Behavioral Responses and Heart Rate Changes in Dogs During Routine Veterinary Visits

Abstract

Veterinary visits are commonly associated with emotional arousal in dogs, even when procedures are routine and non-invasive. The present study aimed to evaluate behavioral responses and heart rate changes in dogs during a veterinary visit, comparing the waiting room and the clinical examination phases, and to investigate the relationship between behavioral expression and physiological activation. A total of 55 client-owned dogs undergoing routine veterinary visits were included. Behavioral responses were assessed using a structured observational scoring system, and heart rate was recorded during both the waiting room and clinical examination phases. Differences between phases were analyzed using paired statistical tests, and associations between behavioral scores and heart rate were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation. Behavioral scores were significantly higher during the clinical examination compared to the waiting room (p < 0.0001), indicating a worsening of behavioral responses during examination. Heart rate values also increased significantly during the clinical examination (p < 0.0001). Significant positive correlations were observed between behavioral scores and heart rate, particularly during the clinical examination phase. These findings indicate that routine veterinary visits are associated with concurrent behavioral and physiological changes in dogs, with the clinical examination representing the most impactful phase. The integration of behavioral observation and heart rate assessment may provide a more comprehensive evaluation of dogs’ responses during veterinary care and support strategies aimed at improving animal welfare and clinical management.