9.30 Welcome

Loni Loftus BSc (Hons) MSc PGAed CCAB – Events Subcommittee Chair, FAB Clinicians

Many Thanks to our conference and topic Sponsors

9.45 Owner communication for human behaviour change

Tamsin Durston RVN, CAB, mAPDT, PTTLS, BA(hons), BSc(hons), MSc

This presentation aims to help you to:

• summarise relevant models of human behaviour change which impact client-communication:
  • transtheoretical model of change
  • self-determination theory
  • self-efficacy and locus of control
  • social identity theories
• explain the concept, development, and goals of Motivational Interviewing when communicating with pet owners
• reflect upon the value of applying Motivational Interviewing techniques within clinical animal behaviour counselling

11.00 – Pheromonatherapy – Update on their clinical application and related science

Professor Daniel Mills BVSc PhD CBiol FRSB FHEA CCAB Dip ECAWBM(BM) FRCVS, RCVS and EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine

There is currently active debate concerning the value of pheromonatherapy for the management of problem behaviour, often with both claim and counterclaim referencing the scientific literature. To some extent this reflects personal bias and/or a failure to appreciate the nature of either scientific inquiry and/or the concept of evidence based medicine.  In this presentation I will review this debate as it relates to current data on the use of pheromonatherapy within the context of core scientific principles, a psychobiological approach to understanding the nature of problem behaviour and the nature of evidence based medicine. This facilitates the development of a rational basis for  practical guidelines relating to when it might be useful or not to recommend pheromonatherapy and other complementary interventions in practice.

12.15 Lunch And Breakout Rooms

13.00 How animals communicate pain

Dr Matt Gurney BVSc CertVA PgCertVBM DipECVAA FRCVS

Understanding how animals communicate pain has enabled the development of validated tools that allow us as veterinary professionals to evaluate pain and monitor the efficacy of our treatments. There have been significant advances in this area in the past 20 years which we will review in this session. Despite these successes, there are still types of pain and certain pain presentations which remain a challenge to us as caregivers.

14.15 Communication in street dogs – same-same but different

Dr Heather Bacon OBE BSc BVSc CertZooMed SFHEA MRCVS

This session will outline the geographical, learned and genetic factors that may influence the behaviour of free-roaming and ‘landrace’ dogs, to provide context for their behaviours.

It will then describe and discuss a range of behaviours that are common in free-roaming or ‘ancient’ dog breeds, with a focus on dog-dog and dog-human interactions.  This session will be useful for anyone interested in better-managing dogs, or supporting owners of dogs, from a wide range of geographical backgrounds.

15.30 Coffee Break

15.45 Communicating with vets – never mind the dog, will the vet bite?

Dr Emma Brown BVSc PGDip MRCVS CCAB, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Companion Animal Behaviour and Tom Rowland MSc CCAB

Effective management of Behaviour cases depends on an integrated team approach with Animal Care Givers, Veterinary and Behaviour Teams working together. In this presentation we will look at how the relationship between the referring vet and the behaviourist should work, what can go wrong and how to avoid these pitfalls.

17.00 Conference Close