London - For some of us it is as mild as avoiding the cracks in the pavement. For others it’s a life-changing condition that causes misery.
However, obsessive compulsive disorder isn’t confined to humans, according to scientists.
Dogs also display the condition – most notably through chasing their tails, car wheels or biting their flanks.
Now a study of this canine behaviour could help provide hope of a treatment for the millions of men and women who suffer seriously from the disorder.
Researchers found that variations on canine behaviour in certain breeds may be down to where the dogs lived, their diet and their general upbringing.
Many well-known faces suffer from OCD to varying degrees. David Beckham, for instance, cannot stand odd numbers of items in his fridge so if he has three cans of drink he will throw one out, according to an interview with wife Victoria.
Leonardo diCaprio says he has to force himself not to step on every chewing gum stain on the pavement because he doesn’t want his condition taking over his life. Genetics researchers from the University of Helsinki examined OCD among 400 dogs.
Breeds such as bull terriers and german shepherds were particularly prone to chasing their tails, which led the researchers to believe genetics plays a role.
But then they noticed other connections. Dogs which were fed nutritional supplements like vitamins were less likely to chase their own tails, which suggested diet plays a part.
Dogs that were separated particularly early from their mother or had poor care from their mother also exhibited OCD-style signs of behaviour. However the researchers found that a lack of exercise did not make any difference with tail chasing.
Scientists now want to look at how certain vitamins and minerals in a human diet could help OCD sufferers. Researcher Katriina Tiira said: “Tail chasing in dogs can be used as an animal model for studying the genetic background of OCD in humans.”
Dogs most likely to chase their own tails were, generally, more timid and more afraid of loud noises. The results of the study were revealed in the specialist scientific journal PLoS One. - Daily Mail