ACVB Veterinary Behavior study plan
ACVB Veterinary Behavior · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior & Learning Theory and Behavior Modification
Map the neuroanatomic and neuroendocrine substrates of fear, anxiety, and aggression onto a self-drawn diagram from memory
Explain classical versus operant conditioning contingencies and identify them in 10 written clinical vignettes
Describe neurotransmitter systems (serotonergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic, noradrenergic) and their relevance to behavior pathology
Define reinforcement schedules and predict their effects on response persistence and extinction
Your checkpoint
One-page neurobiology concept map plus a 10-vignette conditioning identification worksheet with written justifications
Behavioral Disorders of Dogs and Cats & Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Differential Diagnosis
Differentiate fear, anxiety, and phobia operationally and apply the distinctions to canine and feline cases
Build a differential diagnosis checklist for canine aggression that separates medical, learning-based, and affective contributors
Outline the diagnostic workup for feline house-soiling including medical rule-outs before behavioral diagnosis
Compare separation-related distress with confinement anxiety and noise aversion using distinguishing historical features
Your checkpoint
A differential diagnosis decision tree for canine aggression and a separate feline elimination flowchart
Learning Theory and Behavior Modification & Behavioral Disorders of Dogs and Cats
Design a written desensitization and counterconditioning protocol for a specific canine fear case with defined criteria and steps
Evaluate when flooding, punishment, and extinction procedures are contraindicated and articulate the welfare rationale
Construct a behavior modification plan for feline intercat aggression that includes environmental and social components
Identify respondent versus operant targets in three case scenarios and justify the selected technique
Your checkpoint
A complete written behavior modification plan (assessment, hierarchy, criteria, monitoring) for one dog and one cat case
Behavioral Pharmacology and Psychotropic Medications & Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Differential Diagnosis
Classify psychotropic drug classes by mechanism and match each to target behavioral indications
State monitoring parameters, washout considerations, and key contraindications for SSRIs, TCAs, benzodiazepines, and trazodone
Integrate medication into a combined behavioral plan and explain how medication modifies learning capacity
Distinguish situational versus maintenance pharmacologic strategies with case-based justification
Your checkpoint
A psychotropic medication reference table (class, mechanism, indication, monitoring, cautions) plus two integrated treatment plans
Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior & Behavioral Disorders of Horses and Other Species
Apply ethological concepts (social structure, communication, ontogeny) to interpret normal versus abnormal behavior in dogs, cats, and horses
Explain equine stereotypies and their welfare and management implications
Describe behavioral development and sensitive periods and their clinical relevance to prevention
Compare species-typical social organization across companion and production species and derive housing implications
Your checkpoint
A comparative ethogram and normal-behavior summary for three species with clinical implications annotated
Behavioral Disorders of Dogs and Cats & Animal Welfare, Ethics, and Human-Animal Interaction
Synthesize diagnostic and treatment knowledge into full case formulations for four disorders across dogs and cats
Apply welfare frameworks (five domains) to evaluate behavioral case management decisions
Analyze ethical tensions in behavioral euthanasia, rehoming, and client non-compliance
Evaluate human-animal interaction research claims and their limits for clinical recommendations
Your checkpoint
Four written case formulations with welfare assessment and an ethics position statement on one contested scenario
Research Design, Biostatistics, and Evidence Evaluation & Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Differential Diagnosis
Critique study designs (cohort, case-control, RCT, single-case) for internal and external validity
Interpret sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, confidence intervals, and effect sizes in behavioral literature
Identify common biases and confounders in behavioral research and clinical assessment
Appraise a primary behavioral research article for methodological quality and clinical applicability
Your checkpoint
A structured critical appraisal of one behavioral research article with a bias and validity assessment
Neurobiology and Physiology of Behavior & Ethology and Applied Animal Behavior & Learning Theory and Behavior Modification & Behavioral Pharmacology and Psychotropic Medications & Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis, and Differential Diagnosis & Behavioral Disorders of Dogs and Cats & Behavioral Disorders of Horses and Other Species & Animal Welfare, Ethics, and Human-Animal Interaction & Research Design, Biostatistics, and Evidence Evaluation
Integrate all domains through timed mixed-topic practice and targeted remediation of weak areas
Re-derive key neurobiology, pharmacology, and learning principles from memory without notes
Rehearse differential diagnosis reasoning under time constraints for dog, cat, and horse scenarios
Consolidate welfare, ethics, and evidence-evaluation content into rapid-recall summaries
Your checkpoint
A personal one-page rapid-recall sheet per domain plus a logged remediation list with completed follow-up items
Milestones
Week 2: Can produce differential diagnosis lists for canine aggression and feline elimination from memory and defend medical rule-outs before behavioral diagnosis
Week 4: Can state mechanism, indication, monitoring, and cautions for the major psychotropic classes without reference and integrate medication into a behavioral plan
Week 6: Can write a complete case formulation with welfare assessment for a novel scenario in under 20 minutes
Week 7: Can critically appraise a research abstract and identify design, bias, and statistical interpretation issues
Week 8: Scores at or above target on mixed-topic timed practice with all remediation items logged and closed