Fact or Fiction? 9 Things Pet Parents Get Wrong
 

I stopped by to see a vet friend and we started talking about the things that pet owners believe to be true - but they are just plain wrong. There were a lot of things that he and I had both seen in our practices over the years.

Not ALL pet owners get these things wrong, but we have both found that we need to explain the facts to pet owners quite often. Here are the top 9 misconceptions we encounter.

1. SHOTS - In some cases the puppy DID have shots and in other cases, the puppy may not have. Sometimes the puppy may have had shots from the breeder that were questionable ... or the puppy may have been given only one shot and not the entire series that is needed. Also, once a puppy has had its shots the owners think they are done. Dogs need more than just their puppy shots. As adults they also need shots.

2. ILLNESS - So many pet owners think that THEIR pet won't get sick, so they think that they don't need insurance or a savings plan to cover medical costs if a problem does occur. But more often than not, problems DO occur.

3. MEDICATIONS - People assume that their dog can take the same medications that they take. This is not true. Many human medications are toxic to pets. We see this time and time again - especially with ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

4. CANCER - Dogs don't get cancer or human diseases such as diabetes. This is definitely not true. Dogs get almost every disease people get, with few exceptions.

5. RAW DIETS - People think that raw diets are good for their dog. Not true.

6. FLEA/HEARTWORM - If dogs are mostly indoors, their owners assume they don't need flea control or heartworm prevention. This is also not true.

7. LICKING WOUNDS - Many pet owners believe that allowing their pet to lick its wounds is a good thing. Also not true.

8. FLEAS - If I don't SEE fleas, there are none. Wrong. Some pets will develop symptoms of itching, skin irritation and hot spots from a single flea.

9. COLD NOSE - A cold nose is the sign of a healthy dog. Not true.

I hope this helps clear up any questions or misconceptions you may have about dogs.

By Dr. Jon