b'Can You Trust Dr. ?by Dr. Stephanie SabshinPet ownership is at all-time high.And so is the availability updated.Having a relationship with your veterinarian willofinformationontheinternet.Thechallengeforthe include follow up appointments, and potential treatmentmillions of pet owners is to weed through the plethora of adjustments to find what works best for your pet.information.Informationthatisunedited,unreviewed, 4) Lets not ignore the fact that the internet is notand can be published by anyone regardless of their qualifi- reviewed and does not require any qualifications to publish.cations.Information that can be potentially dangerous.TherearefartoomanyopinionsandrecommendationsThe internet can also be a phenomenal resource if you whicharejustplainwrong.Caremustbetakenwant to understand your pets medical needs.But be care- to obtain information from qualified specialists like veteri-ful not to fall victim to misin- narians, and not lay peopleformation that can harm whohappentohaveyourpets.Thereare anincorrectopin-waystosafelyuse ion notacorrectinternetresearch diagnosis. andsafesitesyou 5)Finally,thecanusetoavoid internetisnotdangerousrecom- updated. Once pub-mendations.lished,thatinforma-Herearesome tionisontheinternetcommontrapsyoucanfall forever.Evenifnewintowhenresearchingyour researchhasproventhatpets care online: information completely wrong,1) You may be attributing you can still find it in yoursymptoms to the wrong dis- search.Newtreatmentseaseprocess. Forexample, areconstantlybeingmany owners think their pet is developed. Your veterinar-constipatediftheyseemtobe ian will know the most up-straining to defecate.But that could also to-date information available.Imean they have diarrhea.And it could also mean a life- oncehadaclientcomeinwithaprintoutfrom1960threateningurinaryobstruction.Thisiswhyahands-on demanding I use the anesthesia mentioned in the article,physical exam is invaluable.because that was the safest anesthesia for her dog.Maybe2)Youmayseerecommendationsfortreatments that was true in 1960, but a lot of improvements have beenwhich are not appropriate for your pet or may even be made in the realm of anesthesia safety since then.harmful.Safety and dosage of medications is often species To be fair, there are benefits to doing online research: : dependent. What is safe for people might not be safe for 1)Understandingyourpetsmedicalconditionscandogs. And what is safe for dogs is not always safe for cats. help you take a more active role in your pets treatmentAdditionally, some medications require bloodwork moni- plans.toring, and can be harmful if there is any concurrent dis- 2) Understanding your pets treatment plan can helpease.And some medications cannot be given with other you monitor treatment efficacy and monitor for changes inmedications. These are details which your veterinarian will symptoms and condition.know immediately, and the internet may not tell you.3) Understanding treatments and expected outcomes3)Evenwithanaccuratediagnosis andawell can help you catch early signs of regression or developmentformulated treatment plan, living things dont always read of new symptoms. Faster adjustment in treatment plans canthebook,andsometimestreatmentplansneedtobe result in better overall outcomes. 58THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'