"Don't ask, don't tell" has to stop

More owners are taking advantage of herbs, nutritional supplements, chiropractic medicine, and acupuncture for their pets, but few are telling their veterinarians. A new survey found 65% of pets treated at the Colorado State University Animal Cancer Center used herbs or some other form of alternative medicine, but a measly 35% mentioned it to their doctors. That's despite the fact that more than half of those owners—64%—thought their veterinarians might support the use. The lesson: Ask at every visit whether owners are administering alternative therapy to pets.