Jaw-Droppers: Your Vet Is Still Saying WHAT?! Time to Get Up to Date!

2025 Top  Jaw-Droppers.

DVM’s / Vet Techs / Vet Assistants

ARE STILL SAYING THIS???

FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!

This is not intended to bash the veterinarian community. In the least.

I have the greatest respect for veterinarians. We as a pet community rely heavily on veterinarian teams to help keep our pets healthy and provide us with the medical knowledge and expertise needed to do so. Life is so much better when you have a vet team that you trust and work well with.

Many veterinarian teams continue to stay up to date on current research and innovative approaches to pet health. However, we continue to hear from our customers about certain recommendations (or lack of disclosure) some veterinarian teams are still offering today that make us shake our head and say REALLY?

Here are the top 4 jaw-droppers of 2025!

1. If you are going to feed raw then you should cook it to minimize the risk of bacteria.

16 years later, since we opened in 2010, this is still the #1 argument we hear from vet teams about feeding raw. If you hear this from your vet team, they have not stayed up to date on optimal pet nutrition for your dog or cat. So many studies are available showing a real food diet enhances gut health, dental health, skin, and coat and minimizes inflammation. In addition, I would like to add the following:

• Cooking a raw food mixture with bone is extremely dangerous. Cooked bone cannot be digested and could potentially create blockages and gut health problems.
• Cooking real food extrudes most of the vitamins and minerals our pets need.
• Our dogs and cats are physiologically structured to handle raw meat, raw bone, and raw organ meat.
• There is so much research available now that proves ultra-processed options (like kibble) produce elevated levels of AGEs (Advanced Glycation End products) which are linked to accelerated aging.

2. Make sure you include enough grains in you pets diet!

OK so this one is a beauty. For some background info, there was a “study” published several years ago that the vet community noticed and ran with. The study tried to show that grain free pet diets was causing an increase in DCM in dogs (Dilated Cardiomyopathy). However, this study had no scientific evidence and was rebuked several times over. It was proven that grain free diets DO NOT cause DCM in dogs and cats. So why are vet teams still recommending grains in diets for carnivores or carrion eating carnivores? This tells me that the vet team has not kept pace with current scientific information OR there is a business issue that is more pressing. I’ll let you decide.

3. Tick Flea and Heartworm Treatment Risks Not Disclosed.

The active ingredients in these medications do have significant risks to our pets. The current research is showing that the drug company’s that manufacture and/or distribute these medications to the veterinarian community have misrepresented the episodes of toxicity and neurological side effects in both oral medications and spot on treatments. It seems to me that the business of dispensing these “preventatives” is of prime importance versus having an honest discussion around the risks of using these meds. Most of our customers have no idea what the risks are because they have not been properly educated on the potential side effects.

I totally get the reason many pet parents choose this option. Dealing with ticks and fleas is not fun at all. Still, my feeling is that more pet owners would think hard about giving these meds if they knew the true risks associated with them.

    4. Vet teams not disclosing consequences of spaying/neutering dogs and cats too early.

Again, I am not against spaying and neutering our pets. All my dogs have been neutered.  However, we still see pet parents in our stores who are desexing their pet’s way too early.  I believe that it is on the vet to have a thorough discussion on what the consequences are of spaying and neutering too early.  The research that has come out in the last couple of years has proven that spaying and neutering too early can increase joint issues, certain cancers and other health related issues.  The research is showing that breed, sex and size of pet require a personalized approach as to best when to desex to minimize the risks of these health issues.  Unfortunately, I feel the vet community is still, for the most part, not keeping up with the current scientific research.

Wrapping It Up.

Veterinarian teams are truly so important to us as pet parents.  Running and maintaining a vet clinic and all that is involved must be a huge task. As a small business owner, I totally get that.  There is always so much more involved behind the scenes.  I can see how challenging it must be to stay on top of everything.  New therapies, drugs, current research, etc.  That is why I think it is important to partner with a vet team that works with you.  In addition, I also feel there is an onus on the pet owner to do their own research, ask relevant questions and then make informed decisions.  A team approach!

The Proof is in The Poop!