This could be a YMMV kind of thing, too. I had two cats and a dog for 16 years. One of my cats absolutely needed to be left alone from a treatment standpoint when she was ill. The other cat became very ill and did need to be hydrated and I’m convinced he wouldn’t have made it without the intervention.

My dog became very ill at age 14 and had horrible serum measurements of both the kidneys and liver. I was told he likely had cancer and three weeks to live. He couldn’t keep food down or hold his bladder. He went from 21 lbs to 15 lbs in about 10 days. I gave him small amounts of boiled chicken breasts about four times a day and he began to recover rapidly and lived two more years. I now think he likely ate something toxic that made him sick. Naturally, if he did not want the chicken, I would not have given it too him, but he went crazy for it.

If I ever have another pet I will feed it a grain free diet.

Last time I took a cat to the vet with upper respiratory who was given fluids, I ended up putting him to sleep a few days later after the fluids collected in his belly. No more for me. No more interference.

We each do what we think is best and right.