The Treatment Triangle: Why you shouldn't ignore owners in your clinical decision-making

The triangle of care, widely adopted in the NHS, describes a therapeutic relationship between the person (patient), staff member and carer. It promotes safety, supports communication, and sustains wellbeing. Since owners are at the heart of pet care and decision making, this model can be adapted for use in companion animal veterinary medicine. In this talk, we will highlight recent research into owner decision making in a range of clinical scenarios. We will exemplify the importance of understanding owner motivations, knowledge and assumptions when considering options for pets in the consulting room, and provide tips on how to build strong relationships with owners through shared decision making.

• •Understand the importance of placing owners at the heart of decision making in the consulting room
• •Understand recent research in relation to shared decision making with owners, and owner management of their pets in a veterinary context
• •Evaluate how you can integrate owner concerns and capacities into your treatment plans