S26A - Understanding & Appropriately Reacting to the Client's Response to a Pet's Serious Illness

When serious illness occurs in a companion animal, not all clients respond to the news and course of illness in the same manner. Research suggests four separate profiles emerge in veterinary clients: 1) clients who experience and express high levels of distress, 2) clients who are resilient in the face of illness, 3) clients who compartmentalize distress, and 4) clients for whom the animal's illness becomes just one of many stressors. These client profiles are influenced by various factors, including the nature of the animal’s illness, the animal's quality of life, the client’s attachment, and many other variables. These client profiles are important to understand, as they may affect the client’s behavior and decisions about the pet. Attendees will learn to identify these profiles, understand how they enter into client decisions, and will take away recommendations for appropriate reactions to various client profiles in the context of serious illness.