Bipolar Disorders in a Dog

Can dogs suffer from bipolar disorders? Theoretically, as a mammal, the dog has a brain that reacts to serotonin levels similar to the way that the human brain does. However, since learned behaviors can contribute to aggression problems in dogs, experts disagree on both how to diagnose and how to treat dogs that exhibit unpredictable mood swings.

Bipolar Behavior

Most often, a dog owner will report that her dog has started becoming incredibly aggressive "all of a sudden." These dogs appear to have a "glazed" expression, are not responsive to commands and seem to stop the aggressive behavior as suddenly as they start it.

Canine Rage Syndrome

The term "canine rage syndrome" has come to describe this behavior, with some breeds--especially spaniels--appearing to be prone to it. Dog owners have been bitten, sometimes severely; other pets have been attacked, and household furnishings have been destroyed before the dog suddenly calms down.

Differing Opinions

While the sudden onset of aggressive behavior without obvious provocation seems to be in line with a bipolar brain condition, some dog experts think that rage syndrome is an extreme form of dominance or fear aggression--learned or bred-for behaviors.They caution that only experienced trainers or behaviorists can work with such dogs if there is any hope of restoring them to being trustworthy pets.

Current Research

Recent studies of dogs exhibiting rage syndrome have found that there may indeed be a brain disorder involved. In some cases, it is discovered that the dog has a seizure disorder; in other cases, the dog has a low level of serotonin. Both of these discoveries parallel test results for humans who are dealing with a bipolar disorder.

Treatment

Animal behaviorists, veterinarians and pet owners continue to disagree on both the cause and the treatment for unpredictably aggressive dogs. At one time, extreme restriction or euthanasia was the only way to deal with unpredictable canine aggression. However, recently, it has been found that up to 50 percent of dogs that are bipolar or have rage syndrome respond positively to a combination of drugs and behavioral therapy. While a dog that has demonstrated extreme aggressiveness is always in danger of reverting to that behavior, owners now have promising treatment choices for their bipolar dogs.