Perceptions and opinions of Canadian pet owners about anaesthesia, pain and surgery in small animals

Abstract

This study identified important areas of client communication regarding pain and its control in pets.

Perceptions and opinions of pet owners in the United Sates about surgery, pain management, and anesthesia in dogs and cats

“…The current United States survey was adapted and edited from previously published related surveys and investigators' personal experiences. Face and content validity of the survey was performed and described in the Canadian study .…”

“…The current United States survey was adapted and edited from previously published related surveys and investigators' personal experiences. Face and content validity of the survey was performed and described in the Canadian study . In brief, 2 pilot studies were conducted prior to the Finnish and Canadian surveys, enrolling 10 and 20 cat and/or dog owners, respectively, to evaluate question clarity, ease of use, and relevance .…”

“…Face and content validity of the survey was performed and described in the Canadian study . In brief, 2 pilot studies were conducted prior to the Finnish and Canadian surveys, enrolling 10 and 20 cat and/or dog owners, respectively, to evaluate question clarity, ease of use, and relevance . Pet owner feedback from these pilot studies confirmed that the questionnaire was appropriate and required only a short time for competition (<5 minutes).…”

“…These studies also uncovered differences in opinions on pain management between Finnish and Canadian pet owners. For example, Finnish pet owners reported that analgesia was required more often for fracture repair, ovariohysterectomy, and cutaneous tumor excision procedures compared with Canadian pet owners . The perception and opinions of pet owners in the United States regarding anesthesia, surgery, and pain management are unknown and may differ from those reported in previous studies because of cultural differences.…”

“…In the United States, the impact of client communication and pet owners' perceptions and opinions on veterinary services (eg, anesthesia, surgery, and pain management) has not been reported. Finnish and Canadian small animal owners felt that information related to surgery and pain management was lacking among veterinary service providers. Less than 8% of Finnish pet owners felt that they had enough education regarding how to manage and recognize their animal's pain .…”