Animal Progress - Dr Sally Nixon

11/05/2026

Cats can be incredibly loving, full of character, and very expressive but they are also naturally very good at masking when something isn’t right 🐱

While this is part of their natural instinct, it can make it really challenging for us to notice when they may be experiencing pain or discomfort.

The signs are often very subtle. It might be a slight change in behaviour, a different routine, or just a sense that something is “not quite right” 🐾

Click the link below to learn more.

Could you tell if your cat was in pain? 🐱

iCatCare’s very own Alex Taylor, Cat Wellbeing and Behaviour Advisor, is sharing her advice on recognising the signs of pain in cats through their behaviour in her blog, written specially for National Pet Month 👉 https://nationalpetmonth.org/2026/04/13/behavioural-signs-of-pain-in-cats/

Plus, catch-up with Alex in conversation, broadcast last week on the National Pet Month page, sharing her tips on spotting if your cat is in pain and the practical steps you can take.

Our website is packed with helpful cat friendly tips and information to help you 👉 https://icatcare.org/

And don’t forget to sign up to our cat friendly community newsletter for extra tips and information direct to your inbox 📨 https://go.icatcare.org/community

07/05/2026

A big thank you to all of the vets and vet nurses who came along to our Puppy Class Workshop last week! 🐾🐶 Thanks for joining us, we loved meeting you all 💛

It was so great to have such a lovely group there, with some clinics already running puppy classes and other clinics looking to get started. We loved discussing all things puppy classes, sharing ideas and practical tips, and exploring how clinics can run puppy classes in-house to help keep puppy education, behaviour support, and puppy training within the veterinary industry 🩺🐾

Puppy classes are not just about training. They’re a valuable way for vet clinics to support puppies and their families right from the start, while building positive associations with the clinic and strengthening relationships with both clients and puppies 🐶

We’re looking forward to running this workshop again in the future for clinics who weren’t able to make it this time around! 🐾

If you are a vet clinic who would like up to date puppy class support, feel free to reach out.

24/03/2026

What Makes Pets Eat Things They Shouldn’t? 🐾🤔

At Animal Progress, we know how scary it is when a pet eats something they shouldn’t, like a toy, sock, rock or household object. Emergency veterinary care to remove a blockage and stabilise your pet is life‑saving, but recovery doesn’t stop there.

Key questions that worry pet caregivers are:
Is this likely to happen again?
&
How do we stop this from happening?

To answer those questions, we need to answer the most important question:
Why did this happen in the first place?

Many pets who eat non‑food items are showing a behaviour called pica. Usually, the behaviour isn’t random. It can be linked to underlying medical issues, nutritional imbalances or even how their gut is functioning.

Issues with your pet’s digestive system can influence behaviour, mood and how comfortable they feel because the gut and the brain are connected. Problems like inflammation or an imbalance in gut bacteria can affect behaviour and wellbeing, not just digestion.

That’s why we recommend a thorough veterinary check‑up to look for any underlying health or digestive problems, and a behavioural consultation to help understand and address why your pet is eating non‑food items.

Understanding how gastrointestinal health links to behaviour is an important piece of preventing future problems rather than just reacting to them. For more on this connection, check out this article:
https://cattledogpublishing.com/blog/gastrointestinal-disease-gut-health-and-your-dogs-behavior/ 💙

20/03/2026

🐾Veterinary Behavioural Medicine should be sought early for behaviour problems🐶🐱🐴

When a person has an animal with a problem, they might go to the internet to see what help is out there. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to find incorrect advice. Many people think that they can provide advice about behaviour but they do not understand the complexity of behaviour problems. As such, behaviour problems in animals is often oversimplified by people who simply do not know what they do not know.

❌Incorrect advice at best delays the animal receiving appropriate care, potentially progressing the problem further, increasing its complexity; and at worst causes the caregiver to use techniques the significantly exacerbate the problem and/or compromise the animal's welfare.

