Wallis L J, Radford A D, Belshaw Z, Jackson J, Kubinyi E, German A J, Westgarth C
Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Department of Ethology, ELTE Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary.
J Small Anim Pract. 2023 Jul;64(7):425-433. doi: 10.1111/jsap.13610. Epub 2023 Mar 27.
Many UK dogs live into old age, but owners may not recognise or report age-associated signs of disease which lead to negative welfare. This study investigated dog owner and veterinary professional experiences and attitudes towards ageing in dogs, how health care is offered, barriers to its delivery, and some best-practice solutions.
In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 owners of 21 dogs (aged 8 to 17 years mean: 13) and 11 veterinary professional (eight veterinary surgeons, two nurses and one physiotherapist). Open-text responses from 61 dog owners were collected using an online survey. Transcripts and survey responses were inductively coded into themes.
Four themes were constructed: "just old age", barriers to care, trust in veterinary surgeons, and tools to improve health care. Age-related changes were mostly perceived as "just old age" by dog owners. Many dogs were no longer vaccinated and did not attend check-ups unless owners identified a problem. The greatest barriers to health care were finances (dog owners), owner awareness, willingness to act and consultation time (veterinary professionals). Trust in veterinary professionals was more likely when dog owner experienced continuity, prioritisation of care, clear communication and an accessible, knowledgeable and empathic veterinary professional. Participants suggested that senior health care and communication between dog owners and veterinary professionals could be improved through questionnaires, and evidence-based online information.
Opportunities to educate owners on which clinical signs represent healthy or pathological ageing are being missed. Resources should be developed to guide on best-practice discussions in consultations, encourage more owners to recognise clinical signs and to seek and trust veterinary advice.
许多英国的犬只能够步入老年，但主人可能无法识别或报告与年龄相关的疾病迹象，这会导致负面的福利状况。本研究调查了犬主和兽医专业人员对犬只衰老的经历和态度、提供医疗保健的方式、提供过程中的障碍以及一些最佳实践解决方案。
对21只犬（年龄8至17岁，平均13岁）的15位主人以及11名兽医专业人员（8名兽医、2名护士和1名物理治疗师）进行了深入的半结构化访谈。通过在线调查收集了61位犬主的开放式文本回复。将访谈记录和调查回复归纳编码为主题。
构建了四个主题：“只是年老”、护理障碍、对兽医的信任以及改善医疗保健的工具。犬主大多将与年龄相关的变化视为“只是年老”。许多犬只不再接种疫苗，除非主人发现问题否则不会进行体检。医疗保健的最大障碍是经济问题（犬主方面）、主人意识、行动意愿以及咨询时间（兽医专业人员方面）。当犬主经历连续性、护理优先级、清晰沟通以及有一位容易接触、知识渊博且富有同情心的兽医专业人员时，对兽医专业人员的信任度更高。参与者建议，可以通过问卷调查以及基于证据的在线信息来改善老年犬的医疗保健以及犬主与兽医专业人员之间的沟通。
错失了向犬主教育哪些临床体征代表健康衰老或病理性衰老的机会。应开发资源，以指导咨询中的最佳实践讨论，鼓励更多犬主识别临床体征并寻求和信任兽医建议。
