EAR CONE THERAPY IN DOGS FOR FEAR AND ANXIETY CONTROL: EFFECT ON BEHAVIOR AND CLINICAL PARAMETERS

• Autor(a) principal: Francelino, Marcely de Almeida
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Mitrogiannis, Mellina Suares, Trivilin, Leonardo Oliveira
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Medicina Veterinária (Recife. Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.journals.ufrpe.br/index.php/medicinaveterinaria/article/view/5329
• topic: integrative therapy; chinese cone; behavior; canine; canino; comportamento; cone chinês; terapia integrativa

This study aims to evaluate the effect of ear cone therapy in dogs for the control of fear and anxiety, specifically on behavioral aspects and clinical parameters. In addition, 13 dogs with behavior associated with fear and anxiety were submitted to sessions of application of ear cone therapy, which occurred weekly, during four weeks. At each session, the dogs were clinically evaluated. During anamnesis, were asked about the frequency and intensity of unwanted behavior associated with fear and anxiety presented by dogs during the week prior to the session. Then, a complete physical examination of the dogs was performed and the clinical parameters were measured before the application of ear cone therapy (M1), and immediately after the session (M2). Both the most frequent behaviors, present ?60% of dogs (tremor, excessive vocalization, self-destructive behavior and aggressiveness), and the less frequent (excessive salivation, urination and defecation at inappropriate times and places, and destructive behavior) were observed reductions in frequency and/or intensity.  Heart and respiratory rates showed a reduction between moments, while the other parameters vary little or did not vary, being within normal limits for the canine species. Ear cone therapy proved satisfactory in several aspects, presenting reduced heart and respiratory rates, as well as behavioral changes related to the feeling of fear of animals, providing a momentary relaxation in more than 65% of the dogs studied.