Veterinary Behaviour Chat

Episode 29 – Stress – what is it and why is it important for our pets?

Stress is a big topic – not only in pets but also us humans and having a good understanding of what it is and how it affects us can be really important.

Stress is actually a totally normal and important response, which keeps us safe and working in an optimal state – both physically as well as mentally and emotionally.

Dr Katrin explains the physiological stress hormone cascades and how they can be dysregulated to cause "toxic" or "chronic" stress, which can be detrimental to overall health.

She also chats about the "stress bucket", a visual representation of what she hopes to achieve when putting together a treatment plan and a really tangible way for pet caregivers to look at stress in their pets.

We really hope you enjoy this episode; it is packed with so much information!

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Episode 28 – Hypervocalisation, Love Bites and more – Faryal and Simba's Story

Does your cat vocalise all the time? Do they keep you up at night with their cries or screams? Are you struggling to know what they want and how you can help them to change this behaviour?

Does your cat nip at you? Or even worse, do they bite or scratch? How can you know if this is exuberant or playful behaviour or if this is aggression driven by negative emotions such as fear or frustration?

Well, have a listen to this episode where Dr Katrin chats to Faryal about her kitty cat Simba who, in the past, showed just such behaviours. Dr Katrin explains how she helped Faryal and Simba overcome these behavioural challenges with a tailor made treatment plan.

Another super interesting aspect of this episode is the fact that Faryal works with behaviourally challenged children and she chats about how these skills helped her understand Simba's behavioural challenges better and how she was able to transfer some of her knowledge to better understanding and showing empathy for Simba in this situation.

If a puppy had a bacterial infection or was in pain, we would not withhold antibiotics or pain relief, therefore, why would we not do the same when it comes to mental and emotional ill health?

We really hope you enjoy this episode; it is packed with so much information!

If you liked this episode of the show, The Pet Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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Episode 27 – The Risks and Downfalls of Punishment Based Dog Training

In this episode, Dr Katrin talks about punishment from a learning theory point of view, how and where it fits into B.F. Skinner's 4 quadrants of operant conditioning, and why it is extremely risky and welfare-negative to use punishment-based training and methods.

Dr Katrin gives her top 10 reasons (although there are many more) why punishment-based training it NOT the way we want to go when working with our animals and why it is not sustainable or what we should be doing from a quality of life and welfare point of view.

Dr Katrin also talks about what to look out for when choosing or recommending a trainer, because we definitely DO NOT want to be using or recommending aversive based trainers, shock trainers or "Balanced Trainers".

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Episode 26 – Positive Reinforcement and Beyond – A chat with Ilse

We had so much fun making this episode as we got to talk about some of the things that are closest to our hearts – how we can use therapeutic approaches that go beyond the operant to help our patients.

In this episode you will learn all about our "5 Cs":

1. Calm

2. Confidence

3. Connection

4. Coping Strategies

5. Cognitive Abilities

We use these not only to treat but also to monitor our patients to make sure they are progressing in the way we want them to.

Emotional wellbeing and safety are extremely important to us, especially in the patient demographic we see, and we have found that using the "5 Cs" as guidelines in our treatment approach has made a world of difference to these patients!

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did making it!

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Episode 25 – Dominant Dogs – Do they exist?

This is a big topic and one that often sparks quite a bit of controversy!

Dr Katrin unpacks the sometimes-confusing subject of Dominance Theory and why this does not apply to our domesticated dogs and certainly not to their relationships with humans.

In this episode you will learn:

1. The difference between the colloquial use of the word "dominance" and its technical definition in ethology.

2. How our domestic pet dogs differ from wolves in so many ways.

3. Early wolf experiments by biologist David Mech and how these have influenced training methodologies.

4. Why dominance and aversion-based training can be SO harmful for our pet dogs.

5. Better ways of looking at the value of resources and how associative learning plays a big role.

Here are the papers and references Dr Katrin mentions during the podcast:

1. Bradshaw, J. W. S., Blackwell, E. J., & Casey, R. A. (2009). Dominance in domestic dogs-useful construct or bad habit? Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 4(3), 135–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2008.08.004

2. American Veterinary Society on Animal Behavior. (2008). Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory. 1–4. https://avsab.ftlbcdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Dominance_Position_Statement-download.pdf

3. Dominance in Dogs – Fact or Fiction, Barry Eaton, Dogwise Publishing

If you liked this episode of the show, The Pet Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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Episode 24 – Anxious Puppies – Eva and Atlas's Story

What is the right age to start treating puppies with mental, emotional, and behavioural ill health disorders?

Well, the answer is that it is never too early.

If a puppy had a bacterial infection or was in pain, we would not withhold antibiotics or pain relief, therefore, why would we not do the same when it comes to mental and emotional ill health?

In this episode, Dr Katrin chats to Eva, whose lovely boy Atlas was just such a puppy, about their journey together and how Atlas is doing now.

Listen as they talk about:

1. Early life influences.

2. Being committed to behavioural health.

3. Understanding that there are good days and not so good days in any behavioural journey.

4. How psychopharmaceutical medication helped Atlas be less fearful and reactive and grow into a wonderful, well-adjusted adult dog.

Here is the paper Dr Katrin mentions during the podcast:

McAuliffe, L. R., Koch, C. S., Serpell, J., & Campbell, K. L. (2022). Associations Between Atopic Dermatitis and Anxiety, Aggression, and Fear-Based Behaviors in Dogs. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 58(4), 161–167. https://doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7210

If you liked this episode of the show, The Pet Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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Episode 23 – Is it behavioural, is it physical or is it both?

Physical, mental, and emotional health are intertwined and ultimately affect each other.

