Understanding Your Best Friend: How Dr. Lisa Radosta DVM DACVB Can Help You Understand Your Animal
Any pet owner will tell you why their animal is the most remarkable being in the world. Somehow, evolution seems to have gifted you the perfect dog, cat, bird, reptile, etc., that meets your needs. The attachment you develop with your animal can resemble the bond between a parent and child.
When your animal wakes you up in the middle of the night, a part of your brain called the amygdala is activated. The amygdala is where people process emotions (Swain et al., 2007). Those midnight trips to the front door or other caregiving tasks activate this primal part of your brain, strengthening the connection you have with your animal (Young et al., 2011).
Having an animal teaches you, on a profound level, that the world doesn’t revolve around you. Through countless small choices, divine intervention, or the alignment of the stars, you’ve become responsible for—and deeply loved by—a living being.
While humans can pontificate about their pets, we do not know what is happening in our animals' minds. We can only guess about their behavior from context clues and body language. For the past five years, my dog Oliver has been my constant companion. He has seen me laugh and cry. He has been by my side through heartbreaks and joys. I love him. He's my perfect dog.
When you love something as much as a pet owner loves their animals, you want to understand the scientific background for why your animal behaves the way it does. If Dr. Dolittle did exist, the character would be based on Dr. Lisa Radosta DVM DACVB. Dr. Radosta DVM DACVB aptly applies the phrase "wrote the book" on animal behavior. She co-authored Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat, 4th edition, and From Fearful to Fear Free and contributed to countless publications. I spoke with her to learn more about animal psychology.
Interview with Dr. Lisa Radosta, DVM DACVB, about Animals Behavior
1. How do animals process emotions?
This is a loaded question that we could probably write a textbook on. The short answer is that we don't know exactly how animals process emotions because they cannot speak to us in a language we understand. However, many scientists have studied emotions in animals. They attempt to link neurochemical and physiological responses to outward signs of emotion based on the animal's body, language, and behaviors. That is probably as close as we will get until we can communicate with animals effectively.
The most important thing to consider when we consider how animals process emotions is that they do have emotions. For all intents and purposes, it appears that they do not have all of the emotions that we have. We need to learn much more about how animals process emotions to answer this question truly.
2. Why did certain animals adopt specific behaviors?
Animals adopt certain behaviors for the same reasons that we do—to survive and thrive in their environment. The inputs into behavior are many, including genetics, epigenetics (environmental stuff that changes how genes are expressed), reinforcement and punishment of behavior patterns, innate coping tools, personality type, and health.
3. How can pet owners help address their pets' emotional needs and mental health?
I think every pet parent can do two things to help their pet have a better life. First, they should educate themselves on the body language of animals.
Even great pet parents don't always know how to read their pets, especially when the body language is not very obvious. - Dr. Lisa Radota DMV DACVB
The first thing we all want is to be able to communicate with our pets, but you cannot do that until you understand body language. Next, I would say that I'd like pet parents to stay on top of their pet’s healthcare. I don't mean things like vaccinations, but more like watching how their pet walks and moves, how they eat, their bowel movements, and making sure they're up-to-date on their full panel of lab work, not just a heartworm or tick test. By the time we recognize the systemic disease, the animal's behavior has often been changed more permanently. We want to catch any changes in systemic disease immediately.
4. What advice would you give to first-time pet owners?
Seek help early and often. If someone tells you that you're crazy for thinking that your pet has something wrong with it, find someone else to help your pet.
Thank you, Dr. Lisa Radosta, DMV DACVB, for your interview. Animal behavior is an ever-evolving field. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Radosta, click here: https://drlisaradosta.com/get-in-touch/.
Citations
Swain, J. E., Lorberbaum, J. P., Kose, S., & Strathearn, L. (2007). The neural basis of parental love: A systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies. NeuroImage, 37(3), 1036–1051. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.06.017
Young, L. J., & Wang, Z. (2011). Social attachment in mammalian behavior and the neurobiology of pair bonding. Trends in Neurosciences, 34(10), 504–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2011.05.004
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