For a puppy chewing shoes, training is the answer. For a thunderphobic dog who mutilates its paws trying to escape a locked crate, medication is rescue medicine. Veterinary behaviorists use SSRIs, TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants), and even short-term benzodiazepines to lower a patient’s anxiety threshold so that behavioral modification (desensitization and counter-conditioning) can actually succeed.

Animal behavior plays a crucial role in veterinary science. By understanding animal behavior, veterinarians can: