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ALTHOUGH dog behaviour problems are a leading cause of relinquishment and euthanasia ( Salman and others 1998 ), only 11 per cent of veterinarians surveyed in a USA study strongly agreed that dog behaviour is their responsibility, initiating a discussion regarding behaviour problems in dogs ( Patronek and Dodman 1999 ). Aside from specific treatments for behaviour problems, several medical and surgical treatments that are routinely prescribed by general veterinary practitioners can affect the behaviour of dogs. Phenylpropanolamine, commonly used for the treatment of urinary sphincter hypotonus in dogs, can cause restlessness and increased irritability; phenobarbital, a drug used to control seizures, may provoke anxiety and agitation; and diphenhydramine, a well-known and frequently dispensed antihistamine, can be the cause of unwanted excitement and nervousness in canine patients( Plumb 2008 ). New and innovative drugs can cause undesired behaviour changes too; oclacitinib (Apoquel; Zoetis), used to control pruritus in dogs with allergic dermatitis, has been found to be associated with increased aggression ( Cosgrove and others 2013 ). Surgery can also be a very stressful event for dogs and cause major behavioural changes ( Siracusa and others 2008 , Wiese 2015 ). These are just a few examples of the behaviour changes caused by common veterinary treatments and procedures.
Behaviour changes determined by increased physical and/or emotional arousal, that is, increased anxiety, reactivity or nervousness, or post-surgical dysphoria, may increase the risk of an aggressive interaction with the treated dog. Likewise, behaviour changes associated with decreased physical and/or emotional arousal, that is, the lack of adequate responsiveness to external stimuli or the reluctance to move, is often indicative of poor welfare ( Siracusa and others 2008 ). Veterinarians should take care to inform the client of the possible behaviour changes associated with medical and surgical treatment, and should provide adequate recommendations to maximise the safety and the quality of life of their patients, and the individuals in contact with them.
Exogenous corticosteroids are frequently used in veterinary practice (O'Neil and others 2012); however, behaviour changes have been described in dogs treated with corticosteroids. Dogs under corticosteroid treatment were reported to be less playful, more nervous, more fearful, more aggressive in the presence of food and when disturbed, more likely to bark and startle, and more likely...