What is a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist?
Veterinary behaviorists are veterinarians who have gone through extensive post-graduate training in animal behavior and been certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
For more information visit: https://www.dacvb.org/page/About
Is a medical education important to becoming a veterinary behaviorist?
Absolutely! Not only is it important, it’s a requirement. The requirements for beginning a Veterinary Behavior residency include a current license to practice veterinary medicine and one-year internship or equivalent practice experience.
Veterinary behaviorists interpret behavior using their medical education to identify and treat medical causes and/or comorbidities of behavior problems. Many residents and diplomates value the strong medical background provided by years in general practice or emergency medicine prior to starting training with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
If I am already a licensed veterinarian, do I need to do a veterinary behavior residency to provide care for patients with behavioral problems?
No. Any veterinarian practicing within their skill set and the regulations of the state in which they are licensed can treat animals with behavioral problems.
If you are looking for more training in behavior, Behavior Vets provides many educational webinars for veterinarians, behavior consultants, and the public. Other resources can be found on the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists website , webinars, conferences, veterinary journals, textbooks, and on the websites of many practicing diplomates. Veterinarians and veterinary professionals can visit www.fearfreepets.com to learn more about earning a Fear Free certification. Veterinary behaviorists are available for referrals and consults throughout the country if you are working on a case that needs help outside of general practice.
What kind of animals do veterinary behaviorists treat?
Many veterinary behaviorists work with companion animals, such as dogs, cats, and birds. They also treat horses and farm animals, work in herd settings, and consult on zoo and laboratory species.
Do veterinary behaviorists train animals?
On top of psychopharmacology, veterinary behaviorists take coursework in comparative psychology, ethology, neuroscience, and applied behavior analysis. All veterinary behaviorists have the knowledge to prescribe training goals for patients. However, due to the overwhelming need for behavior support, some veterinary behaviorists focus their limited time on the medical portion of the treatment plan and work closely alongside certified behavior consultants who support clients with positive-reinforcement training.
What is a common career path for a veterinary behaviorist?
No two are the same! Here are some examples from our practice:
“After receiving a BA in biology at my undergraduate university, I went straight to veterinary school. The year after, I did a Small Animal Medical & Surgical Rotating Internship. The following year, I started my non-conforming residency program for Behavior.”
Dr. Spano“After pursuing pre-medical studies in undergrad, I worked for 6 years researching gestational nutrition and how it impacts both physiological and psychological development at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. After attending vet school and completing a Small Animal Medical & Surgical Rotating Internship, I worked full time as a general practitioner for 7 years. During this time, I started my behavior residency on a part time basis before leaving general practice to work full time with Behavior Vets. Now I not only focus on behavior cases but also continue to offer general practice services to behavior patients who need routine care.”
Dr. Tu“I received an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology and worked as a marine mammal trainer for nine years before attending veterinary school. After graduating from veterinary school, I was an active-duty army veterinarian for four years before beginning my residency at Behavior Vets.”
Dr. Maffeo“I went to veterinary school in order to become a veterinary behaviorist. The most direct route is veterinary school, internship, residency, and then board-certification, but I took a quick detour to general practice and feline-only medicine in order to gain additional experience before I did my residency. Once I completed my residency, I started seeing veterinary behavior cases in private practice, consulting with industry leaders, training new veterinary behaviorists, and participating in educational outreach.”
Dr. Christensen
Here’s more info about our NYC Behavior Veterinarians and our Colorado Behavior Veterinarians
What if I don’t want to go to veterinary school?
A career as an Applied Animal Behaviorist may be just the ticket for you!
https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/applied-behavior-caab-application.php
Or you may want to become a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant:
https://m.iaabc.org/about/core-competencies/
Or an Applied Behavior Analyst who specializes in work with animals:
https://aab-sig.abainternational.org/
What if I love veterinary medicine, but still don’t want to be a veterinarian?
Become a veterinary technician! If you decide to really dive in on behavior, you can join the Academy of Veterinary Behavior Technicians.
How can I get experience in veterinary behavior if I am not a veterinarian?
There are lots of ways to work in veterinary behavior even if you aren’t a vet. Join a veterinary behavior team as a veterinary assistant, veterinary technician, or client care coordinator. This is a very popular field, and many veterinary behavior companies are rapidly expanding.
I am interested in behavioral research. What kind of career choices do I have?
A career in academia may be for you. Ethology is a discipline that studies the behavior of animals. A PhD is frequently required. We recommend speaking with your career counselor for more information.
Where can I find more information on the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and their certification program?
https://www.dacvb.org/page/Certification