce the tutor's dissatisfaction with felines that exhibit such behavior and consequently reduce the number of animals abandoned and euthanized because of this disorder.

Feline behaviour problems in Brazil: a review of 155 referral cases.

Geographical variations in feline behaviour problems exist. The occurrence of feline behaviour problems in different regions are therefore important to prepare professionals for the emerging needs of cat owners. One-hundred and fifty-five feline behaviour cases that were referred to a veterinary behaviourist in São Paulo (Brazil) during the period 2008-2014 are described. Inter-cat aggression was the main behavioural complaint reported (31%), followed by housesoiling (26.4%). Unlike other international studies, inter-cat aggression was more frequently seen than inappropriate elimination. Oral repetitive behaviours, including problems such as psychogenic alopecia and pica, were also a prevalent problem (ie, 16.8% of the cases). Human-directed aggression accounted for 13.5% of the cases, taking fourth place in the list of the most common feline behavioural problems. Female and male cats were equally likely to be presented (51% and 49% of cases, respectively). This study highlights potentially geographical or temporal variation in the behavioural problems that need to be recognised by veterinary behaviourists in order to meet the emerging needs of owners.

Veterinary Behavior: Assessment of Veterinarians' Training, Experience, and Comfort Level with Cases.

Studies of US animal shelters consistently indicate that behavior is often a major reason for relinquishment and, thereby, euthanasia of millions of dogs and cats annually. Even though this is an area in which veterinarians can intervene to support the human-animal bond, prior research has documented that they frequently do not bring the topic up during appointments. This study explored veterinarians' training in animal behavior and behavioral medicine, along with their level of comfort in treating common behavioral problems. An online survey of practicing veterinarians (N = 1,085) found that only 42.8% felt they'd received a significant amount of training in this field during veterinary school, but the majority reported participating in continuing education sessions about behavior. Almost all respondents reported seeing patients with behavioral issues (99.6%), even when the initial appointment was made for other reasons. Participants felt most comfortable discussing inappropriate elimination and begging for food but were least comfortable treating issues involving aggression. Most veterinarians treat their own behavior cases, using a combination of behavior modification techniques and medication. Only 22.1% refer cases needing behavioral therapy to a specialist. Given the prevalence of behavioral problems in companion animals and the potential for early veterinary intervention to play a significant role in animal health, it is important for veterinary schools to include this topic in their curricula. At present, 73% of schools require a course in animal behavior. The release of the new Competency-Based Veterinary Education framework is anticipated to support a greater teaching emphasis in this area.

Epidemiology of domestic cat behavioral problems in the city of Porto Alegre/Brazil: a survey of small animal veterinary practitioners

ABSTRACT: The popularity of cats as a companion animal has been growing. Additionally, there is also an increase in the number of complaints regarding behavioral problems associated with the species. Behavioral problems interfere with the animal welfare and quality of people’s lives that are living with them, and are one of the main reasons for abandonment and euthanasia in some countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of behavioral problems among cats with the help of veterinary practitioners in the city of Porto Alegre/Brazil. This evaluation was performed through a questionnaire in veterinary clinics and hospitals of small animals, which was answered by veterinarians responsible for clinical care. The study showed that most veterinarians (92.0%) have been sought to assist with behavioral problems and that dogs were the most consulted species (72.0%). Regarding cats, scratching was the most common owners’ complaints (40.0%), followed by aggressiveness (39.0%), and inappropriate elimination of urine (38.0%). Aggression (73.8%) and scratching (56.9%) were the most frequent reasons that may lead to the abandonment or euthanasia of cats. Results of this research highlighted the importance of having a better understanding about the normal behavior of cats, and the fundamental role of the veterinarian in preventing behavioral problems and abandonment of these animals.

