What do veterinarians really think about us and our pets?

Everyone has their own opinion on what’s best and worst for their pet (especially on Reddit). Should you cook for your cat? When is it okay to euthanize a dog for bad behavior? Which shelters are the most humane? We asked veterinarians what they really think about some of the hottest questions in pet care.

It’s not a term I like. I prefer open admission shelters. Most no-kill shelters that decide to limit euthanasia also limit the number of animals that come in the door. They choose to take in healthier, better-behaved animals, and refuse entry to animals that bite people or have illnesses that can’t be treated. In general, if a shelter is taking in animals, no matter what the circumstances, they will always have higher euthanasia rates because they are taking in animals that need euthanasia. Saying that no-kill is better is not necessarily true. Because now you are denying euthanasia to animals when it may be the best treatment plan for them. When an animal is truly suffering and there are no other options for them, making them suffer until they die is unethical. There are ways to manage pain and suffering, but they are really intense, expensive, and time-consuming. Most of the time, animal shelters don’t do it because they don’t have the resources. They just let animals get sick and deteriorate. That’s what non-euthanasia is. And I don’t think that’s a good thing. It’s a marketing issue, an ethical issue, and a branding issue. Dr. Lena DeTar

The most important thing to remember is that in order to use a crate successfully, you need to make it your dog's favorite place in the world. You're creating a safe place. Especially for a fearful dog, this is a really important thing to have.

If the dog sees the crate as a positive place, it is not a prison. You can observe his body language. Does he go there on his own? Does he have his tail between his legs? If a dog is stressed, he will not eat. If you throw him a treat and he does not eat it, that tells you something.

The worst thing is to put the crate in the basement where there is no one. Put it in the kitchen or living room where there is a lot of activity. You don't want the crate to be a signal to leave. When I did it with my dogs, I did it when I could be home with them. And you don't want to force the dog into the crate, that's the key. Some dogs just don't get used to a crate or a room. Dr. Susan Krebsbach

Is my cat a prisoner? See all

Veterinarians serve two masters. We have a patient and a client, and often those interests don’t align. Many years ago, my mentor, the bioethicist Bernard Rollin, described two different models of veterinary practice. There was what he called the pediatric model, which is how most members of society view veterinarians as patient advocates. But he also saw veterinary practice as what he called the garage model. And in that model, the veterinarian simply says, “Here are the options you can do with your animal, which is property under the law. So go ahead and tell me what you want, and I’ll do it.”

In the UK, the veterinary code of conduct clearly states that animal welfare is the top priority for vets, but the US codes of conduct do not make this clear. The second barrier is that vets are hired by humans and paid by humans, not animals. There are people who are economically dependent on the satisfaction of humans, and this would naturally lead to a situation where the vet does not want to appear confrontational.

A few years ago I was faced with a situation where I believe I made the wrong decision. I had seen a pair of Chihuahuas and was caring for two of them who were chronically ill. The next time I saw the dogs, only the husband was there. On that visit, he told me that he had lost his wife to cancer. And of course, I expressed my condolences, but each time I saw him afterward, his ability to care for these dogs had clearly diminished. One time, he brought two dogs with him. He told me that he was living in a van, had lost his job, and couldn't afford to care for all the dogs he had. Two of his dogs were ten years old or older and he wanted me to humanely euthanize them so that their last memory of life would be of being with him. He didn't want to give the dogs to a shelter. So I did it and I regret it to this day. Euthanasia is meant to benefit the person receiving the death. If you don't benefit the person receiving the death, then it's not really euthanasia. Did one of those two dogs have to be put to death? No, it didn't have to be. Dr. Barry Kipperman

Is my cat a prisoner?

A comprehensive exploration of this and other ethical questions that weigh on our interspecies relationships.

Close

A comprehensive exploration of this and other ethical questions that weigh on our interspecies relationships.

Develop

Having worked in shelters, I’ve seen some very dangerous dogs that shouldn’t be released on the street. I had a dog impounded by animal control once because he bit a small child in the face. This dog was out of control. But the owner found a shelter that said they were willing to take the dog. He went to the kennel, gave the shelter lady the leash, and left. Two minutes later, she came in and said, “You’re going to have to quarantine this dog.” He just bit me. The next thing she said was, “It’s not his fault. I dropped my phone.” I think she was defending the fact that this dog had just bitten her; it was her way of saying, “It’s okay, don’t euthanize him.” » But it's not normal behavior for a dog to bite you because you dropped your phone.

A dog like that will never be trustworthy. No amount of training will protect you from him. And there aren't many places he can go. I don't believe in dog sanctuaries because I think most of the time they turn into hoarding situations or situations where the animal lives in a cage for the rest of its life. But some rescues are so blind to the possibility that an animal could be aggressive enough to be a danger to society that he was ultimately euthanized. Dr. Heather Reeder

There's this misconception that having a lizard or a bird is going to be cool and maybe easier to care for than a dog or a cat. Almost all of the health problems that we see in these exotic species are because they're not properly cared for at home. One of the most common things that I see in bearded dragons, leopard geckos, some of these little lizards, is what's called metabolic bone disease. They don't have enough vitamin D, meaning they don't get the proper light. They turn into little cartilaginous creatures because they don't have enough calcium to support their bones. It's really sad. They're going to go into multiple organ failure. It's 100% preventable if you manage them properly. Dr. Elaine Sheikh

No one is going to recommend that you cook for your pet yourself unless you are under the supervision of a veterinary nutritionist. People are so afraid of commercial dog food and big pharmaceutical companies because they are owned by these huge corporations. They feel like it is toxic and it is giving your pet cancer and all these things. But pet food is really the best thing to feed your pet. I recently saw a cat. The owner was cooking for her cat because she had done her own research on the internet. The cat came to me with a fractured femur with no history of trauma. She swore the cat had never had any trauma. I did a complete blood panel because I strongly suspected a nutritional deficiency. And they confirmed that the cat had major electrolyte disturbances and hypocalcemia that led to the fracture. The fracture was extremely difficult to repair with surgery because the bone was almost like butter. Yet this woman cared so much about her cat, and she just didn't realize she was doing anything wrong. Dr. Carly Fox

Production Credits Photography by Charlie Engman Prosthetics and Styling by Emily Schubert Set Design by Mike Feswick Model: Kaitlyn Croteau (Cat)

Please subscribe and support our journalism. If you prefer to read in print, you can also find this article in the August 12, 2024 issue of New YorkMagazine.

Want to read more stories like this? Subscribe now to support our journalism and get unlimited access to our coverage. If you prefer to read in print, you can also find this story in the August 12, 2024, issue of New York Magazine.

Are We Forcing Our Pets to Live Too Long? Am I a Terrible Pet Parent? Why Did I Stop Loving My Cat When I Had a Baby? I Don’t Own My Pet. So What Am I? Was I Capable of Killing My Cat for Bad Behavior? Should I Experiment on My Terrier? Is There Such a Thing as a Good Aquarium? Do Runaway Dogs Deserve to Be Free? Are We Lying to Ourselves About Emotional Support Animals? Does My Dog Hate Bushwick? How Distressing Is Being a Pug?

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.BizWebsite: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos