Pets and Wellness Culture: What to Know
“Wellness” is everywhere, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We should strive to take care of ourselves, our families, and our pets to the best that we can. That means exercising, eating healthy, nutritious foods, and more.
But there are also times when it’s time to see a doctor. Or, in the case of our pets, it's time to see a veterinarian. Some pet owners, however, are taking matters into their own hands, as many people do, and have, with their own health.
What should you know about “wellness” culture and pets? There can be a lot, but we do think it’s worth touching on. Especially since the trends that are appearing on social media, designed to help or enhance your pet’s health, may be doing more bad than good.
Again, this is not to say that trying to live a healthier lifestyle is a negative thing. Not at all. The point is that not every illness or injury can or should be treated with natural remedies, raw diets, or supplements rather than medications. There’s a good amount of skepticism in this country around doctors and medicine—not all of it completely without merit—but a lot of it is, in fact, meritless.
What we’ve seen, in terms of pet wellness in recent years, is the rise of high-end pet care and wellness products. That includes raw, grain-free, or supplement-laden foods. It includes supplements and vitamins for pets. It also includes non-traditional approaches to dealing with illnesses or injuries. And a lot of these things come with the wink-wink, implicit promise that they’re going to work, and make your pet healthier than before.
But, like it is in the human wellness world, it’s not all above board. Even the products or services you might run into that are labeled “science-backed” or something similar may not be backed by the “science” you’re hoping for. In many cases, these products or services have not been effectively tested—maybe they have, to a degree, but the results are scant. They need more testing to prove effectiveness.
Given that we all love our pets, we know that people are often trying this stuff out of the goodness of their hearts. They want their pets to be happier and healthier, and are willing to try new things to get them there.
As such, we ask one thing: Talk to us, or whoever your veterinary services provider is, before trying supplements, extracts, alternative medications, or anything else. Let us know what you’re trying to do—the illness you’re trying to alleviate, or the problem you’re trying to solve—so we can try and help. We may not even try to stop you, but we may want to caution you if, say, a specific extract could have a negative reaction with a medication your pet is taking.
As always, we’re here to help. Ask us questions. We may be able to point you to products that are effective or that have shown promise. Just let us know.
Contact us to make an appointment today!
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