The Sticky Interaction between Medical Issues and Behavior with Dr. Chris Pachel

We have a special treat for you today; world-renowned veterinary behaviorist and lecturer, Dr. Chris Pachel has joined us to discuss a sometimes confusing topic; medical issues and how they can cause or contribute to behavior issues.

The more experience one gets with behavior and training, the more and more it becomes evident that some behavior issues are related to a seemingly unrelated medical issue. But here’s the thing; just like chronic or acute pain, or inflammation, or UTIs, or hormonal problems, or neurochemical imbalances, etc, can cause people to be more irritable, depressed, or even sometimes aggressive, the same thing can happen to our dogs. Not only that, but the only way they can communicate this to us is through body language or aggression to allow us to know how they are feeling. And this communication can be so subtle that it can take an expert in canine body language (or even medical diagnostic tests) to get to the bottom of it.

Thankfully Dr. Pachel helps us understand the situations where a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist (or other veterinary specialists) may need to be brought in, and how you can best help your veterinarian understand your concerns, and ensure that they have the right information for them to help you and your dog move forward.

Guest: Dr. Christopher Pachel

Dr. Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC received his veterinary degree from the University of MN in 2002 and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2010.  He has operated both house-call and office-based behavior practices and is currently the owner and lead clinician at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR.  Dr. Pachel lectures regularly throughout the US as well as internationally, teaches courses at multiple veterinary schools in the US, and has authored several articles and book chapters on topics such as Inter-cat aggression and Pet selection for animal-assisted therapy.  He is a sought-after expert witness for legal cases involving animal behavior and is also a Vice-president of Veterinary Behavior on the executive leadership team for Instinct Dog Behavior and Training.

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References:
- Dr. Chrisopher Pachel
- Animal Behavior Clinic (Portland Oregon but also available for remote consults)
- Animal Behavior Clinic on Facebook