Veterinary Behaviour Chat

Episode 146 – Clonidine
 
Welcome to the first in a little duo of episodes on oral alpha 2 agonists. This week, I'll be talking about clonidine, and next week, I'm going to talk about guanfacine – another oral alpha 2 agonist – and compare and contrast the 2 for you in terms of use and indications.
Clonidine is a really useful psychopharmacological agent that is quite commonly used as both an event medication as well as a daily adjunct to baseline medications.
 
So, I thought we'd do a bit of a deep dive into clonidine and the things you, as professionals, need to know about this medication.
 
Here's what you'll learn:
·         Indications for and uses of clonidine as both an event- and a daily adjunctive medication in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine.
·         Why clonidine might be a good choice for hyper-aroused, hyper-active and hyper-vigilant patients.
·         When clonidine might be a better choice than guanfacine.
·         Potential drug interactions and contraindications.
 
Here are the 2 published papers I mention in the episode:
Ogata, N. and Dodman, N.H., 2011. The use of clonidine in the treatment of fear-based behavior problems in dogs: an open trial. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 6(2), pp.130-137.
 
Pflaum, K., Albright, J., Cox, S. and Smith, J., 2026. Pharmacokinetics of Orally Administered Clonidine in Dogs. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
 
This is a bit of a whistlestop tour into clonidine, but if you'd like to dive even deeper, I've got you covered – My PSYCHOACTIVE course contains everything you need to know:
https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/psychoactive
 
And here is the Professional Guides E-Book I mention in the episode, which includes a handout about clonidine:
https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/trinity-ebook
 
If you liked this episode of the show, Veterinary Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!
 
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Episode 145 – PVPs for Cats
 
Cats can be extremely fearful at the Veterinary Clinic and being able to administer medications such as gabapentin before vet visits has been absolutely game-changing for feline practice in the last 10 years or so.
 
Have a listen as I talk you through PVP options other than gabapentin, what doses I commonly use, and which situations I might use them in.
I also talk about a very exciting presentation I listened to from the Veterinary Behaviour Symposium in Seattle this June, on the use of Sileoâ (dexmedetomidine OTM gel) in cats.
 
Here are the papers I reference in this episode:
Van Haaften, K.A., Forsythe, L.R.E., Stelow, E.A. and Bain, M.J., 2017. Effects of a single preappointment dose of gabapentin on signs of stress in cats during transportation and veterinary examination. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 251(10), pp.1175-1181.
 
Kruszka, M., Graff, E., Medam, T. and Masson, S., 2021. Clinical evaluation of the effects of a single oral dose of gabapentin on fear-based aggressive behaviors in cats during veterinary examinations. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 259(11), pp.1285-1291.
 
Stevens, B.J., Frantz, E.M., Orlando, J.M., Griffith, E., Harden, L.B., Gruen, M.E. and Sherman, B.L., 2016. Efficacy of a single dose of trazodone hydrochloride given to cats prior to veterinary visits to reduce signs of transport-and examination-related anxiety. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 249(2), pp.202-207.
 
Lamminen, T., Korpivaara, M., Aspegrén, J., Palestrini, C. and Overall, K.L., 2023. Pregabalin alleviates anxiety and fear in cats during transportation and veterinary visits—a clinical field study. Animals, 13(3), p.371.
 
If you'd like to learn more about the safe and effective use of Veterinary Psychopharmacology and all the medications I talked about today, then my PSYCHOACTIVE course is for you!
https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/psychoactive
 
If you liked this episode of the show, Veterinary Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!
 
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You can CONNECT with me:
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Thank you for tuning in!

Episode 144 – 15 Minute Speed Coaching with Olivia Bury – Running a Successful VB Business
 
Welcome to another 15-minute Speed Coaching Session for Veterinary and Pet Care Professionals!
The rules of the game are as follows:
·         Episodes will be in-the-moment, off-the-cuff and unscripted.
·         Coaching sessions will be 15 Minutes MAXIMUM, so wherever we finish, we finish…
·         Which means that we might not find complete resolution to your question, but we will certainly get the thought process started!
 
In this episode, I chat to Veterinarian with a Special Interest in Behaviour, Dr Olivia Bury, about what makes a successful VB Business.
We focus in on consultation times, client bookings, time management, report writing and so much more.
Running a "successful" consultation process is, in my mind, one of the cornerstones of the VB process as it enables expectation-setting, rapport-building, the ability to extract relevant information and clear communication of the treatment plan.
If you are a veterinarian or a non-veterinary behaviourist and you are conducting behaviour consultations, you will find this episode really useful !
 
