Behavior: Diagnose Before You Prescribe

Ellen Lindell, VMD, DACVB, owner of Veterinary Behavior Consultations in Bethel, Connecticut, expresses the importance of getting an accurate diagnosis or reason for a specific behavior in a pet before prescribing any medication.

She says that some behavior problems are treatable without any drugs at all, and some drugs may even worsen the problem. Make sure you get an accurate diagnosis first, as well as informed consent from the client whenever prescribing medication for a behavior issue.