Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine

Meghan E. Herron, DVM, DACVB, is a Senior Director - Behavioral Medicine Research, Education, and Outreach, at Gigi’s (Shelter for Dogs) in Ohio, USA. She is also a lecturer at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine, and Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

I. Introduction to animal behavior and handling concepts

1. Introduction – Authored by Meghan E. Herron, DVM, DACVB

An overview of animal behavior and how it applies to veterinary medicine
What shapes behavior in animals?
   Genetics
   Early environmental experiences
   Health status
Approaches to studying behavior in animals
   Ethological
   Experiential
   Physiological
Why is behavior relevant to veterinary medicine?
   Production Animals – What behavior tells us about estrus, health status and welfare
   Pet Industry – Behavior shapes the human-animal bond
Wild Animals in Captivity – How behavior is the key to welfare and successful health management in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries
Clinical Veterinary Medicine – Behavioral indicators of disease and safe animal handling

2. The Process of Domestication

How behavior shaped today’s companion and livestock species
   Learn the lingo
      Domesticated vs. feral
      Wild vs. tamed
      Natural vs. artificial selection
Traits that favor domestication – What physical and behavioral attributes made certain species more favorable for domestication and why?
The evolution of each domestic species
    Domestication of dogs (Canis familiaris) – the greatest change in history and the role of neoteny
    Domestication of cats (Felis catus) - how little has changed throughout history
    Domestication of horses (Equus caballus) – how we had it wrong for so long
    Domestication of livestock animals - chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), cattle (Bos taurus and Bos indicus - three main factors shaped today’s cattle), pigs and sheep

3. Social Behavior

What are the benefits of group vs. solitary living?
        Pairs, packs, matriarchal groups and natal bands
Social space, individual space and flight zones – how each is relevant to group housing
Social facilitation
Maternal behavior – the first social experience
Social hierarchies – What they are and why they are beneficial in group living, as well as their clinical relevance for farmers and veterinarians
        Linear hierarchies – where the "pecking order" came from
        Triangular, despotic and complex hierarchies
Aggression – what is aggression, what is its purpose, when is it normal?
     Learn the lingo
        Aggression
        Agonistic behavior
        Affiliative behavior
        Submission
        Avoidance

4. Sensory and Perception

Vision
   Color vision
   Monocular vs. binocular vision – benefit for predator vs. prey species
Hearing
   Ranges if each species – how and why this evolved
   Pinnae – the effects of size, shape and distance in between
Olfactory
   Scents
   Pheromones
Taste
   Variance between species
   Food aversion development

5. Animal Learning

Associative Learning
    Classical Conditioning
What is Pavlovian conditioning and how does it apply to companion animals?
The use of classical counter-conditioning in everyday practice and in prescribed therapies
Operant Conditioning
    The "four quadrants" – how they work and how they are applied
         Positive reinforcement
         Negative reinforcement
         Positive punishment
         Negative punishment
    Reinforcement Schedules – what they are and how they are applied
Non-associative learning
         Sensitization vs habituation
The use of desensitization and counter-conditioning in behavior modification of companion animals – putting it all together

6. The development of behavior and the shaping of the human-animal bond in companion animals: dogs
         How early development shapes adult behavior, socialization vs. imprinting, setting up for success in dogs.

7. The development of behavior and the shaping of the human-animal bond in companion animals: cats
        How early development shapes adult behavior, socialization vs. imprinting, setting up for success in cats.

8. The development of behavior and the shaping of the human-animal bond in companion animals: horses
        How early development shapes adult behavior, socialization vs. imprinting, setting up for success in horses.

9. Bovine Communication, Restraint and Handling
        Reading, interpreting and responding to bovine body language and signals of intent; safe, effective and humane restraint and handling techniques for cattle.

10. Equine Communication, Restraint and Handling
        Reading, interpreting and responding to equine body language and signals of intent; safe, effective and humane restraint and handling techniques for horses.

11. Canine Communication, Restraint, and Handling
        Reading, interpreting and responding to canine body language and signals of intent; safe, effective and humane restraint and handling techniques for dogs.
        Feline Communication, Restraint and Handling
        Reading, interpreting and responding to feline body language and signals of intent; safe, effective and humane restraint and handling techniques for cats.

II. Clinical Concepts in Animal Behavior

12. Getting Clinical – Authored by Meghan Herron, DVM, DACVB 
      The approach to seeing your first behavior appointment, including verbal and written history collection, medical rule outs, creating a problem and differential diagnoses list, triaging major issues and the basic structure of a treatment plan.

13. Feline Elimination Disorders
      Medical considerations and work-up
      Urine marking – stress related vs. territorial vs. pain-related vs. normal sexual behavior
      Undesirable toileting – litterbox, substrate and location aversions vs. preferences
      Feline interstitial cystitis
      Approach to treatment

14. Feline Aggression
         Medical considerations and work-up
         Human directed aggression – making a motivation-based diagnosis, management, and treatment
         Inter-cat aggression - making a motivation-based diagnosis, practical management, and treatment plan

15. Canine Aggression
         What is aggression, really? How does it relate to or differ from predatory behavior?
         Medical considerations and work-up
         The effects of anxiety on aggressive behavior in dogs
         Human directed aggression - making a motivation-based diagnosis, practical management, and treatment plan
         Inter-dog aggression - making a motivation-based diagnosis, practical management, and treatment plan; what breed, age and gender pairs are at highest risk of having a poor outcome?
         Leash reactivity – what motivates this behavior and how can we change it?
         What about dominance?
         When to consider medication to augment your plan?

16. Separation Anxiety
Definition and variations of the disorder
How to rule out other differential diagnoses and confirm separation anxiety
Approach to treatment –
      Environmental enrichment, exercise, and stimulation, encouraging independence, and when to apply graduated departure plans and desensitization to departure cues 
      When to consider medication to augment your plan

17. Equine Aggression
        Medical considerations and work-up
        Human directed aggression - making a motivation-based diagnosis, practical management, and treatment plan
        Inter-horse aggression – what’s normal, what isn’t, and how to manage both

18. Repetitive Behaviors in Companion Animals
          Stereotypies vs. compulsive disorders – definitions and motivating factors
          Medical considerations and work-up
          Prevention, management, and treatment

19. Repetitive and Other Abnormal Behaviors in Captive Wild Animals
         Behavior as a welfare indicator in captive wild animals
         Common repetitive behaviors in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries
         Medical considerations and work-up
         Prevention, management, and treatment

20. Repetitive and Other Abnormal Behaviors in Livestock
          Behavior as a welfare indicator in livestock animals
          Common repetitive behaviors in pigs, cattle, and poultry
          Medical considerations and work-up
          Prevention, management, and treatment

21. Approach to Psychopharmacology in Companion Animals
When is it time to add medications to your treatment plan?
         Daily medications
                 Indications
                 Classes
                     Mode of action, metabolism, side effects, cost considerations, known research
         Event medications
                 Indications
                 Classes
                     Mode of action, metabolism, side effects, cost considerations, known research

22. Chemical Restraint in Companion Animals
                 Reducing patient distress and increasing handler safety with immediate-acting pharmacology