Development of a Pilot Behaviour-Based Stress Screening Framework for Dogs and Cats During Veterinary Consultations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52331/v31i3rj25Keywords:
companion animals, behaviour, animal welfare, stress, veterinary consultationAbstract
Veterinary consultations are commonly associated with acute stress in companion animals due to transportation, unfamiliar environments, handling procedures, and previous negative experiences. Although behavioural observations are widely used to recognise stress, practical behaviour-based screening frameworks suitable for routine veterinary practice remain limited. The aim of this pilot study was to identify owner-reported behavioural observations in dogs and cats during veterinary consultations and to develop a preliminary behaviour-based stress screening framework for clinical use. Behavioural data were collected from 50 companion animal owners using a structured questionnaire completed immediately after routine veterinary consultations. Owners reported behavioural responses observed before entering the veterinary practice, immediately after entering, and approximately 10 minutes after entering the waiting area. Behavioural observations were analysed using descriptive statistics according to their frequency and apparent intensity to support the development of a preliminary clinical framework. Attempting escape, fear, trembling, vocalization, and agitation were the most frequently reported stress-related behavioural indicators, while multiple concurrent behaviours were commonly observed, suggesting that behavioural profiles provide more meaningful information than isolated responses. Based on these findings, a preliminary behaviour-based stress screening framework was developed to facilitate rapid clinical interpretation of behavioural observations during routine veterinary consultations. Although further validation using standardized behavioural assessments, independent observers, and larger study populations is required, this pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating structured behavioural observations into routine veterinary practice and provides a foundation for the future development of standardized behaviour-based stress screening methods.
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