About The Practice
Denenberg Veterinary Psychiatry provides specialist behavioural and psychiatric care for dogs and cats — grounded in accurate diagnosis, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based treatment.
OUR FOUNDATION
Our Purpose
Mission
To provide specialist veterinary psychiatric assessment and treatment for dogs and cats with complex behaviour disorders. Care is grounded in accurate diagnosis and evidence-based clinical decision-making, with the goal of improving safety, function, and quality of life for patients and the people who care for them.
Vision
To advance the understanding and treatment of behavioural disorders in companion animals, and to establish veterinary psychiatry as an essential and recognized part of veterinary medicine.
OUR CLINICAL FRAMEWORK
Clinical Philosophy
"The goal is not simply to suppress behaviour — it is to improve the patient's ability to cope and function in everyday life."
Behavioural disorders in dogs and cats require proper diagnosis — not assumption. These conditions are frequently driven by fear, anxiety, chronic stress, or underlying medical factors, and cannot be managed effectively without first understanding their cause.
A behaviour problem that appears straightforward on the surface is often the result of multiple overlapping factors. Genetics, early experience, environment, health status, and emotional state all contribute to how a patient presents and how they respond to treatment. Approaching these cases without a structured assessment leads to incomplete understanding and, in many cases, ineffective care.
Effective treatment depends on identifying what is driving the behaviour, establishing a clear diagnosis, and applying a structured, evidence-based plan. The goal is not simply to suppress or manage what is visible — it is to improve the patient's ability to cope and function in everyday life.
Each case is approached with the same systematic rigour regardless of its complexity. Assessment is thorough. Diagnosis is precise. Treatment is individualised. And care is reviewed and adjusted over time based on how the patient responds and progresses.
Diagnosis
Assessment begins with a thorough review of the pet's history, environment, medical factors, and emotional state. The goal is to identify the underlying causes of the behaviour and formulate a clear, structured diagnosis
Explanation
Findings are reviewed in detail with the owner or referring veterinarian. This includes interpretation of the diagnosis and a clear account of the factors that need to be addressed.
Plan
A structured course of action is developed, tailored to the patient and household. This may include behaviour modification, management strategies, environmental changes, and medication when clinically appropriate.
THE PRACTICE
Specialist care grounded in diagnosis, not assumption.
Every case is assessed systematically. Every treatment plan is structured, evidence-based, and tailored to the individual patient.
OUR PATIENTS
Animals We Have Helped
CLINICAL LEAD
Dr. Sagi Denenberg
DVM, Dipl. ACVB — Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviour Specialist
Dr. Sagi Denenberg is a board-certified veterinary behaviour specialist with a clinical focus on complex behaviour disorders in dogs and cats — including aggression, anxiety, fear, and conditions that have not improved with previous approaches.
His path into veterinary behavioural medicine began during his first year of veterinary school, when he attended a seminar on animal behaviour and was drawn to understanding how the brain, genetics, health, and environment shape how animals think, feel, and behave. Recognizing that behaviour problems are among the most common reasons pets are surrendered or euthanized gave that interest a clear direction.
After completing a formal residency in veterinary behavioural medicine in Canada, Dr. Denenberg became board-certified and has since combined clinical practice with teaching and mentorship at the University of Bristol, the University of St. Matthew's, and the MSc programme at the University of Edinburgh. He is also the author of the textbook Small Animal Veterinary Psychiatry.
His work is grounded in the understanding that behaviour disorders are medical conditions requiring proper diagnosis, careful assessment, and evidence-based treatment — with a commitment to helping patients function more safely in their environment and supporting the people who care for them.
Board-Certified, ACVB, ECAWBM · Author, Small Animal Veterinary Psychiatry · University of St. Matthews · University of Edinburgh