Observation should start from the time the patient enters the practice until he or she leaves. Note if the patient approaches, retreats from, or actively threatens veterinary team members. Consider creating a checklist of behaviors to quickly record which behaviors are present or absent. (See Checklist of Behaviors handout.)
Simple interactions such as offering the patient treats (ie, will he or she eat?), tossing a ball or tug toy (ie, will he or she play?), or gentle handling (ie, does the patient seek contact?) can be used as a rough assessment of anxiety. If a patient has a preferred treat or toy, ask the client to bring it with them to the assessment and to not feed the pet prior to the appointment. Providing the dog with favorite choices will help determine the severity of distress (ie, the dog is likely more distressed if he or she refuses the favorite food, despite not being fed, than if he or she refuses generic treats).