Pain, hunger, thirst, and illness are categorized as what type of stressors?

Pain, hunger, thirst, and illness are classified as physiologic stressors because they directly impact the body's physical well-being and functioning. Physiologic stressors are those factors that trigger an internal response in the body, resulting in stress at a biological level.

For instance, when an animal experiences pain, the body initiates a stress response involving the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to cope with the discomfort. Similarly, hunger and thirst create physiological demands that the body must address to maintain its health and homeostasis. Illness presents a significant stressor by altering body functions and requiring energy and resources to combat the disease, further stressing the animal.

In contrast, psychosocial stressors are related to social interactions and the environment, such as changes in social structure or environmental factors. Environmental stressors include external factors like noise, temperature, and housing conditions, while behavioral stressors can stem from an animal’s learned behaviors and their responses to specific situations. Each of these categories represents different types of challenges that an animal may face, but pain, hunger, thirst, and illness distinctly align with physiologic stressors due to their direct effects on physical health.