Veterinary science now recognizes a long list of "behavioral symptoms" that point to underlying diseases:

The integration of behavior into veterinary science serves three primary purposes: 1. Reducing Stress and Fear-Free Care

This was the frontier where animal behavior met veterinary science. A purely clinical vet would see a dystocia—an abnormal presentation—and reach for the chains and the calf puller. A pure behaviorist would see a fear-response spiral. Elara saw both. The calf was breech, a textbook malpresentation. But Buttercup’s panicked, shallow breathing was the real enemy. If her cortisol spiked too high, she would shut down, reducing oxytocin and effectively paralyzing her own labor.