Dr Jen has a special interest in behaviour medicine and provides veterinary behaviour consults.
Mental health is a far less taboo subject for humans, and the same holds true for animals. Stress levels and nutritional status of the mum affect brain development of the offspring. For puppies, there are many developmental needs that must be met in their first 8 weeks for the brain to develop normally, and if this doesn’t occur, then behaviour issues may occur later in life. A pet guardian may do everything perfectly to no avail if there has been issues in the early development of the dog.
Many dogs and cats survive as feral or semi-ferals and are taken in to rescues, sometimes via trapping. There are many rescue dogs that are then shipped to Canada from the southern USA or Mexico, which can be traumatizing for them. All these experiences can have profound effects on that animal’s mental health and often manifest as fear, anxiety or aggression (to name only a few).
Any individual living in a state of fear or anxiety has the primitive part of their brain in charge most of the time. They are in fight or flight mode. The rational, thinking part of their brain is booted from the driver’s seat and the primitive brain is in charge. This severely limits the individual’s ability to learn alternate coping strategies, they are just reacting to what scares or worries them. This is where medications can have a profound effect in reducing fear and/or anxiety and allowing the rational part of the brain a chance to establish coping strategies.
What happens during a Veterinary Behaviour Consult?
A thorough history form is provided for the family to complete prior to the appointment.
During the visit, the history form is reviewed, and specific concerns are discussed. If the pet is keen to interact, some of the behaviour modification homework recommended may be started or demonstrated.
By the end of the appointment, a treatment plan is set out and includes:
- Environmental Management – changing or adapting the surroundings to protect the pet and those it might contact
- Behaviour Modification – specific relaxation skills can be taught to help your pet manage their emotional state
- Medication (if indicated) with brief explanation of what the medication does and detailed instructions for use
- Resources – a shared folder with PDF copies of various handouts, links to recommended equipment and online resources and more
We set check in dates to ensure all is going as expected in the 8-12 weeks after the first visit and then a revisit is recommended at the 12-week mark to assess response to treatment and adjust the plan as needed.
Want to learn more, or to talk to Dr. Jen about your pet’s needs?