Factors Associated With High Adherence to Eye Drop Therapy for Dogs.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify factors associated with high adherence to eye drop therapy for dogs.

ANIMALS STUDIED

The study included 113 dogs and their owners who visited a veterinary ophthalmology clinic.

PROCEDURES

Participants were classified into high and low adherence groups based on whether they gave the eye drops the prescribed number of times or less, respectively, until their second visit. Information about 15 candidate factors was obtained from the owners and medical records. Simple logistic regression was used for initial screening, followed by multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of the valid participants, 71 were in the high adherence group, and 31 were in the low adherence group. This classification was used as the outcome variable. Participants' previous experience giving eye drops, prescribed number of eye drops, and days between first and second clinic visits were selected as the explanatory variables to include in the multiple logistic regression analysis. The analysis showed that revisiting the clinic within 2 weeks of the first clinic visit (odds ratio = 5.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.7-15) and previous experience giving eye drops (odds ratio = 3.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-8.2) were associated with high adherence.

CONCLUSION

The present study recommends that veterinarians set a shorter interval until the next visit and provide opportunities for practice to owners who have never given eye drops to their dogs.