Wainwright J, Millar K M, White G A
School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK.
Centre for Applied Bioethics, School of Biosciences and School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK.
J Small Anim Pract. 2022 May;63(5):381-388. doi: 10.1111/jsap.13469. Epub 2022 Jan 20.
To investigate owners' views around canine nutrition and wellbeing, how these beliefs may differ according to the weight status of the dog and the implications for owner support approaches.
A researcher-mediated questionnaire collected quantitative and qualitative data via structured interviews with dog owners (n=147) attending a country park in the East Midlands, UK, with a specific focus on views around canine nutrition and wellbeing.
Forty-four percent of owners cited "past experience" when determining what to feed, and only 9% of owners cited the veterinarian as a source of this information. When comparing chosen verbal description versus non-sequential body condition score images of the dog, only 22% of owners with overweight animals matched perceived verbal and visual appraisals, compared with 89% of owners of ideal weight dogs. Owners cited a good diet and regular exercise as important factors for canine wellbeing, but companionship with other dogs as the least important factor.
Owners report being aware of the important association between canine nutrition and wellbeing, but their considered importance of factors influencing dog wellbeing may be influenced by their perceived weight status of the animal. Veterinarians may need to reframe owner discourse such that there is more routine discussion around weight and nutrition at every consultation. Furthermore, the use of non-sequential body condition score images could be a useful tool for a more considered opinion of canine weight status by owners.
调查宠物主人对犬类营养与健康的看法，这些观念如何因犬只体重状况而异，以及对主人支持方式的影响。
通过对英国东米德兰兹郡一个郊野公园的犬主（n = 147）进行结构化访谈，由研究人员介导的问卷收集定量和定性数据，特别关注犬类营养与健康方面的观点。
44%的主人在决定喂什么时提到“过去的经验”，只有9%的主人将兽医作为此信息的来源。在比较所选的犬只文字描述与非连续身体状况评分图像时，超重犬只的主人中只有22%能使感知的文字和视觉评估相匹配，而理想体重犬只的主人这一比例为89%。主人认为良好的饮食和定期锻炼是犬类健康的重要因素，但与其他犬只的陪伴是最不重要的因素。
主人报告意识到犬类营养与健康之间的重要关联，但他们对影响犬类健康因素的重视程度可能受其对犬只体重状况的认知影响。兽医可能需要重新构建与主人的交流方式，以便在每次咨询时更常规地讨论体重和营养问题。此外，使用非连续身体状况评分图像可能是一种有用的工具，有助于主人更周全地评估犬只体重状况。
