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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Challenges for the veterinary profession: A grounded theory ...
Equine veterinary journal2024; doi: 10.1111/evj.14444

Challenges for the veterinary profession: A grounded theory study of veterinarians’ experiences of caring for older horses.

Abstract: In Great Britain, owners are keeping their horses into increasingly older age, reflecting societal changes in human-animal relationships. The uptake of routine veterinary services is reported to reduce as horses age. Horse owners seek information regarding their animal's health from alternative sources before and/or following veterinary involvement. Information regarding the experiences and behaviours of veterinarians toward older horse health care provision is limited. Objective: This study sought to explore how veterinary care for the ageing horse is conceptualised and approached by veterinarians treating horses in Great Britain. Methods: Exploratory qualitative. Methods: A subset of qualitative data, collected as part of a larger study investigating how owners and veterinarians make decisions regarding the care of the older horses, was analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Data included semi-structured in-depth interviews with nine veterinarians and veterinary clinical records pertaining to the horses of 13 participating owners. Results: Veterinarians valued regular interactions with owners to optimise a horse's management, however, the timing and nature of veterinary involvement varied. The context of older age shaped decision-making and 'age-appropriate' interventions were negotiated within the context of each horse and owner. Where participants had concerns about a horse, they sought to achieve an owner's adherence to their advice while navigating the veterinarian-owner relationship. Interpersonal dimensions of veterinarian-owner interactions appeared to shape, and could challenge, veterinarians' delivery of health care services and their own sense of being a professional who cares for animals, and about people. Conclusions: A sample of veterinarians were recruited for this study based on horse owners' involvement. Conclusions: The provision of veterinary care for the older horse rests upon networks of relationships. Collaboration between the profession and owners in both the design and delivery of, veterinary health care services may better enable different types of knowledge and values to be brought together more effectively. 背景: 在英国，马主们将马越养越老，这反映了人与动物关系的社会变化。随着马匹年龄的增长，接受常规兽医服务的数量有所减少。兽医介入前/后，马主会从其他渠道寻求有关马匹健康的信息。而关于兽医处理老龄马健康护理方法和经验的信息十分有限。. 目的: 本研究旨在探究英国兽医如何理解和应对老年马的兽医护理。. 研究设计: 探索性定性研究。. 方法: 采用建构主义扎根理论方法，收集定性数据，了解马主和兽医如何就老年马的护理做出决策。数据包括对9名兽医进行的半结构化深入访谈以及13名参与马主的马的兽医临床记录。. 结果: 兽医们重视与马主之间的定期互动，优化马匹健康管理，但兽医的参与时机和性质各不相同。马的年龄影响着决策，“适龄”决定了各种措施的制定。根据每匹马和马主不同背景协商制定干预内容。当兽医对马的情况有顾虑时，他们会寻求让马主遵守自己的建议，同时在兽医‐马主关系中主导。兽医与马主之间的人际维度会影响他们提供医疗服务的方式，并可能挑战他们作为关心动物和人的专业人士的身份感。. 主要局限性: 本研究中的兽医群体样本是基于马主的参与情况而招募的。. 结论: 为老年马匹提供兽医护理依赖于社交关系网络。在设计和提供兽医保健服务时，专业人员与马主之间的合作可能有助于更有效地将不同类型的知识和价值观结合起来。.
© 2024 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2024-11-27 PubMed ID: 39604101DOI: 10.1111/evj.14444Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research paper explores how veterinarians in Great Britain perceive and manage the care of older horses, in light of societal changes that see horse owners keeping their horses to progressively older age.

Research Design and Methodology

  • The research adopted an exploratory qualitative design with a subset of qualitative data collected as part of a larger study investigating how owners and veterinarians make decisions regarding the care of older horses.
  • Data included in-depth semi-structured interviews with nine veterinarians and veterinary clinical records pertaining to the horses of 13 participating owners.
  • The data was analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach.

Research Findings

  • Veterinarians value regular interactions with horse owners as it aids the optimization of a horse’s health management. However, the time and nature of these interactions varied significantly among veterinarians.
  • The age of the horse shaped the decision-making process of the veterinarians, as “age-appropriate” interventions were considered within the unique context of each horse and owner.
  • Interpersonal dimensions between veterinarians and horse owners would impact the delivery of health care services and also challenge the veterinarians’ sense of professionalism and their caring role towards animals.
  • When veterinarians had concerns about a horse’s health, they attempted to secure the owner’s compliance with their advice whilst maintaining a professional veterinarian-owner relationship.

Research Limitations

  • A limitation of the study was that the veterinarians selected were based on the participation of horse owners.

Research Conclusions

  • The research concludes that the provision of veterinary care for older horses relies heavily on established networks of relationships.
  • Collaboration between the veterinarians and horse owners in both the design and delivery of veterinary health care services may allow different types of knowledge and values to be integrated more effectively.

Cite This Article

APA
Smith R, Pinchbeck G, McGowan C, Ireland J, Perkins E. (2024). Challenges for the veterinary profession: A grounded theory study of veterinarians’ experiences of caring for older horses. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14444

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Smith, Rebecca
  • Department of Equine Clinical Science, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Pinchbeck, Gina
  • Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
McGowan, Catherine
  • Department of Equine Clinical Science, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Ireland, Joanne
  • Department of Equine Clinical Science, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Perkins, Elizabeth
  • Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, Institute of Population Health, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.

Grant Funding

  • G2018 / Horse Trust

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