Animal Hospital is one of the most talked-about horror games on the Roblox platform recently. Although it may seem like you’re running an ordinary veterinary clinic at first glance, the more you get into it, the more you realize that’s not the case at all. Not all of your patients are innocent; some are creatures called “Anomalies” that target you and other patients. The game’s core tension comes from exactly this: you have to decide who to let in and who to turn away. When making this decision, relying solely on appearance isn’t enough; sometimes the security camera, sometimes a polaroid photo, and sometimes a strange unease you feel in the corridors gives you a clue. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the types of anomalies you may encounter, how to spot them, and how to neutralize them without getting into trouble.
Why Classifying Anomalies Makes Your Job Easier?
There are dozens of anomalies you can encounter in Animal Hospital, and the game doesn't officially categorize them. Still, it's possible to roughly divide them into four groups based on how you notice the threats: those seen during patient check-in, those appearing on security cameras, those revealed when taking photos, and dangers that show up after they’ve infiltrated the hospital. This distinction is important because it reminds you that you need to check multiple observation points at once. Because it’s not always possible to understand a patient just by examining them with your eyes. Some anomalies give themselves away when you look at the camera; others appear when the patient’s photo is taken. Knowing which channel to check when is one of the most critical skills the game teaches.
The second thing as important as observation is knowing the right response. For most patient anomalies, closing the shutters is enough, but in some cases you may need to take a photo, offer coffee, use a fire extinguisher, or resort to a Taser. That's why in this guide, I provide each anomaly's symptom and solution together. This way, instead of panicking during a shift, you can act by knowing which tool to use in which situation.
Patient Anomalies That Reveal Themselves at the Reception
Most anomalies reveal themselves in the behavior or physical characteristics of the patient arriving at the reception. The basic rule here is: if a patient doesn't feel natural to you, they're most likely an Anomaly. Don't hesitate to close the shutters the moment you see this. Here are the signs you may encounter during patient check-in:
- Seizure: The patient looks normal at first glance; but occasionally their body convulses violently and at an unnatural speed. This is one of the clearest signs of an anomaly. Solution: Close the shutters.
- Three glowing eyes: If the patient coming to the reception has three glowing eyes on their forehead or face, that's a definite sign of an anomaly. Solution: Close the shutters.
- Sharp teeth: The patient's smile is not an ordinary one; they show their pointed, sharp teeth. Additionally, their eyes may appear glazed and seem to move independently of each other. Solution: Close the shutters.
- Clenched human teeth: Similar to the previous sign, but this time the teeth are not sharp; they are tightly clenched like human teeth. The eyes are small and excessively open. Solution: Close the shutters.
- Ominous smile: The smile and eyes on the patient's face look as if they were drawn by hand. The eyes are large, and the expression is fixed. If this image gives you a “horror movie mask” feel, you're not wrong. Solution: Close the shutters.
- Hollow face: The patient's eyes and mouth are pitch black, and their face is expressionless. This anomaly looks as if the face has caved in and been emptied out. Solution: Close the shutters.
- The Stalker coming to the reception: The enemy named Stalker, who hides inside the hospital throughout the game, may sometimes come to the reception and try to check in like a patient. When you notice this, what you need to do is not close the shutters, but take its photo.
- Mini Anomaly: It is so small that it can't even be seen over the reception counter. This patient, barely visible from behind a desk or counter, is a clear sign of an anomaly. Solution: Close the shutters.
For the vast majority of patients on this list, your first move should be to close the shutters. This way, you turn the patient away without letting them inside the hospital. However, since some special enemies like the Stalker require a different solution, try to understand which anomaly you're facing as soon as you see the patient.
Security Camera and Photo Checks: Catching the Unseen
Some anomalies look completely normal when the patient arrives at the reception. The only way to notice them is to use the additional observation tools the game offers. The security camera system, which becomes available especially after your first shift, lets you see the patients' true faces. When you look at the camera, the patient's body may appear stretched and unnaturally elongated. This “unnatural body” sign is a definite anomaly. Similarly, even if the patient looks normal to you, you may encounter a “camera watcher” who looks directly into the camera. Normally, patients should not make eye contact with the camera; so when you see such a patient, close the shutters.
The “Shadow” patient, who appears as a completely dark silhouette on camera, is also a serious threat. Moreover, a black box like a censorship bar may appear over some patients, with only the eyes visible inside the box; this is the “Redacted Box” anomaly. One of the most striking signs on camera is the Skinwalker. Even if the patient looks normal at the reception, when you look at the camera, their face may appear as a creature with a wide gaping mouth and sharp teeth. You can turn away these types of patients as well by closing the shutters.
