Search Results (63)

Caring for the lives and welfare of animals is central to veterinary and animal sanctuary work, yet the meaning remains a subject of complex debates. Different stakeholders negotiate what constitutes appropriate care, leading to conflicting demands and expectations from internal and external sources. This article is based on two qualitative studies: Study I explores the multifaceted aspects of death work in farm animal medicine, emphasising the practical, emotional and ethical challenges involved. Study II examines human–animal interaction in sanctuaries, which reveal tensions between instrumental and relational care in animal-centred work. Relational care represents a subjectifying approach with individual attention to animals, while instrumental care is a more objectifying perspective based on species representation. These demands can often be contradictory, complicating day-to-day decision making under pressure. To analyse these complexities, this study employs Clarke’s situational analysis (social worlds/arenas mapping), providing a means of comparing care work across different fields. This approach highlights how actor constellations, institutional settings, and structural constraints influence the negotiation of care. Addressing these issues provides a more nuanced understanding of the professional challenges of animal-centred care and the necessary skills to navigate its inherent contradictions. Full article

The aim of this work is to explore and understand the lived experience of nurses who chose to schedule visits with an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), i.e., a dog, during their working shift. Background/Objectives: Nursing practice is rigorous, weighted with intense responsibility that creates an environment conducive to stress and anxiety for the nurses, who have reported a higher level of work stress than other healthcare professionals. Knowing and addressing the factors impacting mental health/nurses’ well-being is crucial to providing care to patients. Stressful work environments result in burnout, compassion fatigue, depression, anxiety, suicide, and resignation. Understanding nurses’ perspectives on work related stress encourages hospitals to structure practices supporting nurses’ mental health and ability to provide quality care. Methods: A qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological approach was employed. Participants scheduled six weekly 10-min visits with Rex, a certified Service Dog for anxiety depression and PTSD, and registered ESA. A sample of 11 RNs participated in Rex visits at the workplace; field notes were taken during observations of visits. Semi-structured 30-min interviews conducted via Zoom, audio-recorded, and transcribed with NVivo were conducted. Results: Data were examined with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four main themes emerged: Preparing for the unknown, Doing the work, Refueling and resetting-Visits with Rex, What about nurses? Conclusions: This study highlights the need for nurses and hospital systems to incorporate self-care/self-reflection, including time/opportunities for nurses’ stress management during their practice. Knowledge of nurses receiving ESA interventions sheds light on how to protect/preserve the well-being of nurses practicing in this demanding profession. ESAs for nurses in the workplace offers an option to utilize dog therapy to re-energize and continue their shift renewed and refreshed. Full article

Introduction: Chemotherapy is a primary treatment option in human and veterinary oncology. Like humans, canine patients often develop drug resistance. Comparative oncology is gaining increasing interest, and spontaneous tumors of companion dogs have emerged as a powerful resource for better understanding human cancer. The genetic, molecular, and histological features of tumors in dogs are more closely related to those in humans than the ones in laboratory animals, including complex mechanisms of drug resistance. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the electronic database Clarivate Web of Science (WOS): Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) from 1990 to 2025 (updated 22 January 2025). The final set includes 59 relevant full-text English articles. Results: The literature findings suggest that canine spontaneous tumors are valuable model systems with important translational implications for identifying novel mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance shared with humans and may help advance the current standard of care in precision medicine. Conclusions: We have provided an updated overview of the role of canine tumor models to study oncotherapy resistance, focusing on limitations and opportunities for advancement. Despite complementary benefits of such models in translational oncology research, their relevance remains underestimated. Strengthening the collaboration between human and veterinary medicine professionals and comparative medicine researchers, and obtaining the support of interdisciplinary institutions, could contribute to addressing the problem of multidrug resistance for both human and canine patients. Future research may promote using canine spontaneous tumors as translational therapeutic models for human chemoresistance, through a multidisciplinary approach based on the emerging “One Health, One Medicine” paradigm. Full article

