Recent studies in behavioral neuroscience show that changes in behavior often precede physiological breakdown. A dog that suddenly starts drinking from puddles might be developing diabetes (polydipsia) or Cushing’s disease. A parrot that begins plucking its feathers may have lead toxicity (a physical issue) or boredom (a behavioral issue). Without behavioral literacy, a vet might treat the feather follicles (topical creams) while the bird dies of heavy metal poisoning.
If I had to take a wild guess, I might propose that this topic is related to:
We are learning that many "separation anxiety" cases are actually hyper-attachment disorders driven by oxytocin dysregulation. We are learning that "compulsive tail chasing" in Bull Terriers has a genetic link to human autism spectrum disorders (the SHANK3 gene mutation).