About this episode

Dr. Èlise Christensen discusses the impact of medical conditions on animal behaviour in shelter environments.

In this episode, veterinary behaviourist Dr. Elise Christensen examines the role of underlying medical conditions in shaping animal behaviour within shelter environments. She discusses how pain, systemic illness, and stress-related physiological changes can manifest as behavioural concerns that are often misattributed to behaviour or training concerns. Emphasizing evidence-based assessment, Dr. Christensen underscores the importance of comprehensive medical evaluation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and informed behavioural interpretation. The discussion highlights behaviour as a critical indicator of health and welfare, with significant implications for clinical decision-making, risk assessment, and adoption outcomes in shelter medicine. About Dr. Elise Christensen Dr. C is a Cornell-trained veterinary behaviorist and every high school parent's nightmare: a pet psychiatrist. Brilliant, struggling animals are the only puzzles she wants to solve. If one of these Complex Pets is pushing you to the edge, you belong here. Her boutique veterinary behavior service blends the academic with the practical, helping families move from stuck to hopeful. So they can graduate faster. She…

People in this episode

Host: Simplifying Shelter Behaviour

Guest: Dr. Èlise Christensen

Topics covered

• animal behaviour
• shelter medicine
• veterinary behaviour
• medical conditions
• evidence-based assessment
• interdisciplinary collaboration

Keywords

• animal behaviour
• shelter
• veterinary
• medical evaluation
• behavioural concerns
• pain
• stress
• adoption outcomes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cornell

More episodes of Simplifying Shelter Behaviour

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• Ep. 58 Quality of Life for Dogs, Staff and Adopters with Kelly Bollen · March 25, 2026 · 46 min
• Ep. 57. Intergrating behaviour into shelter operations with Dr. Meghan Herron · March 12, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Ep. 56 Muzzle and Misunderstood- Improving the Perception of Muzzle Dogs in Shelter and Rescue. · February 24, 2026 · 17 min
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