Fresh Start Pet Coaching

Cassidy

My parents dog Cassidy has chronic ear infections. She has had them for years. Every few months she follows the same cycle. She gets an infection, she gets medication, the infection goes away. And then the cycle repeats. Cassidy hates having medication put in her ears. So much so that she has become very wary of anyone touching her head. She doesn’t bite or become aggressive. She just pulls her head away and runs and hides if she sees you coming with a bottle of medication.

There was one point in time when Cassidy started biting. I reached down to pet her and she nipped at me. Was this some newly developed behavior problem. No. Cassidy had another ear infection and all the head shaking she had been doing had resulted in a painful hematoma on her ear.

So if your pet has a behavior problem, is it really a behavior problem or is it a symptom of an illness or injury?

A cat that suddenly stops using the litterbox could have a urinary tract infection. Your dog that is suddenly snapping at your child when she goes to pet him could have an abscessed tooth. A chronic condition resulting in pain or discomfort such as arthritis or hip dysplasia could result in increased aggression. In all these cases, addressing the physical problem could completely resolve the behavior problem.

Whether or not your pet is ill is a question that only your veterinarian can answer. Which is why, at Fresh Start Pet Coaching, we recommend that all pets be checked by your veterinarian prior to coming to us for a consultation. We want to make sure that any physical causes of the problem have been ruled out.

If your pet is having a behavior problem you would like to address and any physical cause has been ruled out contact us today for a complimentary 15 minute telephone consultation.