44 secrets your veterinarian won’t tell you

Pet tips and cautionary tales. We reveal advise and opinions from animal experts, ie vets, that may just save time, trouble and trauma for the whole family.

“People always ask, ‘How do you handle pit bulls and rottweilers and big German shepherds?’ The truth is, the dogs that scare me most are the little Chihuahuas. They’re much more likely to bite.” — Mark Howes, veterinarian, owner and medical director of an animal hospital.

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“Most hospitals keep comprehensive records of behaviour – of both your pet and you! If you are aggressive to the staff, you will be treated differently.” — Oscar Chavez, veterinarian and program director for the vet tech program at California Polytechnic State University

“Last year, one pet owner gave us a cheque for $100, saying we could use it at our discretion for an animal in need. That was a wonderful gift.” — Patty Khuly, a veterinarian

“I would never say that to someone in an exam room, but the fact of the matter is, if you have an owner who overeats and is inactive, they are very likely to have an obese pet.” —Oscar Chavez, veterinarian.

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“People will get upset because their dog got a sheet instead of two fluffy blankets or because their dog didn’t get hand-fed. We’re just trying to get your dog better so he can come home and you can spoil him.” — Jessica Stout-Harris, a veterinary tech

“If your dog has a two-kilogram tumour hanging from his skin, please don’t tell me it wasn’t there yesterday.” — Phil Zeltzman, veterinarian.

“Here’s a pet peeve: Owners who don’t want to pay for diagnostic tests but then cop an attitude because you don’t know what’s wrong with the animal. Since you wouldn’t let me do the blood work or X-rays, how the heck do you expect me to know?” — veterinarian.

“If you’re visiting your pet in the hospital, and we say something along the lines of ‘OK, it’s time to let Fluffy sleep now,’ often what we really mean is that you’re in our way, and we’re trying to treat other patients.” — Jessica Stout-Harris

“I understand the value of dog parks, but I personally wouldn’t take my dog there. We see a lot of dogs who were injured at dog parks.” — Rachel Simpson, a veterinary technician

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“I love it when a client says, ‘I wish my doctor would treat me as nice as you treat my pets.’” — Phil Zeltzman, veterinarian.

“A lot of veterinarians have told me matter-of-factly that they still don’t use painkillers for procedures that we know are painful. They think that dogs and cats don’t need it or that feeling pain after surgery is good because it keeps them from moving around too much. But research has shown that pets who are in less pain heal faster, sleep better, and don’t move around as much.” — Dennis Leon, veterinarian

“At a veterinary meeting I attended, it came to light that more than half the vets there had not registered their dogs, which is required by local law.” — Patty Khuly, veterinarian.

“You should never give pets chocolate, because it’s toxic to most of them. But my cat is obsessed with it and is all over me when I’m eating it, so sometimes I give her a sliver. Just an itsy-bitsy, tiny one.” — veterinarian.

Here are some other edible treats you should avoid giving to your pet.

“The classic example is the 80-year-old grandma who has nothing in life but her cat. She’s a widow with very limited social contact, and the cat is what connects her to life. So when we help her cat, she’s really the one we’re helping.” — Phil Zeltzman, veterinarian

“I’ve got a three-legged cat, a one-eyed cat, three dogs that required major surgeries, one goat, and 11 chickens.”— Patty Khuly, veterinarian

“Sometimes we do things for free, just because we want to help the pet.” — Sandy Willis, veterinarian and an internal medicine consultant.

“If you’d rather not allow your pet to be used this way, make sure you say something beforehand.” — Oscar Chavez, veterinarian

“We had a contract with our local animal protection society that stated we’d euthanise the animals in their care that needed to be put down. One Sunday, they sent us 72 cats to put down. By the end, we were all emotionally devastated.” — Jessica Stout-Harris

“Behaviour issues are the No. 1 cause of pet re-homing, euthanasia, and death. Yet, because it’s not medical, most of us don’t learn much about that in veterinary school.” —Oscar Chavez, veterinarian.

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“Lots of vets still do convenience euthanasia for owners who prefer the easy way out. We see a lot of euthanasia in November and December, for example, just because people are getting ready for the holidays. I refuse to do it.” —Oscar Chavez, veterinarian

“Puppy stores and breeders have created these cute names like Morkipoos and Puggles, and now people are paying $2,000 for a dog they couldn’t give away at the pound ten years ago. Whoever started the trend is a marketing genius.” — Dennis Leon, veterinarian

“The stopping mechanism pops open so easily, and suddenly the pet is flying to the end of it, and maybe it’s into the street or into the jaws of another dog. I’ve had people bring in a pet who got hit by a car because they were using a retractable leash and the stopping mechanism broke.” — Bernadine Cruz, veterinarian

“Even though you see vitamins on the shelves in pet stores, healthy pets don’t need them. The pet food companies have spent billions of dollars to make sure their food is properly balanced with every vitamin and mineral a pet needs.” — veterinarian

“Some people are really into a raw-food diet for pets, but it’s a huge public health hazard. Think about it: You have raw meat, you’re touching it, your dog touches it, and then your dog goes and licks the baby. I’ve had two patients die and two patients get really sick from it.” — Amber Andersen, veterinarian.

