Early caregiver burden in owners of pets with suspected cancer: Owner psychosocial outcomes, communication behavior, and treatment factors

Abstract

Background: Owners of companion animals with serious illnesses are likely to experience “caregiver burden.” This topic has not been fully evaluated in veterinary oncology. Objectives: To examine owners of a dog or cat with suspected cancer for relationships between early caregiver burden and (a) psychosocial factors: depression, stress, and quality of life; (b) owner communication behavior; and (c) specific pet treatment plan factors. Animals: None. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study recruited 164 owners of a cat or dog presenting for evaluation by a veterinary oncology service at a single referral institution. Measures of caregiver burden, psychosocial function, treatment plan elements, and demographics were collected online via owner self-report. Medical records were reviewed to identify factors including diagnosis, medications, treatment schedules, and owner communications. Results: Caregiver burden correlated with higher stress (rs = 0.40, P