Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine

Understand and apply key concepts of animal behavior in veterinary practice
 
Animal behavior is a critical aspect of veterinary medicine, often underappreciated despite its pervasiveness throughout the field. Understanding animal behavior can facilitate communication with patients, refine diagnoses and indications of ill health, and aid in processes of learning and socialization. Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine offers a comprehensive overview of the key concepts underlying the behavior of multiple animal species before demonstrating how to apply these concepts clinically. The result is an indispensable resource for veterinary students and practitioners who want to deepen their understanding of patient needs.
 
Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine readers will also find:
* Comprehensive coverage of companion animal behavior and additional coverage of livestock and wild animal behavior
* Detailed discussion of topics including social development, animal learning, and applied behavior analysis
* In depth review of diagnosis and treatment strategies for common behavior disorders in companion animals, extending to various additional species
* Companion website with videos, handouts for downloading, and links to pertinent scientific articles and informative websites
 
Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine is ideal preparation for veterinary medical students as part of "day one readiness" in their professional careers, as well as veterinary practitioners looking for a solid foundation in animal behavior and the treatment of key issues.

List of contents

I. Introduction to animal behavior and handling concepts
 
1. Introduction - Authored by Meghan E. Herron, DVM, DACVB
 
An overview of animal behavior and how it applies to veterinary medicine
What shapes behavior in animals?
Genetics
Early environmental experiences
Health status
Approaches to studying behavior in animals
Ethological
Experiential
Physiological
Why is behavior relevant to veterinary medicine?
Production Animals - What behavior tells us about estrus, health status and welfare
Pet Industry - Behavior shapes the human-animal bond
Wild Animals in Captivity - How behavior is the key to welfare and successful health management in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries
Clinical Veterinary Medicine - Behavioral indicators of disease and safe animal handling
 
2. The Process of Domestication
 
How behavior shaped today's companion and livestock species
Learn the lingo
Domesticated vs. feral
Wild vs. tamed
Natural vs. artificial selection
Traits that favor domestication - What physical and behavioral attributes made certain species more favorable for domestication and why?
The evolution of each domestic species
Domestication of dogs (Canis familiaris) - the greatest change in history and the role of neoteny
Domestication of cats (Felis catus) - how little has changed throughout history
Domestication of horses (Equus caballus) - how we had it wrong for so long
Domestication of livestock animals - chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), cattle (Bos taurus and Bos indicus - three main factors shaped today's cattle), pigs and sheep
 
3. Social Behavior
 
What are the benefits of group vs. solitary living?
Pairs, packs, matriarchal groups and natal bands
Social space, individual space and flight zones - how each is relevant to group housing
Social facilitation
Maternal behavior - the first social experience
Social hierarchies - What they are and why they are beneficial in group living, as well as their clinical relevance for farmers and veterinarians
Linear hierarchies - where the "pecking order" came from
Triangular, despotic and complex hierarchies
Aggression - what is aggression, what is its purpose, when is it normal?
Learn the lingo
Aggression
Agonistic behavior
Affiliative behavior
Submission
Avoidance
 
4. Sensory and Perception
 
Vision
Color vision
Monocular vs. binocular vision - benefit for predator vs. prey species
Hearing
Ranges if each species - how and why this evolved
Pinnae - the effects of size, shape and distance in between
Olfactory
Scents
Pheromones
Taste
Variance between species
Food aversion development
 
5. Animal Learning
 
Associative Learning
Classical Conditioning
What is Pavlovian conditioning and how does it apply to companion animals?
The use of classical counter-conditioning in everyday practice and in prescribed therapies
Operant Conditioning
The "four quadrants" - how they work and how they are applied
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative punishment
Reinforcement Schedules - what they are and how they are applied
Non-associative learning
Sensitization vs habituation
The use of desensitization and counter-conditioning in behavior modification of companion animals - putting it all together
 
6. The development of behavior and the shaping of the human-animal bond in companion animals: dogs
How early development shapes adult behavior, socialization vs. imprinting, setting up for success in dogs.
 
7. The development of behavior and the shaping of the human-animal bond in companion animals: cats
How early development shapes adult behavior, socialization vs. imprinting, setting up for success in cats.
 
8. The development of behavior and the shapi

About the author

Meghan E. Herron, DVM, DACVB, is a Senior Director - Behavioral Medicine Research, Education, and Outreach, at Gigi's (Shelter for Dogs) in Ohio, USA. She is also a lecturer at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Matthew's University School of Veterinary Medicine, and Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Summary

Understand and apply the key concepts of animal behavior in veterinary practice

Animal behavior is a critical aspect of veterinary medicine, often underappreciated despite its pervasiveness throughout the field. Understanding animal behavior can facilitate communication with patients, refine diagnoses and indications of ill health, and aid in processes of learning and socialization. Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine offers a comprehensive overview of the key concepts underlying the behavior of multiple animal species before demonstrating how to apply these concepts clinically, incorporating animal behavior into treatment and recovery plans. The result is an indispensable resource for veterinary students and practitioners who want to deepen their understanding of patient needs.

Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine readers will also find:
* Comprehensive coverage of companion animal behavior and additional coverage of livestock and wild animal behavior
* Detailed discussion of topics including social development, animal learning, applied behavior analysis and problem solving, and more
* Companion website with key images

Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine is ideal preparation for veterinary medical students as part of "day one readiness" in their professional careers, as well as veterinary practitioners looking for a solid foundation in animal behavior and the treatment of key issues.

Product details

• Authors: Meghan Herron, Meghan (Gigi''s (Shelter for Dogs) Herron, Meghan E. (Gigi''''s (Shelter for Dogs) Herron
• Assisted by: Meghan E. Herron (Editor)
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.08.2024
• EAN: 9781119824480
• ISBN: 978-1-119-82448-0
• No. of pages: 512
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > Veterinary medicine; Veterinärmedizin, Landwirtschaft, Zoologie, Tierhaltung, Life Sciences, Biowissenschaften, veterinary medicine, Agriculture, Animal Behavior, Allg. Veterinärmedizin, Zoologie / Verhaltensforschung, Animal Agriculture