January, 2010

Researchers at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have a found a gene in Doberman Pinschers that could help identify dogs at higher risk for canine compulsive disorder (CCD).

CCD is a condition in which a dog engages in repetitive and time-consuming behavior from licking or chewing a body part or object to tail chasing. CCD tends to develop in dogs when they are between 1 and 4 years of age. The behavior can be triggered by numerous factors including trauma, illness, stress and anxiety. Males are more likely than females to develop CCD, and while this condition may impact any breed or mix certain breeds such as Doberman Pinschers and Bull Terriers seem more prone to developing CCD.

The researchers involved in the CCD study spent more than a decade collecting blood samples from Doberman Pinschers who were exhibiting compulsive behavior and from Doberman Pinschers who exhibited no signs of compulsive behavior. Through the blood samples, the researchers were able to compare the genetic material of these two groups of dogs. In addition, the researchers also evaluated the breeding lines of both sets of dogs. Eventually the researchers were able to discover that the dogs with symptoms of CCD all shared a particular gene.

Although there are current treatment options – such as antidepressants – for dogs with CCD, it is believed that this latest research may eventually result in the development of more effective treatment protocols and perhaps the prevention of some cases of CCD. In addition, the human healthcare community is using this discovery to aid its research on obsessive-compulsive behavior in humans.