Synopsis:

Changing the way we care for the brains of young puppies and kittens

For the past 3 years we have been conducting behavioural research on early behavioural and cognitive development of puppies and kittens. This is part of an effort to create neurodevelopmental landmarks for ‘normal’ behavioural development like those in human medicine. I am going share both historical and new information on roles for in-utero and very early environments that is critical for both kittens, especially rescue kittens, and for how puppies are raised both at the breeder and when they go to their new homes. Our findings suggest that we now have assessment tools – that can be used in clinics, by owners, and by trainers – to assess puppies and kittens and begin to intervene early so that fewer dogs and cats develop later behavioral pathology. The brains of babies matter.

Bio:

KAREN L. OVERALL

Dr. Karen L. Overall has BA, MA and VMD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She did her residency training in veterinary behavioural medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviourists (DACVB). Dr. Overall is a Professor of Behavioural Medicine at Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI where she has established a clinical, didactic and research program. 

Dr. Overall lectures at veterinary schools world-wide and consults internationally with governments, NGOs and working dog and welfare organizations. She is the author of hundreds of scholarly publications, textbook chapters, commentaries, et cetera and the texts Clinical Behavioural Medicine for Small Animals (1997; Elsevier) and Manual of Clinical Behavioural Medicine for Dogs and Cats (2013; Elsevier) and of the DVD, Humane Behavioural Care for Dogs: Problem Prevention and Treatment (2013; Elsevier). She is the editor-in-chief for Journal of Veterinary Behaviour: Clinical Applications and Research (Elsevier).  

Research interests include psychopharmacological treatments of anxiety, behavioural genetics of anxiety disorders, and, most recently, effects of early trauma on the behavioural development of kittens and puppies.

Dr. Overall has been named the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) Small Animal Speaker of the Year and was named one of the The Bark’s 100 Best and Brightest - Bark Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the dog world over the past 25 years.