Pet therapy: can it work for your dog or cat?

When Becky Smith adopted a dachshund named Ginger from a Cincinnati-area rescue group, she knew the dog had been returned by previous owners due to her separation anxiety. But she didn't know how bad it was.

"When I got her, she was essentially glued to my leg all the time," Smith says.

The first vet she consulted put Ginger on anti-anxiety medication, but the dog continued to cry and have accidents when left alone. Smith tried a second vet with a pet behavior specialization who used medication along with a program designed to build up the dog's confidence.

"She's not anxious anymore," says Smith, who has weaned her dog off the medication. "It's made a huge difference."

'A great deal of commitment'

Up to 8 million pets are abandoned in U.S. shelters each year, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Many owners dump their pets because they can't cope with behavior problems. For those looking for less drastic solutions, there are many professionals who can help.

Veterinarians can determine whether a medical issue is at the root of your pet's bad behavior. For non-medical problems, some vets are emphasizing their own behavior specialties, while others are bringing behaviorists on staff.

You can also turn to independent behaviorists, animal trainers or consultants for issues ranging from aggression to anxiety to undesirable bathroom behavior.

The veterinarian who treated Ginger says it's best to attack problems early on.

"Don't wait until you're at the end of your rope," says Dr. Amy Hellard, who earned a degree in applied animal behavior and animal welfare at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and now owns the highly rated West Chester Veterinary Care in West Chester, Ohio. "Changing behaviors takes time and a great deal of commitment."

Rule out medical causes first

It's also a good idea to seek help early on because a medical problem might be at the root of the inappropriate behavior.

Member Cathy McKinney of Kansas City, Mo., thought it unusual when her cat, Pippen, started urinating outside the litter box and acting agitated. She took him to the vet, who found he had painful crystals in his urine.

"If I'd let it go for even a day, it could have caused permanent kidney damage," McKinney says.

After receiving treatment and a new diet plan, Pippen's litter box behavior returned to normal.

But going outside the box can also be a sign of psychological distress. Member Joy Mullett of Houston was at her wit's end when her 2-year-old cat, Taikonaut — named after the Chinese word for astronaut — started urinating on the floor. Taikonaut's behavior seemed to be triggered by another cat who'd recently joined the household.

"I thought, 'What am I going to do? My house is going to smell horrible!'" Mullett says.

She took Taikonaut to the highly rated Cat Veterinary Clinic, where they ruled out kidney, liver and bladder problems. Her vet then recommended a spray that mimics feline pheromones and can help soothe a distressed cat.

"It immediately calmed him," she says.

Getting to the root of the problem

Many animal behavior experts say what they do is help owners understand what's motivating the behavior they want to change. Behaviorist Rich Gingery, co-owner of Whispering Pines Pet Clinic in Magalia, Calif., says a bird may consider a ringing telephone an alarm bell, sending it into a paroxysm of warning squawks.

Gingery consults with owners on how environmental factors like noises and other issues might contribute to unwanted behaviors like excessive vocalization, feather plucking and biting.

"Birds are looking for predictability," he says.

Behaviorists like Gingery often do consultations inside the home and work with owners to change their own behavior along with their pets.

"Being there in person allows you to see the dynamics, the family dynamics and the dynamics between the pet and their owners," says Yody Blass, a behaviorist whose Companion Animal Behavior serves cat, dog and rabbit owners in metropolitan Washington, D.C. She says prices can range from $200 to $900, depending on the problem.

"That should include a lot of follow-up. Anything less than that, you might not be getting the quality you need," says Blass, who has training in animal behavior as well as degrees in human psychology.

'It's all about the people'

While veterinarians go through a multi-year training course to earn board certification in animal behavior, the backgrounds of behaviorists and animal consultants vary. Sam Kabbel of the highly rated Pet Behavior Solutions near Phoenix uses her training that includes psychology, ethology and family counseling to help people live harmoniously with their pets.

"I have a lot of people say to me, 'I love animals, I want to do what you do,'" Kabbel says. "I tell them: 'You better love people — it's all about the people. If I can get the