If you suspect your animal has a behavior problem rooted in a medical issue, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian today. Do not wait for the behavior to become a crisis.
Dolphin repeatedly slamming its jaw on the pool edge. Human Assumption: Anger. Veterinary Reality: Chronic gastric ulcers. The dolphin wasn't aggressive; it was trying to vibrate its stomach to relieve pain. Treat the ulcers, the "aggression" vanishes.
Without behavioral insight, a vet might prescribe steroids (which fail) or antibiotics (which fail). A behaviorally-informed vet will treat the dermatitis if present, but simultaneously recognize the feedback loop: anxiety often leads to self-trauma, which leads to inflammation, which increases the urge to lick. Solving the problem requires a dual approach—medical treatment for the skin and behavioral modification for the brain.
For the modern vet, ignoring behavior means missing the diagnosis. A thorough behavioral history is now as standard as taking a temperature.
Veterinary science fixes the fracture. Animal behavior explains why the animal jumped off the roof in the first place (chasing a laser pointer into psychosis). You cannot cure the body until you understand the mind that lives inside it.