The cases that dog trainers and behavior consultants face are often traumatic and emotionally challenging, especially under pressure from distressed clients. This study investigated whether more years of professional experience and higher levels of dog aggression contribute to burnout and whether the overall emotional toll of caring moderates these relationships. Eighty-six professionals completed the Professional Quality of Life Measure, which evaluates the positive aspects of caregiving and negative outcomes such as burnout and secondary traumatic stress. The analysis revealed that neither extended work experience nor increased dog aggression significantly predicted higher burnout levels, and the anticipated moderating effect of emotional strain was not observed. The levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress in this sample were similar to those reported in other animal-care and human healthcare settings, while the satisfaction derived from caregiving remained relatively high. These results suggest that factors beyond years of experience and dog aggression—such as workplace support and individual coping mechanisms—may be more crucial in influencing burnout among these professionals. This study highlights the need for an expanded investigation of other possible influences, such as workplace support and personal coping mechanisms. Identifying specific challenges that dog trainers face and implementing strategies to offset burnout will create a healthier and more sustainable work environment and improve the quality of life for humans and their canine companions. Full article

Natural and human-made disasters can severely impact communities and can result in high numbers of human injuries and deaths. Animals, both companion and livestock, are often injured as a result of these disasters and require veterinary care. Veterinarians are not only involved in providing care for these animals but also play important roles in planning and preparedness functions that occur before a disaster strikes. There are several examples of the use of multi-user virtual environments (MUVE) to provide human health care workers with valuable training centered on disaster response and disaster medicine. This communication provides a thorough review of a clinical rotation, as part of a professional veterinary curriculum, that uses a combination of classroom and experiential learning via an MUVE, Second Life^®. This rotation has provided more than 1800 senior veterinary students at a veterinary school in the United States with experiential learning opportunities focused on veterinary disaster preparedness, planning, and response training. The authors have prepared this communication to provide other institutions and educators with information on the practical implementation of Second Life^® in teaching and to offer recommendations based on our institutional experience. Full article

Veterinary nurses and technicians are at risk of burnout, which negatively impacts mental and physical health, turnover, and patient care. Workplace contributors to burnout have been identified in this population, but little is known about best practice management strategies. This study used the Delphi method to explore barriers to addressing burnout and develop expert recommendations for workplace management strategies. Forty participants with a minimum of 5 years’ industry experience in leadership, or wellbeing, were recruited via purposive sampling from the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Participants completed two anonymous, online, mixed-methods surveys between October 2024 and January 2025. Qualitative survey data were analysed using content analysis to identify codes and categorise solutions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Barriers to addressing burnout included industry-wide barriers, such as lack of, or unclear, regulation and lack of leadership knowledge, and clinic-specific barriers, such as poor team culture, unwillingness for change, and existing burnout. Thirty-nine solutions were developed and rated as being highly, or very highly effective. These focused on themes such as improving communication, developing progression pathways, and providing leadership training and support. Existing workplace barriers must be evaluated prior to selecting strategies, to maximise effectiveness in specific contexts. Full article

In recent years, the European companion animal veterinary care market has experienced significant growth, with 166 million households (50%) owning one or more of Europe’s 352 million companion animals. This expansion is accompanied by a notable market trend toward the corporatisation of veterinary practices, particularly in urban areas and certain countries. Corporatisation has reshaped the profession, offering benefits such as economies of scale, advanced veterinary treatments, and structured career pathways for early-career veterinarians. However, this shift also prompted discussions on the impact it has on rising costs of care, professional autonomy constraints, and potential reductions in rural practice attractiveness. Our comprehensive study, combining a large-scale survey of European veterinarians, semi-structured questionnaires, and an extensive literature review, maps the current state of corporatisation in Europe, identifies key players, and examines its impact on the veterinary profession and broader society. The findings underscore the rapid expansion of corporate veterinary practices and the accompanying competitive pressure on independent vet-owned clinics. To ensure a sustainable future for the profession, our research highlights the need for further investigation to fully comprehend the effects of corporatisation. Addressing these challenges is essential to protect the interests of animals and their caretakers, veterinarians, and the wider society. Full article

Traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) plays a significant role in healthcare practices among healthcare professionals and oncology patients in Mexico, reflecting its cultural importance. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence, frequency, and factors associated with T&CM use in these two groups, highlighting the differences in practices and perceptions. A total of 382 individuals participated, including 152 healthcare professionals and 230 oncology patients. The findings revealed that while T&CM use was similarly prevalent among healthcare professionals (85.7%) and oncology patients (90.8%), frequent use (≥2 times per week) was significantly higher among patients (46.3%) compared to healthcare professionals (19.1%, p < 0.001). Healthcare professionals showed a preference for non-conventional nutritional interventions (32.5%) and yoga (14.6%) while oncology patients favored plant-based remedies (73.6%) and the consumption of exotic animals and venoms (4.8%). Females were more likely to use T&CM across both groups, with a stronger association among healthcare professionals (AdOR 3.695, 95% CI 1.8–7.4). Oncology patients were less likely to understand T&CM concepts and were more commonly associated with lower socioeconomic status and educational attainment. These findings underscore the importance of considering cultural and demographic factors when integrating T&CM into conventional medical care, especially in regions where T&CM remains widely practiced and trusted. Full article

