Do medical conditions affect behaviour problems?
YES!
It has been shown in recent studies that from animal patients seen at behavioural referral centres, that up to 80% of cases had a medical problem contributing to the behaviour, leading to the emotion of PAIN being involved in their diagnosis.
If medical concerns are found, they can be a primary cause to the behaviour problem or a secondary problem which exacerbates the behaviour being expressed. Often in cases, these animals are actually young in age - being under 2 years of age!
This is why behavioural referrals, if done correctly, require a full veterinary referral. This means with the help of your vet, we can ensure all reasonable areas of your pets life are considered, including possible medical concerns.
Below are some common signs that pain can be linked to behaviour, however pain can be expressed in many ways:
- Increased/decreased vocalisation
- Refusal to leave the house
- Snapping or biting Increased reactivity
- Clinginess Confusion
- Hyperactivity New fears/phobias
- Noise aversion
- Hiding away
- Increased/decreased sleeping
- Increased/decreased toileting