Another problem related to oversimplified descriptions of behaviour problems and their treatment is that caregivers often feel that they have failed to provide adequate care, and/or that they may have caused the problem. Society can exacerbate this perception due to stigma and many myths that are not supported by scientific evidence.

Many behaviour problems can be managed, and caregiver has an important role in helping the animal to live a happy life 🐾❤️. A fabulous relationship can be fostered. However, complex problems do not usually have simple solutions.

Management of behaviour problems requires an in-depth understanding of the individual animal, the animal's health status, environment, and previous learning experiences.

Physical health and pain affect behaviour, so a veterinary health check is recommended for any animal with a behaviour problem.

Developing a management plan requires an understanding many aspects specific to the animal, such as:

🐶🐱Normal species-typical needs and behaviours
🗣Species-typical communication strategies
🌟Individual-specific needs, including personality traits
📆Developmental stage of the animal
👪Social needs of the animal
🧠How the animal learns and adapts
💉Effects of physical disease states and the possible presence of disease

To treat these complex problems, it is necessary to learn why the animal behaves the way it does, and then implement a well-structured plan that is monitored and adjusted for the specific individual. Knowledge of veterinary behavioural medicine is required for a well-structured plan that incorporates factors that could be playing a role.

⏰Early intervention is strongly recommended to aid treatment outcome. A management plan formulated with Animal Progress is based upon an understanding of many factors described above, as well as how the brain works and motivation and emotional circuits involved in behaviour.

Importantly, management of animals with behaviour problems and working with caregivers in these difficult situations requires empathy and compassion💕, which we would like more of society to offer.

05/03/2026

Veterinary Behavioural Medicine 👩‍⚕️🐶🐱🐴

Pets of all ages have the ability to learn new things. New behaviours that work to help an animal adapt and live successfully in its environmental are continuously being learnt.

However, for various reasons, some pets struggle to learn and adapt. These animals are in particular need of help. They can become highly stressed in some situations. Their stress can become pervasive and affect their general health and well-being. The underlying source for their stress needs to be found and treated appropriately.

Stressed animals sometimes exhibit behaviours that can compromise the welfare of others in the home, sometimes creating conflict for caregivers who want the best for their pet but also worry about others in the home.

Some behaviours can be exceedingly frustrating and annoying, challenging the caregiver's bond with the pet.

Additionally, some behaviours that appear funny to people may representative a problem for the pet, and the pet may be struggling to cope.

Veterinary behavioural medicine is an important field of veterinary science, helping these animals by looking at underlying causes for behaviours, so that problems leading to increased stress and maladaptive behaviours can be treated.

27/02/2026

Cognitive Decline in Dogs - Nutritional Support & Supplements 🐶🧠🐾

Targeted nutrition and supplementation can support brain metabolism and energy supply, reduce oxidative damage, improve signalling ability between brain cells, improve levels of important neuromodulators such as serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine, reduce destruction of neurocircuitry in the areas involved in emotional regulation, improve neuroplasticity (helping the animal be more adaptive to changes), and ultimately helps slow cognitive decline in aging dogs.

The combination of an enriched diet and a supplement can work in different ways to slow cognitive decline. For example:

• A diet provides nutritional support for aging dogs

Diets that are enriched with medium-chain triglycerides, B-vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids, such as Purina Neurocare, can help slow the progression of dementia by providing an alternative energy source and building blocks for neuron growth and transmission of information in the thinking and memory parts of the brain.

A specific supplement provides additional support not included in the diet:

• S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) helps increase the levels of serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine used for sending messages in the brain. SAMe also helps metabolism by the liver, which can sometimes be slower in older dogs. In dogs, there is a link between reduced dopamine signalling and increased cognitive decline.

Supplements specifically designed for dogs that contain SAMe can be used.

If you’d like to learn more about nutritional support and supplements, speak with your vet👩‍⚕️

16/02/2026

What has Dr. Sally Nixon been up to so far this month? 🐾✨

It’s been a huge February for Sally!

