Fear is a powerful force. It dictates choices, clouds judgment, and paralyzes action. Yet, it is nothing more than a projection of our imagination—an illusion that only exists in our thoughts about the future. The Bible makes it clear: fear is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7). It is not a guiding light but a thief, stealing our ability to make rational, faith-filled choices.

As dog owners, fear can shape the way we care for our animals. It can push us into blind obedience, unquestioningly following protocols because we are afraid of making the “wrong” choice. Or, it can trap us in inaction, fearing that if we take matters into our own hands, we might fail. But fear should never be the reason we make decisions about our dogs’ health.

The Day My Story Changed

The moment I realized that my dog, Momoci, was not getting better under conventional treatment was the moment fear could have taken over. She had already undergone multiple surgeries for congenital leg deformities. Then, at two years old, seizures began. The medications kept increasing, her health kept declining, and the prognosis became grim.

The veterinarians told me she would die—six months, at best. I had a choice:

1. Accept their authority, let fear dictate my actions, and watch her fade under medications.

2. Step outside the box, challenge the status quo, and critically think about what was best for her.

I chose the second path. I began researching—deeply. I studied nutrition, detoxification, and the body’s ability to heal. I realized that the very medications meant to “help” her were damaging her liver, exacerbating the problem. I questioned every protocol, filtering it through logic, research, and instinct.

The result? Momoci lived for 10 more years—without medications.

She thrived because I refused to let fear make decisions for me.

Veterinary Medicine: A Tool, Not a Dictator

I am not against veterinarians. They have valuable knowledge, especially in diagnostics. But their protocols are not scripture; they are guidelines—often influenced by pharmaceutical companies and standardized treatment plans that do not consider individual needs.

Many veterinary practices operate under a “one-size-fits-all” model:

• Annual vaccines, even for healthy adult dogs. • Monthly flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives, regardless of exposure risks. • Prescription kibble, often filled with synthetic additives and species-inappropriate ingredients.

But not every dog needs the same approach. Blindly following a protocol without filtering it through critical thought is not informed care—it is submission to fear.

Instead, I choose veterinarians for diagnostics, and for everything else, I critically think about what is best for my dogs.

Danger Is Real, But Fear Is a Choice

There is a difference between danger and fear.

• Danger is a real and present threat. If your dog is hit by a car, that is an emergency. You act immediately. You do what needs to be done. • Fear, on the other hand, is the imagined worst-case scenario—what might happen. It is the voice that says, “If I don’t follow every standard veterinary recommendation, my dog will suffer.”

This is the fear that keeps people from questioning protocols.

• They fear that not giving monthly preventatives will result in their dog getting heartworm. • They fear that not vaccinating yearly will leave their dog unprotected. • They fear that feeding a raw diet will cause bacterial infections.

But fear-based decisions are not critical thinking.

The Role of Critical Thinking in Dog Care

If I had accepted fear, Momoci would have never lived a full life. And if I let fear control me now, my dogs would not be thriving as they are today.

So how do we step out of fear and into informed decision-making?

1. Filter Advice Through Logic and Research
• Do not just take a vet’s word for it—ask why.
• Read studies.
• Look at how animals in the wild thrive without human intervention.

2. Prioritize Prevention Over Reaction
• Instead of treating disease, focus on building health.
• Feed a species-appropriate diet.
• Reduce toxicity (vaccines, flea/tick preventatives, environmental chemicals).
• Support the body’s natural defenses rather than overriding them.

3. Recognize That Symptoms Are the Body’s Response, Not the Enemy
• Vomiting, diarrhea, skin issues—these are often detox reactions, not “diseases.”
• Suppressing symptoms without addressing the root cause leads to chronic illness.

4. Take Responsibility for Your Dog’s Health
• The vet is not your dog’s ultimate caretaker—you are.
• No one will advocate for your dog as strongly as you.

Letting Go of Fear and Stepping Into Freedom

When we let fear drive us, we hand over responsibility. We give others the authority to dictate what is best for our dogs. But when we reclaim that responsibility, we step into true freedom—the freedom to make informed choices, to question, to trust our instincts, and to do what is genuinely best for our dogs.

Fear is an illusion. It is not from God. And it is certainly not the foundation of responsible dog care.

The day I stopped fearing the “what ifs” and started critically thinking was the day I took control of my dogs’ health. And every day since then, I have seen the proof—dogs that thrive, not just survive.

Because when we stop letting fear make our decisions, we open the door for truth, wisdom, and health to take its place.