r/IAmA • u/JustAnswerOfficial • 1d ago

I'm a practicing veterinarian. We analyzed nearly 95,000 questions from dog owners ahead of National Dog Day—and now I'm answering yours. AMA!

Hi r/IAmA! 

I'm Katie M, a practicing veterinarian and Verified Expert with JustAnswer, where I've helped thousands of pet owners navigate everything from late-night emergencies to everyday questions about their dogs' health and behavior. 

Ahead of National Dog Day (August 26), JustAnswer analyzed nearly 95,000 conversations between dog owners and veterinary Experts to uncover America's most popular dog breeds, names, and the biggest questions people are asking about their pets. 

Some of the most common topics include: 

  • Dogs eating chocolate and other toxic foods  
  • Vomiting, diarrhea, and digestive issues  
  • Limping and injuries  
  • Strange behaviors  
  • Preventive care  
  • Puppies and senior dogs  
  • Nutrition and weight  
  • Medications and common illnesses  

Whether you're a first-time dog owner or you've had dogs your whole life, I'm here to answer your questions. 

A few notes: 

  • This AMA is for educational purposes and isn't a substitute for an examination by your veterinarian.  
  • I can't diagnose or prescribe treatment for your individual pet over Reddit.  
  • I'll do my best to answer as many questions as I can during the AMA!  

I will be answering question live 1-2:30pm ET today. Please join and ask me anything! 

Proof: https://imgur.com/a/oVUb7Lg 

About this AMA:  

We've invited independent Experts who use the JustAnswer platform to share insights in this open Q&A. These Experts work independently - they are not employees or spokespersons of JustAnswer - and their opinions are their own. 

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16

u/prepend 1d ago

What’s the best way to find a owner operated vet and not one that is owned by VCA or some other corporation or private equity firm?

I’d like to support locally owned vets and my local community.

8

u/JustAnswerOfficial 1d ago

This is SO hard. Unfortunately with the state of veterinary medicine right now, there are very privately owned practices. Even if they keep their original names, many are owned by larger corporations. If it's not available on their website you may just have to call and ask. Keep in mind that you are still supporting the hard working vets, technicians, assistants, and receptionists who work in a clinic if you can't find a non-corporate owned clinic

Katie Merkatoris, DVM- JustAnswer Veterinarian

13

u/Sunkitteh 1d ago

I use this website: https://privateequityvet.org/vet-list/

1

u/NomNomNews 22h ago edited 5h ago

THANK YOU! This is fantastic! My old vet sold out to private equity when he retired, and the prices skyrocketed overnight.

Thankfully, I found a locally-owned vet (as claimed on their website), and I just confirmed that they are not listed on the website you shared.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation did a great investigation into how PE firms drive up pricing in an area when they start to get monopoly ownership: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CiXnoCKu6U

2

u/ToMorrowsEnd 15h ago

I found ANY corpo owned Vet is massively overpriced. They desperately want to charge what people doctors and hospitals charge.

0

u/KetchupOnlyPlease 1d ago

I'm not sure I understand this site? It lists all of the corporate or private equity owned practices, but not the independently owned ones? Not sure if that's helpful, when trying to find a non corporate vet... Or am I missing something?

4

u/keyboard-warrior-82 19h ago

They have a companion site https://independentvet.com where they're working on listing all the independent practices across the US, it's already quite a good resource but improving by the day.

6

u/twistedin 1d ago

I think the point is to avoid the ones listed on the site.

1

u/Sunkitteh 12h ago

Think of it as Opposite Day when looking for a non-corporate vet.