The importance of preventative healthcare: what 10 years of research from the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine reveals

Abstract

Preventative healthcare, including vaccination, is a fundamental part of everyday life for both humans and animals. However, in a veterinary context, little attention has been afforded to the features of preventative healthcare discussions relating to small animals and the factors that might influence the uptake of these measures. There has also been little exploration of the opinions and perceived responsibilities of all stakeholders (vets, nurses, receptionists and owners) in an animal's preventative healthcare journey. The Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine has been researching this important area for the past 10 years; this article summarises their findings, culminating in the provision of practitioner-focused evidence-based guidance for use in clinical decision-making to help optimise animal care.