A Cavalier King Charles dog with shadow chasing: Clinical recovery and normalization of the dopamine transporter binding after clomipramine treatment

A 30-month-old female Cavalier King Charles dog was presented with a history of worsening compulsive behavior (shadow chasing). In vivo brain imaging using single-photon emission computed tomography and the dopamine transporter (DAT)-specific radiopharmaceutical 123I-FP-CIT revealed a significantly higher DAT striatal-to-brain ratio. Treatment was started with the tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine 2.5 mg/kg PO, q. 12 hours. After 2 months of medication that resulted in clinical improvement, the DAT binding regained normal values.