Coastal Georgia and Lowcountry pet owners: we know your dogs and cats are family. But when it comes to their health, relying on old wives’ tales, myths, and internet forums can put them at risk. From the beaches of Tybee Island to historic Savannah apartments, misinformation is everywhere.
Savannah Veterinary Internal Medicine is here to set the record straight. We’re busting 9 myths about pet health, diet, and behavior with specialist-backed evidence. Get ready to separate fact from fiction and ensure your furry companion lives their longest, healthiest life.
Myth 1: The Dog-to-Human "7-Year Rule"
The Fact: This formula is an oversimplification. Dog aging depends on size and breed. Large breeds age faster and are often considered senior when small dogs may only be in the middle of their lifespan.
Why It Matters: Applying the wrong age can delay senior health screenings and early disease management. Our internal medicine specialists frequently diagnose advanced, but treatable, geriatric diseases like chronic kidney disease and hormone disorders (e.g., hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism). Not testing for these diseases because they are “too young” delays treatment.
Actionable Tip: A dog’s first year often equates to about 15 human years. After that, the rate varies. Talk to your Lowcountry or Coastal Georgia veterinarian about the proper time to schedule a senior wellness checkup that includes comprehensive blood work and urinalysis. If the results are concerning, you can call us to schedule a consultation without a referral.
Myth 2: Pets Only Need to See the Vet When They’re Sick
The Fact: Preventative care is of the utmost importance. Pets are masters at hiding pain and illness, by the time symptoms are obvious, the condition is often advanced, making treatments more difficult and resulting in worsening prognosis.
Why It Matters: Routine wellness exams and blood work can catch subtle, internal changes. For patients with complex or chronic symptoms, an internal medicine specialist consultation can be helpful. At Savannah Veterinary Internal Medicine we use diagnostic imaging and specialized lab tests to identify issues like early kidney disease, cancer, digestive disorders (inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis) and endocrine diseases. Early diagnosis can mean less invasive, less expensive, and more effective treatment.
Actionable Tip: Schedule annual (or semi-annual, even triannual for seniors) exams. If your pet has unexplained weight loss, chronic vomiting, poor appetite, coughing or persistent lethargy, consider requesting an internal medicine consultation directly with our Savannah Veterinary Internal Medicine specialists for additional testing.
Myth 3: Indoor Cats and Dogs Don't Need Vaccinations or Parasite Prevention
The Fact: We wish we had a dollar for every time we’ve heard this—it remains one of the most persistent and potentially harmful misconceptions we hear. Parasites, especially those carried by insects, do not respect closed doors. Fleas, ticks, and disease-carrying mosquitoes can easily enter your home through open windows and doors. Georgia and South Carolina consistently rank among the top states for heartworms—a disease transmitted by mosquitoes. This makes year-round prevention, even for indoor pets, crucial in the mild, humid climate of Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
Why It Matters: Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes and is a life-threatening, difficult, and expensive-to-treat illness. Fleas can cause tapeworm and severe skin issues including skin sores, infection and fur loss. Because we have year-round warm weather in Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry, prevention must be year-round.
Actionable Tip: In Savannah, Pooler and South Carolina, heartworm prevention is not optional; it is a year-round standard of medical care due to the severity of the disease risk in our warm, humid climate. Talk to your vet about appropriate year-round, preventative medication to protect against heartworm, fleas, and ticks, regardless of whether your pet ever steps outside.
Myth 4: A Dog's Warm or Dry Nose Means They Are Sick
The Fact: A dog’s nose moisture and temperature fluctuate constantly throughout the day due to external factors like weather, hydration, and sleep. A dry nose might simply mean your dog woke up from a nap near the heating vent!
Why It Matters: Relying on the nose can cause unnecessary panic or, worse, make you overlook a serious illness.
Actionable Tip: Monitor reliable signs of illness, such as changes in appetite, lethargy, vomiting, or diarrhea. The nose is not a diagnostic tool!
