Pet owners’ and companion animal veterinarians’ perceptions of weight-related veterinarian-client communication

Sutherland, Katja A; Coe, Jason B.; Janke, Natasha; O’Sullivan, Terri L.; Parr, J. F.

doi:10.2460/javma.22.03.0101

Cited by 4 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Just under half of the respondents in the present study agreed that most pet owners with obese pets were not ready to address their pet's weight, which aligns with a previously reported skepticism among veterinarians in relation to clients’ adherence to weight‐management recommendations from the veterinary team 31,32 . This underscores the need for understanding the client's perspective during pet weight‐related conversations, as the present study found veterinary professionals may avoid addressing the status of an overweight or obese pet of a client perceived as ‘difficult’ or ‘resistant’, which is likely to result in the animal not receiving care that is in the best interest of its health and wellbeing.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…Participants were less accepting of clients’ use of humour and generally considered it a way to deflect the conversation. Similar perceptions on humour when discussing pet weight were found in a recent qualitative study exploring veterinarians’ perceptions on pet weight‐related communication; veterinarians considered humour to be a useful tool for themselves but did not necessarily appreciate clients’ use of humour and in some cases considered it a barrier to effective communication 32 . Humour was observed to be frequently used by veterinarians in an observational study of feline appointments, which was believed by the researchers to diffuse tension for the veterinarian and client when delivering information about a cat's weight to an apparently resistant client 7 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Similar perceptions on humour when discussing pet weight were found in a recent qualitative study exploring veterinarians' perceptions on pet weight-related communication; veterinarians considered humour to be a useful tool for themselves but did not necessarily appreciate clients' use of humour and in some cases considered it a barrier to effective communication. 32 Humour was observed to be frequently used by veterinarians in an observational study of feline appointments, which was believed by the researchers to diffuse tension for the veterinarian and client when delivering information about a cat's weight to an apparently resistant client. 7 Affiliative humour can be used to put others at ease and enhance cohesiveness between parties in an interaction 45 ; previous research has also observed more instances of humour to release tension within physician-patient interactions.…”

Section: This Study Provides Preliminary Insights Into Veterinary Pro...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploring veterinary professionals’ perceptions of pet weight‐related communication in companion animal veterinary practice

2022

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Background Pet obesity is commonly encountered by veterinary professionals, yet little is known about their perception of communicating about pet weight. The objective of this study was to explore veterinary professionals’ perception of discussing pet obesity with clients. Methods An online survey targeting veterinary professionals was distributed via social media and veterinary organisation newsletters. Topics included respondents’ perceptions of weight‐related communication, factors related to approaching weight conversations and implicit weight bias. Results A total of 102 respondents to the survey were included in the final analysis. Avoidance of discussing pet obesity with certain clients was common (53.9%; 55/102). The most endorsed term for describing pets with excess weight to clients was ‘overweight’ (97.1%; 99/102). The pet's body condition score was rated the most important factor to consider when deciding how to approach a weight discussion with clients. Although only 29 participants completed the implicit association test (IAT), most of these participants were identified as having an unconscious preference for thin people. The small sample size limited the vignette analysis to descriptive only, and the IAT results should be interpreted cautiously. Conclusion This exploratory, cross‐sectional study provides early insight into veterinary professionals’ perceptions of pet obesity‐related communication and suggests the presence of weight bias in the profession that warrants further investigation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Section: This Study Provides Preliminary Insights Into Veterinary Pro...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploring veterinary professionals’ perceptions of pet weight‐related communication in companion animal veterinary practice

2022

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“…A small UK study exploring veterinarians’ communication with dog owners about obesity found similar concerns, including perceived issues with client compliance and pet owners' obesity 11 . Recent qualitative research has also indicated that veterinarians may perceive some clients to be unwilling to discuss or consider change to manage their pet's weight 12 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…11 Recent qualitative research has also indicated that veterinarians may perceive some clients to be unwilling to discuss or consider change to manage their pet's weight. 12 Environmental factors and feeding management are significant aspects of a pet's nutritional management that relate to obesity. 7,13,14 Owner commitment and engagement in pet weight management is essential to successful weight loss for pets.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing owners' readiness to change their behaviour to address their companion animal's obesity

2022

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Background Owner behaviour change in relation to management is critical for successful pet weight loss. The stages of change (SOC) can be used to conceptualise the process of intentional behaviour change. Clients may be more likely to make successful changes when practitioners use communication techniques appropriate for a client's current stage. The objective of this cross‐sectional study was to assess pet owners’ SOC in relation to managing the weight of their overweight or obese pet. Methods An online questionnaire targeting dog and cat owners was distributed via snowball sampling. A total of 532 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Of these, 153 participants (28.8%) self‐identified their pet's body condition score (BCS) as greater than 5 (on a nine‐point scale). An adapted University of Rhode Island Change Assessment scale was completed by 119 of these participants (77.8%) to assess their readiness to change related to managing their overweight or obese pet. Results Most participants were scored in the precontemplation (52.1%) and contemplation (42%) stages, where readiness to change is low. Owner assessments likely resulted in underestimation of pets’ BCS. Conclusion The results offer preliminary insight into the SOC of owners who identify their pets as overweight or obese. Developing tools to assess and understand owners’ readiness to change may be useful in informing veterinary professionals’ communication approaches when engaging in weight management conversations.

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Recasting the gold standard – part II of II: communicating healthcare options along a continuum of care

Englar

2023

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery

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Series outline This is the second part of a two-part series on spectrum of care that encourages practitioners to tailor case management to the patient along a continuum of acceptable options. Part I defined the spectrum of care and broadened its approach beyond initial cost-of-care considerations. This second article introduces strategies for initiating conversations with clients about their needs, wants and expectations specific to healthcare options and case management decisions. It will explore how open inquiry, reflective listening, transparency and unconditional positive regard facilitate dialogue between providers and their clients as they collaborate on decision-making along a spectrum of care. Relevance Contextual case management prioritizes interventions that are appropriate for both the patient and the client. To identify and explore which healthcare options represent the best fit for those impacted most by medical decisions, veterinarians need to make space for clients to feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. Clients are more likely to be engaged in decision-making when their insight is actively solicited. They have much to share with us as experts about their cat’s overall health and wellness needs. Inviting clients to contribute to the consultation and being receptive to hearing what motivates their choices helps us to structure conversations around healthcare options. The ability to communicate healthcare options is as vital as the provision of healthcare, if not more so.

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Pet owners’ and companion animal veterinarians’ perceptions of weight-related veterinarian-client communication

Cited by 4 publications

References 17 publications

Exploring veterinary professionals’ perceptions of pet weight‐related communication in companion animal veterinary practice

Exploring veterinary professionals’ perceptions of pet weight‐related communication in companion animal veterinary practice

Assessing owners' readiness to change their behaviour to address their companion animal's obesity

Recasting the gold standard – part II of II: communicating healthcare options along a continuum of care

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