10. One Dog Year Equals Seven Human Years
The idea that one canine year is equivalent to seven human years is among the pet misconceptions that doctors see most frequently. While experts concur that this method is not a reliable way to determine a dog’s age, it may be a nice way to practice your times tables.
Today, scientists are aware that examining the DNA alterations in an animal provides a more accurate measure of maturity. A medium-sized dog’s first year is similar to 15 human years, their second year is equivalent to 24 human years, and the years after that are equivalent to around four to five human years, according to a graphic made by the American Veterinary Medical Association. As a result, even at the young age of 6, many dog owners observe age-related changes in their pets.
11. Dogs Can’t Digest Corn or Grains
The notion that grains like maize are detrimental for dogs has grown in popularity alongside grain-free diets like the paleo diet. However, recent research indicate that switching your dog to a grain-free diet may be risky. Corn and other grains frequently have a poor rap as “cheap fillers” or ingredients in pet food that cause allergies.
Dr. Jamie Richardson, medical director of Small Door Veterinary, disagrees, stating that grains may contribute healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals to a dog’s diet even though protein should make up the majority of its diet. Recently, veterinarians discovered that grain-free meals may actually contribute to dilated cardiomyopathy, a deadly cardiac ailment that impairs the heart’s capacity to pump blood. Dr. Anna Gelzer, a veterinarian and cardiologist, asserts that “going without grain has no scientific basis.”
12. It’s Okay For My Cat To Be An Outdoor Cat
The idea that indoor cats should be permitted to roam free outdoors is among the most harmful pet myths. While the dangers of car accidents, ingesting poison from rodents, unintended pregnancies, and disease transfer to cats who roam freely are well recognized, new research is beginning to show the hazardous consequences cats have on the environment.
The president of the American Bird Conservancy, Dr. George Fenwick, claims that cats kill more than “4 billion creatures annually, including at least 500 million birds.” Cats leave behind feces that are full of parasites including hookworms, roundworms, and a bacterium that causes toxoplasmosis wherever they travel. The fetus of a pregnant mother may die from this condition or have serious brain damage. Because of this, keeping cats inside is safer for both people and other animals.
13. Dogs Eat Grass When They’re Not Feeling Well
The idea that dogs go for grass when they’re feeling unwell or to induce vomiting is a pet myth that is frequently perpetuated. While it may seem intriguing that canines might self-medicate by grazing on your grass, vets have different hypotheses.
Only a small number of dogs vomit after eating grass, according to studies, and the majority of dogs appear healthy both before and after. Dogs may eat grass as a source of fiber, out of boredom or anxiety, or just because they like the flavor, according to scientific theory. Grass itself is often not harmful, but pesticides or herbicides applied to it can be poisonous. Intestinal parasites are another common soil contamination risk to your dog’s health.
14. Animals From The Shelter Are Flawed
The notion that animals from shelters must have a problem and hence make lousy pets is one pet myth that animal shelters need to dispel on a regular basis. In actuality, many pets who end up in shelters were abandoned due to problems with their owners rather than the animals themselves.
Animals end up in shelters for a variety of reasons, such as owners leaving, losing their jobs, or refusing to properly teach or care for their pet. The responsibility of caring for an animal is something that many individuals who own pets are not prepared for. A dog’s behavior is influenced by a variety of circumstances, and shelters usually make this information known if an animal has behavioral problems or needs special care.
