Trust your vet, don't let Google diagnose your pet's illness

In many ways, this curiosity is wonderful. Pet parents read, research and arrive wanting to understand what is happening to their pets. The problem isn’t the reading itself but that online information is written for everyone, not for your individual pet. A symptom that is harmless in one pet can be serious in another.

Google “dog vomiting" and you’ll find pages that list everything from eating too fast to liver failure. Naturally, the mind leaps to the worst one. But what the internet cannot do is understand your pet’s whole story. It doesn’t know how old your dog is, what they ate, or what their medical history looks like. It cannot listen to a heartbeat, feel a lump or notice that tiny flicker of discomfort in your pet’s eyes. That context is what allows your vet to separate what is urgent from what is not.

I remember Bruno, a cheerful Labrador whose family rushed in because he had been drinking too much water. They had read online that it was a sign of renal disease. After a check-up and some tests, we discovered he was just trying to cope with Mumbai’s summer heat.

The real concern with diagnosis by pet parents isn’t just misinterpretation. It’s that it can quietly erode trust between vets and pet parents. When every suggestion is met with “but online it says otherwise," it shifts the tone of the consultation from teamwork to tug-of-war. The one who loses most is the pet.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read up. The internet can be a valuable ally when used with care. It helps you notice early signs, learn about preventive care, and prepare good questions for your vet. The key lies in how you sift through information.

Start by looking for credible sources. Reputable veterinary colleges, associations like WSAVA or ACVIM, and established specialist hospitals that publish accurate, balanced content. Avoid websites that make absolute promises or use emotional language to sell quick fixes.

Second, use what you read to guide discussion, not for diagnosis. If an article worries you, note down your pet’s symptoms, when they began, and what has changed. Bring that to your vet’s notice. It makes the conversation more constructive and helps us understand your concerns.

Third, trust your own observation. You live with your pet every day. You know when something feels off, whether it is a change in appetite, energy, mood, or bathroom habits. These details are often more valuable than any online checklist because they reflect real behaviour in real time.

There are now AI tools that claim to analyse photos or describe illnesses through symptom checkers. They can be interesting but they lack the sensory and emotional understanding that defines veterinary medicine.

I once saw a cat parent who was convinced her pet had inflammatory bowel disease after reading online forums. She had spent nights researching, terrified she was missing something. The real cause turned out to be hairballs. What stood out was not her mistake but her dedication. We worked together to create a better routine, and within weeks, her cat was eating and playing again. It reminded me that informed pet parents are not the problem. Isolated information without context is.

So the next time you feel tempted to type your pet’s symptoms into a search bar, pause. Make a note of what you see and how long it has lasted. Then call your vet. Let the information you find be a guide, not a verdict. When vets and pet parents share knowledge openly, it strengthens trust, reduces confusion, and ultimately gives the pet the best chance at recovery.

Nameeta Nadkarni is a veterinary soft tissue surgeon and pet blogger from Mumbai.