ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS AND ANIMALS ACCORDING TO THE EXPERIENCES OF VETERINARY ONCOLOGISTS

Abstract

The objective of this research was to know and understand the beliefs of the people involved in the care of cancer patients, as well as the emotional, social and ethical implications of the decision-making event related to the animal's health-disease process. This research was exploratory in nature, as it intended to point out behaviors and events of interest in the oncology veterinary clinic. To this end, a convenience sampling was carried out with four Veterinary Professionals, through a semi-structured interview with an average duration of 20 minutes. After analyzing the narratives, it became evident the need to invest in training for the communication of difficult news between Veterinarians and owners of dogs with cancer. It is suggested that protocols for communicating difficult news be developed, working in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary way in undergraduate, residency and graduate studies in Veterinary Medicine. Finally, it is considered essential to pay attention to the psychological health of oncologists, providing support to learn to face grief and to better deal with the impotence of losing their patients to cancer.