Understanding and Insights from Research of Lower Income Veterinary Clients’ Perceptions Related to Their Pets’ Quality of Life
Quality of life (QoL) has many different definitions. It is especially difficult to define for our pets as we can only discuss it relative to our own views as their owners. Existing QoL research has primarily been conducted in referral veterinary clinics with predominantly white, affluent, women as clients. The ASPCA provides fully subsidized wellness and basic medical care as well as subsidized urgent or emergency care for selected conditions for clients in New York City with self-reported income <$50,000. The goals of this study were to:
- better understand how clients perceive and describe their pets’ QoL
- determine their relationship with their pets and QoL
- be able to confidently use QoL as one measure of successful treatment
This study also served to document that these low-income veterinary clients value their animals as much as any other veterinary clients.
Study Design
Online interviews with clients at both types of clinics were conducted by trained interviewers prior to their pets’ appointments. A mix of Spanish- and English-speaking clients, dog and cat owners, and both routine and problem visits were included. Interviews were coded and then interpretive and thematic analyses of these codes identified overarching and sub-themes about pets’ QoL as described by their owners.
Our clients demonstrated high levels of emotional investment in their cats and dogs.
Study Results
50 clients were included and no distinction between themes was found by language, species, or type of visit. QoL and the relationship of the pet and family were the two overarching themes. The animal’s mental and physical condition and daily habits supported descriptions of QoL. This included the clients sharing their pets’ behavior, health, preferences, and nutrition.
The nature of attachment between the pet and owner and the characteristics of the family sub-themes both supported the relationship of pet and family overarching theme. This relationship was often expressed by the familial role of the pets, the sacrifices made for the pets, and the emotional and physical connections with the pets described by the owners.
Many owners’ comments included both QoL and relationship overarching themes. The most common overlap was between the behavior or health of the pet and the empathic interpretation of the actions of the pet, followed by health and seeking professional help for the pet. Additionally, the meaning of a 1 to 10 QoL score found that clients were generally able to use this tool to describe their pets’ QoL.
Study Takeaways
Our clients demonstrated high levels of emotional investment in their cats and dogs. Clients in this study showed a similar interpretation of QoL for their pets as other research with different pet owner populations. Financial concerns or the illness of the pet impacted the clients’ well-being and could create strain in the family.
Clients’ assessments of QoL were not related to any of the demographic data; they generally understood the tool, supporting its use as a simple estimate of pet QoL as an outcome in other studies, perhaps with some additional descriptive terms.
How pet owners subjectively interpret their pets’ QoL can influence whether they seek veterinary care and their ability to provide that care highlighting that QoL is an important element in veterinary and client communication.
