Most Pet Owners Diagnose on Search Engines

75% of people use search engines to check their pet’s symptoms, a recent survey has found.

18:56 14 May 2018

A new research from Asda Money and White Cross Vets has found that the majority of pet owners turn to the internet when their dog or cat is unwell.  It says that 75per cent of them use search engines to check their pet’s symptoms while 22per cent take the same route to identify what might be making their furry friend unwell. Meanwhile, more than half of those that were surveyed said they follow the advise they read online.

 

James Wood, clinic director at White Cross Vets in Roundhay, says: “It’s no secret that lots of people try to self-diagnose their own illnesses on the internet but now it seems that this phenomenon has spread to our pets’ health as well. Whilst it’s great that pet owners are taking such a proactive role in the wellbeing of their pets, I’d always urge people to back up their online research with a conversation with their local vet.”

 

“Pets share many illnesses with humans, such as diabetes, arthritis, pancreatitis, and cancer. These can be impossible to identify via the internet and advances in technology and medicine mean that we can diagnose and treat many of these earlier and more successfully than ever before.

 

“Some of these are also long-term conditions, requiring ongoing treatment and check-ups, which can become costly. We are significantly ahead of Europe and the USA when it comes to pet insurance, yet 57% of our clients still don’t have it.”