Effect of l-theanine tablets in reducing stress-related emotional signs in cats: an open-label field study

BackgroundL-theanine is an aminoacid found in tea leaves which has relaxing effects in humans and animals. It is a structural analogue of glutamate which can bind glutamate receptors. Although the relaxing action of L-theanine has been shown in humans, laboratory animals and dogs, it has never been published in cats. The goal of this open-label, multicentre and prospective trial was to determine whether an L-theanine based oral supplement (Anxitane®, Virbac, France) could attenuate manifestations of stress in cats under field conditions.Case presentationThirty-three privately owned cats presenting signs associated with stress or fear (inappropriate urination/defecation, fear-induced aggressiveness, hypervigilance/tenseness or physical/functional manifestations of stress) for at least 1 month, were included in the study. They were given L-theanine (Anxitane®, 25 mg twice a day) for 30 days and 20 stress-related parameters were scored at Days 0, 15 and 30. The evolution of some parameters was also rated relative to Day 0. All median scores of the 20 parameters were significantly reduced at D30, and 30/33 cats (91%) had a reduced global score at the end of the study, including 21/33 with ≥50% score reduction. The median (IQR) global scores went from 18 (13–23) at D0 to 11 (8–13) at D15 and 5 (3–12) at D30 (p < 0.0001; Friedman test; significant reduction starting from D15). All the stress-related signs were significantly improved compared to D0, according to the owners, especially inappropriate elimination. Tablet palatability was judged good or very good in 94% of cases with spontaneous intake by cats when given by hand or in food. Tolerance was satisfactory as well, and no side effects were reported, so that most owners (27/33; 82%) were satisfied with the product.ConclusionsDespite the lack of a placebo group, it can be concluded that L-theanine (Anxitane®) helped to improve the undesirable manifestations of stress in cats in as soon as 15 days, though better results could be seen after 30 days of administration. These encouraging results show that L-theanine can help manage stress-related behaviour, but additional trials with a placebo group should be run to confirm this effect.

Effect of Supplementation With Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Magnesium, and Zinc on Canine Behavioral Disorders: Results of a Pilot Study

Recent discoveries have shown that the chances of a dog developing a behavioral disorder may depend upon a number of factors including nutrition. The current pilot study was designed to provide an assessment of the efficacy of a dietary supplement containing omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc on some common behavioral disorders in a population of Iranian domestic dogs. In total, 48 dogs including 6 dogs without any behavior disorder (control group) and 42 dogs with at least 1 common behavioral disorder, namely excessive activity, inappropriate elimination, fearfulness, destructiveness, and aggression toward unfamiliar people and dogs (test group), were given daily oral dose of gelatin capsules of fish oil supplements containing 330 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 480 mg docosahexaenoic acid. Moreover, all dogs received 12-15 mg/kg of magnesium citrate and 5 mg/kg of zinc sulfate. Data were obtained using a questionnaire that dog owners were invited to fill out 2 times before (Days 0 and 42) and 2 times after the supplement treatment period (Days 84 and 126). The questionnaire asked owners whether their dog had exhibited any of the 6 common behavioral disorders on a 5-point Likert-like scale ranging from 0 (never or very rarely) to 4 (very often). The results showed no significant changes for any of the evaluated behavior disorders scale in the control group. In dogs with behavior disorders, results showed a significant reduction in the median score for the severity of fearfulness (P = .0083), destructiveness (P = .002), and inappropriate elimination (P < .001). In addition, there were no significant differences in the median score for the severity of excessive activity (P = .162), aggression toward dogs (P = .281), and aggression toward unfamiliar people (P = .09) during the course of the study. Results of the study reported here support the hypothesis that a combination of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc may improve some of the behavioral disorders.

Separation Anxiety in Canines and Potential Mitigation Options

Separation anxiety is a very common disorder that many domestic dogs suffer from. It comes second only to aggression in terms of behavioural disorders reported and is the most common anxiety disorder in dogs. Canine separation anxiety has a vast range of symptoms, including excessive vocalisation, destruction, inappropriate elimination, hypersalivation, and restlessness. Since these symptoms only occur in the absence of the owner and vary between dogs, separation anxiety is exceedingly difficult to diagnose. This disorder is potentially affected by numerous factors, including gender, breed, existing behavioural issues, the degree of attachment to the owner, and environmental factors, such as the source of the dog. Fortunately, options for anxiety mitigation exist, including proper training of the dog, as well as medications such as fluoxetine and clomipramine. It is imperative that a proper diagnosis and treatment is given to the dog early in the condition, as this disorder can negatively affect both the mental and physical health of the dog, as well as the owner-dog relationship. Unfortunately, the daily struggles of managing dogs with such a disorder take a toll on the owners. This potentially results in the all too common decision to surrender the dog to a shelter, and potentially euthanasia. Ultimately, this disorder still requires future research in many aspects, in order to better the lives of both the dog and its owners.

