Initial Behavior Consultation for New Patients

The initial behavior consultation is an in-office appointment (1 and ½ hours) at our clinic in Carmel, Indiana. Our team will review your pet’s behavior history, observe your pet in the office (and view any video clips you provide), and perform a physical exam if indicated.

After the assessment is completed, our team will discuss your pet’s diagnosis, the individualized treatment plan, and how to implement this plan according to your household and lifestyle.

In order to rule out any underlying medical concerns, additional diagnostics (like blood work or medical treatments) may be advised to be done by your primary veterinarian.

In the week following your initial visit, you will receive a visit summary that outlines the treatment plan for your pet. Our team will send your primary veterinarian a copy of the initial consultation visit summary.

Your pet’s behavior treatment plan will begin with implementing management and safety in your household, and if indicated, recommending behavior supplements and/or medications. The initial behavior treatment plan will lay the foundation for future appointments, where we will discuss more behavior modification training and modify the treatment plan accordingly.

The initial consultation includes up to 2 months of email follow up with our team. After 2 months, the first doctor recheck appointment is due for continued care. Additional services such as in-office training sessions and phone check-in appointments are available for an additional fee.

Due to the specialized nature of our veterinary behavior practice, we generally are booked a few weeks to months in advance.

Recheck Appointments: (For Current Established Patients)

*Please call the office to schedule your pet’s recheck appointment.

Recheck appointments (30 minutes) are a vital part of behavior therapy to achieve positive progress for your pet. Recheck appointments allow our team to evaluate your pet’s response to the current treatment plan and adjust the plan accordingly. Recheck appointments are typically scheduled every 2 months during the early phase of treatment to ensure continued progress. Once your pet’s behavior has stabilized, recheck appointments are scheduled every 6 months.

Please note that our veterinary team legally must see your pet in person at least once a year to maintain a valid doctor-patient relationship.

Recheck Appointments: (for Non-Current Established Patients)

For Non-Current Established Patients (patients not seen in the past year), the recheck appointment (60 minutes) allows your pet to re-establish care with our team and formulate an updated treatment plan based on your pet’s current behavior profile. Once your pet’s behavior has stabilized, recheck appointments are scheduled every 6 to 12 months.

Our behavioral training techniques are based on science, and we do not advocate or prescribe aversive methods (i.e. shock collars, prong coll ars, correction-based training) to modify behavior.