4 Pet Myths That Nearly Everyone Believes

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Even the most experienced, well-intentioned pet owners can get it wrong sometimes.

According to veterinarian Barbara Royal, there are several pet-related misconceptions that far too many of us tend to believe. She calls these misguided ideas "mythconceptions," and says that there are four commonlyheld myths in particular that it's high time we bust. 

MYTH: Dry kibble chips off tartar.


Actually, the opposite is true, says Dr. Royal. "That sticks to your teeth," she explains. "It's actually making your teeth more likely to have tartar and problems."

MYTH: Animals see in black-and-white.


We've all heard this age-old adage, but it isn't accurate. "They don't see all of the colors that we see, but they can actually distinguish between colors," Dr. Royal says.

MYTH: Animals may limp to get attention.


Don't dismiss it when your animal limps, Dr. Royal says. "They are limping because there probably is something wrong," she points out. "You do need to find out what that is about."

MYTH: Animals can eat cooked bones.


"You should definitely be careful if they eat any kind of cooked bones -- they splinter in very sharp, splintery ways inside of the intestines," Dr. Royal says. "They can eat raw bones. Raw bones are great… They help clean teeth [and] they're good for mental capacity, just to chew through a nice raw bone. That can be fun."

Related: Stop feeding your pet peanut butter (and these other common treats)

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