Ethology and Zoopsychology in the system of training a doctor of veterinary medicine

Abstract

The authors have analyzed and summarized data sources regarding the necessary teaching of ethology and zoopsychology for students of the faculties of veterinary medicine. Ethology and zoopsychology is a compulsory subject for almost all educational institutions of this profile in Europe and the USA. In Ukraine these subjects are constant at the studying programs of the psychology faculties of the different universities, which prepare the specialists of reworking agrifood, the specialists of horse breeding, the felinologiests and others, but these ones are not consist a part of the preparing programs for the vet medicine students. Nevertheless, for a treatment and prevention it needs to understand the animal behavior features of and to might find out the approaches, to use humane methods without any animal damages and suffering. Ethology it is science, which studies the animal behavior from the biology side but Zoopsichology is close to both biological and psychological sciences and investigate not only natural behavior, but also the animal psyche. Therefore, until today there is a lot of unknown and obscure things into natural behavioral processes so the new explorations raise the curtain over the issues to understand animal and find access to its. It is only conditionally might be dividing the biological and psychological aspects of behavior because of it is impossible to connect they together without take into consideration the psyche factors. The animal psyche is necessary component of the ontho- and phylogenesis which is regulates the relationships between an organism and the environment. The tasks of Zoopsychology are studying of the formation of the psyche processes in animal during the ontogenesis, an origin of the psyche and its development, but Ethology tasks are – the stages of the ontho- and phylogenetical development of the behavior, determine its importance as a development factor, studying of the individual or population adaptation of the animals. The main respect comes to species-specific (instinctive) components of behavior. Ethological analysis is based on the study of biological methods of holistic behavioral act. Particular attention is paid to biological (etological) mechanisms of behavioral acts, the relationship between species and other taxa of animals on these grounds. Ethology studies the changes of the animal behavior in comparison with norms during emergency too. Its achievements are used in animal husbandry and other sectors of the economy, as well as in the development of scientific bases for keeping animals in captivity.