For referring vets
Questions about a case?
Contact us if you are not sure whether to refer.
We see dogs and cats for anxiety, reactivity, separation distress, aggression and related behavioural problems in the client's own home, anywhere across Sydney.
Why refer to us
An adjunct to your practice
When behaviour needs more time
Behaviour cases rarely arrive as the presenting complaint. “By the way, he is now barking at other dogs” tends to surface in the last five minutes, when there is no realistic way to take a history, reach a diagnosis and build a plan. We start with two hours.
We work in behaviour and nothing else
Vaccinations, dentals, parasite control and retail all stay with you. Your client stays your client for everything outside behaviour and we send them back to you with a plan you can support.
Working together
We can collaborate with you on medication selection and dosing for Pre-veterinary Pharmaceuticals (PVPs), and develop desensitisation and cooperative-care strategies to help patients feel safer and more comfortable during veterinary visits.
Assessed in the home
A two hour housecall means the patient is seen on familiar ground. For animals that shut down or are aggressive in a clinic, that is often the only way to see the behaviour as it actually presents.
Before you refer
Prior to referral checklist
What we need before a behaviour referral.
- Physical examination
A full physical examination, plus blood and urine tests appropriate to the patient's age.
- Animals under 5 years
PreGA + electrolytes + USG
- Animals over 5 years
Full haematology + biochemistry + T4, USG + dipstick
- Urination problems
Full urinalysis.
- Defecation problems
Faecal flotation.
- If bloods are not possible
If the animal is aggressive or extremely distressed at your veterinary hospital, we can review the animal first and formulate an appropriate plan for venipuncture under sedation at your clinic.
What we need from you
A thorough medical assessment is important to identify or rule out potential physiological contributors to behavioural change, including:
- Pain or discomfort
- Pruritus and dermatological disease
- Hypertension
- Cognitive decline
- Endocrine disorders
- Neurological disease
- Other conditions that may contribute to anxiety, fear or changes in behaviour
How to refer
Housecall consultation
Five steps from referral to report.
Step 1
The client completes a questionnaire
- Canine or feline
Direct the client to vetbehaviourteam.com to download the appropriate questionnaire, complete it and email it to [email protected].
Step 2
You send us the history
- Including pathology
Email the veterinary patient history to us, including any blood and urine test results.
Step 3
The consultation
- 2 hours
- Travel and GST included within 30km
A two hour housecall consult, inclusive of travel and GST within 30km of Sydney.
Step 4
Reports come back to you
- To you and the client
We know how busy general practice is, so we aim to keep our communication concise, practical and clinically relevant.
Following the behavioural consultation, you will receive a report outlining:
- Behavioural diagnosis/formulation
- Known or suspected triggers
- Key management recommendations
- Behaviour-modification plan
- Prescribed medications, where indicated
- Recommended follow-up and monitoring
Where behavioural medication is indicated, we also value your ongoing involvement in monitoring the patient's general health, including relevant blood work and cardiac function where appropriate.
Step 5
Invoicing
- Direct to the client
The consultation is invoiced directly to the client.
About the team
Dr Amanda holds MACVS (Veterinary Behaviour) and Dr Heather MANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour). Both completed the CVE course in veterinary behaviour. Dr Hannah is completing a Masters in Clinical Animal Behaviour.
We have presented for the:
- Vet Nurses Council of Australia (VNCA)
- Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
- Australian Veterinary Association Conference
- Australian Veterinary Behaviour Interest Group (AVBIG)
- Science Week, the annual conference for the ANZCVS
- Australian Veterinary Palliative Care Advisory Council conference