Dogwood Behavior Services
Helping pets feel safer. Helping families feel supported.
Dogwood's Veterinary Behavior Service provides comprehensive veterinary behavior care for dogs and cats experiencing emotional, mental, or behavioral challenges. Veterinary behavior medicine is similar to psychiatry and behavioral medicine in humans; addressing how the brain, body, learning history, and environment work together to influence behavior.
Our goal is to reduce stress within the household, improve quality of life for pets, and strengthen the human-animal bond through compassionate and evidence-based veterinary care. We do not use punishment, fear, force, intimidation, or pain. All treatment plans emphasize positive reinforcement and Fear Free principles to promote trust and long-term behavioral improvement.
Conditions Treated by Our Veterinary Behavior Service
Our veterinary behaviorist commonly helps dogs and cats with:
- Anxiety disorders (generalized or situational), fear, and phobias
- Separation-related distress
- Reactivity toward people, dogs, cats, environments, or noises
- Aggression toward people or other animals
- Compulsive behaviors (light or shadow chasing, flank sucking, wool sucking)
- Destructive behaviors, excessive chewing, or scratching
- Urinating or defecating in the home or outside of the litter box
- Excessive vocalization, difficulty settling, high arousal
- Veterinary visit, grooming, or car travel stress
- Mouthing or nipping
- Self-injurious behaviors (barbering, self-mutilation)
- Cognitive dysfunction and age-related behavior changes
- Adjustment challenges related to new pets, babies, or lifestyle changes
Why See a Veterinary Behaviorist?
Veterinary behavior medicine addresses the medical to behavior.
A veterinary behaviorist is uniquely qualified to:
- Perform a full medical and behavioral evaluation
- Diagnose behavioral conditions and contributing medical issues
- Prescribe and manage behavioral medications when appropriate
- Coordinate care with your primary care veterinarian and professional trainers
This integrated approach allows for safer, more effective, and longer-lasting outcomes.
What to Expect From a Behavior Consultation
Step 1: Request an Appointment
Clients begin by completing a detailed, species-specific behavior and health questionnaire. Once submitted, our team will assist with scheduling your initial consultation.
Step 2: Initial In-Person Behavior Consultation
- Length: Typically 60 minutes or longer
- Location: Dogwood Veterinary Specialty & Emergency (in clinic)
During the initial visit, we will:
- Review medical records and detailed behavior history
- Perform a physical examination (if possible based on patient stress level)
- Discuss triggers, environment, routines, and context
- Provide a behavioral diagnosis when appropriate
- Create a structured, step-by-step treatment plan
- Recommend diagnostic testing when indicated
Initial visits will involve using treats to create a positive experience and assist in training demonstrations (if possible). Please let us know in your intake form if your pet has any dietary restrictions.
Step 3: Individualized Treatment Plan
Your pet's plan will include:
- Enrichment recommendations
- Behavior modification exercises
- Environmental management strategies
- Medication or supplement recommendations when appropriate
Step 4: Rechecks and Ongoing Support
Recheck appointments are typically scheduled every three months until your pet is stable. Rechecks may be completed via telemedicine or in person, depending on owner preference and clinical needs. In between rechecks, email communication is available and recommended.
Rechecks allow us to:
- Monitor progress and address challenges
- Adjust medications as needed
- Refine treatment strategies
- Support realistic, achievable goals for the household
Scheduling Behavior Appointments
New Behavior Consultations (In Clinic)
- Offered Monday through Thursday
- 60+ Minutes
Behavior Recheck Appointments (In Clinic or Remote)
- Offered Tuesday through Thursday
- 30 Minutes
Referring Veterinarian Meet-and-Greet
Referring veterinarians may meet Dr. Wilson, ask general questions, and discuss general behavior support options for their patients. Specific case questions will require a DVM behavior consultation.
House Call Behavior Consultations
House calls are offered on a case-by-case basis within 20 miles of Dogwood Veterinary Specialty & Emergency.
Yearly Exam Requirement
To continue behavior care, patients must be examined in person at least once yearly following their initial consultation. This ensures appropriate monitoring of both behavioral and physical health.
Long-Term Behavior Care & Collaboration
Many patients benefit from shared care. Once stable, long-term monitoring is often transitioned back to the primary care veterinarian, while Dogwood's behavior service remains available for continued support and rechecks.
Veterinary Behavior Pricing
- Initial behavior consultation: $600
- Behavior recheck appointment: $250
- Yearly behavior exam (after initial): $350
- Remote primary care DVM behavior consult: $150 (30 minutes)
Meet Dr. Bridgette Wilson, DVM
Dr. Bridgette Wilson is a veterinarian with advanced training in veterinary behavior medicine and a strong commitment to Fear Free care. She is currently a resident in the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB), is Fear Free Certified, and holds a Certificate of Training and Counseling (CTC) from The Academy for Dog Trainers.
