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When we feel something is wrong with our pets – what do we do? For most we take to the internet and start searching.
The trouble with the internet is it there is lots of misleading information.
If found this article that is written by Paula Fitzsimmons that helps sum things up when it comes to treating your pet at home using Dr Google.
With an abundance of pet care advice flowing freely online, it’s tempting to enter a few search terms, read the first article that seems legit, then proceed to treat your pet. Convenient, yes. But in doing so, you could be putting your beloved pet’s health in jeopardy.
“The internet is a powerful tool, and when you find appropriate websites, it can be the source of very good information,” says Dr. Anne Stoneham, a veterinarian with University Veterinary Specialists in McMurray, Pennsylvania. “However, there is also a wealth of misinformation on Google—or Dr. Google, as many of us in the vet biz call it—and from your non-veterinarian friend.”
If you’d like to treat a minor ailment at home, do so only after consulting with your vet. In contrast to the few minutes you spent reading that article, your vet has gone through undergraduate education, four years of rigorous vet school training, and perhaps an internship and residency as well.
“You should trust that they do have a great deal of knowledge and have your pet’s best interest at heart,” says Stoneham, who is board-certified in veterinary emergency and critical care. “If you do not trust your veterinarian for whatever reason, get a second opinion from another veterinarian, not from Aunt Sylvie, who raised Otterhounds for 15 years or had a cat once.”
