The use of behaviourally-active medication in companion animals part 2

Abstract

Behaviour cases are common in general practice and veterinary nurses can play a vital role in their identification and management. Full behavioural assessment and implementation of a behaviour modification protocol remains essential, but increasingly animals may also be prescribed psychoactive medications. This second of three articles focuses on the use of short-acting behaviourally-active medication in dogs and cats. This is particularly relevant to veterinary nurses because they are very likely to encounter animals that will benefit from short-acting medication either to facilitate handling in the veterinary surgery or to help them cope with other potentially scary situations such as being groomed or exposed to loud noises such as fireworks/thunderstorms. The most commonly-used short-acting behaviourally active drugs were outlined in Part 1. This article focuses on the decision-making process that will be needed when choosing the most appropriate short-acting behaviourally active drugs for individual animals.