Her professional interests include canine and feline anxiety disorders, phobias, feline behavior medicine, and helping caregivers better understand and support their pet's behavioral health.
Ready to schedule a veterinary behavior consultation?
Complete our online intake form, and our team will guide you through the next steps.
Veterinary Behavior FAQs
What does a veterinary behaviorist do?
A veterinary behaviorist evaluates behavior problems using both medical and behavioral expertise. They assess physical health, emotional state, learning history, and environment, diagnose behavior disorders, and may prescribe medication alongside behavior modification and management strategies to improve a pet's quality of life.
When should I see a veterinary behaviorist for my dog or cat?
Consider a veterinary behaviorist if your pet shows anxiety, fear, aggression, reactivity, compulsive behaviors, or stress that disrupts daily life—especially if training alone hasn't helped, the behavior is escalating, or there are safety concerns for people or other pets.
Is a veterinary behaviorist different from a trainer?
Yes. Trainers teach skills and behavior cues. Veterinary behaviorists are veterinarians trained to diagnose behavior disorders, evaluate medical contributors, and prescribe medications when appropriate. Many cases improve most with a team approach that includes a Fear Free, positive-reinforcement trainer.
Can a veterinary behaviorist prescribe medication?
Yes. Veterinary behaviorists are licensed veterinarians and can prescribe and manage medications for anxiety, fear, impulsivity, or compulsive behaviors when appropriate. Medication must be combined with behavior modification and management rather than used as a stand-alone solution.
Are behavior problems ever caused by medical issues?
Yes. Pain, neurologic disease, endocrine or gastrointestinal conditions, and other medical factors can influence behavior. That's why veterinary behavior care includes a medical assessment and, when appropriate, diagnostic recommendations in addition to a behavior plan.
What happens at an initial veterinary behavior consultation?
Initial consultations are in person and usually last 60 minutes or longer. We review medical and behavior history, perform an exam (if possible due to patient stress level and general safety), discuss triggers and routines, and create a practical treatment plan. When appropriate, we may recommend diagnostics and coordinate with your primary veterinarian and trainer.
Treats are often used to create a positive experience and facilitate training demonstrations, if indicated. Please let us know if your pet has any dietary restrictions.
If you have been prescribed anti-anxiety medications for veterinary visits, we recommend using them prior to the appointment so that our team can safely perform a physical examination.
Are behavior consultations done in person or online?
Initial consultations are conducted in person so we can complete a full medical and behavioral assessment. Recheck appointments may be remote (telemedicine) or in person, depending on your pet's needs and the owner's preference.
How often are recheck appointments needed?
Most patients benefit from rechecks about every three months until stable. Rechecks help monitor progress, troubleshoot challenges, adjust medications when needed, and refine the treatment plan over time.
How long does it take to see results from behavior treatment?
It varies. Some families see early improvements within weeks, while many cases improve gradually over months. Consistency with the plan, clear management strategies, and attending rechecks so adjustments can be made are key to long-term progress.
Do veterinary behaviorists use punishment, shock collars, or fear-based tools?
No. Our approach is humane and evidence-based. We do not use punishment, fear, force, intimidation, or pain. Treatment focuses on Fear Free, positive reinforcement methods to preserve trust and support sustainable change.
Will you work with my primary veterinarian and trainer?
Yes. Collaboration improves outcomes. We regularly coordinate with primary care veterinarians and positive-reinforcement trainers, and once a patient is stable, long-term monitoring is often transitioned back to primary care with our service available for ongoing support.
Can cats see a veterinary behaviorist?
Absolutely. We commonly help cats with anxiety, aggression, urinting or defecating outside of the litter box, stress-related behaviors, compulsive behaviors, and cognitive dysfunction. Cat behavior concerns are a core part of veterinary behavior medicine.
Do you see aggression or bite-risk cases?
Yes. We evaluate aggression and safety concerns using a structured, medical-behavior approach. Our priority is safety and improving quality of life while building a clear plan for management and behavior change that is realistic for the household.
What should I do if my dog has bitten someone or I'm worried it could happen?
If there's immediate danger, separate the pet from people and other animals and avoid handling that could lead to another bite. Contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital if you need urgent help. For ongoing risk, schedule a behavior consultation so we can create a safety-focused plan tailored to your pet and household.
Should I muzzle my dog for safety?
A muzzle can be an important safety tool for some dogs, but it should be introduced gradually and positively to prevent added stress. We can advise on whether a muzzle is appropriate and how to condition your dog to wear one comfortably as part of a broader behavior plan.
For more information about muzzles, visit The Muzzle Up Project.
Is veterinary behavior treatment covered by pet insurance?
Coverage varies by provider and policy. Some plans may cover behavior consultations, diagnostics, medications, or training, while others may not. We recommend contacting your insurer directly to confirm what your plan includes.
Ready to schedule a veterinary behavior consultation?
Complete our online intake form, and our team will guide you through the next steps.
