Does "Dr. Google" improve discussion and decisions in small animal practice? Dog and cat owners use of internet resources to find medical information about their pets in three European countries.

ABSTRACT: Modern dog and cat owners increasingly use internet resources to obtain information on pet health issues. While access to online information can improve owners' knowledge of patient care and inform conversations with their veterinarian during consultations, there is also a risk that owners will misinterpret online information or gain a false impression of current standards in veterinary medicine. This in turn can cause problems or tensions, for example if the owner delays consulting their veterinarian about necessary treatment, or questions the veterinarian's medical advice. Based on an online questionnaire aimed at dog and cat owners in Austria, Denmark and the United Kingdom (N = 2117) we investigated the use of internet resources to find veterinary medical information, the type o

SUBMITTER: Springer S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11223573 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature