Information about life expectancy related to obesity is most important to cat owners when deciding whether to act on a veterinarian's weight loss recommendation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative importance of information communicated to cat owners during veterinarian-client obesity-related conversations. SAMPLE: Cat owner participants recruited via snowball sampling. METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire was distributed to cat owners who owned cats of any weight status. A discrete choice experiment design was used to determine the relative importance of obesity-related attributes to cat owners when receiving information from a veterinarian. RESULTS: A total of 1,095 questionnaires were analyzed. Participating cat owners resided primarily in Canada and the US. Impact on life expectancy was the most important attribute that would encourage participants to pursue weight management for a cat with obesity (relative importance, 32.66%), followed by change to cost of food (20.40%), future quality of life (20.38%), future mobility (14.40%), and risk of developing diabetes (12.15%). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggest that cat owners consider the impact on life expectancy to be most important when considering whether to follow a veterinarian's recommendation for their cat to lose weight. When veterinary professionals are communicating about obesity in practice, there is the potential to increase owner engagement in weight management efforts for cats by emphasizing the obesity-related information owners prefer to receive.

Impact on life expectancy was the most important information to clients when considering whether to take action for an overweight or obese dog.

OBJECTIVE: To determine dog owner preferences for information communicated during veterinarian-client obesity-related conversations within companion animal practice. SAMPLE: Dog owners recruited using snowball sampling. METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire was distributed to dog owners. A discrete choice experiment was used to determine the relative importance, to participating dog owners, of information about selected weight-related attributes that would encourage them to pursue weight management for a dog when diagnosed as overweight by a veterinarian. RESULTS: A total of 1,108 surveys were analyzed, with most participating dog owners residing in Canada. The most important weight-related attribute was life expectancy (relative importance, 28.56%), followed by the timeline for developing arthritis (19.24%), future quality of life (18.91%), change to cost of food (18.90%), and future mobility (14.34%). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that dog owners may consider information relating to an extension of their dog's life as the most important aspect of an obesity-related veterinary recommendation. By integrating dog owner preferences into discussions between clients and veterinary professionals about obesity, there is the potential to encourage more clients to engage in weight management efforts for their overweight or obese dog.

What do veterinary professionals and clients want? Using discrete choice methods in veterinary research to determine preferences.

Discrete choice methods (DCMs) are a suite of research techniques for identifying individual preferences using choice information. Widely utilized by other fields yet rarely employed in veterinary research, DCMs have tremendous potential to improve veterinary healthcare by understanding and incorporating owner and veterinary professionals' (encompassing veterinarians, veterinary clinicians, technicians, receptionists, attendants, etc) preferences to optimize the care continuum. DCMs have several advantages over other stated preference methods, such as ranking and ratings, including improved data quality and actionability. However, they are not a panacea, and limitations that may affect DCMs' application to the veterinary field are outlined alongside realistic mitigation strategies. The information provided aims to increase awareness of DCMs and their utility in veterinary research and encourage greater uptake as a more robust method for measuring preferences.

Workplace psychosocial factors are associated with veterinary employees' organizational commitment to their current veterinary hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To classify a sample of veterinary professionals into distinct organizational-commitment profiles and to identify associations between psychosocial aspects of the workplace and organizational-commitment profile membership. SAMPLE: 487 veterinary employees who worked for a corporate veterinary organization in Canada. METHODS: Survey components measured for this study included the Three-Component Model (TCM) Employee Commitment Survey-Revised, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, and participant demographics. First, latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct organizational-commitment profiles based on 3 components of commitment (affective, continuance, and normative). Next, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare participants' intention to leave their hospital on the basis of organizational-commitment profile. Finally, logistic regression was performed to assess the association between perceived psychosocial workplace characteristics and organizational-commitment profile membership. RESULTS: 2 organizational-commitment profiles were identified: Affective/Normative (AC/NC) Dominant (n = 388) and Mid-Low Commitment (99). Participants in the Mid-Low Commitment Profile had a significantly higher intention-to-leave score (median, 3.0) than participants in the AC/NC Dominant Profile (median, 2.0; P < .001). Psychosocial factors found to predict membership in the AC/NC Dominant Profile included the following: influence at work (OR, 2.08; P < .001), meaning of work (OR, 1.38; P = .067), rewards/recognition (OR, 1.63; P = .007), and quality of leadership (OR, 1.85; P = .0003). Members of the AC/NC Dominant Profile also experienced greater work-life conflict (OR, 1.65; P = .003) compared to the Mid-Low Commitment Profile. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings identified potential psychosocial aspects of the workplace that can be considered to support more desirable organizational-commitment profiles that are likely to lead to favorable outcomes for veterinary practices and their employees.

Veterinary team members experiencing high levels of burden transfer are more likely to report burnout and a less optimal psychosocial work environment.

OBJECTIVE: To describe burden transfer in a sample of veterinary workers employed by a Canadian veterinary corporation and to examine the association between different levels of burden transfer and employee burnout and perceived psychosocial work environment. SAMPLE: 475 employees of small-animal veterinary hospitals owned by a corporate practice group. METHODS: Veterinary team members among 14 working groups responded to an online survey that included assessments of burden transfer, psychosocial environment, and burnout within the workplace. Participants were divided into groups on the basis of self-reported burden-transfer scores being low, mid, or high, and multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to ascertain associations between level of burden transfer, psychosocial environment, and burnout. RESULTS: On average, participants perceived difficult encounters with clients to occur with moderate frequency and reported reactions that were low-moderate in intensity. Individuals with high burden-transfer scores were identified in all working groups. Across the 3 burden-transfer groups, the key finding was that high-level burden transfer was associated with perception of greater emotional demands within the workplace, reduced support from supervisors, reduced feeling of social community in the workplace, and elevated rates of burnout among these participants. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings highlight elevated risks for a certain population of veterinary employees experiencing high levels of burden transfer and underscore the potential need for targeted interventions to support these individuals. Employees who currently react to challenging client interactions with moderate or low intensity may also benefit from these programs as a preventative measure.

Pet owners prefer face-to-face consultations, with many being open to considering virtual consultations with veterinarians.

OBJECTIVE: To explore pet owners' use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) during virtual veterinarian-client-patient consultations and to examine pet owners' attitudes toward virtual consultations. SAMPLE: 714 pet owners. METHODS: In an anonymous online survey distributed using snowball sampling, all participants were asked about utilization of ICTs, preferred method of interaction (face-to-face and 5 ICTs), opinion on virtual communication, and demographics. Sentiment toward virtual veterinarian consultations was measured for participants who had experienced a "virtual only" or "combination virtual and face-to-face" consultation in the previous 6 months using the Net Promoter Score. For these participants, multivariable logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with recommending virtual consultations. RESULTS: 92% (583/632) of participants resided in Ontario, Canada. Most (85.6% [611/714]) participants had experience using the telephone for veterinary care, while only 5.2% (37/714) had used live videoconferencing. Participants ranked face-to-face interactions as most preferred (P < .001), followed by telephone and then live videoconferencing. Participants were significantly (P < .001) less confident communicating during virtual consultations, particularly for building rapport. For participants experiencing a virtual consultation in the previous 6 months (n = 348), the overall Net Promoter Score was neutral at -1.43. Participants were divided about recommending virtual consultations, with 33.3% (116/348) being promoters and 34.8% (121/348) being detractors. Age of participant and comfort using videoconferencing were positively associated (P < .05) with recommending virtual consultations. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although participating pet owners significantly preferred face-to-face consultations with veterinarians, many appear willing to consider virtual consultations. Further exploration of pet owners' preferences and concerns around virtual care, including communication, is needed.

Qualitative analysis of small animal veterinarian-perceived barriers to nutrition communication.

OBJECTIVE: Nutrition is important in preventing and managing disease. Veterinarians are an important source of nutrition information; however, nutrition communication between veterinarians and pet owners is relatively infrequent. The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative review of barriers to nutrition communication and possible solutions, reported by small animal veterinarians. SAMPLE: 18 veterinarians from Maryland, Michigan, Virginia, Washington DC, and West Virginia. METHODS: In a qualitative focus group study, 5 virtual focus groups using the Zoom platform were conducted from February 3, 2021, to April 2, 2021. Each focus group was audio recorded, and transcripts were created using Otter.ai software. Transcripts were analyzed in Atlas.ti qualitative data analysis software using a hybrid of inductive and deductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The 4 barriers to nutrition communication identified by veterinarians were as follows: (1) time, (2) misinformation and information overload, (3) pet owners' apprehension toward new information, and (4) veterinarians' confidence in nutrition knowledge and communication skills. Potential solutions include (1) improving communication and nutrition education, (2) improving and increasing access to client-friendly resources, and (3) empowering credentialed veterinary technicians and support staff to discuss nutrition. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study provides guidance for how to focus efforts to break down barriers to nutrition communication in small animal veterinary practice.

Companion animal veterinarians discuss aspects of one health with pet owners during most veterinary appointments.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and context of one-health conversations between veterinarians and clients in companion animal practice. SAMPLE: A random selection of 60 companion animal veterinarians; a convenience sample of 917 interactions from Southern Ontario, Canada. Of these, 100 audio-video-recorded interactions including 47 of 60 veterinarians were randomly selected for inclusion in this study. METHODS: Audio-video recordings were made of veterinarian-client-patient interactions between November 2017 and January 2019. A researcher-generated coding framework was developed and used to assess the prevalence and content of one-health topics communicated during veterinary appointments. RESULTS: Of the interactions assessed, 60 were preventive care and 40 were health problem appointments. Further, 78% (78/100) included at least 1 discussion related to one health. One-health topics included zoonoses (28% [28/100]), animal behavior (25% [25/100]), illness/disease (20% [20/100]), activity level/exercise (16% [16/100]), nutrition (16% [16/100]), dentistry (6% [6/100]), body weight (3% [3/100]), animal welfare (3% [3/100]), dog/cat bites (2% [2/100]), cannabis (2% [2/100]), and aging (1% [1/100]). Zoonotic diseases were mentioned in 65 appointments, 28 of which evolved into a one-health discussion. Antibiotics were discussed in 27 appointments, none of which were discussed in relation to one health (eg, antimicrobial resistance). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggest that one-health topics are raised within most veterinary appointments. Opportunities exist for more comprehensive one-health conversations between veterinarians and their clients, particularly in relation to zoonotic diseases and antimicrobials.

Veterinarians are reluctant to recommend virtual consultations to a fellow veterinarian.

OBJECTIVE: To explore veterinarians' use of virtual veterinarian-client-patient consultations before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and examine veterinarians' attitudes toward virtual consultations. SAMPLE: 135 companion animal veterinarians in Canada, the US, and Europe. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was distributed to gather participating veterinarians' use of information and communication technologies and their perception of virtual consultations' effect on patient care, client communication, and their own well-being. Willingness to recommend virtual consultations was evaluated using the Net Promoter Score. Multivariable logistic regression explored factors associated with willingness to recommend virtual consultations. RESULTS: Percentage of participating veterinarians using the telephone and videoconferencing increased significantly (P < .001) from before (83.6% and 3.0%, respectively) to during the COVID-19 pandemic (97.0% and 22.4%, respectively). Participants were significantly less confident (P < .001) about their ability to reach a diagnosis using a virtual consultation as compared to a hands-on patient examination. Participants perceived client communication to be more challenging during virtual as compared to face-to-face consultations, particularly for building rapport and expressing empathy. Participants were extremely unwilling to recommend virtual consultations (Net Promoter Score = -41.4) with 21.6% (24/111) promoters and 63.1% (70/111) detractors. Confidence doing a virtual patient examination and comfort using videoconferencing technology were both positively associated (P < .05) with willingness to recommend virtual consultations. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Veterinary practices and organizations interested in encouraging virtual veterinarian-client-patient consultations likely need to prioritize veterinarians' acceptance as an initial focus. The veterinary profession would benefit from further research and education to inform virtual veterinary care.

Conversation Analysis of Clients' Active Resistance to Veterinarians' Proposals for Long-Term Dietary Change in Companion Animal Practice in Ontario, Canada.

The impact of nutrition on animal health requires effective diet-related treatment recommendations in veterinary medicine. Despite low reported rates of veterinary clients' adherence with dietary recommendations, little is known about how clients' resistance to nutritional proposals is managed in the talk of veterinary consultations. This conversation-analytic study investigated clients' active resistance to veterinarians' proposals for long-term changes to cats' and dogs' diets in 23 segments from 21 videotaped appointments in Ontario, Canada. Clients' accounts suggested the proposals themselves or nutritional modifications were unnecessary, inappropriate, or unfeasible, most often based on patients' food preferences, multi-pet feeding issues, current use of equivalent strategies, or current enactment of the proposed changes. Resistance arose when veterinarians constructed proposals without first gathering relevant diet- and patient-related information, soliciting clients' perspectives, or educating them about the benefits of recommended changes. Veterinarians subsequently accommodated clients' concerns more often when resistance involved patient- or client-related issues rather than clients' lack of medical knowledge. The design of subsequent proposals accepted by clients frequently replaced dietary changes in the initial proposals with nutritional or non-nutritional alternatives and oriented to uncertainty about adherence. This study provides evidence-based findings for developing effective communication training and practice guidelines in nutritional assessment and shared decision-making.

On-site communication skills education increases client-centered communication in four companion animal practices.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate veterinarian-client communication before and after a 15-month on-site communication skills training intervention. PROCEDURES: Multipractice, pretest-posttest intervention study. SAMPLE: A convenience sample of 4 companion animal practices owned by a single practice group in Austin, Texas (n = 9 veterinarians; 170 audio recordings). RESULTS: After intervention, visits were 8 minutes longer (P = .005), and veterinarians' client-centered scores increased significantly (2.30 vs 2.72; P = .006). Veterinarians' biomedical questions decreased by nearly a third (P = .0007), while veterinarians' facilitation (ie, partnership-building) statements were 1.15 times as great (P = .04) after intervention due to an increase in asking for the client's opinion (P = .03) and use of back-channel statements (P = .01). Agenda-setting skills, including agenda-setting questions (P = .009), summary of the client's agenda (P = < .0001), and a check for remaining concerns (P = .013), increased significantly after intervention. Clients asked 1.9 times as many lifestyle-social related questions (P = .02) and provided 1.3 times as much lifestyle-social information (P = .0004) after the intervention. Additionally, clients offered 1.4 times as many emotion-handling statements (P = .0001), including showing concern (P = .03) and optimism, reassurance, or encouragement (P < .0001), after intervention. Paraverbally, clients presented as more anxious/nervous (P = .03) and emotionally distressed/upset (P = .02) after the intervention. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that client-centered communication skills increased after intervention. This study builds upon previous case-based studies examining practice-based communication training, emphasizing that long-term interventions positively enhance veterinarian-client communication, which is likely to have a positive impact on client and patient care.

Exploring veterinary professionals' perceptions of pet weight-related communication in companion animal veterinary practice.

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.

Veterinarians' use of shared decision making during on-farm interactions with dairy and beef producers.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to explore the level of shared decision making (SDM) between veterinarians and dairy and beef producers during on-farm interactions and to identify factors associated with veterinarians' use of SDM behaviours. METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of food-animal veterinarians and their clients were recruited in Ontario, Canada. Their on-farm interactions were audio-video recorded. The recordings were analysed using the 'Observing Patient Involvement in Decision Making' (observer OPTION5 ) instrument to determine the level of SDM utilised during preference-sensitive decisions. A logistic regression model was developed to assess factors associated with a preference-sensitive decision occurring. Meanwhile, a linear regression model was developed to identify factors associated with the level of SDM used. RESULTS: Forty-one veterinarians participated, and 186 unique veterinarian-producer interactions were audio-video recorded and OPTION5 score was calculated. SDM scores were low and comparable to other studies using the OPTION5 instrument. The only factor associated with whether a preference-sensitive decision occurred was the length of the veterinarian and producer's relationship (in years). As the length of their relationship increased, a preference-sensitive decision was less likely to occur. The use of SDM behaviours was found to decrease as veterinarian burnout score increased. These findings demonstrate that SDM behaviours are being used by food-animal veterinarians, yet an opportunity exists to further implement more producer-centred SDM skills into on-farm interactions. LIMITATIONS: Small portions of veterinarian-producer conversation occurred outside of audio-video-recorded interactions and were not included in the analysis. CONCLUSION: The results of this study aid in further understanding on-farm interactions between veterinarians and producers and can help to further improve veterinary communication curricula.

The impact of deferred intake as part of Capacity for Care (C4C) on shelter cat outcomes.

Capacity for Care (C4C) is a shelter management strategy that is capable of improving the welfare of cats in a shelter's care. Managing shelter intake using intake waitlists and scheduled intake appointments is a key feature of C4C. The purpose of this study was to describe the population of owned cats whose owners contacted the Guelph Humane Society (GHS) to explore the option of relinquishing, and to report outcomes for this population. Data were collected retrospectively from shelter records created by the GHS from July 2017 to June 2018. This study further examined associations between cat outcome and rehoming options under consideration by owners at the initial point of contact with the shelter, cat source, and reason for relinquishment. A greater proportion of cats with veterinary issues reported as the primary reason for potential surrender were kept by their owners compared with being relinquished (p<0.01), rehomed (p<0.01), and having an unknown outcome (p<0.01). A greater proportion of cats whose owners had medical issues were surrendered, compared with being retained in their homes.The large number of cats whose outcomes were unknown suggests a need for future research in order to further understand the outcomes that are occurring for cats whose admission to a shelter are deferred.

Shelter Worker's Experiences and Perceptions of Capacity for Care (C4C).

Capacity for Care (C4C) is a shelter management strategy which utilizes managed intake to optimize in-shelter populations based on housing capacity and available resources. The purpose of this study was to 1) understand staff experiences using managed intake, 2) explore staff perceptions of how the C4C model has been regarded by other staff at their facility, and 3) explore the response of community members who are attempting to relinquish their cats, as perceived by the staff who are communicating with cat owners and scheduling relinquishment. Participants recruited from shelters who practiced C4C participated in a semi-structured interview and completed a written survey to share their experiences and perceptions of C4C. Based on the perceptions of the participants, evidence suggests the waitlist may decrease the admission of owned cats to the shelter as a result of advising cat owners about alternatives to relinquishment. The findings suggest that more research is needed to understand the potential impacts of managed intake, as an element of C4C, on the welfare of cats in the community who are waiting to be admitted to a shelter.

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

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.

Veterinary technicians contribute to shared decision-making during companion animal veterinary appointments.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare veterinary professionals' use of shared decision-making during companion animal appointments. DESIGN: Multi-practice cross-sectional study. SAMPLE: A purposive sample of 4 companion animal veterinary clinics in a group practice in Texas. PROCEDURES: A convenience sample of veterinary appointments were recorded January to March 2018 and audio-recordings were analyzed using the Observer OPTION5 instrument to assess shared decision-making. Each decision was categorized by veterinary professional involvement. RESULTS: A total of 76/85 (89%) appointments included at least 1 decision between the client and veterinary professional(s), with a total of 129 shared decisions. Decisions that involved both a veterinary technician and veterinarian scored significantly higher for elements of shared decision-making (OPTION5 = 29.5 ± 8.4; n = 46), than veterinarian-only decisions (OPTION5 = 25.4 ± 11.50; P = .040; n = 63), and veterinary technician-only decisions (OPTION5 = 22.5 ± 7.15; P = .001; n = 20). Specific elements of shared decision-making that differed significantly based on veterinary professional involvement included educating the client about options (OPTION5 Item 3; P = .0041) and integrating the client's preference (OPTION5 Item 5; P = .0010). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggest that clients are more involved in decision making related to their pet's health care when both the veterinary technician and veterinarian communicate with the client. Veterinary technicians' communication significantly enhanced client engagement in decision-making when working collaboratively with the veterinarian.

Discussion of cost continues to be uncommon in companion animal veterinary practice.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and nature of cost conversations occurring during veterinarian-client-patient interactions within companion animal practice. SAMPLES: 60 randomly selected, practicing veterinarians working in 55 practices across southern Ontario, Canada, and 909 of their clients, sampled by convenience. PROCEDURES: A cross-sectional descriptive study including 917 video-recorded appointments. Associations between veterinarian, client, or appointment-level factors and occurrence of a cost conversation were evaluated using multi-level logistic regression. RESULTS: 215 of 917 (23.4%) videos included a discussion of cost between the veterinarian and client. Cost conversations involving veterinarians primarily focused on conveying the price in relation to the time or service being offered (74.0% [159/215]), whereas the benefit to the future health and wellness of the patient was conveyed in 14.4% (31/215) of veterinarians' cost conversations. Costs were most frequently discussed by veterinarians in relation to diagnostic testing (44.2% [96/215]). The odds of a cost discussion occurring were greater during problem appointments versus wellness (P = .011) or recheck (P = .029) appointments, for feline versus canine patients (P = .037), as appointment duration increased (P < .001), and as a client's number of visits in the past year decreased (P = .049). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Discussing cost of care in veterinary practice continues to be relatively uncommon. Opportunities exist for veterinary professionals to frame their communication of the cost of veterinary care in relation to the benefits offered to the future health and wellbeing of the veterinary patient.

On-site communication skills education increases appointment-specific client satisfaction in four companion animal practices in Texas.

Objective: To assess the impact of a 15-month, in-practice communication skills intervention on client visit satisfaction. Sample: 4 purposely selected veterinary clinics, 9 veterinarians, and 930 appointment-specific client satisfaction surveys. Procedures: The study was designed as a multipractice, preintervention-postintervention study. Practice teams participated in a 15-month communication skills intervention that included interactive group workshops and one-on-one communication coaching with the entire practice. Client Satisfaction Questionnaires were completed 3 months before (mean, 55 questionnaires/veterinarian) and after (mean, 48 questionnaires/veterinarian) the intervention. The impact of the intervention and factors associated with client visit satisfaction were evaluated with mixed logistic regression. Results: Client satisfaction scores were dichotomized owing to extreme negative skewness. In total, 57% (284/496) of clients were completely satisfied on pretest questionnaires, and 67% (290/434) were completely satisfied on postintervention questionnaires. The odds of clients being completely satisfied were significantly higher after the communication skills intervention (OR = 1.56; P = .002). When controlling for the intervention, predictors of client visit satisfaction included appointment type (odds of being completely satisfied were significantly higher for recheck appointments than for preventative care appointments [OR = 1.71; P = .02] and health problem appointments [OR = 1.99; P = .003]) and duration of the veterinarian-client relationship (probability increased by 0.52 with each 1-year increase in relationship duration; P = .008). Clinical Relevance: Results suggested that the client-centered, skills-based communication intervention resulted in increased client visit satisfaction. Findings contribute to current evidence that client-centered communication and duration of the veterinarian-client relationship promote client satisfaction during veterinary visits.

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

OBJECTIVE: To compare pet owners' and veterinarians' perceptions of veterinarian-client conversations concerning pet weight and identify challenges related to communication about weight. SAMPLE POPULATION: Veterinarians (n = 24) and pet owners (27) in southern Ontario, Canada. PROCEDURES: 3 veterinarian and 5 pet owner focus groups were conducted with a semistructured interview format. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts was conducted. RESULTS: Pet owners valued weight as an important health indicator for pets yet did not expect to discuss weight extensively at every appointment. Owners expected veterinarians to provide options and tailor recommendations when discussing weight management. Owners appeared more concerned with underweight animals, whereas veterinarians focused on obese animals. Veterinarians identified communication challenges, including the perception that owners are uninterested in discussing weight and conversations can become adversarial. Veterinarians reported various benefits and challenges of using humor to address pet weight and emphasized that weight-related conversations often depend on the existing veterinarian-client relationship. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Some perceptions of pet owner expectations expressed by veterinarians in this study align with owner preferences, yet several opportunities exist for changes to veterinarians' approaches to weight-related communication with clients.