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4 The Relationship between Physiology and Behavior in Dogs and Cats
Valarie V. Tynes, Colleen S. Koch, and Leslie Sinn
4.1 Introduction
Behavior can change as a result of medical problems or physiological changes. If shelter operations, behavior, and/or medical staff identify behaviors that may have an underlying medical cause, they can be addressed immediately, relieving suffering and increasing the adoptability of the animal. Conversely, if medical conditions that cause or exacerbate problematic behaviors are missed, time may be wasted on training or attempted behavior modification, thus prolonging suffering and time spent in the shelter. At the same time, a complex relationship can exist between physical conditions or disease and behavior, so careful attention must be given to how the two systems (mind and body) affect each other.
4.2 General Concepts of the Relationship between Medical and Behavioral Issues
To provide optimal medical care for any animal, it is imperative that we first move beyond the paradigm where we attempt to separate “medical” conditions from “behavioral” conditions. All medical conditions will result in some behavioral change (American Psychiatric Association 2013). Many of these are the most basic of signs and symptoms that all veterinarians are taught to look for, such as the lethargy and anorexia associated with many illnesses. In addition, every behavior is a result of neurochemical action at the molecular level in the nervous system and thus cannot ever be completely separated from the physiological (see Figure 4.1). While some behavioral changes can be associated with organic diseases, such as space‐occupying masses in the central nervous system or the changes that occur as a result of infection and/or inflammation, other behaviors can result from dysregulation at the neurophysiological or neurochemical level—problems that we still have much to learn about. It is hoped that with advancing technology, our understanding of the neurophysiologic basis of behavior will continue to improve.
Using a medical model approach to problem behaviors can improve communications between caregivers, shelter staff, and the rest of the health care team. This approach broadly categorizes behavior problems using terminology similar to that used in human mental health. However, these categories are purely descriptive and often attempt to assign a motivation to the unwanted behavior. This terminology does not necessarily reflect a knowledge of the cause, mechanism, or neurobiology underlying the behavior (American Psychiatric Association 2013). Some behaviors may reflect a dysregulation or disruption of the neurological system and may thus be considered truly malfunctional, as the medical model suggests. Other behaviors may represent an animal’s attempt to adapt to an environment to which adaption is not completely possible and should be considered maladaptive (Mills 2003). Having a thorough understanding of normal species‐typical behaviors for the animal in question is critical to developing a management and/or treatment plan for the individual exhibiting maladaptive or malfunctional behaviors. A third category that will not be covered in this chapter is the normal adaptive behaviors of animals that are simply inconvenient or problematic for their caretakers. See Chapters 12 and 18 for more information on training and behavior modification.
Figure 4.1 This diagram depicts how genetics, the environment, and medical conditions/disease processes all contribute to behavior. The relationship and interconnectedness of all of these components will be reflected in the overall health and welfare of the individual.
A variety of different disease processes can cause and/or contribute to the worsening of both maladaptive and malfunctional behaviors. Many individuals will simply differ in how readily they react to stimuli, the degree to which they respond, and how long they stay emotionally aroused. These differences often represent normal individual variations in temperament and are also affected by an individual’s experience during development.
4.3 Recognizing the Behavior of the Sick Animal
It is well understood that dogs and cats continue to express many of the behavioral patterns expressed by their wild ancestors. The behaviors typical of sick animals represent a highly adaptive behavioral strategy, so it is not surprising that many of these behaviors have been retained in spite of domestication. Initially, most sick animals will display varying degrees of lethargy and anorexia. In many cases, this occurs due to the development of a febrile response. These behaviors, often viewed by caretakers as abnormal, are in fact normal and serve a beneficial purpose for the affected animal (see Box 4.1). Fever has the effect of assisting the animal to combat infectious disease by potentiating numerous immunologic responses (Hart 2010; Hart 2011). It also produces a body temperature that is inappropriate for the growth of most pathogenic organisms. The same physiologic response that produces the fever results in anorexia, and the animal, with no desire to move about in search of food or water, will save energy needed to make up for the increased metabolic cost of the fever.
Due to the fact that febrile animals feel cold, they are likely to lie curled up. This reduces the body surface area and decreases heat loss by convection and radiation. Piloerection is also likely in sick animals, as it provides some increased insulating ability (Hart 2010). The lethargic, ill animal will spend less time grooming, so a coat that appears dirtier or oilier than normal may be an indication of illness. Grooming requires movement and thus expenditure of energy, and oral grooming can lead to a significant amount of water loss, especially critical to a febrile animal attempting to conserve water, energy, and body heat.
Box 4.1 General Behavioral Responses to Illness in Dogs and Cats
Reduced activity
Reduced appetite
Decreased water intake
Increased
