The behaviourist's perspective

Presented by Daniel Mills, BVSc, PhD, Cbiol, FRSB, FHEA, CCAB, Dipl. ECAWBM(BM), FRCVS RCVS, Beatriz Monteiro, DVM, PhD, PgDip, ISFM Adv Cert FB

Continuing education questionnaire

CE credit: 1

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Questions

1. Which of the following answers best describes the potential emotional consequences of osteoarthritis (OA) pain in dogs? *

An increase in both negative and positive emotional states

An increase in negative emotional state with a decrease in positive emotional state

An increase in positive emotional state with a decrease in negative emotional state

A decrease in both negative and positive emotional states

None of the above as a dog doesn’t experience emotional states

2. The emotional consequences of OA pain can be assessed in the dog by the PANAS tool. In this regard, which of the following statement is true? *

The PANAS acronym stands for Positive and Negative Affect Schedule

PANAS measures a dog’s sensitivity to both positive (e.g., rewards) and negative (e.g., fearful) events

PANAS assessment in dogs with chronic OA pain often indicate increased negative affect such as fearfulness and decreased positive affect such as playfulness

PANAS can be used as both a diagnostic and response to therapy tool

All of the above

3. With regard to the interplay of the pet owner in a dog’s behavioural response to chronic OA pain, which of the following statements is false? *

As pain-associated behaviour is displayed by the pet, it can be reinforced or learned based on the owner’s response

Owner’s often “normalize” the initial dog’s behavioural responses to pain and so fail to identify and prevent an impending “sudden” behavioural outcome (e.g., fearful/biting)

Can result in “pseudo pain” where a behaviour that may be associated with pain is inadvertently reinforced by the pet owner despite the pet not being in pain

A dog’s response to chronic pain is innate and not influenced at all by the human-animal bond

The interplay can affect both the dog and owner’s quality of life

4. What are the key components that define an animal’s emotional resilience? *

Ability to absorb or resist stress (resistance)

The ability to recover by adapting (flexibility)

The animal’s genetic background, as emotional resilience is breed-specific and based on genetics

a + b

None of the above

5. With regard to the relationship between pain associated with chronic OA and the dog’s behavioural response, which of the following statements is true? *

Pain will not be the primary cause of a behavioural problem in a dog

Pain can exacerbate an existing behavioural disorder resulting in a poor response to behaviour-specific therapy

If a dog’s behavioural patterns have changed, a cause, including pain, should be explored

b + c

If a dog is not demonstrating limb dysfunction (e.g., limping), any behavioural issues the dog is demonstrating are not pain-related

6. True or False. Signs of cognitive dysfunction in the dog often overlap with signs of chronic pain and as such, pain assessment should be a component of the diagnostic work-up for these patients. *

True

False

7. Which of the following is not an associated subtle or potential adjunctive pain-associated behaviour in the dog? *

Excessive yawning or blinking

Excessive “wet-dog” shaking, even when not wet

Repetitive scratching or digging behaviour

Altered sleep patterns

Inappropriate humping behaviour in male dogs

8. True or False. Validated pain scales can be enhanced and individualized to a specific patient by including assessments of behaviours/behavioural changes that may be related to pain. *

True

False

9. When treating a dog with unwanted behaviours thought to be due to pain associated with chronic OA, which of the following statements is correct? *

Implementation of foundational OA treatment with an NSAID should result in rapid elimination of the unwanted behaviour

Behaviours may persist despite appropriate OA treatment as these behaviours are learned

Effective treatment of the behavioural manifestations of chronic OA pain should encompass therapeutic approaches directed at both the OA and learned behaviours

When OA treatment is initiated, the unwanted behaviour will often become worse as the dog is more mobile/active

b + c

10. True or False. Problem behaviour can affect the bond between a dog and their owner. Understanding how to identify and approach these will promote the well-being of both. *

True

False