Myth 5: Sharing Table Scraps/People Food is a Harmless Treat
The Fact: Some common human foods are highly toxic to pets (e.g., Xylitol, grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic). Even non-toxic foods that are too rich or fatty can cause serious health issues like pancreatitis in dogs.
Why It Matters: In addition to immediate toxicity risk, this practice is a major contributor to the growing pet obesity epidemic, which stresses joints and organs.
Actionable Tip: Stick to safe, vet-approved pet treats, manufactured by reputable pet food companies.
Myth 6: A Dog's Mouth is Cleaner Than a Human's, and Licking Wounds Helps Them Heal
The Fact: A dog’s mouth is teeming with bacteria, many of which are foreign to the skin.
Risk to the Dog: While licking can stimulate blood flow, it introduces bacteria and excessive moisture, which significantly hinders wound healing and increases the risk of serious local infection.
Risk to the Human: The greatest risk lies in bacteria like Capnocytophaga, a normal inhabitant of a dog’s mouth. If introduced through broken skin or a bite, it can cause severe, life-threatening septic shock in immunocompromised people (such as those without a spleen or with liver disease). This is why a simple lick over an open cut should always be avoided.
Why It Matters: Allowing a dog to “clean” a cut or scrape—on them or you—can increase the risk of severe infection for both the pet and the human.
Actionable Tip: Always clean pet wounds with veterinary-approved antiseptics and use a protective collar (E-collar) to prevent licking. Better yet, for any wound that looks serious, or is not healing, see your vet right away. If you have a wound, it’s best to see a human healthcare provider.
Myth 7: Purring Always Means a Cat is Happy and Content
The Fact: Purring does frequently indicate that a cat is content, happy and relaxed. However, it is also a powerful self-soothing mechanism, used when a cat is stressed, frightened, in pain, or sick. Interestingly, it’s thought that the sound wave frequency of purring helps promote bone and tissue repair!
Why It Matters: An owner might mistakenly dismiss a purring cat that is hiding under the bed or refusing food, thinking the cat is merely content when it is, in fact, distressed or ill.
Actionable Tip: Look at the whole picture: body language (hiding, unusual posture) and behavior changes (appetite, litter box use) are far more reliable indicators of a cat’s health than purring alone.
Myth 8: Cats Always Land on Their Feet
The Fact: Cats possess an incredible “righting reflex,” allowing them to orient their bodies mid-fall. However, this does not make them invincible. Falls from low heights don’t give them enough time to fully twist, and falls from extreme heights can still cause severe trauma and broken bones (known as High-Rise Syndrome).
Why It Matters: This belief leads to owner complacency regarding open windows and access to balconies, a real concern in apartment living across Savannah, Pooler and the Lowcountry. Falls are medical emergencies—see your vet right away to determine if there is any internal damage.
Actionable Tip: Cat-proof all balconies and windows, especially if you live in a multi-story building in Savannah or Skidaway Island. Seek immediate veterinary care after any fall.
Myth 9: Grain Is Bad & Grain-Free Diets Are Best for All Pets
The Fact: Grains are not inherently harmful and are excellent sources of nutrients for most pets. In fact, there is a potential link between certain grain-free, legume-heavy diets and an increased risk of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs.
Why It Matters: Unless your pet has a medically diagnosed grain allergy, switching to a potentially risky trendy diet can compromise their heart health.
Actionable Tip: Consult with a veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist before making major dietary changes. At Savannah Veterinary Internal Medicine, our specialists recommend choosing foods formulated by companies that adhere to rigorous nutritional research and that have a long track record of manufacturing safe foods, or formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist specialist.
Conclusion: The Truth Is Out There
The best pet parenting is always informed pet parenting. By debunking these nine common myths, you can move past old wives’ tales and start making choices based on scientific facts. We know you want the absolute best for your furry family member here in Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry, and that starts with prevention and accurate information.
When those complex questions arise, trust a specialist. The board-certified experts at Savannah Veterinary Internal Medicine (SVIM) are here to provide the answers and guidance you need. Call or contact us today.
We’re here to bust those myths, and separate pet health fact from fiction.
Author:
James Woods DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)
Ph: (912) 721-6410
Contact Us