When is animal testing truly necessary for pet and human health?

Hi Mhabelle! I will be glad to answer your questions :-) 1. I have wanted to be a vet since I was a child. I have always loved animals, and knew from the time I was little that I wanted to look after them. 2. Yes, I have two dogs (a Basset Hound and a Chow Chow), and four cats. 3. The best thing about being a vet is being able to help make sick animals healthy again. 4. If you get a pet, you have to be prepared to pay for their veterinary care. Pets needs regular care, just like humans, and should be vaccinated, treated for fleas, intestinal worms, and heartworms. Pets need to be looked after, and when they are sick, they have to see a vet.

Antibiotics are usually indicated if there is obvious signs of a skin infection, GI infection (if pet has loose stool and parasites are not the cause), upper airway infection, or a UTI. I am not sure of any vets that I know personally who would just give antibiotics if there isn't just cause. Bloodwork is not always needed to justify the use of antibiotics, unless we are suspicious of bacteremia (bacteria in the bloodstream). Besides bloodwork, there are some specialized tests available, which are usually cultures, however they are often not cost effective for most clients to afford, ranging anywhere from $100-$300. In those cases, we treat based on symptoms and the history of the pet, as we narrow down the possibilities of an infection vs something else. Also not to mention that some of these specialized tests (i.e. cultures) have an incubation period of anywhere from 7-14 days before results are available. If we don't treat for what we highly suspect, the pet will end up just getting sicker while awaiting results, if the owner can afford the test to begin with. The same thing is done in human medicine. If the doctor highly suspects an infection based on the physical exam and vitals, then antibiotics will be prescribed. On another note, we have to make sure we do our part and ask all the right questions about the pets history and rule out other causes before issuing antibiotics, so that we used them judiciously and not increase the risk of creating superbugs in the environment. I hope that this helps answer your question. It is a valid one and I am glad that you brought up the subject. Take care now.

Hello. We are absolutely allowed to decide if & when an animal is euthanized, regardless of the reason. Any veterinarian who euthanizes an animal because there are too many probably works for a shelter or humane society. I get multiple requests a week from people wanting to kill perfectly healthy animals for various reasons. I can appreciate that circumstances sometimes force a person to go this route, but I, & many veterinarians I know, will not participate in this. If you only knew how it tears at our hearts whenever someone asks to this, you would understand. This is not what I went to school for 8 years to do. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Great question! Definitely definitely vaccinate. The articles you have read are an owner's opinion, and not based on any scientific evidence. The scientific evidence shows that vaccinated dogs are much healthier than dogs who are not vaccinated. This is because it keeps them from developing deadly diseases such as parvovirus, distemper, and rabies. None of these have cures, rabies is always fatal, while parvo and distemper are highly fatal. The truth is that vaccine reactions are rare, and benefits of vaccinating your dog and protecting them from deadly diseases that will cause them to suffer far outweighs anything else. A puppy or dog suffering from parvo is a ghastly sight, and it hurts my heart when I see a dog suffering from this when it could have been prevented by a vaccine. Your dog's health is so important, and that's why you should vaccinate. In my opinion, as well as 99% of veterinarians, vaccination should be done. I hope this helps answer your question :-)

Hello. Would your mom feel the same way if the patient in question were a newborn, an invalid, an elderly dementia patient, all people that may not be able to self-advocate for themselves. Pets NEED people to advocate for them. Yes, a procedure or test might be uncomfortable or painful in the short-term, but pain medications can substantially increase the comfort for our pet patients. Unfortunately, the cost of tests & procedures may be more than your family can spare. Continue to advocate & lobby for Mila's care & perhaps she will be willing to go the next step to find out what might be wrong with her. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question. There are several options for an owner if treatment is cost prohibitive. Most veterinarians will work with you to offer less expensive options such as forgoing diagnostic tests and treating based upon symptoms. While this cannot ensure a positive outcome, it may work. Most clinics will offer financing options such as Care Credit as well. Otherwise there are rescue groups that will take animals and assume care for them depending on the condition. Finally, there is euthanasia if the condition is severe enough. If all of these options are ignored and the animal is allowed to suffer unnecessarily, then it may be considered abuse. I hope this information helps!

Every vet phrases these things differently, but in general I would say: Fluffy has xx illness and I think these are our options- If we want to be aggressive we could do xx test with xx prognosis. If we want to be conservative we could try xx medication with xx prognosis. And if you don't want to pursue either one of these, I do think euthanasia is an option. How do you feel? What are your concerns? Is cost playing a role in your choice? Then depending on their concerns I continue to personalize our conversation. Of course, I would only list options that I think are ethically viable- if there are other choices than euthanasia then I think I have an obligation to give them. If I think euthanasia is the kindest option, I think I have an obligation to say that as well. Also, I think having a quality of life conversation is necessary, and discussing what that means. For me, it is 1) eating well 2) not in pain 3) still doing the things that make them, THEM. I find owners need and want guidance in these matters but I also respect they know their pets best and the ultimate decision is theirs. I hope this helps!