b'ARTICLEUndesirable behaviours exhibited byBox 1. cats and dogs are commonly reportedPractitioner organisations that hold lists of suitably by their caregivers 1 , some of which canqualified, accredited behaviourists who only work on compromise welfare and jeopardise theveterinary referral:human-animal bond. To gain help andAssociation of Pet Behaviour counsellors (APBC): support, the caregivers first port of call is often the veterinary clinic.https://www.apbc.org.uk/This article focusses on how vet teams Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC):can provide guidance for their clientshttps://abtc.org.uk/through offering sound, practicalFellowship of Animal Behaviour (FAB) Clinicians:behaviour first aid advice. It alsohttps://fabclinicians.org/highlights some of the issues that underlie behaviour problems and offers examples of the kinds of recommendations thatadequately equipped or confident can be given enough to give accurate behaviour advice 3 . However, once physical health What is meant by Behaviour First Aidissues have been eliminated, vet teams Advice? are actually very well-placed to provide This term relates to the immediate advicegeneral advice, including stopping that can be given to a client whilstany form of punishment and advising they are waiting to receive professionalagainst the use of aversive equipment. guidance from an accredited clinicalSign-posting clients to suitable resources animal behaviour counsellor. It is a short- and referring them on to a behaviour term measure and does not replacecounsellor can also be easily undertaken. in-depth behaviour analysis or a detailedUnfortunately, this is an unregulated plan of action.profession, so knowing where to go to After ruling out, or treating, medicalget help is essential. (Ref. Box 1). conditions, first aid advice should Health and safety advicefocus on:If the behaviour is potentially dangerous,Health and safety: providing advice accurate advice and safeguards will about safeguardingneed to be put in place.Managing triggers: identifying andCanine aggression problems pose controlling the situations that initiatea risk to public safety and therefore the behavioural response. protecting people is a priority. If a dogPrevention: stopping the situation fromhas bitten someone, then there could be worsening legal implications so an urgent referralI mproving animal welfareappointment is required. Research has shown that the majority of dog bites are Ruling out and treating medicaldirected towards children 4and it has conditions been widely reported that a proportion Initially, a thorough clinical examination should be performed in order to rule out any underlying pain/clinical disorders. This is of particular importance because problematic behaviours may be caused or exacerbated by them. Indeed, in a published review of behaviour caseloads, it was conservatively estimated that around a third of referred cases involved some form of painful condition. Moreover, it was reported that, in some instances, it may be nearer 80% of cases 2 . Prompt, targeted medical treatment is therefore crucial.Providing behaviour first aid adviceResearch has shown that many Fig. 1 - Under supervision, a houseline can provide a safe method for veterinary professionals do not feelmanipulating a dogs movements in the home environment.www.inspiredvet.co.uk19'