Warning: Diagnosing Your Pet on the Internet Could be Dangerous

Beware of Dr. Google. He might just kill your pet.

While Google can put a vast array of information at your fingertips, it takes more than information alone to make a proper medical diagnosis.

A veterinarian receives a great deal more than a body of information during his or her training. A vet also has years of experience working with animals. The vet knows which questions to ask and which tests to run. And the vet has access to those tests and tools, two things you can’t reach on your home computer.

Furthermore, it’s easy to draw the wrong conclusion from a Google search. At best, drawing the wrong conclusion means that your pet will be uncomfortable and unhappy far longer than necessary. A worst, your attempt to diagnose your pet could prove to be fatal.

USA Today ran a story which demonstrated exactly what can go wrong.

A dog arrived comatose at [veterinarian Marty] Becker’s clinic after the owners had concluded a minor stomach upset was causing the non-stop vomiting. In fact, he’d swallowed a piece of carpeting that lodged in the intestine. It ruptured, the abdomen filled with pus, and when they finally sought treatment the dog couldn’t be saved.

“Sometimes hours or minutes matter,” Becker says.

Coughs are another example. A cough could mean anything from bronchitis to lung worm. Without the additional tests that a vet can provide or the questions that the vet can ask, it’s impossible to tell the difference simply by looking.

Petfinder.com compiled a list of symptoms that should always receive veterinary attention. They were:

·         Eye problems

·         Respiratory problems, including a cough

·         Lumps

·         Heart problems

·         Upset stomach

Each of these conditions could be indicative of 5 or 6 problems. And many of those problems can be very serious, and will be beyond your capacity to treat them with home remedies.

If you’re trying to self-diagnose your pet as a way to save money then there is another way. See if your vet will answer questions over the phone.

Many vets will. The vet will usually ask some questions about your pet’s situation. Then, he or she will either tell you to bring your pet in immediately or will give you some instructions and tell you to adopt a “wait and see” approach, coming in for a visit only if the condition doesn’t clear up, or gets worse.

This gives you the benefit of the vet’s years of training and experience without endangering the pet. It also keeps the money in your pocket if the condition really is minor.