Earlier this month, Sally hosted a webinar for veterinarians titled “Misunderstood Mutts! When & How to Prescribe Psychotropics”. Over 500 vets registered to join the webinar……WOW!

During the webinar, Sally explored the latest evidence-based approaches for managing behavioural challenges in dogs, discussed common misconceptions about behaviour, and shared practical guidance on when psychotropic medications can support behavioural therapy. Vets from around the world joined to deepen their understanding and improve outcomes for their patients.

Last week, Sally was in Sydney presenting at the Centre for Veterinary Education (CVE) Conference on Veterinary Behavioural Medicine (9 February to 13 February 2026) at the University of Sydney. Sally presented on five topics throughout the program, which combined a three-day behaviour conference with a two-day intensive masterclass, designed to transform how vets understand, assess, and manage behavioural medicine in practice.

Featuring other world-class speakers , case discussions, and a practical approach, this conference is all about seeing animal behaviour differently and changing practice for the better.

Great work, Sally! 👏👏

09/02/2026

Cognitive Decline in dogs - Environmental Enrichment & Mental Stimulation 🐶🧠

Cognitive decline can begin subtly in dogs as early as 6 years of age. However, the problem will usually not show up in their behaviour at home until they are 8 years of age, and even then it can be very subtle. Obvious signs appear later, but there is no cure. Due to the gradual nature of cognitive decline, recognising it early and helping reduce progression, is the best thing caregivers can do for their aging pets.

Age-related changes are normal, and some animals can have mild deficits as they age that do not progress to significant cognitive decline. Other animals can develop significant problems. For all aging animals, appropriate mental, nutritional and environmental support can benefit their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. For animals who are on the path to developing Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (dementia), such support may prevent progression to significant disability and behavioural problems.

Environmental enrichment helps keep the brain active and supports learning, memory, and problem-solving skills. Helpful strategies include:

🧩 Food puzzles that are engaging and appropriately challenging, but not so difficult that they could cause frustration or stress
🧠 Short, positive reinforcement training sessions (under 2 minutes) that focus on learning or offering new behaviours
⏰ Maintaining predictable routines and a calm, supportive environment

Early identification of subtle changes allows for early intervention, which can significantly improve quality of life as dogs age.

Regular cognitive screening at home using tools such as the Canine Dementia Scale Worksheet (CADES), repeated every 6 months to monitor changes over time, help to identify cognitive decline, for early intervention to reduce progression.

https://neurovet.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Cades-cognitive-function-score.pdf

23/01/2026

As dogs and cats age, their mental abilities and ability to regulate emotions can gradually reduce (known as cognitive decline). When this happens, normal everyday tasks can become a bit more challenging.

Some dogs and cats develop Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) similar to dementia in people 🐶

Recognising early signs of cognitive decline can help reduce its gradual progression to Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS), protecting their quality of life.

Signs to watch for:
• Disorientation or seeming lost
• Changes in behaviour or social interactions
• Sleep disturbances such as restless nights or vocalising
• Memory or housetraining issues
• Changes in activity including pacing, circling, or less interest in play
• Increased anxiety or confusion

Increased vocalisation might be seen in cats with cognitive decline.

If you’re noticing these changes, check in with your vet to rule out other health problems that can look very similar, such as chronic pain/discomfort. Your vet can help with advice about supportive care options that can reduce progression 💙

22/12/2025

🎄✨ Christmas Thank You ✨🎄

As the year comes to an end, we just want to say a huge thank you to all of our amazing clients, your beautiful pets, and to all the veterinary clinics who support us.

Your trust, kindness, and dedication mean the world to us. We’re so grateful to care for such wonderful animals and to work alongside such compassionate people. 🐾❤️

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas filled with love, laughter, and special moments with your animal family members. Here’s to a happy, healthy New Year ahead!

With heartfelt thanks,
Sally & Bec 🎅🐶🐱