zoophobia /-fō″bē·ə/ [Gk, zoon + phobos, fear] , an anxiety disorder characterized by a persistent, irrational fear of animals, particularly dogs, snakes, insects, and mice. The condition is seen more often in women than in men, nearly always begins in childhood, and can typically be traced to some frightening or unpleasant experience involving an animal. Treatment consists of psychotherapy to uncover the cause of the phobic reaction followed by behavioral therapy, specifically the techniques of systemic desensitization and flooding.