“I’ve seen animals having violent seizures after using them; I’ve seen animals die. Ironically, most of these animals still have live fleas crawling all over them.” — veterinarian

“After their kitten vaccinations, indoor cats don’t really need to be vaccinated. They’re not going to get diseases sitting inside the house. Vaccines have the potential to create a lot of harm for cats, including possible tumours at the vaccine site.” — Jill Elliot, veterinarian

“A cold, wet nose on a dog does not necessarily mean he’s healthy. I’ve seen plenty of sick dogs with wet noses.” — Mark Howes, veterinarian

Here’s what your vet wants you to know about your pet’s food.

“Pets rarely get colds or the flu, and they almost never get food poisoning. So if they’re sick for more than a day, call us.” — Sandy Willis, veterinarian

“A vet I once worked with would do a huge workup when a sick animal came in early. But if the animal came in late in the day, the vet would actually encourage the owner to euthanise. But I would add that this is not common.” — veterinarian

“Some people worry that paying for pet insurance will be a waste if they don’t use it. But when you renew your fire insurance on your house, do you say, ‘Damn, my house didn’t burn down last year—I wasted all that money’?” — Phil Zeltzman, veterinarian.

“If we wanted to go into it for the money, we’d have become human doctors.” — Oscar Chavez, veterinarian.

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“Most vets put themselves through 8 to 12 years of university and have huge student debts. We love animals and want to help them. Most of us start our day early, finish late, and are available for emergencies.” — Phil Zeltzman, veterinarian

“Obesity will hurt their health and decrease their life span. Instead, give affection. Pet them, brush them, love them, and walk them.” — Bernadine Cruz, veterinarian

“I once saw a dog who was fed a home-cooked diet of chicken breast and vegetables for a year, and his bones became so weak that his jaw broke. If you would like to cook for your pet, find a veterinary nutritionist who can help guide you, or check out balanceit.com.” —Monica Revel, veterinarian

“That’s especially true with many foods that come in those little gourmet pouches or cans. You pay $3 a package, and it’s basically just junk food with little nutritional value. Do some research, and have your vet read the ingredients list with you.” — veterinarian

“If your vet believes it’s a safe and effective alternative, you can get it from a human pharmacy and pay ten times less than you’d pay for the animal version. But recognise that there are legitimate reasons why the generic might not be appropriate for your pet.” —Patty Khuly, veterinarian

“Unless your vet says it’s OK. One paracetamol will likely kill a cat.” —Amber Andersen, veterinarian

Here are 12 dangerous mistakes cat owners should never make.

“Yes, dog whisperer Cesar Millan has turned some aggressive dogs around, but – please – don’t train your dog that way. Using aggressive tactics can cause serious behaviour problems and may not be effective.” — veterinarian

“A lot of pet medications are available at human pharmacies for lower prices than we charge. Supermarkets also have a list of veterinary medicines for $4 per one-month dose. These are medicines that you would pay $20 or $30 for at your vet.”— MeiMei Welker, veterinarian

“Want to exercise your cat without getting off the couch? Get one of those little laser beams.” — Albert Ahn, veterinarian

Here are 4 reasons why your cat is cranky.

“I know you mean well when you vigorously lather your dog with shampoo and then vigorously rub him dry with the towel, but that can jam hairs under the skin like little splinters and cause horrible infections that are very painful. It’s especially a problem for short-coated dogs like Weimaraners, Boston terriers, pugs, Labs, and boxers.” — Nadine Znajda, veterinarian

“If the plaque sprays and dental water additives actually worked, none of us would be telling you to brush your pet’s teeth.” — Dennis Leon, veterinarian

“And have your vet remove the lid for the exam. Your pet will feel more secure and be less likely to fight or try to flee.” — MeiMei Welker, veterinarian

“If you live in a one-bedroom apartment with no patio and minimal space, and you’re gone ten hours a day at your job, a 45-kilo Great Dane may not be the best choice for you. Maybe start with a goldfish?” — Amber Andersen, veterinarian.

Next, check out these 6 things pet shops won’t tell you.

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Source: rd.com