KOREAN FAMILY CAREGIVERS’ EDUCATIONAL NEEDS FOR MANAGING BPSD: THE SECOND YEAR STUDY

As a second series of the study titled “Let’s read their minds”, this study aimed to identify Korean family caregivers’ educational needs for managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). Data were collected by focus-group interviews with 8 family caregivers (7 women, mean age = 67.88 ± 9.75) who registered in a local dementia support centers located in Seoul. Five open-ended questions about managing BPSD were asked: What is the most difficult symptom for you to manage?; What triggers the symptom?; How do you deal with the symptom when it occurs?; Why the symptom bothers?; and What education would be helpful for you? Among BPSD, agitation, aggressive behavior, and apathy were excluded from the interview topic because they were confirmed in the study conducted in 2013. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The difficult BPSD that family caregivers experienced were identified as suspicion, delusion, hallucination, wandering, depression, refusal to care, inappropriate elimination, and inappropriate eating. Most of respondents answered that they first scolded, hit, or argued with the patient when BPSD occurred and wanted to know how to effectively manage the patient’s BPSD. The findings suggest that education is necessary for improving family caregivers’ competencies to handle BPSD. The education should be comprehensive enough to make caregivers acquire general attitudes towards the persons with dementia as well as specific skills for managing BPSD. This work was supported by the National Institute for Dementia Grant (2014-02). Correspondence to Jun-Ah Song (E-mail: jasong@korea.ac.kr).

Pain and adverse behavior in declawed cats.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the impact of onychectomy (declawing) upon subsequent development of back pain and unwanted behavior in cohorts of treated and control cats housed in two different locations. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. In total, there was 137 declawed and 137 non-declawed cats, of which 176 were owned cats (88 declawed, 88 non-declawed) and 98 were shelter cats (49 declawed and 49 non-declawed). All cats were physically examined for signs of pain and barbering. The previous 2 years of medical history were reviewed for documented unwanted behavior such as inappropriate elimination and biting with minimal provocation and aggression. All declawed cats were radiographed for distal limb abnormalities, including P3 (third phalanx) bone fragments. The associations of declaw surgery with the outcomes of interest were examined using χ2 analysis, two sample t-tests and manual, backwards, stepwise logistic regression. Results Significant increases in the odds of back pain (odds ratio [OR] 2.9), periuria/perichezia (OR 7.2), biting (OR 4.5) and barbering (OR 3.06) occurred in declawed compared with control cats. Of the 137 declawed cats, 86 (63%) showed radiographic evidence of residual P3 fragments. The odds of back pain (OR 2.66), periuria/perichezia (OR 2.52) and aggression (OR 8.9) were significantly increased in declawed cats with retained P3 fragments compared with those declawed cats without. Optimal surgical technique, with removal of P3 in its entirety, was associated with fewer adverse outcomes and lower odds of these outcomes, but operated animals remained at increased odds of biting (OR 3.0) and undesirable habits of elimination (OR 4.0) compared with non-surgical controls. Conclusions and relevance Declawing cats increases the risk of unwanted behaviors and may increase risk for developing back pain. Evidence of inadequate surgical technique was common in the study population. Among declawed cats, retained P3 fragments further increased the risk of developing back pain and adverse behaviors. The use of optimal surgical technique does not eliminate the risk of adverse behavior subsequent to onychectomy.

Comparison of serum trace elements and antioxidant levels in terrier dogs with or without behavior problems

The aim of the present study was to investigate the amounts of serum trace elements (copper, iron and zinc) and antioxidants (malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity and thiol group) in terrier dogs with six common behavior problems, namely, excessive activity, inappropriate elimination, fearfulness, destructiveness, aggression towards people, and aggression towards dogs. Information was collected from successfully completed questionnaires and two groups of dogs were selected: control group (dogs without any behavior problem, n=14) and test group (dogs with at least one common behavior problem, n=16). Serum total antioxidant capacity and zinc concentration in terrier dogs with behavior problem was significantly lesser than those in the control dogs (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed for malondialdehyde, thiol group, copper and iron concentration between the two groups. The present study showed different amounts of serum antioxidants and zinc in terrier dogs with behavior problems compared to the healthy dogs. This finding support the hypothesis that improved zinc and antioxidant status with food supplements may favor the prevention and resolution of behavioral problems in dogs.