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Management of Pet Problem Behaviors

Veterinary Services

OPVMC Pet Behavior Advocates:
“Our goal is to prevent, treat and effectively manage behavior problems in companion animals to enhance and strengthen the human–animal bond.”

Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center offers consultations for pets with mild to moderate behavior problems. Our veterinarians have had clinical experience in behavioral medicine. For more advanced problems, we work closely with the specialists in the field of animal behavior and certified professional dog trainers at the Family Companion.

If your pet is exhibiting problem behaviors, contact OPVMC to schedule a consultation.

Pet Behavior Consultations at OPVMC

Behavior consultations assist pet owners with problems that impact relationships between the animal, the family, and the community. Such problems include separation anxiety, destruction of property, digging, barking, house soiling, aggression, urine marking, and obsessive-compulsive disorders such as excessive grooming or licking.

Treating Problem Behaviors in Pets

Our goal is to prevent, treat, and effectively manage behavior problems in companion animals to enhance and strengthen the human–animal bond. Initially, we attempt to rule out any medical problems or underlying conditions that may be presenting as a problem behavior.

After we have eliminated the possibility of a medical cause to the problem behavior, we will ask you to complete a comprehensive behavior history form from which a treatment plan will be created. This is to be submitted prior to the office visit. Once submitted and reviewed, you will either meet with a member of our Pet Behavior Advocates Team and/or be referred to a veterinary behaviorist (see list below). The decision to refer is based on the severity and type of problem behavior being dealt with. Behavior consultations (pet attends with you) at OPVMC last from one to two hours.

Our general approach is through behavior modification that reinforces desirable behavior via positive reinforcement and addresses underlying causes for undesirable behavior. We support the position of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) regarding the use of punishment in behavior modification and Dominance Theory in animals. 

Veterinary Referrals for Behavior Services
For pets exhibiting advanced behavior problems, veterinarians may arrange an appointment at OPVMC with one of our Pet Behavior Advocates Team members by emailing a referral letter or contacting one of the following specialists directly: