Why Veterinarians Are So Concerned About Pet Parents Who Use Social Media

We all love our dogs and want the best for them. When our pets face health or behavioral issues, we often turn to social media to see if other dog owners have encountered similar problems—and to find out if they have any solutions.

As pet parents, relying on social media for advice may not always be the wisest choice, as misinformation and dangerous practices can easily spread online, whether that be in a TikTok video or Instagram or Facebook post.

There's new research, conducted by dog biotic supplement brand, Protexin Pet, which shows a significant spike in things like raw feeding discussions, dietary tips, and home remedies such as Epsom salt baths. These are promoted by social media users without highlighting potential dangers flagged by qualified experts.

The Protexin research found that:

• Raw feeding discussions have surged 17% year-over-year across social media, with influencers pushing this diet despite serious risks not being disclosed.
  
  

• High search volumes for terms like “homemade dog food” and “CBD for dogs” indicate many pet owners are acting on digital recommendations.
  
  

• Conversations around popular topics such as dog allergies and diet are most prominent on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, where user-generated content often replaces professional veterinary advice.

Related: Veterinarian Shares Details on Whether Raw Diets Are Safe for Pets

The research states that the majority of conversations between dog parents happen on X (Twitter) and Reddit, with ‘dog walks’ and ‘diet’ dominating the chat with 55% and 37% of mentions, respectively.

The key topics surrounding the conversations around dog walking include details of the best places to walk your dog, and debates about how many times per day to walk your dog.

Now, as far as dog walking, it's hard to see how you could give dangerous advice on social media about walking your dog, unless someone tells you to do something unsafe, like walking your dog off-leash in an area with coyote sightings or walking you dog without providing them with proper hydration.

As far as your dog's diet and what to feed them, misinformation and dangerous ideas are rampant on social media.

Dr Ronan Fitzgerald, one of the veterinarians at Protexin Pet, explains, "Those who are opposed to the feeding of raw and home-made diets note that raw meat carries infectious agents that may be harmful, and potentially fatal, to at-risk pets and people. The caution also comes from experiences with dogs who have contracted serious illnesses and even died from eating raw foods, as well as owners who have contracted serious infections from handling raw ingredients.

“Additionally, dogs that have eaten raw foods may shed the organisms into their environment and surroundings, while there is also a concern that such a diet may not be nutritionally appropriate.”

Dr. Fitzgerald goes on to offer this advice about feeding your pup, "The most important thing for your dog is ensuring they have a healthy diet suitable for its needs." Dr Fitzgerald advises following these three tips:

“Firstly, make sure you are using the right ingredients—a diet packed with things your dog likes to eat doesn’t mean it is nutritious or meets all your pet’s needs. Bear in mind that if your dog has a particular illness or condition that changes their nutritional requirements, it can be much harder to meet these needs if preparing a diet at home."

“Secondly, make sure their diet is properly balanced—if their diet is heavily meat- and fat-based, there’s a risk that your dog could end up lacking the fiber they need, as well as being deficient in essential minerals and vitamins, which can even lead to medical problems. Adding a supplement, such as Gut+Wellness, not only supports healthy gut bacteria but also contains vitamins A, B, D3, and E."

“And thirdly, watch their weight. Some suggest that a raw food diet is easier to digest, which is generally considered a good thing. However, it’s important to ensure that this does not lead to obesity.”

Another topic that is trending on social media? Bathing your dog in epsom salts to help with allergies. The trend is soaking your dog's paws in an epsom salt bath, and briefly and with pet parent supervision, this should be fine, but it can cause significant digestive issues if the dog drinks the water . Which a lot of people don't mention on social media.

As far as allergies are concerned, Dr. Fitzgerald says, "It is strongly advised to seek veterinary advice if they suspect that their dog is displaying an allergic reaction. It is important to determine whether the problem is indeed allergic in nature, or instead due to parasites such as lice or mites, a skin infection involving bacteria or yeast, or even behavioral."

The Bottom Line on Social Media and Dog Advice

Before trying any holistic or natural or homemade remedies for your dog, or when deciding the best food and amount of food for your pup, always consult your veterinarian. Social media can be fantastic for dog enrichment ideas or for dog training tips, but when it comes to issues like gut healthy and allergies, arrange an appointment with your vet.

If you would like to read the entire report from Protexin Pet, "Navigating Social Media Misconceptions as a Dog Owner," you can do so here.