1. What is a veterinary behaviour consult?
A veterinary behaviour consult is similar to any other vet consult where an owner presents a concern or question about their pet and we aim to help you address it. Behavioural concerns can, and often do have underlying mental health challenges which affect your pets quality of life just as physical health affects their wellbeing.
Unfortunately, there are no simple tests that can immediately rule in and out different mental health problems or tell us why our pets act a certain way, so we must rely on good observational information. Of course, mental and physical health are related and interact so we must always assess and consider physical health problems in relation to behaviour concerns, which vets are well trained to do.
2. Why does a behaviour consult require more time than a regular consult?
Behaviour changes and concerns take more time to discuss to collect the information we need to assess your pet as an individual and work together to find out if there is a true abnormality, and what may be contributing to it so we can develop a plan to manage it.
There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to complex things like behaviour so we set aside time to come up with a plan that is workable for you and your pet, and leave scope to adjust this as needed.
3. Why do we recommend a follow up consult?
Ongoing support from us and feedback from you about your pets response to treatment and the initial plan is crucial to bring about and maintain positive change in you and your pets life. We always aim to tailor every approach to the individual and this may mean adjusting our initial plan to suit your pet and lifestyle better. We can also build on initial improvements and ensure we are not going to lose the benefits you have worked hard to bring about. Life is never static and new challenges
inevitably come up, which we would like to be there to help with too.
4. Why do we request you fill out a questionnaire before the consult?
Sometimes it is easier to think about and put into words what you have noticed or are concerned about in your own time, which this allows you to do. Crucially, it gives us a lot of essential information, which we can assess before you even arrive for your consult, to make the consult more efficient and effective for everyone.
5. How is seeing a vet for a behaviour concern different to a dog trainer?
Behaviour problems involving underlying emotional and mental health challenges are not the same as training problems and are not related to training or lack thereof.
Likewise, a behaviour consult likewise, does not replace obedience training. Often our treatment plan for your pet involves behaviour modification training which is not the same as obedience training. A dog trainer can be very valuable to assist you carry out a behaviour plan that involves modifying your dogs behaviour through reward based training.
6. Is there medication that can help?
Medications are one tool we have to assist animals with underlying mental health and emotional challenges, like distress. Medication can be helpful to improve patient well being and reduce suffering, like pain relief does for painful conditions.
Medications can also improve learning by reducing arousal but they don’t teach the animal how we wish them to behave or how to cope in stressful situations so are not a one trick solution to every problem we encounter. Medications can reduce the
intensity of the negative emotions involved in their behaviours of concern. We are aiming to help them be more calm, not aiming to sedate them.
7. Is medication always required?
Whether medication may help, and whether to use medication or not is one topic we can discuss during a consult. We are here to provide advice on your options, and the pros and potential cons to each so you can make an informed choice for your pet.
We can always reassess any decisions made based on the response we see in your individual pet. Medications are sometimes used daily or only at times they are needed. Medications are not the only tool we have to help. Altering your pets environment, lifestyle changes, supplements, pheromones, behaviour modification training, fear free equipment and products are some of the many other tools we have to select from.
8. What sort of concerns are best addressed in a behaviour consult?
- Separation anxiety
- Noise phobias (including fireworks and thunderstorms)
- Human focussed aggression in cats and dogs
- Dog focussed aggression in dogs
- Cat focussed aggression in cats
- Fear of specific places or events – such as vet visits, grooming, washing
- Nervousness/anxiety in many situations
- Abnormal behaviours in geriatric animals
- Resource guarding
- Toileting issues in dogs and cats
- Barking
- Destruction
- Reactivity to dogs, people, places
- Puppy socialisation and skill concerns
9. How long before my pet is better?
There is no easy answer to this question and no one solution for each pet. Many of the underlying causes of behaviour concerns cannot be completely cured, but we can manage them and improve well being. Much of what we do involves learning and learning takes time. Pets, like us, learn at different rates and are influenced by many factors we also try to address. There is a LOT of conflicting and confusing pet behaviour material and advice, and some solutions promising quick results are likely to be using aversive/unpleasant methods involving punishment that can certainly stop the targeted behaviour but often create a new problem in the process and can worsen a pets outcome and wellbeing in the long run. Our approach is to protect your pets welfare at all times and to be effective and humane in reaching behavioural goals.