Misinformation in Modern Pet Care

Pet owners love their pets—deeply. And when we love something, we want to do right by them. But in an age where anyone can post advice online with the confidence of a Nobel laureate, it has become incredibly easy for good pet owners to make misinformed decisions.

It’s human nature: we make things more complicated. We Google. We join Facebook groups. We listen to a neighbor who swears that kibble causes cancer or that raw diets cure allergies. We see TikToks claiming flea preventatives are “poison” or that vaccines cause autism in dogs. It’s what makes us feel like we are doing what’s best for our pets and it probably makes us better pet owners to ask these questions.

At the core of all of this is trust—trust in veterinarians, in science, in pet food companies, and in ourselves. Many pet owners don’t feel they have that trust anymore, so they search for answers wherever they can find them. Their intentions? Pure. The information? Often… less so.

Pet Foods

Pet food myths are everywhere. Commercial pet foods often get a bad rap because they are usually BIG companies mass producing foods. Fresh foods are great, but they can be very expensive. Here’s what many don’t realize: every commercial dog and cat diet must meet the standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) —a nonprofit regulatory framework that ensures pet foods are complete and balanced. Look for an AAFCO statement on your pet foods. It’s not perfect, but it is absolutely foundational and it makes sure your pet does not develop any nutritional deficiencies. According to a 2013 study (https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/homemade-dog-food-recipes-can-be-risky-business-study-finds) 95% of homemade diets were nutritionally deficient for pets often in calcium, fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.

My own dog eats the same soy-based, limited-ingredient (prescription) kibble every single day because he has terrible allergies. It’s not glamorous. It’s certainly not “ancestral.” But it is complete, safe, and backed by decades of nutritional science. Why? Because I trust the data. Small pet food companies are great at giving the giant pet food companies some competition, but I need more data and less emotional marketing telling me stories about how bad fillers, gluten and corn are for my pet!

As for raw diets, they may have a place in veterinary medicine for specific situations. But as long as my 7-year-old lets our dog Rubble lick his face, raw food—along with its risks of Salmonella, E. coli, and other pathogens—is not on the menu.

Flea & Tick Prevention

Living in Monmouth County, flea and tick prevention isn’t optional—it’s survival. Tick-borne diseases here can be life-threatening, and in some areas, 1 in every 8–10 dogs tests positive for diseases like Lyme or Anaplasma each year (https://capcvet.org/articles/2025-annual-pet-parasite-forecasts).

Preventatives are not “poisons” designed to hurt pets. Are there rare adverse events? Of course—just like in human medicine. But the benefits overwhelmingly outweigh the risks, especially in high-exposure regions like ours. With so many products now available, having a conversation with your vet about which one is best for your pet is the best advice. The most common side effects we can see are vomiting, diarrhea and reduced appetite. More serious life-threatening reactions like seizures are possible, but VERY rare and are not a risk for ALL preventions. Acquiring a disease from a tick-bite is much more common than any serious medication side effect.

Natural remedies like garlic or diatomaceous earth may help to an extent, but garlic can cause red blood cells to explode in cats and dogs leading to anemia. Diatomaceous earth doesn’t do enough to stop fleas from infesting and breeding and unfortunately these little bugs move indoors when the weather gets cold, so all pets, including those that stay indoors, are just as at-risk in the cooler months.

Vaccines: Where Misinformation Hurts Most

Ironically, veterinarians themselves often contribute to the confusion—not because the data is wrong, but because we don’t always slow down to listen. If a client says, “I’m worried about vaccines,” some vets instinctively launch into a lecture instead of a conversation. And that’s where trust breaks.

Here’s what many owners don’t know:

• • Not all vaccines need to be given yearly – Duration of immunity varies by vaccine type.
  • Lifestyle matters – Your indoor, pee-pad-trained Shih Tzu may not need the leptospirosis vaccine every year—but your Lab who hikes at Shark River Park probably does!
  • Vaccines fall into two categories:
    • Core: recommended for all dogs and cats. These include rabies, distemper (dogs), parvo (dogs), and panleukopenia for cats.
    • Non-core: based on exposure and lifestyle, like Lyme, leptospirosis, and influenza to name a few.
  • Rabies is required by law in most states.
  • These diseases are often difficult to treat, expensive, and often fatal in pets. So, prevention is the best way and sometimes the only way

In 2022, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) updated canine and feline vaccine guidelines (https://www.aaha.org/resources/2022-aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/), and the 2023/2024 updates help veterinarians tailor recommendations based on risk and lifestyle—not a one-size-fits-all yearly schedule. There is no merit to claims that vaccines cause autism in pets. But dismissing a pet owner’s fear without empathy only widens the gap between evidence and belief.

How Veterinarians Should (and Shouldn’t) Guide Pet Owners

I spent years studying, obsessing over grades, and building a career based on science. But when I entered practice, I learned something school never taught me: Pet owners don’t just need answers—they need understanding. They need to feel heard. They need explanations, not pressure. Even when they disagree with me, it doesn’t mean they’re wrong or “uneducated.” It means they care enough to ask questions. We want the same thing: what’s best for their pet.

Pet care shouldn’t be a battlefield of opinions. It shouldn’t be a tug-of-war between what someone read online and what the veterinarian says in the exam room. It should be a partnership. A conversation. An exchange rooted in trust, transparency, and what we all want: the healthiest, happiest life for the animals we love.

And that starts with being able to say, “Let’s talk about it,” instead of “Just trust me.” Because good pet care isn’t about fear or skepticism—it’s about partnership and trust.

For more information about the vaccines we recommend at City by the Sea Vet, you can visit:
https://www.citybytheseavet.com/services/pet-vaccinations