Abstract
BackgroundVeterinary behaviour medicine should be a foundation subject of the veterinary curriculum because of its wide scope of applications to veterinary practice. Private practitioners are likely to be the primary source of information on animal behaviour for most pet owners, however studies indicate that behavioural issues are not frequently discussed during companion animal consultations and many practitioners lack confidence in dealing with behavioural problems, likely due to poor coverage of this subject in veterinary education.There is a need to identify learning outcomes to support day one competences in veterinary behaviour medicine and these should be informed by practice-based evidence. This study aimed to investigate the nature and frequency of behavioural queries experienced by veterinary professionals in Ireland, the provision of behavioural services at companion animal practices, behaviour referral practices and challenges associated with providing a behaviour service.MethodsTwo online surveys were developed, one for private veterinary practitioners (PVP) and one for veterinary nurses (VN). Invitations to participate were distributed using contact details from the Premises Accreditation Scheme database on the Veterinary Council of Ireland website. Thirty-eight PVPs and 69 VNs completed the survey.ResultsResults indicated that less than half of companion animal practices offer behavioural consults and under a third of practices provide training and socialization events. Over half of the practices surveyed have referred cases to a behavioural specialist.The majority of respondents encountered behavioural queries weekly. Ninety-eight percent reported receiving queries regarding dog behaviour. Toilet training and unruly behaviour were two issues encountered frequently. Behavioural issues in cats were also common. House soiling and destructive behaviour were the problems most frequently encountered by respondents.The two most commonly cited barriers to providing behavioural consultations were lack of in-house or personal expertise, and that clients were not willing to pay for these services.Furthermore over half of all veterinary professionals surveyed indicated that they had received inadequate undergraduate training in veterinary behaviour medicine.ConclusionsBehavioural problems in companion animals can affect the quality of life of pets and their owners. Our survey findings indicate that many veterinary professionals frequently encounter behavioural problems and identify an opportunity for improved provision in behaviour medicine in veterinary education.
Highlights
Veterinary behaviour medicine should be a foundation subject of the veterinary curriculum because of its wide scope of applications to veterinary practice
Private veterinary practitioners (PVP) are likely to be the primary source of information on animal behaviour for most pet owners, studies have indicated that opportunities to discuss behavioural issues and intervene in behavioural problems during companion animal consultations are often missed or not fully utilized [3, 4]
The survey was aimed at private veterinary practitioners (PVP) and veterinary nurses (VN) working in companion animal practice
Summary
Veterinary behaviour medicine should be a foundation subject of the veterinary curriculum because of its wide scope of applications to veterinary practice. Veterinary behaviour medicine should be one of the foundation subjects of the veterinary education curriculum because of it’s wide scope of applications to veterinary practice It is the first clinical sign of pain, injury and disease in animals, and underpins best practice with animal handling [1]. Private veterinary practitioners (PVP) are likely to be the primary source of information on animal behaviour for most pet owners, studies have indicated that opportunities to discuss behavioural issues and intervene in behavioural problems during companion animal consultations are often missed or not fully utilized [3, 4] Inadequate assessment of these behavioural issues in veterinary practice, and timely referral to a specialist when required, have important implications for welfare [3], resulting in an increased risk of surrender of companion animals to shelters or euthanasia [4]. Whilst research has highlighted client demand for behavioural medicine, practitioners feel ill equipped to deal with such cases [3, 5], most likely due to poor coverage of animal behaviour in veterinary education [6, 7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
