Veterinary Behaviour Chat

Episode 156 – The Perils of Nail Trims   This is SUCH an important topic so I was delighted to hear a presentation on nail trims at our recent European College Conference in Slovenia.   Far too often, we "squeeze" a nail trim in between consultations or at the end of a consultation, requiring team members to be pulled away from what they are doing to perform an often very scary and aversive proced...

Episode 155 – The use of alpha 2 agonist as PVPs before General Anaesthesia   A question I have received quite frequently recently is whether alpha 2 agonist PVPs such as tasipimidine, detomidine, dexmedetomidine OTM gel or clonidine can safely be given to dogs before intramuscular alpha 2 agonist injection for sedation or general anaesthesia.   Have a listen as I chat about my personal experience...

Episode 154 – 15 Minute Speed Coaching with Olivia Bury – Getting Caregivers to "Buy In"   Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals! The rules of the game are as follows: ·          Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted. ·          Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish… ·          Wh...

Episode 153 – The Canine Regulation Project with Nina Fotara   In this episode, holistic dog trainer, Nina Fotara, and I have such a cool conversation about Nina's new venture – The Canine Regulation Project! We dive into questions such as what "Regulation" means to both of us, how we use the concept in our work, and what it means for both the pets and the caregivers we work with.   As the convers...

Episode 152 – 15 Minute Speed Coaching with Drew Bedor – When to recommend a VB   Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals! The rules of the game are as follows: ·          Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted. ·          Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish… ·          Which means...

Episode 151 – Arousal, Valence and links to Behavioural Signs and Treatment   This episode is inspired by a listener request for me to have a chat about emotional arousal, valence and how these relate to behavioural signs and treatment strategies. I love this topic, which is why I have designed a resource, which you can find in the Trinity Professional Guides E-Book , that talks about exactly this...

Episode 150 – 15 Minute Speed Coaching with Claire Rhodes – B'Mod for Noise Fears   Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals! The rules of the game are as follows: ·          Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted. ·          Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish… ·          Which mea...

Episode 149 – Acupuncture in Behaviour Medicine with Dr Carole Parsons   How do therapies such as acupuncture fit into Veterinary Behaviour Medicine? This is the topic I discuss with UK-based Vet, Dr Carole Parsons, who runs a mobile acupuncture clinic, in this episode of the podcast. I, myself, am a great believer in acupuncture and other complementary therapies but hearing the research evidence...

Episode 148 – 15 Minute Speed Coaching with Sharon Jones – Puppy Socialisation   Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals! The rules of the game are as follows: ·          Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted. ·          Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish… ·          Which means...

Episode 147 – Guanfacine   Welcome to the second in a little duo of episodes on oral alpha 2 agonists. In last week's episode (146), I spoke about clonidine, and this week, I'll be talking about guanfacine, comparing and contrasting the 2 for you in terms of use and indications. Guanfacine is a really useful psychopharmacological agent that is probably less commonly used than clonidine at this tim...

Episode 146 – Clonidine   Welcome to the first in a little duo of episodes on oral alpha 2 agonists. This week, I'll be talking about clonidine, and next week, I'm going to talk about guanfacine – another oral alpha 2 agonist – and compare and contrast the 2 for you in terms of use and indications. Clonidine is a really useful psychopharmacological agent that is quite commonly used as both an even...

Episode 145 – PVPs for Cats   Cats can be extremely fearful at the Veterinary Clinic and being able to administer medications such as gabapentin before vet visits has been absolutely game-changing for feline practice in the last 10 years or so.   Have a listen as I talk you through PVP options other than gabapentin, what doses I commonly use, and which situations I might use them in. I also talk a...

Episode 144 – 15 Minute Speed Coaching with Olivia Bury – Running a Successful VB Business   Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals! The rules of the game are as follows: ·          Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted. ·          Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish… ·         ...

Episode 143 – Help! The Medications have stopped working!   This episode was inspired by a recent consultation where the caregiver had noted a deterioration in their pet's behaviour and wondered whether this was due to the "medications no longer working".   Have a listen as I chat through my top 5 things to consider when there is deterioration in behaviour and whether the medications are always to...

Episode 142 – Using Trazodone with SSRIs and TCAs   Can trazodone be safely used in combination with and SSRI or TCA without causing signs of Serotonin Syndrome? This is one of the most frequently asked questions I hear, especially from GP vets.   Have a listen as I chat through my thoughts on this topic and refer back to one of the original studies on trazodone from 2008 where it was used as an a...

Episode 141 – Why "Gaba/Traz" is not always the best option   This episode was inspired by a lecture I gave at BVA Live 2026 and the ensuing questions and discussion about the use of Pre-Visit Pharmaceuticals.   The truth is that while gabapentin and trazodone can be a good PVP combination for some canine patients, it should not be used as a "one size fits all" approach for all dogs requiring anxi...

Episode 140 – 15 Minute Speed Coaching with Sharon Jones – Dogs and Car Journeys   Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals! The rules of the game are as follows: ·          Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted. ·          Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish… ·          Which mean...

Episode 139 – Can I offer Veterinary Behaviour Consultations without being a Trainer?   This episode was inspired by a Zoom Call question from one of my lovely participants of Learn To Speak Dog and Learn To Speak Cat, who is in the process of setting up a Veterinary Behaviour Service in a new hospital she has started working in. Her concern is that she can't yet offer consultations as she has not...

138 To Avoid or not to Avoid – That is the Question!   The avoidance of triggers and stimuli is such an important part of the treatment plan and falls into the Management "M" of the "7 Ms" Veterinary Behaviour Treatment Plan Template! However, it is also the part that gets possibly the most pushback from caregivers for a number of different reasons.   In this episode, I chat through those reasons...

Episode 137 – Interoception – The 8 th Sense   This episode was inspired by the 3 rd Case Call of "The Behaviour Case Collective" Membership where Dr Amber Batson and I co-presented a case where gastro-intestinal health had a big impact on Behaviour. During this conversation, the idea of Interoception was spoken about, and I thought it would be a GREAT topic to dive into!   Interoception is one of...

Episode 136 – Cooperative Care with Charlotte Lewis   I am always talking about bridging the gap between Veterinary Professionals and great non-Veterinary Professionals and encouraging more collaborative ways of working to best serve our patients and their families. So, when I heard that Charlotte runs a Cooperative Care Service at her local Veterinary Practice, provides CPD to the Vets at the pra...

Episode 135 – 15-minute Speed Coaching – Advocating for Behaviour in Practice with Nikki McLeod   Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals! The rules of the game are as follows: ·          Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted. ·          Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish… ·     ...

Episode 134 – Escitalopram   Escitalopram is a really useful SSRI that is quite commonly prescribed by Veterinary Behaviour Specialists or veterinarians with a strong interest in Behaviour Medicine but is possibly sometimes overlooked by general practitioners. So, I thought we'd do a bit of a deep dive into escitalopram and the things you, as professionals, need to know about this medication.   He...

Episode 133 – What's new in CCDS – Working Group Guidelines for Diagnosis and Monitoring   In this episode, I talk through the 2026 Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Working Group Guidelines for Diagnosis and Monitoring of CCDS.   As a caregiver of a senior dog myself, this is a topic very close to my heart, so when these guidelines came out, I had to dig into them to get the very latest information on...

Episode 132 – Paroxetine   Paroxetine is a really useful SSRI that is quite commonly prescribed by Veterinary Behaviour Specialists or veterinarians with a strong interest in Behaviour Medicine but is possibly sometimes overlooked by general practitioners. So, I thought we'd do a bit of a deep dive into paroxetine and the things you, as professionals, need to know about this medication.   Here's w...