Using mild pharmaceuticals to prevent "learned fear" before the animal even enters the clinic. Behavioral Medicine: The Pharmacological Frontier

In the world of veterinary science, behavior is often the first "diagnostic test" available. Because animals cannot verbalize their discomfort, they communicate through action. A cat that stops grooming, a dog that becomes uncharacteristically aggressive, or a horse that begins "weaving" in its stall is providing clinical data.

Recent neurological studies have shown that chronic stress and behavioral disorders can physically alter an animal’s physiology. High levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) can suppress the immune system, making an animal more susceptible to infections and slowing the healing process after surgery. Therefore, a veterinarian who ignores a patient’s fear or anxiety is often fighting an uphill battle against the patient’s own biology. Fear-Free Medicine: A New Standard