Behaviour consulting
What is veterinary behaviour?
This is a field of veterinary medicine that looks at your pet's emotional and mental health. It is also referred to as veterinary psychiatry.
Vets like Dr. Sophie who have further behaviour training can diagnose mental health problems and assist with everything from issues with new puppies or kittens to psychological issues and psychiatric disorders.
If your pet is suffering from any of the problems or undesirable behaviours listed below, please get in touch with us:
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Storm/noise phobias
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Aggression
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General fear and anxiety
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Toileting issues
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Separation distress
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Compulsive behaviours (tail chasing, shadow chasing)
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Destructive behaviours
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Cognitive dysfunction/dementia
We also offer in clinic or telemedicine new puppy/kitten consultations. These are ideal for first-time puppy and kitten owners, or for experienced pet owners who have concerns about unusual or undesirable behaviours their puppy or kitten may be showing. If you're worried, don't wait until your new puppy or kitten is due for their first vaccination appointment, call the friendly team to organise a chat with Dr Sophie about your concerns to stop little problems from turning into big problems!
1
Pre-consult questionnaire
From your first contact with our knowledgeable reception staff, they will help you determine what kind of consult your pet needs. For any initial behavioural consult, we will send you a comprehensive questionnaire to fill out. This will provide Sophie with detailed background information of your pet's situation to ensure an effective treatment plan can be formulated. This questionnaire may take up to 45-60 minutes to complete and needs to be returned at least two days prior to your appointment.
If you are coming to us from another clinic, we will require your pet's full medical history and, if possible, a recent full blood profile.
2
Initial consultation
The initial consultation is an extended consultation that can be 80 or 120 minutes depending on your requirements and budget. This allows time to collect a thorough history of your pet and the behaviours they have been showing. This process will include working through the questionnaire you completed prior to the consultation, in addition to allowing Sophie to observe your pet either in the consultation room or at home if conducted as a house visit.
3
Treatment plan
After a thorough history has been collected, an assessment and diagnosis will be discussed with you. Sophie will then work with you to develop an individualised treatment and management plan for you and your pet.
Sophie works closely with Maree Neave of Personal Training for Your Pooch. Maree is a fear-free, positive-reinforcement only pet trainer and in many cases, part of your pet's treatment plan may involve booking a session with her to formulate a behaviour modification plan.
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Follow up
Treating behavioural problems and mental health disorders takes time and patience. A revisit is generally recommended within the first 1-2 months after your initial consultation to review progress and make any adjustments to your pet's treatment plan. These review appointments are typically shorter than the initial consultation, usually 40-60 minutes.
About
Who is Dr Sophie?
Dr Sophie has developed a particular interest in veterinary psychiatry since she started working at the clinic.
She has completed postgraduate study to acquire further qualifications and is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Behaviour.
