Veterinary Reasonable Expectations: The Ability to Discuss Your Internet Research With Your Vet

Does your veterinarian welcome or frown upon your internet research?

This is the sixth part of an ongoing series describing what you should expect regarding veterinary care for their dogs. You can find parts one through five at www.speakingforspot.com. Take your time with this one. There is a great deal to say about this worthwhile topic!

Introduction

When your dog becomes ill, chances are you’ll be inclined to do some Internet research. Should you be able to talk with your vet about what you’ve learned?

Having this discussion with your vet is a perfectly reasonable expectation as long as you are careful to avoid using valuable office visit time discussing “whackadoodle” notions gleaned from cyberspace.

Effective online research

Here are some pointers to help you find instructive, accurate, worthwhile Internet information while avoiding “online junk food.” This information also applies to your own health care.

So, let’s begin.

How can you determine whether or not a website is dishing out information that is worthy of your time? 

Internet research general guidelines

1. Ask your veterinarian for her website recommendations.  She might wish to refer you to a specific site to supplement or reinforce the information she has provided.
   
2. Veterinary college websites invariably provide reliable information.  Search for them by entering “veterinary college” or “veterinary school” after the name of the disease or symptom you are researching.
   
3. Web addresses ending in “.org,” “.edu,” and “.gov” represent nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agencies, respectively.  They will likely be sources of objective and accurate information.
   
4. If your dog has a breed-specific disease, pay a visit to the site hosted by that specific breed’s national organization.
   
5. Avoid business-sponsored websites that stand to make money when you believe and act on what they profess (especially if it involves purchasing something).
   
6. Be ever so wary of anecdotal information.  It’s perfectly okay to indulge yourself with remarkable tales (how a single session miraculously cured max’s skin disease of aromatherapy), but view what you are reading as fiction rather than fact.
   
7. I really love disease-specific online forums. Not only do many of them provide a wealth of educational information, but members can also be a wonderful source of emotional support- always a good thing for those of us who share our homes and hearts with an animal.

Online forums

If you are considering joining an online forum, I encourage you to look for a group that focuses on a specific disease (kidney failure, diabetes, etc.), has lots of members, and has been around for several years.

For example, an excellent Yahoo group AddisonsDogs has 3,391 members and has been up and running for eight years.  A large group such as this typically has multiple moderators who screen participants, screen comments to keep things on topic, present more than one point of view (always a good thing), and provide greater round-the-clock availability for advice and support.

References

Look for a presentation of cited references (clinical research that supports what is being recommended). Such groups should have a homepage that explains the group’s focus and provides the number of members and posts per month (the more, the better).  They may have public archives of previous posts that can provide a wealth of information.

I happen to enjoy hearing about what my clients are learning online.

I sometimes come away with valuable new information. I’m invariably amused by some of the extraordinary things they tell me- who knew that hip dysplasia is caused by global warming!

Not all veterinarians welcome it

Surf to your heart’s content, but be forewarned, not all veterinarians feel as I do.

Some have a hard time not “rolling their eyes” or quickly interrupting the moment the conversation turns to Internet research. What can you do to realize the expectation of discussing your online research in a way that is neither irritating to your vet nor intimidating for you?  Listed below are some secrets to success:

I may be preaching to the choir, but I cannot overemphasize the importance of working with a vet who is happy and willing to participate in two-way, collaborative dialogue with you. Your opinions, feelings, and questions are held in high regard, and enough time is allowed during the office visit to hear them.

Relationship-centered communication style

A veterinarian who practices this “relationship-centered” style of communication is far more likely to want to hear about your online research than the veterinarian who practices “paternalistic care” (far more interested in telling you what to do than hearing about your thoughts, questions, or concerns).  Remember, when it comes to veterinarian/client communication styles, you have a choice. It’s up to you to make the right choice!

How to go about it

In closing

On the Internet, we have an extraordinary tool at our fingertips. Be selective about which websites you take seriously and which ones you wish to visit for a chuckle.

Approach conversations with your vet about your Internet research thoughtfully and tactfully.  These strategies will facilitate constructive conversation and create a win-win-win situation- for you, your veterinarian, and your beloved best buddy!

Have you had a conversation with your vet about your Internet research?  If so, how did it go?

Now here’s wishing you and your four-legged family members abundant good health.

Related articles:
Communicating with Your Veterinarian: Emailing With Your Vet And The Miracle Of Web-based Medical Records

Further reading:
Study shows communication gaps between veterinarians and clients