Board-certified veterinary behaviorist and welfare specialist treating behavior cases at referral teaching hospital, including aggression, separation anxiety, and other problems.

 

Certifications: MS

 

Designations: DACVB, DVM

 

Job Title: Professor of Clinical Animal Behavior

 

Training Equipment: Humane tools that allow the most control, as most of our patients are diagnosed with aggression. We avoid recommending tools that operate via positive punishment. Medications are also "equipment".

 

Training Philosophy: We treat the dog as a member of the family using humane behavior modification. We take the diagnosis, relationship with their dog, environment, prognosis, and severity of the problem into account.

 

Locations Served: We are located at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine in Davis, CA, just west of Sacramento. Our clients come from all over northern California and Nevada. We offer housecall appointments to local clients.

 

The mission of the Behavior Service, and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine as a whole, is threefold: educate veterinary students and residents (post-graduate veterinarians); provide high quality veterinary care; and discover, apply, and disseminate new knowledge. We treat aggression, separation anxiety, phobias, compulsive disorders, housesoiling, The Behavior Service includes board-certified specialists in veterinary behavior who oversee the nation's largest veterinary behavior program. Behavior consultations are conducted by highly qualified, experienced veterinarians with a sincere interest in maintaining the human-animal bond. We derive our humane behavior modification techniques from the field of applied animal behavior where veterinary and behavioral science professionals specialize in applying scientific principles, learned from the study of domestic and wild animal behavior, learning theory, and counseling, to companion animals. In the clinic, we use these techniques to help owners solve their pets' behavior problems. Medication, which only veterinarians can prescribe, is occasionally used in conjunction with behavior modification therapy. Veterinarians can also diagnose medical conditions that can affect a pet's behavior. Dr. Melissa Bain is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB; www.dacvb.org) and American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW; www.acaw.org). Dr. Liz Stelow is also board-certified by ACVB. Our residents are working on their ACVB certification, by completing a 3-year residency. Our veterinarians are also members of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (www.avsabonline.org).