How to Identify Anomalies — Complete Detection Guide
Master all 3 anomaly detection methods in Animal Hospital: Appearance checks, Photo inspection, and CCTV monitoring. Includes visual descriptions,...
How to Identify Anomalies — Complete Detection Guide
Identifying anomalies quickly and accurately is the core skill in Animal Hospital. Every animal patient arriving at your clinic could be a disguised monster. This guide covers the three detection methods, detailed visual descriptions of every anomaly, difficulty ratings, and a cheat sheet you can reference mid-game.
The 3 Detection Methods
Anomalies can only be identified through three specific channels. Some anomalies appear on only one channel, while others span multiple. You must use all three methods on every patient to guarantee detection.
| Method | Where to Check | What It Reveals | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Patient at reception desk | Visible physical deformities | ~10 seconds |
| Photo (Polaroid) | Photo develops on your desk | Hidden discrepancies, cursed images | ~8 seconds |
| CCTV | Surveillance monitors (waiting room priority) | Camera-only anomalies | ~10 seconds |
Method 1: Appearance Anomalies
These anomalies are visible when you look directly at the patient at the reception window. No camera or photo needed — your eyes are the only tool.
Easy — Instantly Recognizable
| Anomaly | What It Looks Like | How to Spot |
|---|---|---|
| Three Eyes | A patient with a bright red third eye on its forehead | Glance at the face — the red eye is immediately obvious |
| Hollow Face | The patient's face has black void eye sockets — no eyes, no features, just empty darkness | The complete absence of facial features makes this one of the easiest to spot |
| Wide Eyes & Creepy Smile | The patient has distorted facial proportions — unnaturally wide eyes stretched open with an unsettling, too-wide grin | Look at the face — the proportions are wrong in an obvious way |
| Human Teeth | The animal has human-like teeth instead of species-appropriate teeth | Check the mouth — teeth that belong on a person, not on an animal |
Medium — Requires a Closer Look
| Anomaly | What It Looks Like | How to Spot |
|---|---|---|
| Twitching / Limb Spasms | The patient's limbs jerk and spasm involuntarily — legs or arms twitch in an unnatural, mechanical way | Watch the patient for 4–5 seconds. The twitching is subtle and may not be visible in a quick glance |
| Mismatched Eyes & Sharp Teeth (Poorly Drawn Patient) | The patient has asymmetric eyes (different sizes or colors) paired with fang-like sharp teeth | Compare both eyes to each other, then check the mouth. The asymmetry is the giveaway |
Tips for Appearance Checks
- ✅ Face the patient directly — side glances are unreliable
- ✅ Scan top-to-bottom: Eyes → Mouth → Body (for twitching)
- ✅ Spend the full 4–5 seconds watching for twitching before moving on
- ❌ Never skip this step — it sets the mental baseline needed for Photo and CCTV comparisons
Method 2: Photo Anomalies
Photo anomalies are invisible in person. They only appear when the polaroid develops on your desk. Some photo anomalies are dangerous to touch.
Easy — Obvious Photo Problems
| Anomaly | What the Photo Looks Like | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Static Photo | The entire polaroid is covered in TV-static interference — white and gray noise across the image | None — purely visual |
| Incorrect Photo | The polaroid shows a completely different patient or scene — not the animal you just saw | None — obvious mismatch |
| Unnatural Photo | The image is warped, stretched, or distorted — like a funhouse mirror version of the patient | None — visually obvious |
Medium — Needs Comparison with Step 1
| Anomaly | What the Photo Looks Like | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Different Ears | The ears in the photo don't match what you saw in-person — wrong shape, size, or position | None — must compare against your Appearance check memory |
| Cursed Photo | The photo has bloodshot, glowing eyes and an eerie aura. Picking it up drains 10 Sanity | -10 Sanity if you touch it — close the shutter BEFORE picking it up |
Hard — Subtle Differences
| Anomaly | What the Photo Looks Like | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Different Eyes | The eyes in the photo don't match the in-person patient — slightly different color, shape, or number | None — requires close comparison with your mental snapshot from Step 1 |
Tips for Photo Checks
- ✅ Look at the photo on the desk BEFORE picking it up — this prevents Cursed Photo Sanity drain
- ✅ Compare specific features: Match eyes and ears against what you saw in Step 1
- ✅ If in doubt, close the shutter — dismissing a clean patient is always safer than letting an anomaly through
- ❌ Never grab the photo without inspecting it first
Method 3: CCTV Anomalies
CCTV anomalies are invisible both in-person AND in photos. They only appear on surveillance camera feeds. The waiting room camera is the most important — check it first.
