Veterinary behavior is a specialized area of veterinary medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating behavioral issues in animals. Because behavior is complex and influenced by various factors, a veterinarian must draw from multiple fields of study, including evolutionary biology, neuropsychology, and internal medicine, to fully understand the issue.
You can think of a veterinary behaviorist like a psychiatrist for animals. Both professionals are doctors who evaluate their patients’ symptoms to determine whether they stem from physical illness, mental health conditions, environmental factors, or a combination of all three. This comprehensive approach ensures a more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to the individual animal’s needs.