You, Your Pet, and the Internet

If you know where to look, the Web might just make you a better pet owner

When it comes to your pet, there’s a wealth of information available on the World Wide Web. Want to know more about your pet’s medical condition the veterinarian just diagnosed? He or she can likely direct you to a relevant online source of information. Curious about your kitty’s quirky behavior? You can Google it. Need tips on traveling with your pooch? There’s a website (or two or three) for that. Heck, there’s even a blog that’s devoted to celebrities’ dogs.

The problem with this plethora of information is that not all websites are created equal—and the content on some sites may be outdated, misleading, or even inaccurate. “The Web is a great source of information for people,” says Dr. J.C. Burcham of Olathe Animal Hospital in Olathe, Kan. “But there’s a lot of misinformation out there, too. People have to be wary and use some common sense.”

So how do you find the best of what the Web has to offer pet owners? You can start by checking out HealthyPet?U.com, because you know the information has been properly vetted (pun intended). Then keep reading here for tips from veterinarians themselves on finding the best online content.

HOW THE WEB CAN HELP YOU
These days, whether you’re looking for medical information, some frivolous fun (Scarlett Johansson owns a Chihuahua!), or a forum for fellow ferret owners, it’s easy to find what you need online. And pet owners are certainly looking: A 2008 study published in The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 70 percent of pet owners reported having consulted the Internet for information about their pets’ health in the past year, making it the third most popular source for information behind consulting general practitioners and veterinary specialists. A more recent study, The Internet and Pet Health Information: Perceptions and Behaviors of Pet Owners and Veterinarians, published in The Internet Journal of Veterinary Medicine, found that more than 72 percent of respondents reported using the Internet for pet health information “at least occasionally,” with 11 percent going online for that purpose at least once a week.

What are they looking for? According to the study, just over 51 percent cited a “specific disease or problem” as their reason for going online, while 38.9 percent were searching for “diet, nutrition, vitamins, or nutritional supplements.”

HOW TO USE THE WEB EFFECTIVELY
If you’re part of the majority of pet owners tooling around online, ask your veterinarian about the best sites. Many veterinary practices even have their own sites. In addition to providing details about the practice itself, your veterinarian’s website may also contain additional information about pets, pet health, and links to other reputable sites that can help you complement your pet’s veterinary care.

 

Seventy percent of pet owners report consulting the Internet for information about their pets’ health in the past year.

Olathe Animal Hospital revamped its website about a year ago, and today it includes content that’s relevant to all pet owners, including a pet care library for birds, cats, dogs, exotic mammals, ferrets, rabbits, and reptiles; a blog; and a section on pain management. The site for Staring Plaza Veterinary Center in Baton Rouge, La., has a weight-loss information page, links for pet lovers, and even a page that helps pet owners determine their pet’s age in “people” years.

When venturing outside your veterinarian’s site, Dr. Brett Berryhill, co-owner of Staring Plaza, recommends following this rule of thumb: Look for websites from associations, organizations, and universities, as they are likely to contain reliable, up-to-date information.

Conversely, Dr. Burcham warns pet owners to be a little more wary when looking at sites that are primarily user-contributed. “There’s certainly value in that type of format, but it can be misleading,” she says. “People can take that information as a how-to guide, but they have to remember that the advice that they’re reading about may not be appropriate for their pet.”

 

No matter how reliable, comprehensive, or up-to-the-minute the information you find online is, it should complement—not replace—your veterinarian’s care.

THE COMPLEMENTARY WEB
It’s important to remember that no matter how reliable, comprehensive, or up-to-the-minute the information you find online is, it should complement—not replace—your veterinarian’s care. “It’s a good starting point, but your vet is always going to be the best go-to source of information for your pet,” Dr. Berryhill says.

Dr. Burcham agrees. “The Internet can help you make informed decisions; if you’re reading about something that you haven’t been talked to about or that doesn’t fit with what you heard from your vet, that’s a talking point,” she says. “It’s a platform for starting a back-and-forth dialogue and encourages learning on both ends.” Surprisingly, however, The Internet and Pet Health Information: Perceptions and Behaviors of Pet Owners and Veterinarians study revealed that only about half of clients share their pet-related Internet findings with their veterinarians.

Dr. Burcham, for one, welcomes such conversations, as long as the information is presented in a respectful, “would you take a look at this and let me know what you think?” kind of way. “Each pet owner has to be an advocate for their own pet,” Dr. Burcham says. “That may mean bringing some information to the table—just do it in a non-confrontational manner.”

Another way the Internet can complement your veterinarian’s care is by providing additional information after a diagnosis has been made. In fact, The Internet and Pet Health Information: Perceptions and Behaviors of Pet Owners and Veterinarians study found that more than 33 percent of respondents went online in order to clarify the information given to them by their pets’ doctor. “It’s hard in the veterinary setting for the doctor to go over everything, so an owner may want to look online for good, reliable information that can help fill in the gaps,” Dr. Burcham says.

Used correctly, the Internet can be a wonderful asset for pet owners, offering everything from community to clinical information to cute products for your pooch or frisky feline. Bookmark the right (read: reputable) sites and you’ll expand your knowledge about your pet and its health. And that knowledge can help you start a conversation with your veterinarian that, ideally, will lead to better care for your pet. So start clicking.