Veterinary science relies heavily on ethology—the scientific study of animal behavior—to decode these subtle shifts. Behavioral changes are often the very first clinical signs of underlying medical issues. Common Medical Issues Masked as Behavior Problems

: Behaviors modified by experience, including conditioning and imprinting.

In traditional veterinary practice, the five vital signs are temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and pain. A growing movement in academia is arguing for a sixth: .