According to a whitepaper recently released by Partners for Healthy Pets, the veterinary profession is putting more emphasis on preventative healthcare for pets, but the frequency of veterinary visits has not increased.
Data presented by Karen Felsted at the 2012 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies shows this trend is especially true for cats. The Partners for Healthy Pets paper, Reversing the Decline in Veterinary Care Utilization: Progress Made, Challenges Remain, claims that while veterinary professionals are getting the message about preventative care, it seems to be lost on pet owners.
READ MORE: Reversing the Decline in Veterinary Care Utilization: Progress Made, Challenges Remain
Executive Directors of both the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association found the results disappointing but remained optimistic.
"The fact that preventative care has gained traction among practicing veterinarians - and, more important, among veterinary educators - bodes well for the future," said Michael Cavanaugh, CEO of AAHA.
A survey of pet owners conducted by Urban Animal™ earlier this year determined that Cost of Medical care factor in the pet experience. Many pet owners have become increasingly concerned about some aspects of veterinary care, including the need for regular exams, the cost of care, and the stress and inconvenience of the exam experience.
READ MORE: Cost of medical care identified as biggest obstacle to a positive pet experience
Despite this trend, Partners for Healthy Pets believes veterinarians can thrive in today's economy and market for services. "But individual practices must meet challenges identified in the veterinary care usage studies in order to achieve their full potential."
READ MORE: Partners for Healthy Pets reports elicit concern, optimism over preventative care statistics
Preventative animal health care is goal highlighted by many members of the urban animal industry. But educating pet families on the benefits of preventative care and annual check-ups has become increasingly difficult.
Partners for Healthy Pets is a committee of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation created to ensure pets receive the preventative healthcare they deserve through regular veterinary visits. The program provides vet practices with the tools and knowledge they need to communicate with pet owners. Seminars, presentations, educational modules and guidelines are offered up to ensure that pets have access to the healthcare they need to create trust, prevent serious diseases and enhance the pet owner's perceived value of preventative veterinary care.
Dr. Drew Van Niekerk, Calgary North Veterinary Hospital, believes programs like Partners for Healthy Pets have great intentions and serve an important function. But he maintains that trust is the most important element that should exist between pet owners and vets to ensure animals are getting the care they need.
"The veterinarian earns trust by truly understanding the client and matching that with the talents they have for medical care. Understanding a client includes knowing the intricaces of their relationship in the family, the resources they have to put toward pet care, and the fashion in which they make decisions," said Van Niekerk.
"Annual physical exams are extremely important to the pet and the family. It is an opportunity to educate pet owners on all facets of home care, as well as reducing risk of pain, discomfort and disease. This message is real and important. Tell that to pet families and they will see the importance and trust the veterinarian's advice to return annually, because there is value to the service."
A 'Resources Toolbox' has been developed to help veterinary practices deliver quality preventative healthcare and build enhanced relationships with pet owners.
The Partners for Healthy Pets' Practice Resources Toolbox contains a variety of tools and resources that can be used throughout veterinary practices. The tools and resources provide veterinary professionals with dynamic ways to reinforce a practice-wide focus on preventative pet healthcare and to enhance communications with clients about the value of, and need for, routine care visits.
At Summit 2012, Trone Brand Energy's Kevin Murphy presented the 2012 Veterinary Communication Gap Survey which highlighted the missing communications between care providers and pet owners. And during the 2013 Regional Conferences, communication and education between the industry and pet owners was a commonly discussed barrier to a Positive Pet Experience.
Join the ongoing conversations about the Pet Experience Project on Facebook and the Urban Animal Program LinkedIn Group to get the facts, have your say and move the industry.
Partners for Healthy Pets is the face of the Partnership for Preventative Pet Healthcare, a committee of the non-profit American Veterinary Medical Foundation that was created to ensure that pets receive the preventative healthcare they deserve through regular visits to a veterinarian.
