Behavioral Consultations

We are proud to be the full-service hospital for your pet's health, boarding, grooming, and emergency services. We pride ourselves on being a trusted resource for all the health needs of the furry family members that you love and care for. We treat a broad range of animals - from cats and dogs, to reptiles, horses, and cattle!

What is a Behavior Consult?

Have you ever had a dog or cat that had some bad behavior? Maybe it was inappropriate bathroom habits in the house. Maybe it was some aggression. Perhaps there was some house destruction. Maybe you have a pet with a behavior problem right now. Behavioral concerns with our pets can be very stressful and really offsetting to the family balance. They can also deeply injure the human/pet bond.

Heartland Animal Hospital is here to help. We offer a service called a Behavioral Consultation. This service is the beginning of a valuable process that can change your life, and your pet’s life, for the better. At this appointment we address your behavioral concerns, and determine what the first step will be to address them.

Just as behavioral problems do not blossom overnight (though they sometimes seem to) they will not be fixed overnight, so this is NOT a one-time, fix-all appointment. Follow up consultations and care will be required. There will also be ‘homework’ for your family and your pet, and some changes may be suggested.

Sometimes, we also recommend adding an additional member to the team- either a trainer or a behaviorist. A trainer will help train you to train your pet for the desired behaviors and in some instances how to curb undesirable behaviors. In contrast, a behaviorist is kind of a therapist for your dog. They assess the underlying emotional problems that the pet is having and helps to modify the behavior through reconditioning. The Doctors here have carefully interviewed and chosen trainers and behaviorists that agree with our philosophies and meet our high standards.

It is not uncommon for a client to realize that they lack the time, dedication, or the resources to continue up the path of behavior modification. If that is the case, we want you to know that that is okay! Together we will decide what the next best course of action is, while remaining unbiased and compassionate. Because, in addition to reducing the amount of stress and strengthening the family bond with the pet, we also strive to help decrease the number of pets relinquished to local shelters for behavioral concerns.

We are so fortunate to have Dr. Patti Cuddihee for our cats’ doctor. For 18 years, she seems to always know exactly what to do for our cats. We just wish we had a doctor for us humans that was as intuitive about our needs as Dr. Cuddihee is about our cats’ needs. She knows them all by name and loves them.

This year we had to have our most beloved cat euthanized. Dr. Cuddihee came to the house and, afterwards, hugged me and cried with me.

Usually, our stories are good ones. Recently, an 18 year old cat that is slowing down and has health issues had to have his teeth cleaned and extracted. He also had an ulcer in his mouth that Dr. Cuddihee had to treat. Unlike usual, he came home the same day ready to eat and cuddle and, by evening, go for a walk outdoors, with us.

The young ladies at the clinic are always so friendly and helpful, as well. Thanks, Dr. Cuddihee, for taking such good care of our beloved furry family.

Jim and Gayle Fry and friends