Easy — Visible Anomalies
| Anomaly | What It Looks Like on Camera | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Void Bodies / Shadow Patient | A dark, featureless shadow figure in place of where the patient should be on the feed | Easy — a black silhouette stands out immediately |
| Censored Eyes / JPEG Eyes | The patient's eye area is blurred or pixelated like a censored photograph | Easy — the blur is immediately noticeable on the feed |
| Unnatural Body / Limb Stretching | The patient's body on camera shows stretched, elongated limbs that don't match normal proportions | Easy — limbs that are too long or bent wrong |
Medium — Requires Attention
| Anomaly | What It Looks Like on Camera | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Staring At Camera | The patient on the feed is looking directly into the camera lens — normal patients don't do this | Medium — the direct stare is unsettling but not instantly alarming |
| Skinwalker (CCTV) | The patient displays erratic, unnatural movement on the camera feed — jerky, fast, or wrong-direction movement | Medium — the movement pattern is the giveaway |
Hard — Very Subtle
| Anomaly | What It Looks Like on Camera | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Twitching (CCTV) | The patient's limbs jerk on the camera feed — same as the appearance version but only visible on monitors | Hard — easy to miss on a small screen with other patients in frame |
| Hollow Face (CCTV) | The patient's face on the camera shows empty black void eye sockets | Hard — depends on camera angle and feed quality |
Very Hard — Expert Level
| Anomaly | What It Looks Like on Camera | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Mismatched Ears or Eyes (CCTV) | The patient on CCTV has different ears or eyes compared to what you saw in-person during Step 1 | Very Hard — requires strong memory of the patient's in-person appearance and deliberate cross-referencing |
Tips for CCTV Checks
- ✅ Start with the waiting room camera — most CCTV anomalies appear there
- ✅ Watch each patient for a few seconds before cycling to the next camera
- ✅ Cross-reference with your Step 1 memory for the Mismatched anomaly
- ❌ Don't ignore CCTV — these anomalies are completely invisible through the other two methods
Difficulty Rating Summary
| Difficulty | Count | Total Anomalies |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Easy | 13 | Three Eyes, Hollow Face (×2), Wide Eyes, Human Teeth, Static Photo, Incorrect Photo, Unnatural Photo, Void Bodies, Censored Eyes, Unnatural Body |
| ⭐⭐ Medium | 6 | Twitching (Appearance), Mismatched Eyes (Appearance), Different Ears (Photo), Cursed Photo, Staring At Camera, Skinwalker (CCTV) |
| ⭐⭐⭐ Hard | 4 | Different Eyes (Photo), Twitching (CCTV), Hollow Face (CCTV) |
| ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Hard | 1 | Mismatched Ears/Eyes (CCTV) |
Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
Print this or keep it open on a second screen. Use it during shifts.
Step-by-Step Protocol
1. LOOK at patient (eyes → mouth → body, 4–5 seconds)
→ Anything weird? CLOSE SHUTTER.
2. CHECK photo on desk (DON'T pick up yet)
→ Static/Wrong/Unnatural/Cursed? CLOSE SHUTTER.
→ Eyes/Ears match what you saw? Continue.
3. CHECK waiting room CCTV first, then other cameras
→ Shadow/Blur/Stretch/Staring/Jerky? CLOSE SHUTTER.
→ Everything matches? Patient is CLEAN ✓
Red Flags at a Glance
| Red Flag | Method | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Red eye on forehead | Appearance | Close shutter |
| Black void face | Appearance / CCTV | Close shutter |
| Creepy wide smile | Appearance | Close shutter |
| Human teeth | Appearance | Close shutter |
| Jerking limbs | Appearance / CCTV | Watch 5 seconds, then decide |
| TV static on photo | Photo | Close shutter |
| Wrong patient in photo | Photo | Close shutter |
| Glowing eyes on photo | Photo | Close shutter (DON'T touch!) |
| Shadow figure on camera | CCTV | Close shutter |
| Pixelated eyes on camera | CCTV | Close shutter |
| Staring into camera | CCTV | Close shutter |
| Photo/CCTV doesn't match in-person | Photo / CCTV | Close shutter |
Sanity Warnings
- 🚫 Cursed Photo: -10 Sanity if picked up — inspect on desk first
- 🚫 The Stalker: -10 Sanity per eye contact — look away
- 🚫 Don't Look Up: Continuous drain — use Eye Drops immediately
Advanced: Multi-Channel Anomalies
Some patients can have anomalies across multiple detection channels simultaneously. For example, a patient might look normal in-person but have BOTH a Cursed Photo AND a Void Body on CCTV. This is why the 3-step protocol is mandatory — skipping any step can let a multi-channel anomaly slip through.
💡 Pro Tip: If you spot an anomaly on ANY step, close the shutter immediately. Don't bother checking the remaining steps — the patient is already flagged.
Sources: In-game testing, IGN, Eurogamer, TechWiser, community wiki research
Related Guides
Animal Coins Guide — How to Earn & Spend Coins Fast
Complete Animal Coins earning guide for Animal Hospital Roblox. How to earn coins fast through shift completion, class bonuses, and efficiency tips. What...
Animal Hospital Barney & NPC Guide — Suitcase, Coffee Guy & Interactions
Complete guide to NPC interactions in Animal Hospital Roblox. Learn how to open Barney's suitcase, what happens if you reject the coffee guy, and all NPC...
Animal Hospital Beginner Guide — How to Play
Complete beginner guide for Animal Hospital Roblox. Learn the basics, Sanity system, anomaly detection, and tips for surviving your first shifts.
Animal Hospital Ending Guide — How to Beat the Game
Complete Animal Hospital ending guide. Learn how to trigger the ending, how many shifts you need, what happens in the final shift, whether there are...