How much do pet owners value pet‐directed speech during veterinary consultations?

THE veterinarian‐client‐patient relationship is unique in that the veterinarian and client communicate with one another to make decisions that affect the animal patient, who cannot themself participate in the conversation. However, during veterinary visits, pet owners may still expect veterinarians to engage with their pets in meaningful ways that go beyond medical procedures. Pet‐directed speech (PDS) – defined as when a person talks directly to an animal – is a common way in which such engagement is achieved. ¹ , ² , ³ During consultations, veterinarians may use PDS to communicate information to the pet, provide reassurance, compliment them or empathise. ³ In some cases, PDS may also act as a method of indirect communication with the owner.

Previous studies of PDS have focused on the prevalence and types of PDS used during veterinary consultations. For example, a study of 55 routine consultations in companion animal practice found that all appointments included PDS, with 12 distinct types of PDS identified. ⁴ However, despite the frequent use of PDS by veterinarians, clients' perspectives on the use of PDS during their pets' veterinary consultations are unknown. To begin addressing this gap in our understanding of PDS, a recent study by McDermott and Corah, ⁵ summarised on p 77 of this issue of Vet Record, explored pet owners' experiences of and attitudes towards PDS during veterinary visits.

The results of McDermott and Corah's study ⁵ support the use of PDS by veterinarians as an important tool for building relationships with clients. Of the 400 pet owners surveyed in the study, over three‐quarters recalled the veterinarian using PDS at their last consultation, and most participants remembered multiple instances of PDS. Similar to previous studies, the most common types of PDS recalled by pet owners were related to greetings/small talk, praise for the pet, empathising or using calming language, ⁵ all of which can function as relationship‐building moments in a consultation.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Pet‐directed speech (PDS) is widely used during veterinary consultations, with the most commonly used types being greetings/small talk, praise for the pet, empathising and using calming language.

• PDS is often highly important to pet owners, with owners typically being more willing to return to a veterinarian who uses it.

• PDS plays multiple roles within a veterinary consultation. However, while it may be important for veterinarians to use PDS to engage a pet within the conversation, pet owners still expect to be addressed directly, especially when clinical information is being conveyed.

• PDS may indicate to owners that a veterinarian enjoys and is invested in their profession and can positively influence owners' perceptions of a veterinarian's abilities.

• Veterinarians should consider how using PDS may enhance their client and patient relationships, while remembering the importance of tailored communication that suits individual client preferences.

The use of PDS was important to participating owners, with nearly two‐thirds indicating that it was very or extremely important to them that their veterinarian talk directly to their pet. ⁵ Furthermore, the study found that the use of PDS may also influence an owner's willingness to continue receiving veterinary care from a particular veterinarian, with 86 per cent of owners in this study indicating that they would be more likely to return to a veterinarian who used PDS. ⁵ Interestingly, some owners said they would not return to a veterinarian who did not use PDS, further emphasising the value PDS has for those owners. ⁵ Alongside the results of previous studies that report the high prevalence of PDS in veterinary consultations, these findings suggest that veterinarians' use of PDS is expected by many owners.

A notable strength of McDermott and Corah's study ⁵ is the inductive thematic analysis of participants' free‐text responses, which provides deeper insight into their perceptions of PDS. Four overarching themes emerged from this analysis: pet at the centre, not just words, include the owner, and impressions of the veterinarian. These themes and their associated subthemes underscore the multiple roles that owners perceive PDS to play within the veterinarian–client–patient relationship.

Veterinarians' engagement with the pet, or centring the pet within the clinical interaction, was viewed positively by the study participants. Participants wanted veterinarians to recognise and treat their pets as individuals, and some perceived PDS as a demonstration of the veterinarian's care for the animal. Beyond the words used, participants also recognised the potential impact of non‐verbal communication on their pet's (and subsequently, their own) experience during the consultation. ⁵ Non‐verbal communication is often considered one of the core communication skills for veterinary professionals, ⁶ and McDermott and Corah's findings ⁵ point to a need for veterinarians to be attentive to non‐verbal aspects, including vocal tone and volume, when using PDS.

Participating owners also viewed PDS as an indication that a veterinarian was invested in and enjoying their job. In addition, PDS positively influenced owners' impressions of their veterinarian's abilities. ⁵ For some owners, PDS signalled that the veterinarian recognised that clinic visits can be stressful for pets. When PDS was perceived by owners in these ways, it had the potential to boost their trust and confidence in the veterinarian. ⁵ Trust is paramount in a veterinarian–client–patient relationship. A client's trust may also affect their intention to return to a practice, ⁷ and the possible role of PDS in establishing trust between veterinarians and clients is an interesting topic for future exploration.

One of the critical findings of McDermott and Corah's study was the emphasis that owners placed on direct, effective client communication, particularly when it came to sharing clinical information. ⁵ While there was a spectrum of preference among participating owners regarding how much they wanted the veterinarian to direct conversation towards the owner or the pet, the importance placed on clinical information being directed to the owner in this study aligns with previous research about owners' expectations for information exchange. Previous qualitative research found that clients wanted veterinarians to explain information to them in understandable language and to be informed of all the options in order to make the best decision for their pet's care. ⁸ McDermott and Corah's study reinforces the importance of veterinarians creating a partnership with the owner when sharing clinical information and making decisions, and suggests that while PDS is an important element of the veterinarian–client–patient relationship for some owners, veterinarians may consider using it judiciously to ensure their client is sufficiently informed and engaged. ⁵

McDermott and Corah highlight that the Calgary‐Cambridge model, ⁹ a widely taught model for communication in veterinary medicine, includes involvement of the animal patient in the interaction. However, the extent to which this component of communication is taught within veterinary curricula is unknown and likely to vary. Structured communication skills education may be limited in the final year of many veterinary curricula, ¹⁰ yet opportunities to discuss the use and impact of PDS with students may exist within clinical rotations, when students may take the lead in client communication and physical examinations of the pet, or during students' observation of faculty clinicians. Future research exploring the level of emphasis placed on PDS across veterinary curricula would be worthwhile for characterising the attention paid to this aspect of communication and for beginning to develop recommendations for the inclusion or exclusion of PDS‐focused instruction.

McDermott and Corah stress that their study is a preliminary exploration of owners' attitudes toward PDS, and that qualitative research is not intended to be generalisable. ⁵ Still, given the study participants' overall positive perceptions of PDS, veterinarians may consider how the use of PDS has the potential to enhance their client and patient relationships. However, not all participants placed the same value on PDS, underscoring the importance of veterinarians eliciting and being attentive to owner preferences and tailoring communication to best suit individual clients when possible.

In conclusion, McDermott and Corah's study ⁵ adds an important piece to our understanding of the role of PDS within the veterinary consultation and emphasises that, while PDS is not a replacement for effective client‐facing communication, it may be a useful accompaniment that supports positive client and patient relationships. The goal is informed, satisfied clients, which can lead to healthier, happier pets, and PDS can be another tool in the communication toolkit to help veterinarians reach these goals.