About Our Service

Visits to the Behavior Clinic are by appointment. Pet owners may be referred to us by their primary care veterinarians, or may contact us directly, without a referral.

• An initial visit to the Behavior Clinic usually lasts two to three hours.
• Pet owners are asked to complete an online history form before the appointment which details the pet’s home environment and the behavior problem.
• In order to address all possible contributing factors, we also request the pet’s medical record from the referring veterinarian.

During the appointment the pet, client and behavior team meet to discuss the medical and behavioral history and ways to manage and improve the animal’s behavior. The environment is non-threatening and primarily intended to help the veterinary behaviorist (a veterinarian board-certified in animal behavior) or behavior resident to identify and understand the problem.

Once a diagnosis has been made, a treatment plan is discussed. Management of behavior problems may include:

• Safety counseling
• Behavior modification
• Management techniques such as modification of the home environment
• Medication (if needed)

Safety of our patients and of everyone who interacts with them is emphasized.

In the second half of the appointment the client will work with a behavior technician on the behavior modification techniques recommended by the veterinarian. During this time the veterinarian and the clinical students will prepare a detailed written summary of the visit with all of the veterinarian’s recommendations and instructions for continuing behavior modification at home.

• You will be able to reach out to the behavior team via email (beclinic@vet.upenn.edu) with your questions or concerns. If a change to the treatment is necessary, the clinician will determine if a recheck appointment is needed. Typically, a recheck is required 8-12 weeks after the initial appointment.