Veterinarians face ethical challenges during their careers, but despite evidence of work-related stress and burnout in veterinarians, moral distress has been poorly investigated. Using an online survey, professional experience, moral distress, and burnout were investigated in 704 Italian veterinarians caring for companion animals, farm animals, or both. The reliability of the moral distress questionnaire was optimal, and Factor analysis identified four factors for moral distress: I. Conflict with owner/farmer; II. Relationships with colleagues/superiors; III. Legal context/unsupportive Professional Institutions; IV. Unshared requests for euthanasia. Veterinarians reported rather low levels of moral distress but high levels of work-related stress/anxiety and a decline in empathy over time, mainly toward owners/farmers. More than 50% of veterinarians reported medium/high levels of burnout, and client-related burnout was significantly higher than animal-related burnout. Levels of work-related stress, moral distress, and burnout were higher in women, and experience exerted a protective effect. Moral distress was positively correlated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and, to a lesser extent, lower professional fulfillment. The relatively low level of moral distress that emerged in the study needs further investigation, especially considering the high levels of work-related stress and anxiety reported by veterinarians. Women’s greater sensitivity to moral distress and burnout should not be overlooked given the progressive feminization of the veterinary profession worldwide. Full article

Animal cruelty is widespread, yet it is often overlooked by professionals as a form of trauma and not perceived as a serious crime. This study explores current challenges to the effective management of animal abuse and neglect cases in the state of Colorado, USA, to better understand systemic barriers and their impact on those involved, and offers concrete, practical suggestions for improvement. Interviews with 24 law enforcement and Bureau of Animal Protection (BAP) agents/staff were conducted, and an integrated thematic analysis method was utilized to inductively analyze participants’ responses to interview questions. The most common barriers to addressing animal cruelty cases identified by law enforcement/BAP personnel included (1) a lack of places to take removed animals and resources to care for them; (2) challenges working with the district attorney’s office; (3) a general lack of knowledge and training on how to address cases and the documentation required; and (4) insufficient enforcement personnel to conduct investigations and conduct required follow-up. Suggested changes include expansion of temporary housing options, additional training, expert investigators and social workers/mental health professionals, and possible amendments to state statutes. In addition, the use of a trauma-informed model is recommended to best meet the psychological needs of all those involved in animal welfare work. Full article

Zoo professionals and volunteers play essential roles in the wellbeing and conservation of a diverse array of animal species. Despite the growing body of literature revealing the psychological impacts of pet loss, there remains a dearth of information describing the experience of animal loss among those who work in zoo settings. This qualitative study explored the personal experiences of zoo animal loss among volunteers (n = 12), animal care and health professionals (ACHPs) (n = 135), and other zoo staff (n = 35) who participated in a larger mixed-method study. Participants responded to five open-ended questions exploring their most significant zoo animal death loss, where or from whom they found the most support, how the zoo community could better support them, advice for zoo leaders, and other thoughts about their grief and animal-related loss experiences. Using thematic analysis, two key themes were identified: the lasting toll of zoo animal loss and zoo professionals’ and volunteers’ interpersonal experiences. Participants described their experiences with animal transfers and both expected and unexpected deaths. Requests for support focused on better communication, grief resources, and opportunities to recognize and mourn animal losses. These findings suggest that zoo animal loss can negatively impact zoo professionals’ and volunteers’ psychological health. Full article

