Why is Vet Referral So Important?

29 May 2025

Why do I work on vet referral?



This is an important aspect of any behavioural consultation but you may be wondering why that is. Pain and problem behaviour can often be linked. A pet like us, can be more grumpy and less tolerant when they are in pain. Here is a breakdown of why behaviourists work on vet referral.


·     It allows me to understand what procedures your pet has had,  any current or previous illnesses. This is important as it can help shape my behavioural plan for your pet. If your pet has arthritis I won’t be suggesting lots of sits in my plan – as this can be painful for them. I would hate to offer advice that could exacerbate a hidden problem and cause pain to your pet,


·     It opens up communication with your vet in case their input is needed at any stage and if any further investigations may need to take place


·     It allows a vet to let me know that the pet is physically fit and can go ahead with the consultation.


·     I can create a behavioural timeline to see if any behaviours were concurrent  with the onset of the behavioural challenge.


·     Discomfort and pain can exacerbate a behavioural problem even if the trigger is really obvious.


·     Even if a pet is running around it doesn’t mean that they aren’t in pain. Just like us, a dog can have a negative and positive experience at the same time (we may have cake but still have a sore shoulder).


·     Here is a paper on pain and problem behaviour that you may find helpful.


Photo by Teef and Tails

Separation Related Challenges

by Lisa Sinnott • 2 May 2025
Separation related challenges

Why should we be concerned about our pets nervous system?

by Lisa Sinnott • 17 April 2025
What is a nervous system?

How to cope if your dog is barking and lunging at other dogs

by Lisa Sinnott • 16 April 2025
Being on the other end of the leash when a dog is barking and lunging can be painful stressful and upsetting.

Why is my puppy not walking when we go outside?

by Lisa Sinnott • 17 March 2025
There can be lots of different reasons why a puppy may not be walking. I’ve had this question quite a few times. Many puppies won’t walk outside but will run home when they reach their street.

Are puppy pad's the magic cure when toilet training a puppy?

by Lisa Sinnott • 5 February 2025
Are puppy pads for toilet training the answer? When you’re toilet training your puppy it can be confusing to know what to do. You may have heard that puppy pad’s are the answer. Let’s discuss this. Remember that physically a pup’s bladder is very small.. they can’t hold it for too long! They don’t go to the bathroom indoors to spite you. Also remember that some dogs may not be going to the bathroom – they may be marking scent by doing very small pee’s.

Does the age you come to a training class matter – should you come to puppy class?

by Lisa Sinnott • 13 January 2025
I read a paper recently called An Investigation into the Impact of Pre-Adolescent Training on Canine Behavior by Dinwoodie and colleagues. The aim of the study was conducted to see whether training done prior to 3 months of age was more effective than doing training later. Here is what they found.

If you had a difficult Christmas

by Lisa Sinnott • 6 January 2025
Christmas can be a difficult time for many reasons: lack of routine, new visitors coming into the home, lack of sleep, more noise.

Steps you can take to help someone who has a dog shows reactive behaviour

by Lisa Sinnott • 23 December 2024
Many people have dogs because they enjoy the social side of having a dog.. chatting to people in the park and watching their dogs bound around and play with each other. However, for many people I work with this isn’t their reality. Their dog may have had a bad experience with a dog and is now scared, or they could be recovering from an operation, for example. This can make walks – especially in narrow locations very difficult. If you, your self have had a dog who shows signs of reactivity then you’ll appreciate how hard it is and you may be doing the below already.. but if not please read on. · If you see a dog who is reactive walking down the street (perhaps they have a jacket that is yellow), or perhaps their handler just looks uneasy.. then walk across the road.. this will give a dog some breathing space. · Feed your dog to distract them rather than letting them get fixated on the other dog. · Change direction or if you can, wait behind a parked car so that the dogs do not notice each other. The above steps can really help a dog and their handler. Walking a reactive dog can feel stressful and anxiety inducing and people’s behaviour can really help the dog and the person.

What to train your dog while you're waiting for puppy class to start

by Lisa Sinnott • 23 December 2024
Some things to teach/get started with, with your new puppy

Thinking about getting a puppy? Be in the know

by Lisa Sinnott • 6 November 2024
Devastatingly, thousands of dogs end up in rescue centres each year, sometimes because people have financial problems or divorces and sometimes because of behavioural and health problems (behaviour and health are interlinked – pain can make a dog more grumpy and less tolerant). The pandemic and cost of living crisis means that rescue centres have seen the perfect storm of dogs arriving into their care.
More posts