June 2011

June 2011: Use Caution When Researching Pet Care on the Internet

Dear Doctor:
What is the best way to find medical information on the internet when my pets are sick? I often find so many different answers and I am not sure what to believe.

Signed,
Abby in Custer

The amount of information at our fingertips is both impressive and overwhelming with the advent of the world-wide-web. Unfortunately, most people are not taught how to sort through all of the available information, and may find themselves more confused than ever after reading through a few sites on a given topic. Anyone can make a website, and anyone can call themselves an “expert” in an effort to put their opinions in a format for the world to read. This can cause a fair amount of confusion, especially when trying to research medical conditions in our pets.

I can provide a few guidelines to follow when deciding what to read, and more importantly, what to believe, as you review the abundant amount of information available on any given topic.

• Look for sites that are associated with a University, Veterinary Clinic, or Referral Center. Avoid sites authored by other pet owners, kennel owners, patient or pet care advocates, or expert committees since these sites are usually based on opinion rather than medical facts.

• Look for sites that are authored by Doctors that have D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) after their name. In general, a Doctor that has a PhD without a D.V.M. knows research, but may lack the ability to apply the information to someone’s pet.

• When reviewing the information, determine if the information presented by the DVM is based on current research. If the information is presented as a survey or retrospective study, the information is generally open to interpretation and not based on all available facts. The best research is peer reviewed, or based on prospective studies, or double-blinded clinical trials.

• Always question any research information provided by or sponsored by a company that has a vested interest in selling their product. If the company has thoroughly evaluated their product, they will cite research performed by a separate independent research institution (e.g. a University) that will confirm their claims.

• Always consider where the authoring DVM works when evaluating the information. A DVM at a Referral Center or University will be more likely to see the “worst-of-the-worst” cases, so they may discuss testing, treatment or outcomes that do not represent the average patient in everyday practices.

There are some nice web-sites that are managed by medical professionals that will provide detailed summaries of many different medical concerns for dogs and cats. We have the links to a few of these sites at www.woodhavenanimalhealth.com/pet-links.html or visit your own clinic’s “links” page. 

Once you are comfortable with the information you have found on the topic you are researching, it is helpful to print the articles and bring them in to your appointment for further discussion. In some cases, you may uncover information that will help the Doctor provide the ultimate care for your pet!