Call Topic: Better Living Through Chemistry - Helping Shelter Dogs Cope, with Dr. Meghan Herron
Join us on Thursday January 25 at 9am PT/noon ET for the first of a two part series about behavior medication.
This month, Meghan Herron, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, will be talking about using behavior medication to help dogs cope with fear, anxiety and stress in the shelter.
Better Living Through Chemistry – Helping Shelter Dogs Cope
Fear, anxiety, and stress are inevitable factors in a shelter dog’s life. Behaviors are often exaggerated or inhibited when dogs are under duress, making a clear picture of their true behavior difficult, sometimes impossible, to see. Fast-acting antianxiety medications may help dogs cope, allowing them to show their true personalities and enjoy better welfare. This presentation will discuss frequently used medication to help tackle fear, anxiety and stress in shelter dogs. We will walk through the decision-making process, mechanism of action, doses and timing of each drug, as well as when and how to make a safe and appropriate adoption weaning plan. Outcomes: After this presentation attendees should be able to
- Identify behavioral concerns that warrant psychopharmacological intervention,
- Understand short-acting behavior medications and how veterianrians can adjust a med plan according to patient response.
- Create a safe and effective weaning plan for each medication.
About Dr. Herron: Dr. Meghan Herron is the senior director of behavioral medicine education and outreach at Gigi’s, a shelter organization dedicated to improving the lives of shelter dogs. Prior to her current position, she spent over a decade as head of the behavioral medicine service at The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. A seasoned international speaker on animal behavior, Dr. Herron is also the lead editor of the book “Decoding Your Cat,” the long-anticipated sequel to “Decoding Your Dog.” She is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and became board-certified as diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behavior after completing a residency at the University of Pennsylvania.
About HASS Behavior Job-Alike Groups:
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) facilitates Job-Alike Groups to provide colleagues with similar roles and responsibilities the opportunity to discuss common issues, ask questions, determine best practices, and share program ideas among their peers. These groups include collaborative sessions that enable participants to share resources and develop relationships across multiple districts and settings.
This meeting is for behavior support and collaboration and occurs once a month to discuss successful innovations, collaborate with others in the field, answer questions, and talk through complex behavior-related issues.
Register for the Zoom meeting here: https://maddies.fund/3np1A0t
You can catch up on previous Behavior Job-Alike Meetings on this thread and follow for more information on upcoming events: https://maddies.fund/behaviorjobalike
We encourage you to follow the discussion or ask questions to the group using this thread on Maddie's Pet Forum. Click the "Follow" button at the top right of the thread to be notified of new comments, recordings and to continue collaborating outside of our monthly meetings.
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