Specialized in applying behavioral principles to domestic animal issues.

The old paradigm of “veterinarian heals the body, trainer heals the mind” is obsolete. Every veterinary practitioner today must be a student of behavior, and every animal behaviorist must respect the medical substrate of behavior.

: Modifications of behavior based on experience, including conditioning and imitation.

Dogs that tail-chase, shadow-chase, or flank-suck obsessively show abnormalities in the basal ganglia and serotonin pathways—strikingly similar to human obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In one landmark study, tail-chasing Bull Terriers responded to fluoxetine (Prozac) in the same way humans with OCD respond to SSRIs.

When a veterinarian looks at a behavioral issue, they first rule out "medical mimics." For instance, a cat that stops using its litter box may not be "spiteful"; it may have feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). A senior dog showing sudden aggression may be suffering from chronic arthritis pain or cognitive dysfunction syndrome (animal dementia). By treating the body, veterinary science often "cures" the behavior. The Role of Psychopharmacology