Pets on the Couch: Neurotic Dogs, Compulsive Cats, Anxious Birds, and the New Science of Animal PsychiatryThe pioneering veterinarian and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Dog Who Loved Too Much, and the national bestseller, The Cat Who Cried for Help, recounts his uniquely entertaining—and poignant—stories of treating animals for all-too-human problems as he reveals his amazing breakthroughs with the new science of One Medicine. The Oliver Sacks of animal brains, Dr. Nicholas Dodman is an internationally renowned veterinarian and research scientist who wrote one of the first popular books to recognize the complex emotional lives of dogs and to reveal innovative ways to help them, including with Puppy Prozac. Now, Dr. Dodman once again breaks new ground with the practice of One Medicine, the profound recognition that humans and other animals share the same neurochemistry, and that our minds and emotions work in similar ways. Racehorses with Tourette’s Syndrome, spinning dogs with epilepsy, cats with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, feather-plucking parrots with anxiety, and a diffident Bull Terrier with autism—these astonishing cases were all helped by One Medicine, which emphasizes the similarities rather than differences between animals and humans. Inspiring, sometimes heartbreaking, and utterly fascinating, Pets on the Couch demonstrates how what we share with our animals can only lead us to a greater appreciation for them—and our mutual bonds. |
Contents
When the Brain ShortCircuits | 1 |
ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder | 15 |
PostTraumatic Stress Disorder | 27 |
FOUR The Emotional Wounds of Rescued Animals | 41 |
Compulsive Disorders | 57 |
Autism Epilepsy and Rage | 81 |
Equine Tourettes Syndrome | 99 |
The Many Faces of Aggressive Behavior | 115 |
Dementia and Alzheimers Disease | 187 |
Behavioral Problems with Medical Roots | 199 |
Night Terrors and Other Sleep Problems | 213 |
The Thyroid and Anxiety Aggression and Mood | 223 |
Depression and Mood Medicines | 233 |
EPILOGUE Hope for Us | 249 |
Acknowledgments | 263 |
| 265 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
activity ADHD aggression Alzheimer’s disease animal behavior antianxiety anticonvulsant antidepressant anxious attacks autism Bailey became behav behaviorist bird biting blocker brain breeds bull terrier buspirone called calm canine cause clinical clomipramine cognitive complex partial seizures compulsive behavior compulsive disorder condition crate cribbing cribbing horses depression develop diagnosis distress Dobermans Dodman dog’s dose drug effects Elsa emotions endorphins equine experience fear feline gene genetic German shepherd horse human huperzine hypothyroidism injection involved Jack and Sarah levels lick Lick granuloma living male Medicine Migdol monkeys nalmefene night NMDA normal obsessive-compulsive obsessive-compulsive disorder occur owner pain panic partial seizures patients Pepper Belle pets phenobarbital phobia pigs Poker problem Prozac psychological PTSD response Ruckus Rusty scientists separation anxiety serotonin Shuster signs similar situation sleep sometimes species stall stress suffering tail chasing tail-chasing thyroid hormone tion Tourette’s syndrome treat treatment trigger Tufts