What does a traumatized dog look like? The most common thing that immediately comes to mind is that of a dejected-looking dog. However, although traumatized dogs appear healthy, they experience distress at random moments. This is the situation with a dog named Tanya.
Tanya appears normal most of the time. Nonetheless, her owners frequently discovered her squealing. And when this happens, Tanya would uncontrollably scratch her face.
The owner felt that Tanya’s itching is linked to a skin condition. They have tried every possible drug and have altered her diet three times. None of these, however, had any effect on the scratching and squeaking.
Tanya’s owners took her to an animal hospital and subjected her to an MRI scan. Thankfully, the scan findings revealed that Tanya did not have any health issues. However, this made the situation more difficult to solve. The veterinarian recommended placing a cone on Tanya’s head for one day and observing the results.
Tanya went an entire day without attempting to scratch her face, much to the amazement of her owners. Upon reporting this to the veterinarian, it became evident that Tanya’s problem was psychological.
She was sadly hit by a car in the past, and that seemed to continue to haunt her daily.
The owners consulted an animal behavior specialist for assistance with Tanya’s problem. The specialist recommended placing Tanya in a situation where she would be required to remove a stimulant. A piece of tape was wrapped around her paw in this instance. When she effectively removes it, she receives food as a reward.
The instruction taught Tanya how to overcome a bothersome sensation independently. In addition, she was given a unique type of toy that allows her to concentrate on her sense of smell.
Tanya was also taken on daily walks to use up her excess energy.
The expert provided a viable course of action. However, Tanya will not overcome her trauma overnight. The owners will continue to train her until she no longer squeals or scratches her face at random.
Source: SBS TV동물농장x애니멀봐