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| Dr Kersti Seksel is a registered specialist in veterinary behaviour, and treats animals with all manner of mental health and behaviour problems. |
Mental health and behaviour problems are common in
veterinary general practice. One of the challenges for veterinarians is working
out what advice to give – does the animal require training, or is there a
genuine mental health problem. The consequences of unmanaged behaviour and
mental health problems are no joke: in some situations, this leads to
euthanasia of the animal. There are clients I have met who no longer have
visitors because it’s just too hard to manage their dog when others come over. Others have to give up
their pets when they have children because it isn’t safe to have a child in the
house with a particular animal. Some animals have such profound separation anxiety that the owners feel they can never be left alone.
Mental health and behaviour problems impact the welfare
of animals, and the humans they live with. So this month I wanted to spend some
time introducing the mental health experts that help companion animals.
Dr Kersti Seksel is a specialist in animal behaviour and
had the qualifications to prove it (BVSc(Hons) MRCVS MA(Hons) FANZCVS DACVB
DECAWBM FAVA). She graduated in Veterinary Science from the University of
Sydney, then from Macquarie University with a BA in Behavioural Sciences
majoring in psychology. She is an adjunct senior lecturer at Charles Sturt
University and an honorary associate at the University of Sydney. Kersti is the
principal of a specialist practice for animal behaviour in Sydney and see cases
around Australia. She is chair of the NSW Animal Welfare Advisory Council, a
Board member of Delta Society and a member of the Special Council of the Pet
Professional Guild Australia. She has presented at multiple conferences and
meetings nationally and internationally and has published widely. She is a
regular presenter on ABC radio in Australia on pet care and behaviour, writes
for Dog’s Life and is also a consultant to the Veterinary Information Network.
Kersti is the author and tutor for the Centre for Veterinary Education’s
distance education course in Behavioural Medicine. When it comes to mental
health problems in animals, she’s seen it all.
What’s
your day job?
Seeing patients with mental health issues and helping
their owners better understand their special needs pet.
You’ve
devoted your career to animal behaviour. Surely in this day and age, we know
all there is to know about canine and feline behaviour?
There is still so much we do not know, even though many
of us have been around animals all our lives. There are also so many myths and
legends about animals some of which have been disproven scientifically decades
ago but unfortunately are still being perpetuated through many sources. But
with more research and more veterinarians undertaking studies in behavioural
medicine the more we will know in unravelling the mysteries of why animals do
what they do. It’s a continually evolving field which makes it so challenging
yet exciting.
Do
you think there is a stigma around mental illness in animals, as there has been
in people?
I think people do not necessarily want to accept that
animals can have a mental illness that may be contributing to what appears to
be their animal’s anti-social behaviour. It seems much easier to blame the
owner or blame the pet. However, over the years this stigma is becoming less so
and just like the stigma with mental illness in people is decreasing the same
goes for animals.
Medication
is often an important component of treating behavioural problems. What are the
common fears that owners have about medicating their pets and are these well
founded?
People may fear that the medications may change the
personality of their pet or their pet may be sedated or become a “zombie”.
However, medications cannot change personality but they can decrease anxiety.
If the pet is sedated or has other side effects then the medications may need
to be changed or the dose rate altered and they should see their veterinarian
or veterinary specialist in behavioural medicine as soon as possible. In
reality side effects are very uncommon. Medications are always used in
combination with behaviour modification and environmental management in order
to have the best welfare outcome for the pet.
When
should we recommend that a client sees a veterinary behaviour specialist,
versus say joining an obedience class or consulting with a trainer?
If the pet has a behaviour problem (a mental health
issue) then it has a medical problem. Medical problems of all descriptions need
to be seen by a veterinarian. If the pet needs to learn manners or learn to sit
or stay or learn how to behave at the door then a rewards based trainer should
be able to help. These trainers will refer to a veterinary behaviourist if
needed. It is really important to avoid all punishment, especially with a pet
with a mental health issue, as it can increase anxiety as well as the
likelihood of aggression.
What
non-human(s) do you share your life with and how did you meet?
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| Kersti's companions, both of whom suffer from forms of anxiety, are successfully managed with environmental management, behaviour modification, medication, and pheromone therapy. |
I have two very special dogs, both of whom came via
shelters as rescues in different ways. One belonged to one of my best friends
that died unexpectedly. She passed all her temperament tests when first at the
shelter but as it took the legal profession many months to finalise the will
she went kennel crazy. So I became the proud owner of a very anxious dog with
separation anxiety and severe noise phobias. My other dog came courtesy of my
husband who brought her home from another shelter where he was working. She was
a very, very, very anxious dog who ran away from her own shadow. Both are now
doing well after several years of environmental management, behaviour
modification, medication and pheromone therapy.
Thank
you Dr Seksel for sharing. You can visit her practice website here. If you’re interested in behaviour and mental health in animals, last
week we interviewed Dr Sarah Heath from the UK, you can read the interview here.
Drs
Seksel and Heath will be speaking in Sydney at the Centre for Veterinary
Education’s Small Animal Behavioural Medicine Conference from February 20 to
23. For more information, click here.
