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Focused on social communication. A wagging tail is not always a happy tail. Vets must distinguish between loose, sweeping wags (happy) vs. high, stiff, fast wags (arousal/aggression).

By training staff to see pain through the lens of behavior, veterinary teams can administer analgesics earlier. This leads to faster healing, as pain itself suppresses the immune system and delays recovery. zooskool stories full

A previously friendly 8-year-old cat begins hissing and swatting at its owner. A purely behavioral diagnosis might suggest stress or territorial aggression. However, a behavioral veterinarian knows that sudden-onset aggression in a senior cat is pathognomonic for pain until proven otherwise. In reality, the cat likely has dental disease or osteoarthritis. The aggression is a protective mechanism. Treat the teeth or the joints, and the "behavior problem" disappears. Focused on social communication