The impact on the assessment of symptoms of Cancer dogs and cats from the tutor's perspective: support from a multidisciplinary team in palliative care

• Grant number: 21/11136-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2022
• End date: December 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Andrigo Barboza de Nardi
• Grantee: Ketlyn Ribeiro Martins
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Hospice care in veterinary medicine aims to improve the quality of life of animals with chronic, degenerative, and incurable diseases, considering the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the companion animal and the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of the tutors. This study aims to identify whether psychological care modifies the perception and anxiety of tutors through symptoms presented by their animals, their quality of life, and acceptance of the palliative veterinary care (PVC) provided. Twenty tutors of animals with cancer who will receive care in PVC will participate in this project, the control group being formed by those who will not participate in the psychological care provided, and the experimental group by tutors who have access to individual sessions of psychological care or group meetings support. All tutors will respond to the "Modified Symptom Assessment Scale" (MSAS), which assesses the frequency and intensity of up to fourteen symptoms presented by the patient, in addition to the discomfort and anguish generated for the tutor and for the animal resulting from each symptom. Tutors must answer the "Assessment of Care in Veterinary Palliative Care (ACVPV), in order to assess the service, the tutor's acceptance of the PVC provided, and suggest improvements. Data will be analyzed using the Mann and Whitney test for comparison between sample groups.(AU)