Why Do Many Pet Owners Avoid Preventive Veterinary Consultations? Creation of the Perceived Barriers to Preventive Veterinary Consultations Scale.

Cost perception and perceived lack of benefit are primary barriers to preventive veterinary consultations.

This research article presents a comprehensive study on barriers preventing pet owners from attending preventive veterinary consultations. The authors developed and validated the Perceived Barriers to Preventive Veterinary Consultations (PBPVC) Scale through a rigorous four-study scale development process. The scale assesses eight commonly cited perceived barriers to preventive care. The research demonstrates that the PBPVC has strong psychometric properties and validity, with the eight dimensions collectively explaining significant variance in preventive consultation frequency. Two dimensions emerged as particularly significant: perceived expense of preventive consultations and belief that preventive consultations provide no benefit to pet well-being. These findings address a critical gap in veterinary literature, which previously investigated barriers in isolation. The study provides veterinary professionals with evidence-based insights into client decision-making regarding preventive care and identifies key psychological and economic factors influencing care-seeking behavior. This understanding can help practitioners develop targeted interventions to improve preventive care adherence.

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