Lately, I've been getting a lot of emails from people who have medical questions. Many emails start it off with "I know you're not a veterinarian," and then proceed to send me a list of medical questions.
I respond explaining that I'm not qualified to answer the questions and I urge the sender to seek out a veterinarian and the response I get is either frustration or anger directed towards me.
I get it. I have four dogs that keep me guessing and when the books or the Internet fail to provide me with what I need, I call or email my vet. I've even booked appointments and showed up with a notepad of questions. I don't mind paying a fee for an uninterrupted, one on one Q&A session with an expert.
I can't be that expert and here are three reasons why I cannot answer medical questions.
1 - I'm Not a Veterinarian
Someone once told me that they trust me more than their veterinarian. I know this was meant to be a compliment, but it just made me sad that we are living in a time where people trust strangers on social media more than medical professionals. I see this in human medicine too.
Regardless of how much someone trusts me, I am not a veterinarian and I cannot give medical advice because I don't know what I'm talking about.
To avoid being charged with practicing medicine without a license, I stick to sharing what I'm learning about my dogs - but what I'm learning can't encompass all dogs. There are things that I may not take into account, because they weren't a part of my experience.
2 - I Can Make Things Worse
Before I had a dog with cancer, I thought golden paste was something that should be added to all cancer dog diets. I had never heard of hemangiosarcoma, a bleeding cancer that can be made worse with foods that decrease the body's blood clotting capabilities - like golden paste, fatty fish, or CBD oil.
I have a dog with lymphoma, a dog with separation anxiety, a reactive dog, and a dog that puts on weight if she sees a cookie - but they're still different from other dogs with the same afflictions. It's better for us to compare notes than for me to offer up health care tips.
3 - I Like Math, Not Science
I respect science, but I've never enjoyed it. When it comes to foods or supplements, I don't need to know why they work, I just need to know that they work. Basically, I know enough to raise healthy dogs; but there isn't a supplement or raw food brand in my future.
This is why I chose not to offer meal formulation services or raw food consultations. From my experience, once I start monetizing something I enjoy, I quickly begin to resent my job.
Please Don't Put Your Dog's Life in the Hands of a Blogger
I am not afraid to say that there's a lot that I don't know. Again, I don't mind sharing my experiences, but this is usually not enough for many people. So I no longer respond to these emails beyond recommending that the person contact their veterinarian.
How would you feel if I gave you an answer that resulted in your dog getting sick or worse? It's not worth the risk.
Don't Have a Veterinarian?
Not everyone has access to a veterinarian and I appreciate how frustrating this must be. Thankfully, we live in a time of social media and Zoom meetings. You can check with the AHVMA for holistic veterinarians or you can reach out to the many veterinarians with social media followings to inquire about a
consultation.
Yep, you will have to pay them for their time, but I think paying a consultation fee is much better than getting bad advice from a stranger.
PRO TIP: Individuals can and have been charged with practicing medicine without a license. If you respect favorite content creator(s), don't put them in this position.
Please Call Your Veterinarian
Your dog is your family and I understand why pet parents reach out to people they trust for advice. Keep in mind that not everyone can answer your questions and it's better to have someone say that they don't know than have someone give you bad information.
Social media is full of fake experts. Do your own research.
