Any animal can suffer from behavioural problems, and they often leave their owners dismayed and full of questions.
In exotic species (birds and reptiles), these problems are very common in wild-caught animals; fortunately, in Switzerland we mainly see captive-bred animals, which cope with this life far better.
In reptiles, behavioural problems lead over the medium to long term to a loss of appetite, then to difficulty shedding their skin and to other conditions caused by poor food intake. The outlook is often very guarded, and only a complete overhaul of the animal’s living conditions can turn things around.
In birds, feather-plucking in parrots is the best-known example. The outlook is poor, unless it is tackled early enough and the right changes are made to the environment, with frequently renewed toys and other forms of enrichment.
In rabbits and rodents, genuine behavioural disorders are rarer: these animals spend most of their time feeding and so keep themselves busy. Aggressive fights with biting are seen fairly regularly, though, and rearranging the group is usually enough to put a stop to them.
In carnivores — dogs, cats and ferrets — the various behavioural disorders are much better understood. The most common ones show up as aggression, destructiveness or soiling in the home.
The causes sometimes lie in the animal’s first few weeks of life, or in an environment that is unsuitable or that has changed, even slightly (a new type of cat litter, for instance).
The most common reasons for a consultation are: in dogs, destructiveness and aggression; in cats, urinating indoors; and in ferrets, a lack of bite inhibition.
Treatment is often lengthy, combining training measures with medication in some cases. The animal is rarely cured completely, but its problems can usually be brought under control. It takes a great deal of patience — and running out of it is the single most common reason things fail. It is also worth being honest with yourself about your own limits and expectations before embarking on behavioural therapy.
If your pet is showing a behavioural problem, it really is worth talking it over with your vet. A general-practice vet can often suggest simple measures; but if these do not work, if the problem comes back, or if it is serious (or genuinely dangerous), your vet will refer you to a behaviour specialist. Every animal needs its own individual therapy, all the more so once its problems are well established.