Small animal veterinarians identify proactive, specific, and multimodal communication as helpful in supporting nutrition conversations with clients.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively assess veterinarian perceptions of barriers and solutions to pet nutrition communication during small animal appointments in the US and Canada. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was circulated by the Veterinary Information Network to its members between March 28 and April 13, 2022. Respondents included veterinarians in active practice. The survey included fixed-choice and free-text response items. Fixed-choice items were tabulated with R software. Free-text items were coded thematically with Atlas.ti software. RESULTS: From 561 survey respondents, the top 3 barriers identified were pet owner preconceived notions about nutrition (86% [483 of 561]), insufficient time (63% [352 of 561]), and pet owner resistance to discussing nutrition (41% [230 of 561]). The top 3 solutions identified were showing/talking to owners about what veterinary professionals feed their pets (59% [332 of 561]), having direct yet compassionate conversations with owners (58% [327 of 561]), and specific nutrition recommendations (49% [274 of 561]). Free-text responses clarified nuances within each potential solution, such as the importance of establishing veterinary-owner trust first and not being too technical with specific recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Small animal veterinarians reported that pet owner preconceived notions about nutrition were the most common reported barrier to nutrition communication. What veterinary professionals feed their pets, direct yet compassionate conversations, and specific nutrition recommendations were reported as potential solutions, with the caveat that veterinary-owner trust was important to establish first. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Building trust with pet owners, being proactive with direct yet compassionate nutrition conversations, and including specific nutrition recommendations may be helpful in breaking down barriers to nutrition communication.