Veterinary telemedicine is used to provide animal health care information, education, and care remotely. Digital transformation of veterinary clinics is a fundamental process for the evolution of telemedicine and is changing the way veterinary care and animal health services are delivered. This study aimed to evaluate the current televeterinary market and to assess the knowledge of animal owners and clinic managers. The goals of this study were met by conducting an analysis of the current televeterinary market through a pet owner (n = 200) survey as well as clinic owner (n = 5) interviews. In contrast to other countries, only 1.85% of Lithuanian veterinary clinics offered a paid veterinary remote consultation service on their websites. In addition, more than half of animal owners who participated in the survey did not even know that remote veterinary consultations existed. The most important established factors for the success of digital transformation of veterinary telemedicine were investments in the marketing of the services, management leadership, the competencies and experience of veterinarians, convenient working hours for the client, faster service availability, and lower price. It is recommended to involve marketing and information technology company professionals and to invest in the specialty, digital, and communication skills of veterinarians. Full article

New, more efficient ways to accomplish objectives are key to improving the ability of zoological and conservation organizations to protect the animals they study and care for. Here, we describe an ovocesarean procedure, a novel task to assist the hatching of larval anurans in cases when allowing for hatching to occur naturally presents a risk to the survival of the progeny. This study focuses on two clutches of La Palma Glass Frogs (Hyalinobatrachium valerioi) where the eggs were not laid over a water body for the tadpoles to drop into upon emergence from the egg. A simple, three-step procedure that can be performed in just a few minutes resulted in a 95% success rate in emergence and led to increased survivability in the tadpoles that were assisted. Procedures that assist hatching of embryos and neonates are discussed in many circles of animal care but have not been described in detail to provide assistance to those that are not in a situation where they can learn it from a professional. This description of the ovocesarean procedure assigns a definitive, technical term to assisted hatching and can easily be extrapolated to other oviparous animals. Although the focal species here is of a Least Concern conservation status, this procedure can be key in improving reproductive success in other, more threatened species of anurans. Full article

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition in the hip or knee joints that develops during a long period of time and sometimes needs hip or knee joint replacement surgery when pain gets too intense for the patient. This paper describes how an animated video for pre- and postoperative instructions for patients with osteoarthritis was designed. The design science research (DSR) approach was followed by creating a web-based animated video. The web-based animated video is used to support surgical departments with education for patients suffering from OA. In the web-based animated video, information about OA surgical treatment and its pre- and post-arrangements was included. The relevance, the rigor, and the design cycles were focused on, with some iterations of and improvements in the animations. Even after implementation, there was a feedback-loop with comments from the surgeons and their patients. Moreover, as more departments will use the web-based animated video, they want to make their special mark on it, so that further changes will be made. This paper presents the design and successful implementation of an animated video for pre- and postoperative instructions for patients with osteoarthritis, tightly linked to the patient journey and the workflow of healthcare professionals. The animated video serves not only as a tool to improve care but also as a basis for further scientific research studies. Full article

Horse owners seek the advice and support of a number of equestrian professionals in carrying out their duty of care for their animal. In some instances, these professionals form a multi-disciplinary team (MDT). The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of the Society of Master Saddlers’ qualified saddle fitters (SMSQSFs) working with other professionals and to understand the nature of inter-disciplinary working from an SMSQSF perspective. Semi-structured, one-to-one online interviews with fourteen SMSQSFs were completed. Areas explored included the nature of the participant’s client base; the frequency and nature of their interactions with other professionals; their perceptions of horse owner expectations of an MDT approach; and any benefits, challenges, and barriers to an MDT approach within an equestrian setting. Interviews were video and audio recorded (MS Teams), transcribed verbatim (Otter ai), and imported into qualitative data analysis software (NVivo, version 12). Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: (1) effective communication; (2) multidisciplinary expectations; (3) horse welfare; (4) professionalism; (5) relationships; (6) working together. Communication was recognised as a crucial component of an effective MDT. Most participants valued and desired an MDT approach. They felt they had a key role to play within the equestrian MDT, not only in the prevention of deterioration in horse welfare but also in improving the functionality and performance of the horse–rider partnership. Effective MDT working was also seen as having benefits to SMSQSFs and other professional stakeholders alike, although time and financial constraints were identified as barriers to MTD working. The role of the horse owner within the MDT was unclear and potentially complex, and this and other factors such as the professional identity of the SMSQSF, personal relationships, and input from others outside of the MDT team were identified as challenges to effective MDT working. This present study found that SMSQSFs experience similar benefits and challenges to an MDT approach as seen in human healthcare settings. The role of the horse owner, communication, and professional recognition are indicated as pivotal to MDT effectiveness in achieving optimal saddle fit. Full article