In their own words: qualitative interviews with veterinarians on handling decisions during dog examinations

Routine veterinary visits can be a major source of fear and stress in dogs, creating welfare concerns and safety risks for veterinary teams and owners. Although stress-reducing practices have been widely promoted, limited research has examined how veterinarians describe their handling decisions and the factors that shape them in everyday practice. This qualitative study aimed to (1) explore how veterinarians in Canada and the United States conduct routine dog physical examinations; (2) identify clinic-, patient-, client-, and veterinarian-related factors, including professional well-being, that influence handling decisions; and (3) examine veterinarians' perceptions of stress-reducing practices, including perceived benefits and challenges.

Virtual semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 17 veterinarians who provide clinical care to dogs between November 2024 and February 2025. Participants were recruited using snowball and convenience sampling. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive content analysis within an interpretivist paradigm.

Four major categories and 11 sub-categories emerged from the data: (1) approaches to dog handling; (2) factors affecting handling approaches; (3) veterinarian professional well-being; and (4) perceptions of stress-reducing practices.

Handling during routine dog physical examinations reflects negotiation between patient needs, safety, workplace constraints, and veterinarian wellbeing, with stress-reducing practices valued and utilized, yet not perceived to be uniformly feasible across situations. Clinic-level support (team training, supportive management, scheduling) and attention to veterinarians' professional well-being may promote more consistent use of stress-reducing handling, improving dog welfare, safety, and owner experiences.