Conditions like stereotypies (obsessive circling or wire gnawing in rodents) or pica (eating non-food items) often signal poor environmental welfare or underlying neurological issues.
Veterinarians are often the first to counsel owners on behavior during wellness visits. Zooskool.com LINK
One of the most critical lessons from integrating into veterinary science is understanding the concept of "learned helplessness." In a traditional exam room, a terrified dog may freeze. Veterinarians used to misinterpret this as "calm" or "submissive." Today, we know that a freezing animal is a ticking time bomb; its heart rate is through the roof, cortisol levels are spiking, and it has simply shut down to survive. cortisol levels are spiking