Veterinary Behavioral Medicine for Pets in Southeastern Michigan
Behavior problems can affect every part of life with a pet. When a dog becomes aggressive, a cat stops using the litter box, or a once-confident companion develops overwhelming anxiety, families may feel worried, frustrated, or uncertain about what to do next.
These behaviors are not necessarily signs of stubbornness or disobedience. Fear, anxiety, stress, genetics, learning history, changes in the home, and underlying medical conditions can all influence how a pet behaves.
The Behavioral Medicine team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services provides comprehensive evaluation and individualized treatment for dogs, cats, and other companion animals experiencing behavioral concerns. By considering both your pet’s physical and emotional health, we can identify factors contributing to the behavior and help your family move toward a safer, happier life together.
When Should Your Pet See a Veterinary Behaviorist?
A board-certified veterinary behaviorist is a veterinarian who has completed advanced residency training in animal behavior, passed a rigorous board-certification examination, and been recognized as a Diplmate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
This combination is important because behavior and physical health are closely connected. Pain, neurological disease, hormonal disorders, sensory changes, cognitive decline, and other medical problems may cause or intensify behavioral changes. A veterinary behavior specialist can evaluate these possibilities while also diagnosing and treating behavioral conditions.
Your family veterinarian may recommend a behavioral consultation if your pet is experiencing:
- Aggression toward people or other animals
- Fear, anxiety, or phobias
- Separation-related distress
- Destructive behavior
- House-soiling or litter box problems
- Repetitive or compulsive behavior
- Difficulty adjusting to changes in the home
- Unmanageable or impulsive behavior
- Training difficulties that have not improved with conventional approaches
- Age-related changes or suspected cognitive dysfunction
- Sudden or unexplained changes in behavior
Families may also seek guidance before selecting or adopting a pet, introducing a new family member, moving, or preparing for another major life change.
More Than a Training Problem
Dog trainers and veterinary behaviorists can both play valuable—but different—roles in helping pets and their families.
Training commonly focuses on teaching skills and reinforcing desirable behaviors. Veterinary behavioral medicine addresses more complex concerns that may involve fear, anxiety, aggression, compulsive behavior, cognitive changes, or medical conditions.
Some pets benefit from coordinated care involving the OVRS Behavioral Medicine team, their family veterinarian, and a qualified positive-reinforcement trainer. This collaborative approach helps ensure we consider medical, emotional, environmental, and learning-related factors.
What to Expect From a Behavior Consultation
Before your pet’s initial appointment, you will be asked to complete a detailed questionnaire about their health, history, home environment, daily routine, and behavior. This information helps our team understand not only what is happening, but also when, where, and under what circumstances it occurs.
During the consultation, the veterinary behavior team may:
- Review your pet’s medical and behavioral history
- Discuss when the behavior began and what may trigger it
- Observe your pet’s body language and responses
- Consider whether pain or another medical condition may be contributing
- Evaluate your pet’s environment, routines, and relationships
- Establish realistic treatment goals
- Develop a personalized behavior modification and management plan
- Discuss medication or other supportive therapies when appropriate
Initial consultations may last up to two hours, allowing time for a thorough assessment and an in-depth conversation with your family.
All new-patient consultations are currently conducted in person. Follow-up visits may be conducted through telemedicine, giving our team the opportunity to see pets in the familiar surroundings of their own homes.
Individualized, Humane Treatment
Behavioral treatment is not one-size-fits-all. We tailor recommendations to your pet’s diagnosis, temperament, home environment, triggers, and your family’s needs and abilities.
A treatment plan may include:
- Environmental and household modifications
- Management strategies that reduce stress and prevent unsafe situations
- Behavior modification exercises
- Desensitization and counterconditioning
- Positive-reinforcement training
- Enrichment and predictable daily routines
- Education about body language and early signs of stress
- Medication, when medically appropriate
- Pheromones or nutraceutical support
- Coordination with your family veterinarian or trainer
OVRS uses scientifically supported, humane methods designed to protect your pet’s physical and emotional well-being. Treatment does not involve hurting, frightening, startling, or shocking a pet.
Medication is not recommended for every patient, nor is it intended simply to sedate a pet. When prescribed, behavioral medication may reduce fear, anxiety, or impulsivity enough to help a pet feel safer and respond more successfully to behavior modification.
Progress Takes Time—and Partnership
Behavioral improvement is usually a process, not a single event. Some pets need only a few appointments, while others benefit from longer-term care.
Follow-up visits allow the team to evaluate progress, adjust medications or behavior plans, address new challenges, and help families continue moving toward their goals. Recheck appointments are generally shorter than the initial consultation and may be scheduled every one to three months based on the pet’s individual needs.
Successful treatment depends on partnership. OVRS works closely with pet families, family veterinarians, and other qualified professionals involved in the pet’s care. Together, we aim to reduce distress, improve safety, strengthen communication, and preserve the important bond you share with your pet.
Preparing for Your Pet’s Appointment
Before your initial consultation:
- Complete the appropriate behavior questionnaire in detail (form links are below).
- Send or bring relevant medical records and recent test results.
- Prepare a current list of medications and supplements.
- Gather videos of the behavior when they can be recorded safely.
- Write down your greatest concerns and the changes you most hope to achieve.
- Never provoke or recreate aggressive, fearful, or dangerous behavior to obtain a video.
The Behavioral Medicine Department is available by appointment Monday through Saturday. Initial appointments may take up to two hours, and follow-up consultations are generally approximately 50 minutes.
Help Your Pet—and Your Family—Move Forward
Living with a serious behavior concern can be stressful and isolating, but you do not have to work through it alone. With an accurate diagnosis, compassionate guidance, and an individualized plan, many pets can experience meaningful improvement in their comfort, behavior, and quality of life.
Ask your family veterinarian whether a veterinary behavior consultation may be appropriate for your pet, or request an appointment with OVRS.
Important Forms and Resources
New Patients
Canine Behavior Questionnaire
Feline Behavior Questionnaire
Avian Behavior Questionnaire
Behavior Consent Form
Feline Intercat Aggression Questionnaire
Behavior Consent to Treat Form
Consent to Treat Form Consent to Treat Form (PDF)
Established Patients
Behavior Recheck Questionnaire
Additional Information
What to Expect From a Behavior Consultation
OVRS Behavioral Medicine Brochure