SÍNDROME DA ANSIEDADE DE SEPARAÇÃO EM CÃES

Abstract

In recent decades, the affective bond between man and dog has become increasingly intense, thus being influenced by the way of life of their owners. However, this intense relationship and the lack of knowledge of a dog's natural behavior can affect its well-being, causing behavioral disturbances. Separation anxiety syndrome in dogs is one of the most common syndromes today, related to a distressing behavioral problem, exhibited when the animal is separated from its owner. The main symptoms of separation anxiety syndrome are represented by: excessive vocalization, urination and defecation in inappropriate places. This syndrome can also include vomiting and depression, in addition to obsessive behaviors such as self-mutilation or excessive licking. Therefore, it is necessary to develop preventive and therapeutic protocols to reduce clinical signs due to the negative consequences of this syndrome. It is important to identify and understand the clinical signs related to this syndrome, as well as the factors that predispose animals to develop SAS. This literature review presents the main risk factors, including some characteristics of the animal itself, the guardian and of the breeding environment, the characteristic clinical signs, diagnosis and indication of correct treatment and management, enabling the differentiation of other probable origins for the behaviors presented and contributing to reduce the suffering generated, in order to understand the disease to ensure better living conditions and well-being to these animals, and also to people who live with them.