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

Simple Summary Similar to humans, dogs could suffer a syndrome similar to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Several studies suggest that dogs can serve as a model for studying ADHD. This condition leads to behavioral issues like impulsivity, attention problems, hyperactivity, and sometimes aggression, affecting both the dog's and their caregiver's quality of life. ADHD-like behavior in dogs is linked to disruptions in neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, similar to humans. It seems to result from a mix of genetics and environment. In addition to the mentioned symptoms, dogs with ADHD-like behavior may also display compulsive behaviors, aggression, inappropriate elimination, fearfulness, epilepsy, foreign body ingestion, and itchiness. While there is no clear veterinary diagnosis for ADHD-like behavior in dogs, validated questionnaires can be helpful, but these cannot be used as a unique diagnostic tool. Treatment may involve medications like fluoxetine, along with environmental enrichment, relaxation techniques, and behavior modification to improve the dog's and caregiver's quality of life.Abstract 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.