Just a rant about poorly educated vets

livismom1

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Why do vets push crap food? I took Oliver in because he has been throwing up and has licked the hair off the back of his front legs. All recent issues. No tests done, only said he needs to lose weight and feeding wet food is not really better. THEN spent about 30 mins trying to convince me that I need to switch him to either Science Diet sensitive stomach, Royal Canin, or Purina Pro Plan. Dry food. UGGHHH
 

HAS

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Agree…most gets are not educated on nutrition and push crap food because the brands they push have put a ton of money into vet outreach/research. Most of it is garbage compared to available premiums foods with less published research/vet marketing.

My vet told me to stop feeding grain free Tiki Cat and to switch to Hills. No reason other than he associated with raw food, which it was not.
 

Babypaws

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I also fully agree….my vet has told me to put a couple of my cats on the special diet food that they happen to have in their office, which my cats wouldn’t eat. I think some of the human doctors push for certain meds also because of the sales people….I think they must all get a cut of what they can push on patients and animal owners.
 

MissClouseau

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Why do vets push crap food? I took Oliver in because he has been throwing up and has licked the hair off the back of his front legs. All recent issues. No tests done, only said he needs to lose weight and feeding wet food is not really better. THEN spent about 30 mins trying to convince me that I need to switch him to either Science Diet sensitive stomach, Royal Canin, or Purina Pro Plan. Dry food. UGGHHH
I feel your frustration and vets should be open to discussion and educate themselves on food. But, to be fair, dry food can be easier to digest. My own cat doesn't eat more than 1,5-2 cans of wet food a day - pretty sure because it feels heavier in her tummy and she gets gassier as she swallows more air than eating dry food. And she eats more dry food than wet if she's nauseous. Not to say this is a rule with all cats.

Also Hill's, Royal Canin, Pro Plan not only do most tests but they are probably the most popular pet foods in the world and gets way, waaaaaaaaaay more user feedback than the others. In Istanbul vets don't make a whole lot of comments on a cat's diet as long as the food is high premium meaning they are usually OK with grain-free foods or high-meat content foods. But when there is a health problem, they also push one of those brands because again, they get tested the most so they rightfully find them more trustworthy while dealing with an issue. Like it's not so much that they like Hill's, RC, or ProPlan very much, it's more they can't trust the other brands as much.
 

cataholic07

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I feel your frustration and vets should be open to discussion and educate themselves on food. But, to be fair, dry food can be easier to digest. My own cat doesn't eat more than 1,5-2 cans of wet food a day - pretty sure because it feels heavier in her tummy and she gets gassier as she swallows more air than eating dry food. And she eats more dry food than wet if she's nauseous. Not to say this is a rule with all cats.

Also Hill's, Royal Canin, Pro Plan not only do most tests but they are probably the most popular pet foods in the world and gets way, waaaaaaaaaay more user feedback than the others. In Istanbul vets don't make a whole lot of comments on a cat's diet as long as the food is high premium meaning they are usually OK with grain-free foods or high-meat content foods. But when there is a health problem, they also push one of those brands because again, they get tested the most so they rightfully find them more trustworthy while dealing with an issue. Like it's not so much that they like Hill's, RC, or ProPlan very much, it's more they can't trust the other brands as much.
Actually dry food is harder for cats to digest as it is carb heavy and cats are not designed to eat carbs. That's why obesity, diabetes, and kidney disease is a major issue for cats right now.

Yes they do more tests but they still offer crap food at a high price tag. No reason for it.
 

John Perram

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This puurscription pet food is a major problem for me. No reason for it no drugs involved all it is about is ripping the pet owner off on high-priced garbage.
 

silent meowlook

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My Veterinarian feeds her cats raw food. She does say it isn’t good for low immune system cats. But then she recommends high quality canned food. We never recommend any dry. Rx or not.
 

StanAndAlf

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Where I am, you do not need a prescription for Hills Prescription Diet. My vet clinic also does not offer much of a comment on diet, unless it is asked for, the animal is overweight/underweight or what the owner is feeding is very unhealthy for the cat, such as cows milk etc. If a cat comes in with digestive issues, urinary issues, skin sensitivities etc, they will recommend a Hills product, alongside treatment. This is not because of sponsorship, however. It's because people in our area have had success in treating or preventing the reoccurrence of the same health issue by feeding those products. Doesn't work for all cats, of course, but they do recommend to try. And as stated above, a lot of research has gone into these products.

They do not offer any advice on whether to choose the wet or dry version of the food, just whatever the cat prefers to eat, or the owner prefers to buy. If an owner says no, they don't want to go with that brand of food, then it is respected and a different approach is formed.
They may advise caution with raw, as far as contamination and deficiencies if not fed properly, but if there is no obvious health reason (such as FIV) to cease a raw diet, then they do not advise otherwise.

I am incredibly lucky with my vet clinic though, just wanted to say not all vets are out for a paycheck, there are diamonds in the rough.
 

JulietteTruong

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Idk, the more I read up on feline nutrition, whether it’s this site, or Dr. Lisa Pierson and the likes, or Google University, the more I become skeptical with veterinarians when it comes to cat food. Ever since I’ve made it a point to READ ingredients listings, and pay attention to what’s there, I’ve become baffled as to how various “prescription diets” are in existence. It’s actually depressing.
 

MissClouseau

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Actually dry food is harder for cats to digest as it is carb heavy and cats are not designed to eat carbs. That's why obesity, diabetes, and kidney disease is a major issue for cats right now.
Dry food is more calorie dense and there are certainly times when it’s easier to digest. That’s why some cats like mine favor dry food over wet when recovering from nausea.

There are high meat content dry foods as well like Acana, Orijen...
 

Georgina887

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I find it’s the same in human medicine as it is veterinary medicine. No one knows anything about nutrition and just want to throw unnecessary tests at you and pills.
From my experiences over the last few years with medical conditions my husband has, no one wants to find the root cause of things and it’s been the same with my cats.

my husband has cured his problems through learning about nutrition and healing himself with food. Not saying every medical condition can be healed with food but I would say a massive majority result from poor nutrition. It’s exactly the same with animals.

to be honest I’ve lost most of my faith in doctors and vets.
 
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