I'm not sure if this should be in Health or Care & Grooming. Mods, feel free to move the thread if needed!
The veterinary clinic that I bring my cats to is a cat only clinic and my cats are very comfortable with the veterinarians during wellness exams. (Please note that their "comfortableness" is very important because I have brought them to another vet that Malibu would not cooperate with and she was never able to properly give him an exam, check his teeth, etc.) The vets and staff are super nice to me and my cats but I am thinking about leaving because we don't see eye-to-eye on two issues:
1 - Diet
I do not think that I am smarter than my traditional vet, I just want my cats on a species appropriate diet and to not over-vaccinate them. Whenever I go there now, I feel embarrassed or ashamed that I'm not being a good cat parent and following doctor's orders. So the question is: Do I switch vets and take the chance that Malibu hates the holistic vet or stay with my current vet and be uncomfortable myself?
The veterinary clinic that I bring my cats to is a cat only clinic and my cats are very comfortable with the veterinarians during wellness exams. (Please note that their "comfortableness" is very important because I have brought them to another vet that Malibu would not cooperate with and she was never able to properly give him an exam, check his teeth, etc.) The vets and staff are super nice to me and my cats but I am thinking about leaving because we don't see eye-to-eye on two issues:
1 - Diet
- My cats are now on a raw food diet but my vet does not approve. He literally said that what I am doing is very unsafe and I could be doing major damage by feeding a possibly unbalanced diet. (While this is a possibility of course, I have done a lot of research and have run my menu by a holistic veterinarian who has given me her opinion and blessing that I am on the right course)
- My traditional vet suggests that I put Malibu on a Science Diet Senior Cat diet since he is 8 years old and is now a "senior". This is not happening.
- I have always brought my cats (now 8 and 3 years old) in to the vet for their annual vaccines. I have recently decided that I do not want them to have vaccines anymore. I have to do the rabies annually because Louisiana law requires it but I believe the annual feline herpes and calicivirus vaccine is excessive and I want to discontinue vaccinating them for health reasons.
- My traditional vet said that not giving the vaccines is ultimately my decision but he wanted me to know that he does not agree with me and that he strongly promotes annual vaccinations.
I do not think that I am smarter than my traditional vet, I just want my cats on a species appropriate diet and to not over-vaccinate them. Whenever I go there now, I feel embarrassed or ashamed that I'm not being a good cat parent and following doctor's orders. So the question is: Do I switch vets and take the chance that Malibu hates the holistic vet or stay with my current vet and be uncomfortable myself?