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Introduction

Meghan E. Herron

Gigi's, Canal Winchester, OH, USA

Why We Study Behavior

You have either picked up this book as a requirement for an introductory course, or you have chosen to seek knowledge on behavior because there is an absence in your veterinary school's curriculum. Perhaps you are a freshly minted veterinarian eager to acquire information that wasn't covered during your studies, or you are a seasoned practitioner seeking a refresher now that behavior seems more pertinent in practice. Whatever brought you to this page, you are welcome here, and I hope you find this journey to be insightful, interesting, and, most of all, fun.

Some of you may be wondering why behavior is even part of your veterinary curriculum. How does it tie into the crucial task of saving lives and the thrilling career that lies ahead of you? While behavior may not have been at the forefront of your mind when you decided to pursue veterinary medicine, I am here to tell you it will inevitably become a fundamental aspect of your daily lives, regardless of what field or specialty lands in your path.

To begin, let's talk about how behavioral medicine IS medicine. The brain is an organ, and it oversees the entirety of the body's functions and actions. It is the grand central station for emotions, movements, and actions, all of which shape behavior, whether voluntary or reflexive. While the brain may have anatomical or biochemical abnormalities directly affecting the behavior of an animal, as veterinarians, we must also recognize that behavior problems are not solely the result of brain-related abnormalities. Metabolic diseases, hormonal imbalances, pain, and discomfort can also exert significant influence on behavior, even if the physical abnormality is not overtly severe. The question we should ask ourselves is not "Is this a behavior problem or a medical problem," but rather "What medical problem might be causing or influencing this behavior" before ever reaching for a behavior modification plan. In many cases, behavior is merely a symptom of what is going on beneath the surface.

Understanding animal behavior and how to apply it will help you practice better medicine in many ways. Behavior recognition plays a central role in livestock rearing and handling. Many of these animals are bigger and/or stronger than we humans and have the potential to be dangerous if they feel threatened. The ability to recognize and respond to animals' emotional states, and when they might be feeling threatened, will keep you, your staff, and your clients safer. Furthermore, reproductive medicine is heavily dependent on behavioral signs of estrus, and a successful breeding program requires a solid understanding of animal behavior. Each species of livestock has unique social behavior, which will dictate how and where animals should be housed, fed, and handled. Poor understanding of social behavior leads to injury, fighting, poor welfare, and loss of product. In dairy cows, posture, movement, and time spent in recumbency are all primary indicators of foot pain. A veterinarian must rely on these behaviors to accurately assess individual and herd health.

In wild animal sanctuaries and zoos, knowledge of natural behavior is crucial for survival in captivity. Attempts to breed endangered species in captivity have only been successful thanks to insight from their behavior in the wild and the ability to adapt habitats that allow them to engage in as many normal behaviors as possible. Since frequent physical examination of wild animals has its challenges, careful monitoring of behavior allows for early detection of underlying medical problems. Understanding learning theory, and how emotions are conditioned, allows for animal caretakers and healthcare providers to perform physical assessments without sedation. Animals that would otherwise be extremely dangerous to handle are readily complying with venipuncture and medication administration as a result of training and the establishment of trust.

How companion animals behave and interact with their caretakers forms the core of the human-animal bond. With that, problematic behaviors are a top reason this bond may weaken or break. Veterinarians have the advantage of meeting many pets at a young age, presenting an opportunity for problem prevention and early intervention when problems do arise. We have not always been viewed as a person of expertise in this subject matter, but as veterinary curriculums and continuing education programs expand to include behavioral medicine, our collective confidence is changing for the better.

The Bayer veterinary care usage study revealed that a large percentage of feline patients do not receive annual wellness care. Clients reported that the stress their pet experiences both at and on the way to the veterinary clinic was a bigger barrier to obtaining care for their cat than was the cost of that care. We must make this experience better for both clients and cats if we want to make a dent in this alarming statistic. Knowledge of behavioral stress signals and how to mitigate them is the first step. This book will give you those tools, which will serve as a foundation for additional learning through programs aimed at improving the veterinary experience for small animals, such as Fear Free®, Low-Stress Handling®, and Cat Friendly Practice® certifications.

How We Study Behavior

There are three main approaches to the study of behavior - ethological, experiential, and physiological. The ethological approach examines an animal's natural behavior in the wild and specifically considers how their behavior has an adaptive, evolutionary value. For domesticated species, humans have artificially selected behavior traits that work well for companionship and/or group housing. Wild animals, on the other hand, have been naturally selected based on traits that have allowed them to survive and evolve without human influence. The early chapters of this book will walk you through the process of domestication and how behavior has influenced it, social behavior and its influence on the husbandry of animals, and how the evolution of various sensory and perception systems has shaped animal behavior.

The experiential approach attempts to understand an animal's behavior based on what they learned during early life experiences. Each species has early developmental stages where experiences gained have dramatic effects on adult behavior. How, when, and to what extent that occurs differs between species, with domesticated species having the most prolonged periods of susceptibility to human influence. We will delve into early influences on the behavioral development of companion animals as we move toward the central portion of this book.

Lastly, the physiological approach delves into how the biology and physiology of animals intricately shape their individual behaviors. Take, for instance, the endocrine system, which governs the onset and cessation of numerous behaviors, ranging from reproductive activities to food and water intake, parental care, and sleep patterns. Any deviations from these behavioral norms may indicate an underlying physiological issue. As veterinarians, we hold both a moral and professional responsibility to comprehend and grasp these behavioral changes, understanding the diverse physiological processes that can influence them.

In the latter part of this book, we introduce concepts of clinical behavioral medicine, taking a physiological approach to understand various abnormal behaviors observed across multiple species. Through this journey, we seek to deepen our insights and begin to gain the expertise needed to address behavioral issues in a comprehensive manner, rooted in the interplay between biology, physiology, and behavior. This knowledge equips us to provide the best care possible for our animal patients and fulfill our commitment to their health and well-being.

After reading this book, you should be able to:

• Understand how different factors (e.g. genetics, physiology, learning, the environment) impact normal and abnormal animal behavioral development and expression.
• Reliably read and interpret the body language and behaviors of various domesticated species.
• Apply knowledge about animal behavior to safely handle animals and promote positive welfare.
• Anticipate situations in which animal behavior and/or well-being may be problematic and develop an appropriate plan of action.
• Examine fundamental principles related to the development of behavior in domesticated animals.
• Demonstrate how knowledge of animal behavior is relevant to clinical practice and how it can be applied to facilitate safe and humane animal handling, care and management, behavioral wellness, and positive human-animal interactions.
• Feel prepared for advanced coursework in applied animal behavior such as clinical treatment of problem behaviors.

What Comes Next

Those of you seeking to expand your knowledge and abilities are encouraged to seek out clinical experiences with veterinary behaviorists. This may include signing up for a clinical rotation while in school or spending time shadowing a behavior practice as a veterinarian. Several formal externships exist if your institution does not offer clinical behavioral medicine opportunities. Additionally, most of the major veterinary conferences, including the Midwest Veterinary Conference, Western Veterinary Conference, VMX, and the AVMA...