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

Hello. In a rabbit, this could be heavy breathing/panting, agitation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, & not grooming. Basically, it is anything but a quiet, calm well managed rabbit. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It is usually quite obvious is they are aggressive for example they may growl or snarl when you put food down. They may be defensive about their bed or toys. You might notice on a walk that they growl and bark at other animals.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A check up is needed if this presentation lasts for more than 24hours. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

These are vague signs that could indicate several things like anxiety or pain. If there is something they could be making him anxious (rain, thunder, fireworks, new people, etc), then he will calm down afterwards. Just give him some extra attention. If there is nothing you can think that is making him anxious he could be in discomfort. I would have your vet do an exam to make sure he doesn't need any pain medication. I would not give net human pain meds as most of these are toxic to dogs. I hope this helps!

Hello, A stressed ferret will likely be hiding more than normal, uninterested in play or food, hissing, or panting. I hope this has been helpful. If you have any more specific questions about Trouble, feel free to let us know! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

He may be painful, especially since it sounds like this behavior is new. I would recommend that you take him in to your vet for an exam. Some cats will become over-stimulated when you pet them and act aggressively.... here is some info on that. https://www.petcoach.co/article/petting-related-aggression-in-cats/ But again, for Dodo my concern is that he may be in pain. It could be that he's developed some arthritis, or has injured himself in some way, or he may have a painful abdomen. Your vet will be able to give you more information after doing an exam. Thank you for asking PetCoach!

These signs might be compatible with stress and possibly pain/discomfort, but they are quite generic at this stage and only a physical examination/more clinical informations would help to determine the reason for it. I would monitor him for the next 8 hours and if signs do not improve or resolve I would recommend a check up (or write to us again!). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.