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In this section of the website you will find information about some of the common pet behaviour problems which we regularly encounter in my holistic veterinary practice in Mayfield, East Sussex (tel; 01435 87 47 87). Behavioural problems are often very difficult for people to deal with on their own and can sometimes completely destroy the bond between pets and people. Indeed, behavioural issues are one of the most common reasons for the rehoming of animals or even the euthanasia of a pet. Rescue centres are often full of dogs and cats with problematic behaviour.
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At my holistic veterinary practice in Mayfield, East Sussex we take behavioural issues very seriously indeed. We understand that if your dog or cat behaves in a manner which is unacceptable to you it can be very stressful for both you and your pet. Such behaviour can stretch the bond between you and your pet to breaking point at times and the joy of pet ownership may be diminished, or even overwhelmed, by the unacceptable behaviour your pet engages in.
Behavioural concerns should be addressed as quickly as possible, since the longer a behaviour goes on the harder it is to eradicate. At Mayfield Vet we try to prevent behaviour problems occuring by giving good advice and guidance to all owners of new puppies and kittens. If young animals are socialised and trained early on they are less likely to show behavioural problems later in life.
If a pet is presented to us when it already has a behavioural problem then we take the time to find out about what may have caused the problem in the first place and why the behaviour is continuing now. Often we find that there may be some underlying reward which the animal receives as a result of the unwanted behaviour even though the owners may be unaware of this, since what the pet may perceive as a reward might be a punishment in our eyes.
Once we fully understand the unwanted behaviour we can begin to help with the process of gently bringing the pet back towards acceptable behaviour once more. This can be a slow process, with lots of commitment from the owner being required. Often this is the part of the process which goes wrong, simply because people do not have the time to give their pet the behavioural therapy which they need. We always do our best to help in this situation, and one of the main advantages which we have in our veterinary practice is our ability to offer the most up to date behavioural medications to make the process easier for both the pet and their owner. Often such medications are anti depressants or pheromone products; they help a great deal in many cases. At Mayfield Vet we also use herbs and homeopathy for our patients; these too can be of benefit to pets with behavioural issues.
As a vet I work very closely with our behaviourist and together we work with the human-animal partnership to get the most favourable outcomes for you and your pet. Dealing successfully with problem behaviour in animals is immensely rewarding, so if you would like help with your pet's behavioural issues you may like to contact us on 01435 874787 to discuss how we may be able to help.
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