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How can I tell if my pet is in distress, beyond just aggression?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Besides common aggression how do you tell an animal is in distress?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian

Published on April 13th, 2018

It differs depending on the animal. Some animals pant, some cower, cats hunch their backs, dogs will raise their hackles. Also, if the animal is in pain, they could be breathing fast, panting, or even have an increased heartrate. Some animals pace while others hide. I hope this helps. If you are wanting to know about something specific, please write to use again with a more specific question with more details. Thank you!

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