Talking About Dog and Cat Nutrition with Clients.

Abstract

Veterinary health care teams understand that acceptance of, and adherence to, dietary recommendations by clients depends on effective, continuous communication. Despite decades of available research and training, and the availability of numerous balanced commercial, balanced homemade, and veterinary therapeutic diets, our collective ability across the profession to consistently help clients change behaviors and feeding practices to improve patient health remains difficult. Based on the long-standing, evidence-based approach of motivational interviewing, a paradigm shift is suggested for veterinary health care teams to empower clients to make their own arguments for change and take positive action for the health of their pet.