This is why our company is called Trinity Veterinary Behaviour – because we need to consider, assess, and treat all three aspects to create long lasting and healthy behaviour change.

In this episode, Dr Katrin chats about the importance of physical health as a part of behavioural health and how amazed she has been at how many of her over 400 clinical behaviour cases have had physical health contributions.

Dr Katrin shares her top 5 physical health contributors, remembering of course, that ANY physical health presentation can affect behavioural health.

Here is what you will learn:

1. The gut microbiome is important!

2. Always look for pain!

3. If a physical health contribution is left undiagnosed and/or untreated, it will be much more difficult, maybe even impossible, to bring about long lasting behaviour change.

If you'd like to learn more about pain, please register for the CHRONIC PAIN SYMPOSIUM on the 4th, 5th and 6th of April 2024.

There are two ticket options available- FREE and VIP

Tickets are on sale until the 29th of March.

Find out all the info and book your spot here:

https://membership.elearning.vet/chronic-pain-symposium-2024

If you liked this episode of the show, The Pet Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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Episode 22 – Diets and Pheromones with Dr Hannah Rowles from SV Animal Health Dubai

This is an episode you won't want to miss if you are looking for products to support your pet's behavioural health without the prescription of psychotropic medication.

In this episode, Dr Katrin chats to the wonderful Dr Hannah Rowles, veterinarian, and Head of Scientific Communications at SV Animal Health, one of the largest veterinary health supply companies in the Middle East.

Their conversation begins by taking a look at the Royal Canin Calm Diet, a veterinary prescription diet for cats and small dogs that contains a number of ingredients that promote behavioural health and wellbeing. Dr Katrin explains how she uses the diet in her behaviour patients, and both stress the practicalities and economic gains when using a diet (you feed your pet anyway!) as a therapeutic agent.

They then move on to chatting about another wonderful group of products, the pheromone products, specifically Feliway® and Adaptil®, which are both made by Ceva, and how they can successfully be implemented into a treatment plan for complex behaviour cases, but also how they are so beneficial in many everyday life situations.

Here are some takeaways from the episode:

1. When using diets and supplements, always make sure you are choosing products based on scientific evidence.

2. Diets are a great way to positively influence your pet's health without breaking the bank! You feed your pet anyway, so why not choose a diet that will enhance their health and wellbeing!

3. Diets and pheromones are GREAT options for multi-pet households (think herd health!).

4. EVERY puppy should have the benefit of an Adaptil® puppy collar to help them adjust to their new life, family, and environment!

Here are the scientific papers mentioned by Dr Katrin and Dr Hannah in this episode:

· DePorter, T. L., Bledsoe, D. L., Beck, A., & Ollivier, E. (2019). Evaluation of the efficacy of an appeasing pheromone diffuser product vs placebo for management of feline aggression in multi-cat households: a pilot study. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 21(4), 293–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X18774437

· Pereira, J. S., Fragoso, S., Beck, A., Lavigne, S., Varejão, A. S., & da Graça Pereira, G. (2016). Improving the feline veterinary consultation: the usefulness of Feliway spray in reducing cats' stress. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 18(12), 959–964. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X15599420

· Chadwin, R. M., Bain, M. J., & Kass, P. H. (2017). Effect of a synthetic feline facial pheromone product on stress scores and incidence of upper respiratory tract infection in shelter cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 251(4), 413–420. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.251.4.413

· Landsberg, G., Milgram, B., Mougeot, I., Kelly, S., & de Rivera, C. (2017). Therapeutic effects of an alpha-casozepine and L-tryptophan supplemented diet on fear and anxiety in the cat. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 19(6), 594–602. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X16669399

· Griffith, C. A., Steigerwald, E. S., & Buffington, C. A. T. (2000). Effects of a synthetic facial pheromone on behavior of cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 217(8), 1154–1156. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2000.217.1154

If you liked this episode of the show, The Pet Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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Episode 21 – Supplements versus Behaviour Medication – What's the Difference?

This is a topic that was requested by a listener and I'm sure we can all agree that it can definitely cause a lot of confusion.

What is the difference between over-the-counter calming supplements and Behaviour Medication also known as psychotropic, psychoactive or psychopharmaceutical medication?

How do you know what your pet needs or would benefit from?

Do supplements work and when could they be used instead of Behaviour Medications?

In this episode, Dr Katrin explains the 5 main differences between supplements and medication and how she decides what to reach for when establishing a treatment plan for her Behaviour Patients.

Here are some things you will learn:

1. Who can and cannot prescribe medication.

2. What kind of support and monitoring you will need if your pet is prescribed behaviour medication.

3. Which behaviour medications are especially formulated and licensed for pets?

4. Efficacy – will supplements really work?

5. Side effects and interactions with other agents.

If you liked this episode of the show, The Pet Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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Episode 20 – Life in a Multi-Cat Household – Theresia and Shiro's Journey

Multi-cat households can range from 2 cats to over 20 cats and, whilst in many, the cats co-exist in relative harmony, in others, there can be a whole host of behavioural and mental health challenges.

In this episode, we take a closer look at a 6-cat household, we meet the individual cat personalities within the household, and we learn about the challenges that existed for both the cats as well as their lovely caregiver, Theresia.

Many cats, especially if they are not related or if they had different experiences in their socialization periods, find it difficult to live with one another, and this can result in aggression, fear, and stress for everyone involved.

Dr Katrin chats to the lovely Theresia about her multi-cat home, the individual challenges the cats were experiencing when they first met, and how she helped to restore harmony back to the home for both the cats and Theresia.

If you liked this episode of the show, The Pet Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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Thank you for tuning in!