I absolutely loved chatting to Olivia and I hope you enjoy the episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.
 
If you'd like to book a 30-minute Vet-Vet or Vet-Pet Care Professional Consultation with me, you can do that right here:
https://calendly.com/trinityvet/teams-and-professionals
If you can't find an appointment time to suit you, please email us at info@trinityvetbehaviour.com to find a time that suits us both!
 
If you'd like to know more about my case-based Veterinary Behaviour Membership – The Behaviour Case Collective – then you can do this right here:   https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/behaviour-case-collective
 
And… if YOU would like to be part of a 15-Minute Podcast Speed Coaching episode, then apply right here:
https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/assessments/2148527544
 
If you liked this episode of the show, Veterinary Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!
 
Facebook Group: Join The Veterinary Behaviour Community on Facebook
 
You can CONNECT with me:
Website: Visit my website
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Trinity Veterinary Behaviour YouTube: Subscribe to Trinity Veterinary Behaviour on YouTube
LinkedIn Profile: Connect with me on LinkedIn
 
Thank you for tuning in!

Episode 143 – Help! The Medications have stopped working!
 
This episode was inspired by a recent consultation where the caregiver had noted a deterioration in their pet's behaviour and wondered whether this was due to the "medications no longer working".
 
Have a listen as I chat through my top 5 things to consider when there is deterioration in behaviour and whether the medications are always to blame.
 
In this episode you'll learn about:
·         The timeline of side effects of the most commonly used baseline psychopharmaceuticals.
·         The importance of management and assessing physical health contributors.
·         The importance of life stages.
·         Other really important questions to ask when previously stable behaviour deteriorates.
 
I also chat a little bit about the Cytochrome P450 system and how medication interactions or concurrent use of other medications or supplements can affect psychopharmacology.
 
If you would like to learn more about my approach to Behaviour Cases, then join my amazing Membership – The Behaviour Case Collective - for monthly deep-dives into cases and case management approaches:
https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/behaviour-case-collective
 
And, if you'd like to learn more about the safely and effectively using Veterinary Psychopharmacology, then join my flagship PSYCHOACTIVE course here:
https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/psychoactive
 
I hope you enjoy this episode!
 
If you liked this episode of the show, Veterinary Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!
 
Facebook Group: Join The Veterinary Behaviour Community on Facebook
 
You can CONNECT with me:
Website: Visit my website
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Episode 142 – Using Trazodone with SSRIs and TCAs
 
Can trazodone be safely used in combination with and SSRI or TCA without causing signs of Serotonin Syndrome? This is one of the most frequently asked questions I hear, especially from GP vets.
 
Have a listen as I chat through my thoughts on this topic and refer back to one of the original studies on trazodone from 2008 where it was used as an augmenting agent for patients already on an SSRI or TCA to further improve signs of fear or anxiety.
 
I also talk about medication doses, and I mention 2 further papers where dogs and cats ingested their caregivers' anti-depressant medication and only 25% developed clinical signs consistent with SS.
 
Here are the papers I mention in the episode:
Gruen, M.E. and Sherman, B.L., 2008. Use of trazodone as an adjunctive agent in the treatment of canine anxiety disorders: 56 cases (1995–2007). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 233(12), pp.1902-1907.
 
Pugh, C.M., Sweeney, J.T., Bloch, C.P., Lee, J.A., Johnson, J.A. and Hovda, L.R., 2013. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) toxicosis in cats: 33 cases (2004–2010). Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 23(5), pp.565-570.
 
Thomas, D.E., Lee, J.A. and Hovda, L.R., 2012. Retrospective evaluation of toxicosis from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants: 313 dogs (2005–2010). Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 22(6), pp.674-681.
 
If you would like to learn more about Veterinary Psychopharmacology, then my PSYCHOACTIVE course is for you: https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/psychoactive
 
If you liked this episode of the show, Veterinary Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!
 
Facebook Group: Join The Veterinary Behaviour Community on Facebook
 
You can CONNECT with me:
Website: Visit my website
Trinity Veterinary Behaviour Instagram: Follow Trinity Veterinary Behaviour on Instagram
Trinity Veterinary Behaviour Facebook: Join us on Trinity Veterinary Behaviour's Facebook page
Trinity Veterinary Behaviour YouTube: Subscribe to Trinity Veterinary Behaviour on YouTube
LinkedIn Profile: Connect with me on LinkedIn
 
Thank you for tuning in!