Beyond the Stethoscope: The Crucial Intersection of Animal Behavior and Veterinary Science

Dr. Aris Thorne didn’t need a stethoscope to know the wolf was dying; he just needed to watch the way it refused to look at the moon.

This is one of the fastest-growing areas in the field. Veterinary professionals now realize that many "medical" issues are actually rooted in behavior, and vice versa.

An animal cannot tell you where it hurts or that it feels anxious. Instead, it shows you. A normally docile Labrador retriever that snaps when you palpate its abdomen is not "aggressive"—it is in pain. A horse that weaves its head back and forth in the stall is not "bored"—it is exhibiting a stereotypy indicative of extreme stress.