Whilst it is commonly known as separation anxiety, true
separation distress is actually rooted in a different system than anxiety.
Where anxiety has its roots in the FEAR system, separation distress has its
roots in the PANIC system. [1]
As world renowned neuroscientist and psychobiologist Jaak Panksepp explains, the PANIC neurocircuitry is clearly distinct from
FEAR neurocircuitry.[2]
Electrical stimulation to the areas of the brain known as the PANIC system
actually stimulates what scientists refer to as ‘separation calls.’ Young
animals, especially mammals, will produce separation calls when isolated from
their mother. As Panksepp explains, “brain evolution has provided safeguards to
assure that parents take care of the offspring (as reflected by separation
calls).”[3]
Panksepp also states that there are specific locations in the auditory system
that are designed to process these separation calls. This is indicative that
separation distress has evolved to ensure that young are not separated from
their parents (usually mother) and also to ensure that members of the group are
not separated either. If separated, the young animal or lone group member would
be exposed to danger and would have a far lower chance of survival.
So what is occurring on a neurological level? Whilst
scientists do not know exactly what occurs in the brain during separation
distress, Panksepp’s research has given us an indication of what is going on.
The stria terminalis is a nerve
fibre bundle that runs through the amygdala, the thalamus and the hypothalamus.
There is a high density of active distress-vocalisation sites within the stria
terminalis, which is a large component of the PANIC system as well as featuring
heavily in maternal behaviours. It is found that by activating receptors of the
excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, as well as cortisol releasing hormones,
the stria terminalis becomes more active and so distress vocalisations
increase. This seems to indicate that when an animal becomes isolated, the
limbic components of the brain (which are all linked to the stria terminalis
and thus the PANIC system) trigger the release of cortisol, as well as the
activation of glutamate. Because glutamate is the main excitatory
neurotransmitter, and accompanies many emotions, there are specific subtypes of
glutamate that activate certain areas of the brain by binding to specific
receptor proteins[4].
In this instance, this specific subtype of glutamate would activate the
distress vocalisation sites within the PANIC system, including the stria
terminalis, and therefore activate separation calls. Usually these separation
calls would result in the parent (usually mother) rushing back to its young, or
the group finding their lost member, and so the animal would be able to relax.
However, if these calls did not result in an end to the animal’s isolation, the
cortisol levels would not dissipate and the glutamate would continue to trigger
the PANIC system. It seems this would be known as a PANIC attack. In dogs this
is exhibited through excessive vocalisation, destructiveness, house soiling,
and naturally, escaping in an attempt to find the attachment figure. The
cortisol levels in the animal begin to accumulate and start to cause emotional
or psychological damage.
Current research tells us that the ‘cry it out’
routine often used by humans to attempt to train their baby to ‘self soothe,’
actually cause psychological damage and trauma to a young child and will have
the opposite effect as intended. Psychotherapist Tina Bryson suggests
that the flood of cortisol over the child’s brain that occurs during the cry it
out routine can have lasting affects both psychologically and biologically,
affecting both emotional and physical health.[5]
Studies have shown that giving them what they need, leads to greater
independence, greater exploration and better confidence when left (Hewlett
& Lamb 2005 hunter gatherer childhoods). “Conditioning an animal to expect
that his needs are not met, means he is far more likely to exhibit unhappy,
aggressive & demanding behaviours and is far more likely to vocalise to get
his needs met. This deep sense of insecurity is likely to stay with him for the
rest of his life.”[6]
Research points to the fact that ‘cry it out,’ the most popular method used
with both babies and dogs, causes lasting damage and makes for a more dependent
and less confident animal, and will likely increase separation distress, so why
is this method so widely used? It is highly possible that leaving young puppies
to ‘cry it out’ is actually one of the causes of major separation distress in
dogs. There is a good
chance that the puppy will eventually lay quietly in his crate, however whilst owners
perceive this as good behaviour and successful ‘self-soothing’ training, the dog has actually shut down, as the pup has learned that regardless of its
behaviour, its needs will not be met. Similarly, sometimes in dogs with
separation distress, there are no obvious symptoms. This is because on the
extreme scale of separation distress, a dog will literally shut down completely
to the aversive stimuli (which in the dog’s mind is the owner’s absence).
Separation distress in dogs is a debilitating condition, for
both dog and owner. The dog is literally having a panic attack every time he is
left, and owners often come home to total destruction, and potentially a
missing dog. So what can owners do to manage separation anxiety? First of all,
in many cases of moderate to severe separation anxiety. As Panksepp points out, opiates as well as
tricyclic anti-depressants reduce separation distress in animals, however, a
veterinarian would be needed to prescribe medication. Ideally when dealing with
separation distress in dogs, an owner would suspend all absences, in other
words, not leave the dog for a period of time whilst training is taking place. Whilst this may seem unrealistic, there are many options for owners, such as doggy day care, a pet sitter, friends and family, or you can join a Canine Separation Anxiety Support Group on Facebook where local owners can swap baby-sitting duties.
During this period of time, the owner would begin to counter
condition the dog to absences and create a positive emotional conditioned
response to being left. This can be done through the use of food (scent games
work extremely well, and so too does interactive food toys as they engage the dog’s
SEEKING system as well as its sense of smell – both of which are highly
rewarding for the dog.) It is important to note that counter conditioning a dog
to being left must be done very gradually as a dog who is already in a panic
state is highly unlikely to be interested in taking food or anything else. For
this reason, it is important to keep him well under threshold. Start with in
view absences, in which the dog can still see you and you might only be a few
feet away, and slowly build up the distance and the duration of these absences.
When the dog can cope with this, you can progress to out of view absences, and
then eventually out of house absences, however it is of the utmost importance
never to push the dog to more than he can cope with. This is a very gradual
process, however, done properly, and the dog should have a positive conditioned
emotional response to the owner leaving. This is because the owner leaving has
become a predictor for high value reward, and the dog has been allowed to
gradually build up isolation time so it is able to cope with absences of longer
periods. In this way, separation will no longer trigger the brain’s PANIC
center, and so the dog will no longer panic when he is left alone.
Join our Canine Separation Anxiety Support Group on Facebook for free advice, support, and management and training tips;
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