Joby Morrow, M.D.
Psychiatrist and Family Physician
Rolan Tripp, D.V.M., CABC
Veterinary Behavior Consultant
When a pet enters a home, its mental and physical health becomes closely linked with the health of the rest of the family. Happy pets often mean happy people; stressed pets can indicate trouble at home. Certain pet behaviors can be telltale indicators of a stressed pet.
Problematic pet behaviors can create household strain, which can show up in the human family in many ways:
- Frustration
- Anxiety
- Frequent arguments
- Symptoms of depression
- Financial hardship
- Unhealthy coping mechanisms
- Medical symptoms (e.g., nausea, headaches)
At the same time, when the mental health of human family members is compromised, pets can become chronically stressed and exhibit behavior disruption, get stressed about their role and may begin displaying medical problems.
As with humans, pet stress is not always obvious. Additionally, stress (especially chronic stress) is often a hidden contributor to both human and pet behaviors. This contribution isn’t always recognized by family, and many professionals do not think to ask about how pets and humans contribute to each others’ stress.
PsyMed Consulting offers an innovative solution for the health of the household: mental health evaluations, ongoing behavioral therapy and medication management for people and pets by a psychiatrist and a veterinary behavior consultant. We have comprehensive wellness assessment and treatment programs for both humans and their companion animals. By focusing on preventive solutions, PsyMed Consulting creates cost-effective solutions that benefit the entire family.