{"id":127646,"date":"2025-03-11T18:39:02","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T18:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/?p=127646"},"modified":"2025-05-15T18:02:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T18:02:15","slug":"tips-for-overcoming-patient-weight-loss-communication-blues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/nutrition\/tips-for-overcoming-patient-weight-loss-communication-blues\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Overcoming Patient Weight-Loss Communication Blues"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div><div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d8d8d8;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><b>Abstract<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Although weight loss should be a simple process of calorie restriction and increased movement, veterinary nurses and clients remain concerned about conversations regarding pet weight loss. Effective communication requires skills that need to be learned, practiced, and coached. Communication skills consist of empathy, curiosity, active listening, and working with clients to manage barriers. To be empathetic, veterinary nurses need to be curious about clients to gain a better understanding of their perspective without judgment; they need to listen to understand, not to reply or educate. By simply questioning clients, veterinary nurses gain understanding as to how they feel, what is important to them, and how the veterinary team can best support them and their pet.<\/p>\n<p><b>Take-Home Points <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\">Improving communication skills can help reduce veterinary nurse burnout and fatigue when dealing with clients whose pet is experiencing health conditions such as obesity.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Similar to any other skills, communication skills need to be learned, practiced, and coached.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Empathy is a skill, not an emotion.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Curiosity requires asking open-ended questions and probing until you have gathered all the information.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">While listening to the client, stay focused on what they are saying without jumping to conclusions or having preconceptions about their values.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Understanding the client\u2019s perspective may guide you to make more appropriate recommendations.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Finding a coach can help support your communication skill development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">W<\/span><span class=\"s1\">hen once asked what was my least favorite case to manage nutritionally, I replied, \u201cEasy; it\u2019s weight loss.\u201d I received a surprised response, \u201cReally? But weight loss is so simple,\u201d which led me to wonder why obtaining client compliance with a concept such as \u201cfeed less and exercise more\u201d is so difficult. Could it be the message delivery (i.e., do we enter \u201crobot mode\u201d when delivering our \u201cweight-loss spiel\u201d)? Are we so frustrated over not seeing weight-loss results or so worried that we will offend clients with our perceived barriers<sup>1 <\/sup>that we skip the conversation altogether?<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>B<span class=\"s1\">rought to you by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/aclk?sa=l&amp;ai=DChcSEwjrld7shqaNAxVDiVoFHXdyCYAYABACGgJ2dQ&amp;co=1&amp;ase=2&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwoZbBBhDCARIsAOqMEZXo6mEEDculoRePJcGhKXzepiP0aUKvdhRe1exDVaFDeatFAvCWK_caAkubEALw_wcB&amp;category=acrcp_v1_5&amp;sig=AOD64_2St4QV0Nq5cQH4O9fhYj_7ebvnyA&amp;q&amp;nis=4&amp;adurl&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjf9NfshqaNAxVeZzABHYMbDiwQ0Qx6BAgHEAE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets &amp; Supplements<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">This article provides communication tips to help veterinary nurses overcome weight-loss communication fatigue, using Fluffy, an overweight dog, as a hypothetical example. Fluffy is a 4-year-old female Shih\u00a0Tzu cross. The clients have brought her in for annual vaccinations. Fluffy has gained 20% body weight since her last appointment and her body condition score is now 8\/9.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p3\">Communication Skills<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">An effective weight-loss plan is multimodal. To be comprehensive, a weight-loss plan should include a proper nutritional assessment, energy calculations, and nutrition recommendations as well as frequent reassessments to ensure that patients meet weight-loss goals. If the veterinary team lacks effective communication skills, the recommended nutrition plan may look great in the patient file but is unlikely to be effective for the patient, especially without client buy-in. Did we ask the client if they are open to discussing weight loss? Do we understand their barriers? Did we ask the client what they know about obesity in pets? Weight-loss communication fatigue could be more of a result of a lack of listening than a lack of telling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Communication involves a set of skills. According to Becky Taylor, RVT, MA, \u201cCommunication skills are like any other skill; they need to be learned, practiced, and coached. That\u2019s how we get better\u201d (B. Taylor, oral communication, July 2024). Mastered skills result in more successful outcomes. Although skills come naturally to some, for others they take practice and ongoing application before they seem effortless. Communication skills include empathy, curiosity (probing), active listening, managing barriers, and incorporating everything you have learned into a plan that is acceptable to the client. The process of mastering a communication skill is similar to that of mastering a technical skill (<\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>TABLE 1<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-127648\" src=\"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2073\" height=\"873\" srcset=\"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1.jpg 2073w, https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1-300x126.jpg 300w, https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1-1024x431.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1-768x323.jpg 768w, https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1-1536x647.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Saar_WeightLossFatigue_TVNSpring25_Table1-2048x862.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2073px) 100vw, 2073px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\">Empathy<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Most veterinary professionals feel empathy, at least toward their patients. <i>Empathy<\/i> is defined as the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Feeling empathy toward clients does not mean feeling sorry for them, taking on their emotions and stress, or judging them. It means taking action to sincerely learn more about their insights into their pet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\">Curiosity<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Being empathetic requires being curious. Ask clients to provide information about their daily routine with their pet, including how and why they make decisions about their pet\u2019s nutrition. Open-ended questions will encourage them to discuss, in their own words, the information for which the veterinary team is looking. Avoid adding leading descriptors to questions; leading questions may decrease the information obtained from the client. Allow the client to express themselves fully in order to better understand them. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Leading question:<\/b> \u201cDo you feed Fluffy commercial food or raw food?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Open-ended question (preferred):<\/b> \u201cTell me about all the food you give Fluffy every day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\">Active Listening<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">When clients are talking, are we truly listening or are we starting to prepare our response? Active listening involves hearing the client and allowing them to finish their thoughts. Take that information and probe until you have gathered all the information you need to help support the client and their overweight or obese pet. Active listening is not a time to educate or defend your position. For example, the client is explaining how they feed a variety of raw meats to balance Fluffy\u2019s diet. As the client pauses to take a breath, suppose we interrupt to give our speech about the risks associated with raw food. If instead we had allowed the client to finish, we might have learned that the client recently read an article by a veterinarian about how raw food can be the best way to keep pets healthy if properly supplemented and that they are already doing that. Thus, they may be likely to tune out what we are saying: a lose\u2013lose scenario. Veterinary professionals should not listen to judge, educate, or defend our position; we should listen to understand and empathize.