Ahhhhh … The Internet. We know it as the information superhighway. We use it for communication, to follow our favorite celebrities or to pick a restaurant. As the Internet becomes more integrated into our lives, it follows, naturally, that it would impact the field of veterinary medicine. Pet owners are using the Internet to help with the care of their pets in ways we never imagined, such as choosing a veterinarian, finding tips on diagnosis and treatment, or for seeking second opinions. Information is available at our fingertips via Google and other search engines, but as anyone who has done an online search knows, results can be conflicting, misleading or sometimes even incorrect or dangerous.
Sometimes, what I call “Dr. Google” is great! I’ve had clients come in saying they know from the Internet that when Fluffy is drinking and urinating excessively, that lab work is the next step. Another search yielded several do-it-yourself techniques for cat neutering, and that worried me. The vast majority of clients are able to weed out the garbage from the good information, but not always.
So how do we as veterinary professionals use this to augment our care and knowledge for the good of pets? The key is communication. I start my puppy and kitten owners off with websites that I trust, and tell them that it is a great way to learn more about their pets. A wealth of pet health articles on specific health conditions can be found on Banfield’s website. Also, I am an avid VIN user, so I usually direct them to www.veterinarypartner.com (a VIN company), as it is generally consistent with my practice style. Other good resources include veterinary school websites and clinic websites. Drug manufacturer websites can also be a rich source of information if you don’t focus specifically on the marketing. And don’t forget about printed handouts, especially if you include the list of sources on the website so clients can go there for more information.
But how do we cope when clients ask us to prescribe a treatment they found on the internet that just isn’t the best thing for the pet? By building a trusting relationship with clients, we can tell them that as veterinarians, we are using our years of experience to make a diagnosis after taking a thorough history and physically examining their pet. Our expertise and hands-on treatment are what allow us to make individual recommendations based on what we are seeing. The Internet is great, but at the end of the day it’s personal care and relationships that help pets live healthy lives.
The internet isn’t going away, and we need to see it as a tool. Inevitably your clients will use it outside of the exam room to review information. The Internet gives them access to resources that were unavailable in the past. The information they retrieve can help you partner with your clients to find the best medical outcome for their pets. Remember, face-to-face communication is still the most important skill a veterinarian needs to be successful; the Internet can be a good place to start.
← Fourth Year Student SNAP Judgments →