11/20/2019
Behavioral medicine is here! Do you have a horse that does not tolerate oral medications? Won’t get on a trailer? Is needle shy? Behavioral modification is a low stress way for you and your horse to make steady progress towards your goals. Winter is a great time to do this type of groundwork with your horse and work on behavioral problems before Spring. Dr. Anna Baker specializes in equine veterinary behavior, and always loves to talk to new clients and patients. Call today to set up your appointments!
Behavioral Medicine FAQs:
1. Q: What is veterinary behavior?
a. A veterinary behaviorist uses the principles of animal learning and behavioral modification to train or re-train useful behaviors. Positive reinforcement (treat training) and negative reinforcement (pressure-release training) are used almost exclusively in horses.
2. Q: What behaviors do you train?
a. The most common behaviors to train are things like oral medications, eye medications, loading onto a trailer, needle tolerance, thermometer tolerance, clipping and lunging. However, almost any specific behavior can be trained with this methodology and Dr. Baker is always willing to try something new!
3. Q: Why is behavior important?
a. Having a horse that loads onto a trailer or is able to take oral medicine like banamine can be very important in an emergency situation like a colic. Secondly, using the principles of learning and behavior allows for clear communication with the horse that leads to positive experiences and lower stress. Horses that are less anxious require less sedation and restraint, which is beneficial for the horse and the vet! Additionally, this type of training is great for building trust, communication, and ground manners.
4. Q: Why use a veterinarian?
a. Using a veterinarian is useful because they can look at the behavior in the context of the whole horse. A vet can assess other factors like nutrition, underlying diseases, and lameness issues. In some more extreme cases, a veterinarian can also prescribe drugs to increase their quality of life, usability, or to facilitate the training.
5. Q: How do I set up an appointment?
a. Call the OSEA office at (401) 766-6578 and our staff will be happy to set up an appointment. They will also put you in contact with Dr. Baker via phone or email to talk more about the behavior, history, and solutions and she can answer any questions you might have.
6. Q: What will an appointment entail?
a. You and Dr. Baker will recap details about the behavior, the history, and the solution strategy. Dr Baker may ask you to demonstrate the problem you are having and then there will be several short sessions with her and the horse. She may then have you also do a session or two to practice depending on safety and progress made.
7. Q: How long is an appointment?
a. Anywhere from about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the horse. Expect also to have “homework” to do with your horse a few times a week to troubleshoot any issues with the training, and continue training the behavior.
8. Q: How much will it cost?
a. Behavior appointments will be purchased in a package, and which package you need will be determined by the horse, the owner, and the severity, and type of problem. A package of two appointments is 200$, packages of 3 appointments are 275$ and 4 appointments are 350$ (farm calls not included, and range from 50-100$ per visit depending on location). Unless you are an established behavior client, a minimum of two appointments will be scheduled at a time, the first for behavior evaluation and establishment of treatment, and the second for recheck.
9. Q. What can I do to prepare for the appointment?
a. Feed and turn out your horse as usual. At the time of your appointment, please have your horse haltered and readily available. The owner or main handler of the horse will need to be present at the appointment.
