Ellen M. Lindell, VMD, DACVB

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Ellen Lindell weighs the risks of socialization before vaccinations are complete.

Pets that exhibit problematic behaviors risk losing their homes or even their lives.

Window views of outdoor cats can trigger cat fights.

Feline friends can develop into feline foes overnight, confounding their owners. Help re-establish peace in the household with these veterinary management tips.

Dr. Ellen Lindell says you should think twice before including your pet in this popular fundraising challenge.

Dr. Theresa Entriken introduces veterinary behaviorist Dr. Ellen Lindell's advice about this troublesome behavior in senior cats.

The term dominance-related aggression is not only simplistic but is often inaccurate.

There is no way around it: collecting a behavioral history is time-consuming. But never boring. Given a chance, pet owners will share every detail of every episode that they can recall. Most people are also eager to offer their theories regarding the development of the problem. A systematic means of politely limiting the information flow can be developed with experience.

The veterinary technician with an interest in behavior can help build and maintain a behavior practice within a general practice setting. Technicians are in an ideal position to promote behavior services. Clients will appreciate having a skilled person guide them through the treatment steps outlined by the veterinarian.

Most medical conditions lead to changes in behavior. Veterinary visits are scheduled when pets are "not acting right". Behaviors of concern might include limping, coughing, and vomiting.

Dogs these days are treated as children. They are expected to be social, and to have good manners. Unfortunately, some dogs are just not comfortable with children. Puppies purchased from breeders as well as adults adopted from shelters may present for aggressive behavior toward children.

There's an old expression that goes something like this: "Your words may come back to bite you." Such is the case with terminology in medicine. Striving to communicate, we are inclined to label phenomena before we fully understand what it is we are actually describing.

Remember Lassie? How about all those clever Dalmatians? People are inclined to adopt dogs of certain breeds when they see a dog of that breed behaving in an appealing manner. It is tempting to watch a border collie speed gracefully through an agility course and think, "Wow, I would like a dog like that."

Many cats lose their homes and lives simply because they eliminate in areas other than their litter boxes. Cat owners are often unaware that treatment is available. In fact, the prognosis for resolving housesoiling in cats is often very good.

Factors to consider before prescribing a psychoactive drug.

Cats were once described as solitary animals. Cats typically hunt alone and they do not wander about in packs. It was reasonable to conclude that cats were not a social species.

There are many professionals available to work with behavior problems in dogs. Each has a role, but sometimes, boundaries may seem less than clear.