FAQs

Whether you’re working with a trainer already, you’re not sure whether your dog’s concerns are a training issue, mental health issue or a physical health issue, or you’re starting from scratch, meeting with a behaviour vet like me can be a great starting point. We can work to sort through your concerns creating a cohesive plan.

Behaviour consultations require adequate time for assessment and planning, and I am not always able to accommodate urgent appointments at short notice.

All enquiries are reviewed to assess risk and urgency. In some cases, interim management advice or collaboration with your regular veterinarian can help stabilise the situation until your appointment.

If there is immediate risk to people or animals, urgent in-person veterinary care is recommended. You can find a list of behaviour vets in Victoria here, or reach out urgently to your regular veterinarian.

If you wish to have a short emergency consultation with me through my GP work, you can also book an appointment.

There are multiple levels of specialty in behavioural medicine in Australia, and I have achieved the first qualification, membership. This means I have extra qualifications and expertise in veterinary medicine. I can be a great place to create a plan, or to fine tune a plan that's been started by another general practice vet. You can find a list of vets with higher veterinary medicine qualifications here.

Making sure pets are otherwise healthy and fit is an essential part of managing behaviour. Health concerns are best managed in GP practice, so while we may discuss how to work up these issues in a behavioural consultation, the investigation and treatment of any health concerns is best saved for the GP clinic where we have the tools and resources to do the best job. You can book a GP appointment here.

For initial consultations, In Person is always preferable. It gives us the opportunity to see what’s going on live, to make thorough assessments of your dog’s behaviour and motivations, as well as show you any concerns I may have.

There are some situations where this isn’t possible though, for instance if you’re interstate or regional, or your dog has behavioural issues that prevent it from being able to be assessed in person. If you’re not sure, please contact me.

Revisit appointments are often more flexible, and Telehealth may be a reasonable option here.

While lots of my clients and patients come referred from dog trainers or other professionals, you’re able to make an appointment without a referral.

I’m always happy to review treatment plans from other trainers and vets, and see what can potentially be adjusted. Please send your dog’s previous history from their primary vet ahead of time to maximise the time we have to fine tune our plan together.

Most initial consultations take around 90 mins, and start with us collecting a detailed history of what’s been going on with your dog, what issues you’re having, and what has or hasn’t worked so far. From here, we go on to see what training, environment, or possibly medication options might help to create solutions. I work collaboratively with trainers so they can help support you while we develop your dog’s holistic plan.

The revisit consultations focus on adjusting medications if required, implementing your behavioural modification and training plan, and addressing any concerns you have.

No, and it’s definitely not the first option we’ll consider in almost all cases. Have a listen to some of my podcast material here to learn more about how I work with trainers and dogs to produce positive outcomes.

Check the book in page to find the type of appointment you need - most often the best place to start is a behavioural consultation. If you’ve got complex needs, you’re always welcome to send me an email to discuss options or sooner appointments. After booking you’ll be emailed an intake form which needs to be completed as soon as possible. Finally, you’ll need to sign up to VetRx so we can organise medications if needed. You can find more about how to get started here.

Let’s talk before your appointment to make sure we can keep everyone safe. Because of the large space I consult from, even dogs that are worried about people can often cope well with the distance. Alternatively, starting with a telehealth consult instead of in person may be a better way for us to start the process. Contact me to get the ball rolling.

There are no right or wrong reasons to seek veterinary advice on your dog’s behavioural concerns. Some of the issues I commonly deal with are below. Not every dog that has behavioural issues requires medication, and there are so many other ways for us to tackle behaviour that don't need a prescription.

With telehealth, distance is no longer a barrier to accessing the health care you want for your dog. You can read more about the rules for medications interstate here. Please feel free to reach out if you’re not sure if telehealth will work for you.

You can request medications directly through the Prescription Refills page. You’ll need to make sure you’ve had a visit within 6 months to access this service.