Some objectionable behaviors in animals may have a medical component to them. Some diseases and medical conditions can lead to increased stress and anxiety in animals and result in undesirable behavior. According to DVM News Magazine, December 1999, Pages 10-12S, the following behaviors may indicate an underlying medical problem as the cause of the behavior:

DOGS:

Aggression; growling; snapping, snarling, fighting
Coprophagia (eating stool)
Destructive digging
Destructive chewing
Escaping
Excessive Licking
Excessive Vocalization, barking, howling, whining
Excitatory Urination
Fearful of Objects
Fearful of other dogs
Fearful of people
Garbage eating

CATS:
Aggressive (including biting)
Destructive to Household
Excessive Grooming
Excessive vocalization
Fearful
Fighting
Finicky
Hissing
Hyperactive
Inappropriate Elimination
Obsessive Compulsive
Destructive Scratching
Refuses grooming
Stalks owner

Behaviors in Animals Generally NOT Requiring Medical Work Up

DOGS:

Begging
Car Chasing
Charging
Crotch Sniffing
Dislikes the vet/groomer
Disobedient
Jumping Up
Killing animals (predatory)
Leash Pulling
Possessiveness
Puppy biting
Up on furniture

CATS:

Aloof/Independence
Climbing Curtains
Excessive kneading or suckling
Roaming
Up on Counters

This isn't to say that these behaviors are acceptable and don't require regular obedience training and discipline training, but they usually do not require MEDICAL work ups to rule out MEDICAL conditions that can lead to these behaviors.

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