Most Swedish veterinary complaints end without sanctions: full analysis

A new thematic analysis of complaints filed with Sweden’s Veterinary Disciplinary Board suggests that the biggest drivers of veterinary disputes aren’t always clinical mistakes. Reviewing 500 complaints submitted from 2021 through 2023, the study found three recurring themes, clinical errors and quality of care, professionalism and ethics, and communication and information, with the large majority of cases ending without sanctions. (stud.epsilon.slu.se)

That matters because the Swedish board has a formal regulatory role. According to the Swedish government, the Veterinary Disciplinary Board assesses disciplinary matters involving animal health professionals, and it can also rule on revocations of authorization or restrictions on veterinarians’ prescription rights. In other words, complaints sit at the intersection of public trust, professional accountability, and workforce stress. (government.se)

The underlying study, published as a Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences thesis, found that 87% of the 500 cases led to no sanctions, and 106 were fully rejected from consideration. Among the cases that did result in action, admonitions were the most common sanction, followed by warnings, with a small number leading to probationary periods or license revocation. Veterinarians accounted for the majority of reported professionals, and dogs, cats, and horses were the species most often involved. (stud.epsilon.slu.se)

The thematic findings are what make the paper especially useful for practice leaders. Alongside complaints about diagnosis, treatment, or examination, the analysis flagged concerns about empathy, treatment of the pet parent, communication barriers, and perceived loss of autonomy. Six of the 11 sub-themes were non-medical, leading the author to conclude that pet parents expect more than technical competence alone, and that communication likely plays a major role in both preventing and resolving conflict. (stud.epsilon.slu.se)

That interpretation is echoed by newer research on how Swedish veterinarians experience the complaints system. In a 2026 Frontiers in Veterinary Science study, half of surveyed veterinarians said they had had at least one complaint filed against them, though only about 1 in 10 had received a sanction. Respondents said the system had increased record keeping and emphasis on communication, and 18% reported worrying very much about complaints being filed. The authors said the board serves an important function, but argued that transparency, communication training, and preparation for complaints deserve more attention. (pub.epsilon.slu.se)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the practical lesson is straightforward: complaint prevention is only partly about clinical decision-making. It’s also about expectation-setting, informed consent, medical records, empathy, and how a pet parent experiences the encounter when outcomes are uncertain or emotionally charged. That’s particularly relevant in high-stress situations like euthanasia, which separate Frontiers research identified as a recurring source of Swedish disciplinary complaints, again with communication and the client-veterinarian relationship playing a central role. (frontiersin.org)

The findings may also be relevant beyond Sweden. Comparative work cited in the newer survey notes that veterinary complaint systems in other countries have also linked sanctions and disputes to communication failures and inadequate record keeping. For clinic leaders, that makes this less a Sweden-only regulatory story and more a reminder that non-medical skills are operational risk factors, affecting client trust, staff stress, and potentially legal exposure. (pub.epsilon.slu.se)

What to watch: The next development to watch is whether these findings translate into policy or professional education changes, especially around board transparency, complaint triage, documentation standards, and soft-skills training for veterinarians and other licensed animal health staff in Sweden. (pub.epsilon.slu.se)