By Grace Bathery
It’s becoming more common to see pet products and supplements advertised on websites and social media. It’s easy to be swayed by something that appears to be the perfect solution to a pet health problem. Plus, determining the legitimacy of advertisements and product placements is becoming more difficult as AI-generated content floods social media feeds. The UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s Doug DeBoer (Dept. of Medical Sciences) is here to share insight on when to trust online pet advice and when to avoid it.
Pet products, such as supplements, are often advertised online. How can someone tell if they’re legit or not?
It can sometimes be quite difficult. Best advice may be to not click on any social media links but rather do an independent search on the product and/or company name. Having said that, AI-generated product advertisements and websites endorsing dubious treatments are common, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to spot the fakes, even for practiced internet sleuths.
How can I tell if the person endorsing a product online is actually qualified to be speaking about a product?
Start by searching their name to see if you can determine if they are a real person or not. If they do come up in a search, see if they have an associated physical business address and if so, look up that address to see if it is a real place or a fake address. Are there any studies on the product? Where were these studies published? If the publication source is listed, do a search of that publication to find out if the quoted study even exists — which often, they do not.
What should someone do if they’re uncertain the pet advice they’re seeing online is accurate?
Of course, the obvious answer is to ask your veterinarian. Beyond this, check the qualifications of the person giving the advice. Are they a legitimate pet healthcare professional, or merely an internet influencer with dubious qualifications? Is their “advice” tied to some kind of product promotion (if so, be suspicious of their motives). Online products promising miracle cures for pet ailments are very unlikely to be legitimate, helpful, or even safe.
When, if ever, is it appropriate to give supplements to your pet? How can you decide if this is the case?
There are so many different health conditions for which supplements are marketed online. Though most of them are probably not harmful, some could be, but in general supplements do not cure disease conditions. Working with your primary veterinarian – who knows you and your pet – is usually the best course of action when you’re looking to keep your pets in their best possible health.