March 2024: The Behavior Issue

The Chinese philosopher Mengzi believed that people are inherently good, while his counterpart, Xunzi, said that people are born bad. They agreed that moral teachings were the key to keeping people on the good side. What do Chinese philosophy and this issue of Trends have to do with each other? Read on to find out!

AAHA Director Gregory Carastro, LVT, CVBL, touts the benefits of the Fear Free practice. The AAHA Community responds to a request for resources to help boost confidence in veterinary assistants. This month’s Scoop news articles include: AAHA Names First Veterinary Technician of the Year; North Carolina Requires Veterinarians Declare Gabapentin Use; Humans May Have Influenced Evolution of Dogs’ Eye Color; Study Evaluates Cannabis Product Use in US Cats and Dogs; and more!

Amy Pike, DVM, DACVB, IAABC-CDBC, graduated from Colorado State University in 2003, and was soon after commissioned as a captain in the US Army Veterinary Corps, where she worked with dogs suffering from PTSD.

This month’s prize winner is Amanda Witkowski, CVT, of Berkeley Veterinary Center in Bayville, New Jersey!

Can a foreign body cause the condition known as sialadenosis, or enlarged salivary glands? New research in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (JAAHA) says yes.

Behavior problems have come to the forefront of veterinary medicine, receiving a lot of interest amongst veterinary professionals and owners alike. Whether it is due to owners being more aware of problems or whether veterinary professionals are tackling them earlier, addressing the behavior of the pet is becoming standard of care.

Gathering these objective details is critical to evaluating behavior complaints a client may present. Data-collecting technology can act as a veterinarian’s behavioral spy, revealing the pet’s secrets to guide a diagnosis and treatment plan.

By now you must have heard the phrase Fear Free or heard of Fear Free certified practices. But what exactly is Fear Free and what does it look like in practice?

Prior to the pandemic, employee development focused primarily on teaching technical skills, like how to operate the latest accounting software or inventory management system. But the pandemic showed us that skills such as communication and innovative thinking are what will enable a practice not only to survive but to thrive, especially in tough times.

In Part 2 of this 2-part article, we’ll explore strategies for calming down dealing with clients whose stress levels are high, who are showing behavior that ranges from anger to outright hostility.

Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, discusses her journey as a resilient veterinary educator, trainer, coach, and entrepreneur. Mages is the chief visionary officer of the company she co-founded, Empowering Veterinary Teams (EVT), where she oversees the content development, clinical skills training, and overall vision of the company.

Many signs of potential pet pain are revealed through changes in behavior. Help clients identify signs of pain in their pets with this chart.