As the fields converge, a new specialist has emerged: The Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB). These are veterinarians who complete a residency in psychiatry and behavioral medicine. They treat complex cases that general practitioners cannot solve, such as:
As we move forward, the distinction between "vet" and "trainer" will blur. The best veterinarians will be part physician, part psychologist, and part translator. As the fields converge, a new specialist has
“We used to say ‘restrain the patient to protect the staff,’” explains Dr. Aaron Leong, a mixed-animal practitioner in rural Oregon. “Now we say ‘understand the patient to protect everyone.’ I spend more time watching the flick of a horse’s ear or the blink rate of a parrot than I do looking at the lab results. Those observations tell me if my treatment will work or fail.” The best veterinarians will be part physician, part
Veterinary science also plays a critical role in informing animal behavior. By understanding the physiological and medical aspects of animal behavior, veterinarians can help to identify underlying causes of behavioral problems. For example, a veterinarian may diagnose a medical condition, such as arthritis or gastrointestinal disease, that is contributing to an animal's behavioral changes. By treating the underlying medical condition, veterinarians can help to alleviate the behavioral problem, improving the animal's overall well-being. “Now we say ‘understand the patient to protect everyone
While the intersection of animal behavior and veterinary science offers numerous benefits, there are also challenges and limitations to be addressed. Some of the key challenges include:
Walk into any busy urban veterinary clinic, and you’ll hear it: the frantic panting of a cat in a carrier, the nail-scrabbling panic of a ferret, or the silent, frozen terror of a rabbit. For decades, veterinarians dismissed this as “just how animals act at the doctor.”
