How to tell someone what's best for my dog if they don't agree?

If you ask 100 people and 100 vets you will probably get at least 150 different answers. It is really personal preference. Don't stress too much. Just remember that more expensive foods are not necessarily better. Buy what you can comfortably afford and if Bella is doing well on that food (no gas, no diarrhea, no vomiting, has a healthy coat, etc) then keep her on it. I have seen dogs eating Ol'Roy arguably the worst food and they look great on it. I have seen dogs on the most expensive foods look terrible. I personally like Royal Canin foods but they can be expensive. I you are looking for a less expensive brand then I would go for Iams or Purina One. Hope this helps. If you have more questions you are welcome to post again or opt for a private consultation so you can ask as many questions as you'd like.

You can request a consult online with one of our experts, but please keep in mind we cannot definitively diagnose Sheila without seeing her in person. Your other option is to take her into a different vet in your town. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I see your point. Honestly, you are doing the right thing here by training her and getting her the help she needs to improve so there is really no need to feel bad about this. You are being a good owner and you are doing it right. I think if anything, I would tell them that you are working on it and walk away. Clearly you are the one right here. Keep up the good work! Good luck and have a great day!

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.

I would speak to your vet about taking Bubbitha to a professional behavioral expert. I'm not exactly sure what she does if she's "too protective," but I would be concerned she could become aggressive. Should she become aggressive, she could bite another person, and that can lead to serious consequences. I never recommend owners deal with issues such as being too protective on their own, as it can be a safety problem, so working with a professional behavioral expert is best. Contact your vet next week to discuss a referral to one. I hope this helps!

I'm glad you were able to take Bella to the vet and get her started on treatment. I can't see your original question from my end, so I can't offer any suggestions about the blood work, but I am available for consultations if you want to talk more in depth. It can be quite scary when our pets are sick, but it sounds like you are on the right tract to getting Bella back to feeling better.

Hi and thank you for using PetCoach. I can be difficult when different family members have different ideas about acceptable behaviors. But puppies are just like any baby and need consistency to understand what is expected of them. One way to make sure everyone is on the same page would be to read the same book or articles. The Perfect Puppy https://drsophiayin.com/product/perfect-puppy-in-7-days-how-to-start-your-puppy-off-right/ is a great resource on puppy behavior that you will probably find interesting and helpful and even more helpful if you can show your family. Even if they don't read the entire book, it can be helpful to say "this is what the experts recommend so this is how we should try to interact with Basil." Sometimes families don't want to listen to each other, but may respond better to an outside source. My owner family sometimes won't even take my veterinary advice unless I show them that other vets recommend it. LOL. I feel your frustration. But it is in Basil's best interest for everyone to be on the same page, so maybe this will help. This site may have articles to share too http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47