Elsevier

Journal of Veterinary Behavior

Volume 8, Issue 3, May–June 2013, Pages 180-184
Journal of Veterinary Behavior

Case Report
Severe brain damage after punitive training technique with a choke chain collar in a German shepherd dog

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2013.01.002Get rights and content

Abstract

The features of severe ischemic brain damage after strangulation by the owner of a 1-year-old German shepherd dog are described. The dog was disciplined by the owner during training by holding the dog off the ground by his choke chain collar. At first, the dog behaved normally, but he became increasingly ataxic and started circling to the left and showed reduced consciousness. The neurological examination revealed severe disorientation, left lateral pleurothotonus, and circling. The neurological findings were consistent with a multifocal brain lesion. A magnetic resonance imaging scan was performed and showed changes in the T2- and diffusion-weighted images, consistent with severe cerebral edema resulting from ischemia. Because of the severity of the clinical features, the dog was later euthanized. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of a severe brain ischemia after strangulation in a dog.

Section snippets

Case description

A 1-year-old, male intact, German shepherd dog (weight 40 kg) with incoordination and circling to the left was presented at our small animal clinic. Four hours before presentation, the dog had been disciplined by the owner because of misbehavior during training. The dog was suspended a few feet in the air by its choke chain collar, a common form of punishment among dog handlers (Miller, 2008). By the owners' reckoning, the action was terminated after approximately 60 seconds when the dog

Imaging

Magnetic resonance (MR) tomography was performed with a 1.0 Tesla system (Gyroscan Phillips, Hamburg, Germany) and a knee coil. The T2-weighted scans showed (Figure 1A-C) (sagittal, field of view [FOV]: 222 mm, 15 slices, slice thickness: 4.0 mm, GAP: 0.3 mm, repetition time [TR]: 1756 milliseconds, echo time [TE]: 108 milliseconds, matrix: 360 × 360 and dorsal: FOV: 222 mm, 18 slices, slice thickness: 3.5 mm, GAP: 0.3 mm, TR: 1969 milliseconds, TE: 108 milliseconds, matrix: 320 × 320) a

Discussion

Swinging or lifting a dog off the ground by the collar (helicoptering or hanging) is a highly controversial form of punitive training technique occasionally applied by dog handlers or trainers (Miller, 2008). Dog handlers in favor of this technique still believe that its correct application “takes the drive and fight out of the dog” and does not cause any pain (Leerburg, 2010). It has been widely recognized by most veterinary behavior specialists that this form of punishment should be avoided

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