Читать книгу Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff - Группа авторов - Страница 128

In humans, the relationship between skin disease and mental health has received much attention in the past decade. The skin and the central nervous system are both derived from the embryonic ectoderm, and they share many of the same hormones, neuropeptides, and receptors. Many of these substances are involved in neurogenic inflammation, pruritus, and pain sensation, and stress can alter their release. A substantial number of chronic dermatoses in humans are heavily influenced by stress. It has been estimated that in as many as one‐third of the humans with skin disease, the condition is complicated by significant psychosocial and psychiatric morbidity. Patients with atopic skin disorders also have a higher prevalence of anxiety, depression, excitability, and suicidal ideation and a decreased ability to cope with stress.

While many of these emotions may be impossible to confirm in our non‐verbal patients, it is logical to assume that stress has the potential to cause similar pathophysiologic responses that perpetuate the itch‐scratch cycle. Cases of dogs with pyoderma and pruritic skin disease associated with psychogenic factors have been reported (Nagata et al. 2002; Nagata and Shibata 2004). Newer research supports the likelihood that chronic skin disease, especially that which causes pruritis, can lead to stress and subsequent behavior change (Harvey et al. 2019; Yeom et al. 2020; McAuliffe et al. accepted for publication). Harvey et al. (2019) found that dogs with chronic atopic dermatitis demonstrated problematic behaviors such as mounting, chewing, hyperactivity, coprophagia, begging for and stealing food, attention seeking, excitability, excessive grooming, and reduced trainability. The frequency of unwanted behaviors increased when the degree of pruritis was more severe. In another study (data not yet published), dogs with higher levels of pruritis were found to have significantly higher levels of aggression, fear, separation‐related problems, attention‐seeking behaviors, excitability, and sensitivity to touch (McAuliffe et al. accepted for publication). While the exact relationship between these problem behaviors and atopy have not yet been determined, chronic atopy and pruritis is known to result in reduced quality of life; therefore, the potential for chronic anxiety and stress is clear. For that reason, the clinician should remain aware of two important things. First, many skin conditions may be exacerbated in the stressed shelter animal. Second, animals with chronic skin conditions may be more likely to exhibit problem behaviors—and these behaviors might be reduced by treatment that improves their skin condition.