Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine

Historically, the veterinary clinic has been a source of profound stress for its patients. A dog’s rapid panting, a cat’s flattened ears, or a horse’s white-rimmed eyes were often dismissed as mere "unruliness" or the expected cost of doing business. From a behavioral perspective, these are unambiguous signs of fear and anxiety. Such chronic stress has tangible physiological consequences: elevated cortisol levels can suppress the immune system, hinder wound healing, and even mask accurate heart rates. By incorporating behavioral assessment—learning to read a rabbit’s subtle tooth-grinding (a sign of pain, not contentment) or a bird’s feather-destructive plucking (often a sign of psychological distress)—veterinarians can detect illness earlier and more accurately. A 2019 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that integrating a simple fear-assessment scale into routine exams led to a 30% increase in the detection of painful conditions like dental disease and arthritis, which animals instinctively hide.

There are several types of animal behavior, including:

Traumatic experiences make owners less likely to return for preventative care.

Frontiers in Veterinary Science | Animal Behavior and Welfare

by Katherine A. Houpt. This classic text, now in its 7th edition (2024), offers a comprehensive look at the normal behavior of companion and farm animals, including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, and more. It is available through Wiley Online Library and Google Books .