Treating animal behavior like mental health

Behavioral health in veterinary medicine is often treated as an afterthought, something to address only when a problem arises. However, according to Tiffany Tupler, DVM, CBCC-KA, HABc, that approach may be costing veterinary practices more than they realize. In this video, expanding on her feline behavior lecture at the dvm360 Fetch Charlotte Veterinary Conference, Tupler makes the case that behavior is medicine, arguing that integrating behavioral education into everyday practice not only improves patient outcomes but can also strengthen client relationships and even drive more pet owners through the door.

Below is the transcript, lightly edited for clarity.

Tupler: I think the No. 1 thing is to help veterinarians and their teams understand that medicine is important—in how we diagnose, how we treat, and what medications we use—but behavior is equally as important because we think of it like mental health. When you look at human medicine, we're now seeing that sometimes it isn't about just getting a procedure done and then being healthy. A lot of it comes down to: What is your mental health? How are you feeling? The way you feel creates a better outcome.

We're also seeing this in dogs, cats, and many species of animals. So I think one of the biggest takeaways that I can offer is that behavior needs to be treated just as if it is a serious medical issue, and not something that is tertiary or a secondary thing that [you’ll] get to when [you] have time. You always have time. And it might not be you, the veterinarian. It could be someone, like I said, on your staff. [Certified veterinary technicians] and veterinary assistants are hungry to do something that can help someone, and behavior is a great avenue for that.

When we open up our doors to having behavioral education, you're going to have more buy-in when you want to do medical stuff. Many pet owners don't bring their pets—cats in particular—to a vet because they see the fear, and they feel bad. They don't want their cat to be stressed out. By having these conversations and realizing that behavior is medicine—that is No. 1.

That builds off of proactive behavior education. It doesn't just have to be when the animal's sick or…having problems. We can actually be more proactive, which, again, increases how our clients come through our door. It might actually increase how many people come through your door because they might actually come before the pet is sick, seeking advice and education to make sure that they have a happy, healthy cat.