Peanut butter is a safe snack for your dog
This one isn’t completely true, not all peanut butters are created equal! Some peanut butters have been sweetened with artificial sweeteners like xylitol. This is BAD, xylitol is toxic to our furry friends and can cause vomiting, muscle weakness and tremors. Xylitol has been shown to cause hepatic necrosis aka destroying the liver, obviously not good. Make sure to read labels carefully (also consider sources like bulk peanut butter and if you can be reasonably sure they are safe). Here are other foods to avoid!

A dry pet nose means they are sick
Not entirely sure where this came from. Do not use the wetness of your pets nose be the qualifier on whether or not they need to see a vet. Some dogs have wet noses others have dry. I honestly don’t know what else to say about this,…..

Purring means things are puuuurrrrfect
I think this is something that is assumed among some animal owners. While it is true that when cats are content and happy they can purr, this doesn’t follow in reverse. Stressed cats and sick, painful, and dying cats can purr as well.

My dog could definitely benefit from some weed
Marijuana has recently been thrust into the spot light on the Canadian veterinary scene as the plant/drug has been legalized. The research behind its prudent use is currently lacking however I’ve seen many owners self medicating their pets. CBD does show some promise in my opinion but I still feel it is too early. Therapeutic indexes have not been set and we don’t completely understand what is safe and what isn’t. Pets are sensitive to marijuana and can suffer from tremors to seizures to death. If this is something you are truly interested in I urge you to talk with your vet or a veterinary professional to discuss options and formulate a safe plan. Check out my post on arthritis here.

Kitty loves milk
Ok, well I guess this isn’t technically a myth because I’m sure the cat will devour that. The same as some lactose intolerant people will down a cheese pizza and then deal with the,..consequences. While young animals are well equiped to digest milk, they, like humans, lose this ability as they get older. Giving the elderly cat (or dog) a dish of milk probably doesn’t do the old gal any favors.