The stethoscope listens to the heart. The behavioral exam listens to everything the heart cannot say.
The tension remains. Many veterinary curricula still devote minimal hours to normal and abnormal behavior. Meanwhile, behavior consultants without medical training risk missing underlying diseases. The result? Animals labeled "reactive," "anxious," or "aggressive" who are actually in pain, and animals prescribed psychotropic medications without addressing environmental causes. The stethoscope listens to the heart
: Chronic stress alters the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and neurotransmitter levels, contributing to physical conditions like feline interstitial cystitis, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal disorders. and gastrointestinal disorders.