Behavior

Monitoring and assessing behavioral signs is a critical component of every veterinary visit.

A cat may become fearful, anxious or highly aroused in situations that are unpredictable, those that have been previously fear evoking, or when there is a perceived threat.

Psychotropic drugs and natural alternatives might be used to help reduce the signs associated with phobic, panic or chronic anxiety states and to improve trainability especially in situations where the pet is too anxious, fearful or impulsive to control its responses.

Environmental enrichment is an important and essential aspect of most animal management programs.

Inappropriate elimination, both housesoiling and urine spraying (vertical marking) are the most common feline behavior problems seen at behavior referral practices.

Domestication and selective breeding (genetics) may lead to increasingly affectionate, socially dependent and infantilized dogs with excessive owner attachment and intolerance to being left alone.

Even if a medical problem is diagnosed it can be a challenge to determine whether the problem is causing or contributing to the signs in which case a therapeutic trial might prove useful.

Clicker training currently is a popular training method amongst dog owners, and increasingly among cat trainers and horse trainers.

Effective restraint is one of those aspects of veterinary medicine that we simultaneously take for granted but also wish we could do better.

Dog aggression is a serious public health issue in the U.S.

Behavioral issues are the most common complaint among pet owners.

Behavior problems associated with fear and aggression are the most common issues presenting to behaviorists, particularly in dogs.

Behavior problems are frustrating, emotionally taxing, and often dangerous to the animal or those around the animal.

For many fractious dogs, it's safer to work with them on an exam room table instead of the floor.

Dog bites are one of the most common nonfatal injuries occurring in the United States.

Boston -- A proposed Massachusetts bill aimed at banning the controversial devocalization surgery in dogs has veterinarians barking about public disclosure of client information and infringement of medical practice.

In this video, Dr. Benjamin Hart discusses the process of habituating cats to riding in the car.

Form attached to "How wellness care saves money"

In this video, Dr. Haug explains how to manage cats' destructive behaviors with stimulation.

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) in dogs is thought to be similar to Alzheimer's disease in people. And studies have revealed that people with Alzheimer's disease not only have cognitive deficits, but neurologic deficits as well, such as impaired gait, restlessness, slowness, and, rarely, tremors.

Recommending the right trainer is of utmost importance because a positive training experience can result in fewer behavioral problems.

As applied to animals, the terms anxieties, fears and phobias refer to a continuum.

Guide dogs have assisted people with visual disabilities since 1819 in Vienna, and a school was established in the United States in the 1920s.

Aggression is the most common problem behavior of dogs, comprising about 70% of canine cases presented to behavior clinics.

There are no bad cats! Imagine what they are experiencing through their eyes.

Despite the fact that cats are known for their fastidious eliminative behavior, problem elimination, especially urination, is the most frequent category of behavioral problems in feline practice.

The notion that animals benefit human health and wellbeing has become a widespread belief.

As a veterinarian who serves clients owning a dog, there are two issues to be concerned with that involve dog bite law.

Veterinarians in the past couple decades have embraced the growing awareness and accommodation for what is often termed "the human-animal bond," a concept that was developed by Leo Bustad.

Elderly people and others who are vulnerable due to disabilities potentially can benefit the most from canine companionship.