Concept of anamnesis
Anamnesis is defined as the orderly process of collecting data related to the clinical history of the veterinary patient, obtained primarily through an interview with the owner. It includes information on pathological history, management conditions, environment, nutrition, and the temporal evolution of clinical signs (Constable et al., 2017).
Because the patient cannot communicate symptoms directly, anamnesis has critical value in veterinary medicine, becoming the first step in clinical reasoning and the foundation of the presumptive diagnosis (Radostits et al., 2007).
Importance of anamnesis in clinical diagnosis
An adequate anamnesis allows the veterinarian to:
- Identify predisposing, triggering, or perpetuating factors of disease (Constable et al., 2017).
- Associate clinical signs with specific organs or systems (Ettinger & Feldman, 2017).
- Reduce the list of differential diagnoses (Radostits et al., 2007).
- Optimize the selection of complementary diagnostic tests (Constable et al., 2017).
- Avoid unnecessary empirical treatments (Ettinger & Feldman, 2017).
Several authors report that a properly directed anamnesis can provide up to 60–70% of the information required to establish a reliable presumptive diagnosis (Radostits et al., 2007).
Types of anamnesis in veterinary medicine
General anamnesis: gathers basic information about the patient and its environment (Constable et al., 2017).
- Species, breed, age, and sex.
- Reproductive and productive status.
- Housing and management conditions.
- Type of diet and recent dietary changes.
- Health status of the group or population (Radostits et al., 2007).
Specific or focused anamnesis: directly addresses the chief complaint and the clinical evolution of the pathological process (Ettinger & Feldman, 2017).
- Onset, duration, and progression of clinical signs.
- Frequency and severity of symptoms.
- Factors that worsen or alleviate the condition.
- Previous treatments and observed response.
Key components of veterinary anamnesis
Pathological history: includes previous diseases, surgeries, trauma, vaccination programs, deworming, and recent pharmacological treatments—essential elements for interpreting the patient’s current condition (Radostits et al., 2007).
Management and environment: hygienic conditions, housing type, animal density, and contact with other animals directly influence the occurrence of infectious, parasitic, and metabolic diseases (Constable et al., 2017).
Feeding and nutrition: diet composition, feed quality, and recent changes are closely related to digestive, productive, and deficiency disorders (Ettinger & Feldman, 2017).
Reproductive aspects: key information in breeding females and males, particularly in cases of infertility, abortions, or periparturient disorders (Radostits et al., 2007).
Relationship between anamnesis and clinical examination
Anamnesis and clinical examination form a continuous and interdependent process. Information obtained during the initial interview guides the physical examination, while clinical findings allow the anamnesis to be refined or redirected (Constable et al., 2017).
This systematic approach promotes logical clinical reasoning and reduces the likelihood of diagnostic errors (Ettinger & Feldman, 2017).
Common errors during anamnesis
- Incomplete or disorganized questioning (Radostits et al., 2007).
- Exclusive use of closed-ended questions (Constable et al., 2017).
- Lack of active listening to the owner.
- Underestimating seemingly irrelevant information.
- Failure to corroborate obtained data with the clinical examination (Ettinger & Feldman, 2017).
Avoiding these errors improves diagnostic quality and strengthens the veterinarian–client relationship.
Conclusion
Anamnesis is an indispensable diagnostic tool in veterinary clinical practice. Its proper application allows for a comprehensive understanding of the patient, optimizes the diagnostic process, and supports the establishment of more accurate and effective treatments (Radostits et al., 2007; Constable et al., 2017).
References
Radostits, O. M., Gay, C. C., Hinchcliff, K. W., & Constable, P. D. (2007). Veterinary Medicine. Saunders Elsevier.
Constable, P. D., Hinchcliff, K. W., Done, S. H., & Grünberg, W. (2017). Veterinary Clinical Examination and Diagnosis. Elsevier.
Ettinger, S. J., & Feldman, E. C. (2017). Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Elsevier.