‘First step’ study links compromised emotional well-being and CE in dogs

Vets are being encouraged to assess the emotional state of dogs presenting with gut issues after a study uncovered a relationship between chronic enteropathy (CE) and compromised emotional health.

The paper, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, comprised a questionnaire-based study performed at Evidensia Specialist Animal Hospital in Helsingborg, Sweden.

Researchers questioned owners of 50 dogs with CE and 50 healthy control dogs.

Disease activity

Gastrointestinal (GI) disease activity was assessed via the Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index and faecal score; dogs with CE scored “significantly higher” compared to healthy controls on both counts.

The scholars assessed emotional valence and predisposition via the Positive and Negative Activation Scale (PANAS) – 21 statements measuring positive and negative activation – emotional arousal by a further seven non-validated questions and three questions on signs of distress.

On a scale ranging from 0.2 (minimal contribution of negative affective systems) to 1.0 (maximal contribution), dogs with CE (0.48) had “significantly higher” mean negative activation scores than healthy controls (0.33).

‘Behavioural responses’

The authors said: “High negative activation indicates a predominance of negative emotions and, therefore, leads to a more significant level of protective behavioural responses.”

Frequency of displacement behaviours and signs of distress were graded on a five-point Likert scale. Regarding displacement behaviours, dogs with CE were more often assessed with scores of 3 or higher in five of the seven situations presented, such as interacting with an unfamiliar dog or unfamiliar person, and they were between 3.19 and 13.64 times more likely to be reported with a score of 3 or more for those five statements.

Dogs with CE were also more likely to score 3 or higher for signs of distress when owners prepared to leave the house.

The scholars called for further studies to investigate a potential cause-effect link between CE and emotional health, and to explore whether co-management of them improves clinical results.

Arousal and sleep guality

Co-authors Sarah Heath and Carrie Tooley, RCVS-recognised specialists in veterinary behavioural medicine, suggested clinicians use PANAS to assess the emotional state of dogs presenting with gut health issues, and recommended assessing dogs’ arousal and sleep quality.

Dr Heath said: “You need to take the two-pronged approach because there will be some assistance with the emotional compromise just from treating the gut, just as there would be some benefit of the emotional problem if we dealt with it purely emotionally but didn’t deal with the gut vice versa. But, unfortunately, to get long-term success and not to get flare ups and recurrence, you do need to deal with both.”

Lead author Ulrika Ludvigsson said the findings “represent one of the first steps toward understanding the interplay between CE and emotional well-being in dogs”.

She added: “The key implication of our findings is the need to raise awareness of a potential connection between CE and emotional health among veterinarians.”