Photo anomalies work on a similar logic. As part of the check-in process, you need to take a polaroid photo of each patient. If the resulting image is static, i.e., distorted with noise, the patient is an anomaly. If the patient's eyes and ears don't match in the photo, or if a completely different character model appears in the photo, you can reach the same conclusion. Especially in “mismatched polaroids,” the model in the photo may have a grotesque expression on their face. Another situation to watch out for is the “cursed photo.” These photos come out blurry and feature an unsettling expression on the face. If you pick up a cursed photo, your Sanity score decreases; so examine the image before picking the photo up from the counter. In any case, the solution is still to close the shutters, but with a cursed photo, you should additionally avoid touching it.
Dangers Inside the Hospital and Emergency Response Methods
No matter how careful you are, some anomalies manage to get inside the hospital. At this stage, the goal is to avoid them or neutralize them with the right tools. Here are the dangers you may encounter inside the hospital and their solutions:
- Eye mass: It's a disgusting lump of flesh and eyes stuck to the ceilings. You can offer it eye drops. If you prefer not to, avoid eye contact; it disappears on its own at the end of the shift.
- Hiders: These are translucent creatures camouflaged with the environment, with only their eyes and smile visible. When you see them, run back to the lobby or use a Taser/gun.
- Skinwalker: Any anomaly you failed to stop at the reception can turn into a Skinwalker with a wide mouth and sharp teeth inside the hospital. You can use a Taser or a gun on it; if necessary, you can also attack with your fists.
- Bed Monster: It hides under the patient's bed, and its hands protrude from the front of the bed. A red area appears around its location; move around without stepping into that area.
- Stalker: It mostly appears inside the hospital at a moment when you least expect it. You can notice its long, skinny limbs in the corner of the screen. Looking at it causes Sanity loss; so try not to look at it.
- Camera Anomaly: It's a cat-like enemy that appears while you're using the broken security cameras. Quickly press the “Exit” button on the camera screen, otherwise you lose Sanity.
- Head Banger: It's a creature with hollow eyes and a void-like mouth that bangs its head against the reception window. You can approach it with a cup of coffee and ask it to leave.
- Tentacles: Purple tentacles appear around a patient who has just come out of surgery. You need to complete the surgery successfully to save the patient.
- Slime: Green slime may form on the hospital floor. You can clean it up using a fire extinguisher.
- Fire: Empty rooms sometimes catch fire. Use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
- Ghosts: When you fail to save a patient, ghosts may overrun the hospital. You can drive them away with a Taser or a gun.
- Fake patient: Skinwalkers sometimes disguise themselves as fake patients in need of emergency surgery. Neutralize them with a Taser.
- Death ritual: In the patient's room, the patient levitates and is surrounded by candles. Use coffee to blow out the candles.
- Slimebert: It's a wandering slime mass that appears during toxic shifts. It can hurt you by eating you and knock out your patients. If you survive until the end of the shift, it goes away on its own. You can stun it with a fire extinguisher to save trapped patients, and you can keep Cough Syrup on hand to avoid its attack.
What these dangers have in common is that each one requires its own specific solution. For example, not looking at the Stalker and using coffee also brings Sanity management into play. Therefore, keeping a fire extinguisher, coffee, a Taser, and a gun when necessary in your inventory at all times makes your job easier. When you see a dangerous anomaly, first try to understand what it is; then choose the right tool and intervene calmly. Panicking causes you to use the wrong tool and lose more Sanity.
General Strategy and Tips Against Anomalies
The secret to surviving for a long time in Animal Hospital is not memorizing every anomaly, but developing a habit of checking. First, examine each patient who arrives at the reception with your eyes; check whether there's anything odd about their facial features, body movements, or smile. Then switch to the security camera and check the same patient from the camera as well. Finally, take the check-in photo and examine the resulting image. This three-step check allows you to catch most anomalies before they even enter the hospital. If anything seems off, close the shutters without hesitation and turn the patient away.
When you encounter dangers inside the hospital, your priority should be your own life and Sanity value. Small but critical reflexes, such as staying away from the Bed Monster's red area, not making eye contact with the Stalker, and quickly leaving the screen during a camera anomaly, will get you to the end of the shift. Also, don't forget to keep a fire extinguisher and cough syrup at hand to be prepared against Slimebert during toxic shifts. The game's tension comes from demanding more attention each shift than the previous one; so the better you internalize the signs in this guide, the more comfortably you'll move through the dark corridors.
Lastly, the developers of Animal Hospital may occasionally add new anomalies. The list in this guide covers most of the threats you may encounter in the current version of the game. When you come across something new, the first thing you need to do is observe it and test which tool neutralizes it. Remember: in this game, your biggest enemy is not the unknown, but being caught unprepared by the unknown.
