| Type | Resource | |------|----------| | Books | Decoding Your Dog (American College of Veterinary Behaviorists); BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine | | Certifications | Fear Free (fearfreepets.com); Low Stress Handling (lowstresshandling.com) | | Journals | Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Applied Animal Behaviour Science | | Online courses | Behavior Vets Academy, IAABC Foundations |
| Specialty | Role | |-----------|------| | Veterinary Behaviorist (DACVB or DECAWBM) | Diagnoses & treats behavior disorders; prescribes psych meds. | | Shelter Medicine Veterinarian | Manages stress, fear, and aggression in rescue populations. | | Anesthesiologist | Designs fear-free sedation protocols for aggressive patients. | | Neurologist | Rules out seizures, brain tumors, or cognitive dysfunction. | | Pain Specialist | Identifies chronic pain as a driver of behavior change. | | Type | Resource | |------|----------| | Books
| Presenting Problem | Possible Medical Causes | Behavioral Component | |--------------------|------------------------|----------------------| | Dog–dog aggression | Hypothyroidism, pain (hip dysplasia), neurological lesion | Fear, poor socialization | | Cat house-soiling | FIC (feline interstitial cystitis), CKD, diabetes | Litter box aversion, stress | | Horse rearing | Back pain, dental hooks, gastric ulcers | Learned avoidance, handler cues | | Parrot screaming | Lead poisoning, malnutrition | Attention-seeking, boredom | | Rabbit aggression | Uterine cancer (common in unspayed females), ear mites | Territorial behavior | | Specialty | Role | |-----------|------| | Veterinary
Rule of thumb: Any sudden behavior change in an adult animal requires a physical exam, bloodwork, and pain assessment before behavior therapy. | Presenting Problem | Possible Medical Causes |