Behavioral Medicine
Why does my pet do that … and how do I fix it?
The rigorous training and experience that veterinarians must receive to become board-certifed in veterinary behavior make them especially knowledgeable and skilled in diagnosing medical and environmental conditions that may be contributing to your pet’s behavioral problems. BluePearl’s veterinary behaviorists will use behavior modification and sometimes psychotropic medications, such as those used to relieve anxiety, to address your pet’s behavior issues. In appropriate situations, our behaviorists may also recommend trainers to help your pet learn a new behavior or eliminate a destructive behavior.
Why would you be referred to a veterinary behaviorist?
It is considered a good standard of care for veterinarians to refer cases to veterinary behaviorists when one or more of the following is true:
- The pet is a potential risk to him/herself and/or others.
- Medical problems complicate the behavior of the animal.
- The pet is suffering from his/her behavioral issue.
- The pet has not responded to basic behavioral interventions.
- The family is considering adding psychotropic medications to their pet’s treatment plan.
- The family is so frustrated that they are considering re-homing, abandoning, relinquishing to a shelter, or euthanizing their pet.
Conditions evaluated and treated be veterinary behaviorists include
Dogs
- Aggression to people and other animals
- Illness-related behavior changes
- Age-related behavior problems
- Excessive barking
- Fears and phobias, such as noise phobia, thunderstorm phobia, or fear of people
- Panic and anxiety disorders, such as separation anxiety, anxiety related to particular situations, or general anxiousness
- Compulsive behaviors, such as tail chasing, licking, fly snapping or light chasing
- House soiling and urine marking
- Preparation for lifestyle changes, such as arrival of a baby or blending families
- Problems with moving and adjusting to new environments, such as urban vs. suburban vs. country environments
Cats
- House soiling and urine marking
- Illness-related behavior changes
- Age-related behavior changes
- Aggression to people and other animals
- Fears and phobias, such as noise phobia and fear of people
- Panic and anxiety disorders, such as separation anxiety, anxiety related to particular situations, or general anxiousness
- Excessive vocalization
- Self-injuring behaviors, such as tail biting, tail chasing or excessive grooming
- Preparation for lifestyle changes, such as arrival of a baby or blending families
Exotics, birds, and “pocket” pets
- Feather picking in birds
- Aggression to people and other animals
- Fears and phobias
- House soiling
- Welfare assessments
- Species-specific training and environmental enrichment
