Behavior
Veterinary Behavior at AMC
NYC’s Only Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist
The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is proud to announce the launch of its new Behavior Service, led by Vanessa Spano, DVM, DACVB, to provide specialized behavior care to all species of companion animals (dogs, cats, exotic pets, and farm animals) and their families. Dr. Spano is AMC’s first-ever staff behaviorist and New York City’s only board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
York Avenue Location
1113 York Avenue (at 61st Street)
AMC’s Behavior Service is located across York Avenue from our main hospital location. Please go directly to 1113 York Avenue for all Behavior appointments.
Veterinary Behavior Services
AMC’s veterinary behaviorist specializes in diagnosing and treating behavioral issues in animals, combining expertise in medicine and behavior. Our team seeks to address problems stemming from medical conditions, neurochemical imbalances, learned fears, or social conflicts.
Our services include:
- Initial behavior consultations
- Reassessments for established patients
- Behavior and medical assessments for pathway planning of shelter patients
- Behavior assessments for patients part of forensic/cruelty cases
- Comprehensive Vet-2-Vet consults for patients of referring veterinarians nation-wide
- Pre-adoption counseling
- Functional behavior assessments and environmental management counseling
- Behavior modification plans
Veterinary Behavior Conditions
AMC’s veterinary behaviorist is trained to treat behavioral issues in all species, including dogs, cats, exotic pets, and farm animals. Common conditions we treat include:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Aggression (fear, conflict, impulsive, territorial, and possessive)
- Fear and Panic Disorders
- Separation Anxiety
- Noise and Storm Phobia
- Compulsive Disorder
- PTSD
- House-soiling
- Cognitive Dysfunction
- Pain-related Anxiety and Aggression
- Feline Hyperesthesia
- Unruly Behaviors (jumping, counter surfing, leash pulling, climbing, digging)
- Puppy & Kitten Socialization