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\">Managing Barriers<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">After listening to the client, their concerns, and their needs, the veterinary nurse can use communication skills to tailor and communicate a nutrition weight-loss plan to meet their needs. The 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines is a complete resource for nutrition and weight management discussions with pet owners.<sup>2<\/sup> It breaks down weight-loss issues into 3 areas: animal-specific, diet-specific, and feeding management. Surveys have shown that some pet owners do not perceive their pet as being overweight, are frustrated with efforts to decrease their pet\u2019s weight, and\/or continue to give their pets treats.<sup>3<\/sup> By engaging clients, and not jumping to preconceived biases, veterinary nurses can better identify and overcome such barriers<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p4\">Putting It All Together<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Now that we have some communication tools to practice, here is an example of putting our skills to work in weight-loss conversations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Veterinary nurse:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cGood morning Mrs. Smith! I\u2019m happy to see you and Fluffy today. I can see that you are a fabulous owner and care a lot about Fluffy. As part of the nutritional assessment component of our examination, could you tell me all the things that Fluffy eats or chews on in a day?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Client:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cFluffy eats Brand X, and she is good at self-regulating, so we just keep the dish full. My husband likes to give her snacks during the day, and she has a few chews for her teeth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Communication coach suggestions:<\/b> What could we do here to gain more information to help us? We could start by asking the client a few questions such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">What are your health goals for Fluffy?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Tell me more about your nutrition choices for Fluffy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">With all the pet food choices out there, how did you decide to feed Brand X?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Tell me more about the snacks Fluffy gets.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s1\">I love that you care about Fluffy\u2019s dental health. Tell me more about the chews you are giving her.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Client:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> [Responds]<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Veterinary nurse:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cThat is so interesting. From what I am hearing, Fluffy is getting [relay back what you heard]. Do you have anything else to add?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p8\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Coach:<\/b> Be sure to pause for a response.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Client:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> [Responds]<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Veterinary nurse:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cWonderful. From my assessment, I can tell that you have done a fabulous job caring for Fluffy. Thank you for being such a great pet parent. When I assess her body condition, Fluffy\u2019s body condition score, which is a measure of her weight, is higher than we would ideally like to see. Tell me about Fluffy\u2019s activity, how much she moves in a day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Client:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cWe go for a long walk every day. My husband has a bad knee, so we are walking slower now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Coach: <\/b>What could we ask to get more information? Remember to be empathetic. Suggestions include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s1\">That must be hard for your husband to slow down. Tell me in detail about your walks as if I were going to walk Fluffy the same way you do.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Client:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> [Responds]<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Veterinary nurse:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cThat is fabulous information. I hear that you walk around a large block in town, with Fluffy on a leash in the morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Coach: <\/b>Ask the client if they have anything else to add about Fluffy\u2019s activity level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Client: <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\">[Responds]<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Veterinary nurse:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> \u201cI love being on team Fluffy with you! I would like to recommend that you have a consultation with our veterinarian so they can assess Fluffy\u2019s body condition and make a plan moving forward with you to ensure we do our part in keeping Fluffy healthy and match your health goals for Fluffy. What are your thoughts on that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Coach:<\/b> Do not forget to pause and give clients a chance to think and respond fully. Do not interrupt. Allow time for the client to ask questions. Here are some suggested ways veterinary nurses could inform clients about weight-loss initiatives:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">We aim to work with our clients and provide opportunities to improve their pet\u2019s health. Tell me about your health goals for Fluffy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p7\">I would love to hear about your interest in improving Fluffy\u2019s body condition. What questions do you have?<\/li>\n<li class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">Such techniques can be used in other situations:<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">Thank you for sharing your concerns about the cost of the food. It sounds like not knowing potential costs may be stressful. Tell me more about your cost expectations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">I hear that you are concerned about a few weight-loss barriers for Fluffy. It sounds like you have a lot going on, and it must be difficult to hear that I am asking you to change your routine. My goal is to help you create a viable plan and support you and Fluffy in her weight-loss journey. Tell me more about your routine surrounding food in the house, and let\u2019s see if we can overcome barriers together.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s1\">I am happy to provide you with more information about obesity. How would you like to receive that information?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Summary<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">By actively practicing and using communication skills, veterinary nurses can better understand clients\u2019 perspectives and tailor conversations to be personal and empathetic. Allowing ourselves to be curious without judgment and using affirmation sentences helps build trust and lower defensiveness when discussing possible negative information with clients. Effective communication involves actively listening to clients and pausing to let them speak. Communication is a skill that requires practice and coaching and is the key to improving patients\u2019 health. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although weight loss should be a simple process of calorie restriction and increased movement, veterinary nurses and clients remain concerned about conversations regarding pet weight loss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":236,"featured_media":127647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[811],"tags":[145],"class_list":["post-127646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spring-2025","tag-peer-reviewed","column-nutrition_notes","clinical_topics-nutrition"],"acf":{"hide_sidebar":false,"hide_sidebar_ad":false,"hide_all_ads":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.7 (Yoast SEO 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