THE SECRET OF COMPULSIVE TAIL CHASING!
April 7th, 2009 by Dr. Donna Spector
A recent study of crazily tail-chasing dogs suggests this behavior may be related to high cholesterol! High cholesterol can clog up the small blood vessels in the tail that lead to “strange” sensations and cause dogs to manically circle to catch their ever-elusive tails!
It is true that pets can suffer from high cholesterol just like people. It is most common in dogs and has been overlooked as a cause of dog health problems until fairly recently. In addition to minor issues like tail-chasing, it is a risk factor for pet obesity, digestive upset, vision problems and even more life threatening problems like canine pancreatitis and seizures.
It can be easily diagnosed by basic blood work and can usually be effectively treated with a low fat diet and fatty acid pet supplements.
Click here to read more about identifying and managing high cholesterol in dogs to improve health and longevity!
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April 7th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Although these may be correlated, I don’t think it’s causative – my breed, Bull Terriers, is unfortunately one of those that can sometimes be affected by spinning, but virtually all of them have high cholesterol. Both conditions I’m sure have a genetic component, but I’ve certainly had dogs with high cholesterol with no hint of spinning (I have blood panels done on all my dogs when they get toward their geriatric years)
April 9th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Thanks for your comments! You are correct…this study should not be interpreted as direct cause and effect. There are certainly tail chasers that have normal cholesterol and there are dogs with high cholesterol that do not chase their tails!
This particular group of tail chasing dogs had a high incidence of elevated cholesterol indicating there MAY be a correlation between the two things. It should serve as a “red flag” for pet owners–if your dog is a chaser, get their cholesterol checked…just in case.
Dr. Spector