What we do
Our Goal is to improve the quality of life and happiness to your pet and provide sustainable long term evidence based scientific methods. These include humane behaviour modification techniques, environmental managment and medication. (if required)
We can help with:
Types of behavioural issues we can help with but not limiting to.
Fears and Anxieties (e.g. separation, novelty, people, other animals, storms, noises.)
Destructive Behaviours (e.g. chewing)
Obsessive Behaviours (pacing, lip licking, fly snapping, spinning)
Toileting/Urination issues (e.g. cat not using litter box/spraying, dogs urinating at undesirable spots)
Vocalization (excessive barking or caterwauling)
Reactive/’’Aggressive’’ Behaviours (with strangers, other animals, over desirable items)
Age related senility issues (e.g. cognitive decline, loss of vigor)
We work with Canine/Feline and Avian patients.
WHAT IS A VETERINARY BEHAVIOUR CONSULTATION?
To diagnose and treat a behaviour problem, an understanding of a specie normal behaviour and an understanding of veterinary medicine is required as many diseases affect behaviour. On top of that, knowledge on learning and memory, brain function, developmental processes are essential for an accurate diagnosis of behavioural problems and to form a treatment plan to help the animal. Each animal is an individual and have different needs in relation to their lifestyles. Additionally, they also have a different level of response to stress and anxiety which will affect the individual’s welfare and quality of life.
A Veterinary Behavioural consultation consists of a detailed history form that is filled out initially and assessed by the clinician prior to the appointment. The consultation takes up to 2 hours as the clinician goes through the history and identifies and understands the problem behaviours. A diagnosis is then made and explained to you to help understand the problem as it is essential for you to understand and relate so as to provide effective management. Prognosis and expectations are discussed and a treatment plan is inacted to help with therapy.
Treatment usually involves 3 main things:
Environmental management involves managing the animal’s environment to help reduce the display of the problem behaviours
Behavioural modification programs to help with learning new or alternate calmer, less anxious behaviours.
Medications if required to help with assisting the program and improve learning capabilities which ultimately is focused on maximising response and minimalizing further problems from arising.
IS A VETERINARY BEHAVIOUR CONSULT DIFFERENT FROM OBEDIENCE TRAINING?
The focus of a veterinary behavioural consult and behaviour modification is very different from obedience training. Behavioural problems by itself is not a consequence that an animal chooses willingly to display. It can have an emotional/medical/physiological component that is not made via a choice from the animal’s perspective. Obedience training is still required to teach an animal good manners but behavioural problems are not obedience training problems.