Who's really answering your questions about your dog?

Question

Are you willing to take the advise of someone who you have never met? Someone who you have no idea if they hate dogs or not? How do you know the answer they give you is correct?
You see people say "Vet Tech." that give the complete wrong answers, ARE THEY REALLY A VET TECH? Are you going to just take their word?
The people on this board who ask crazy "way out in left field" questions, and those that give way out there answers... This could be the person whom you are taking advise from.
Now I'm not a Vet Tech, "although I have worked closely with my Vet for a few years" when I use to breed. I too am not perfect and can be wrong. But people PLEASE go to a Licensed Veterinarian before you try some of the things that is suggested to you here.
Go there FIRST and FOREMOST! This is about your BEST FRIEND, your DOG. Don't take chances please?!
When in doubt, "and when you really care" GO TO YOUR VET. Your dogs life could be at stake here.

You are all great.
The scary thing to me is this too...
Someone who doesn't KNOW any better "and there's a lot of them here"
May actually take advise and try some of the uneducated, harmful things suggested here!

Answer 1

When I give advise I almost always start with..."First, take your dog to a vet." I believe in vet care, spaying/neutering and premium pet food. I work in dog rescue and training, although this is the first time I brought up that fact in an answer. I do know what you are talking about. I have seen so many harmful answers on here. People answering when they have not bothered educating themselves on a subject. Like the person that said " it depends on the breed" when asked if chocolate is harmful to a dog. People telling others to hit a dog as a form of training makes me cringe. I could make a long list but you get the drift.

Answer 2

&Quote:"
ragapple
4 minutes ago

yep and 10 people can put up good answers and ONE a very bad one that will cause a lotta greif. Which does the poster pick as best? - the "bad" one with the comment finally someone who knows something. "&Quote.

I agree and I think that says a lot more about the owner that they were looking for one person to agree with them and want to believe it's not serious or don't want to pay to go to the vet.

I agree wholeheartedly with the comments of the original poster, I answer a lot in the cats section because I know more about them bring brought up on a farm, working in a veterinary setting and also from being a breeder for many years. I work closely with other cat breeders and owners and we share experience, problems and solutions.

I always recommend a vet visit and try to give people information as to what the cause could be and why it needs attention by a qualified professional. If the pet means that much, then I and most of the people I know would rather look like an idiot going to a vet with a pet that has nothing wrong for peace of mind than sit it out, worry and have something tragic happen to them.

Answer 3

I really do agree with u. I love to try and help people but some of the questions should not be on here and they need to at least make a phone call to the vet and ask them instead of yahoo answers.
I am not a vet tech, nor do i ever claim to be. I have rescued dogs for 30 years of my life and have learned alot. There is alot i do not know and i will never claim 2 know something i do not know. I may research it and find websites to give a person some info about similar to what they are asking. (least i try anyway)
I have seen answers that say they are a vet tech, but if they are a vet tech they really need to learn how to use vocabulary and learn to spell. Why????????? Why say u are somethiing u are not and take a chance of really messing someones poor pet up worse than it already is??? I do not understand.

Answer 4

I have to agree with you on most of this.

Sometimes it is very difficult to determine if the answer you've received is "accurate" or not. I recently got rather upset that a poster chose the "best answer" from someone saying her dog's urinating crystals was not a big deal and to just make sure she was receiving lots of fresh water and to wait it out. Urinating crystals is a sign of kidney and/or bladder infections and, if left untreated, can be deadly to an animal. So it made me very upset that this poster was willing to accept this answer as genuine because, as she said, it put her mind to ease.

I think though a lot of the questions on this board seem to be asking more for personal experience. At least, I try to limit my questions ( and answers) to what I've dealt with directly. Things that I've already had checked out with my vet and know the problem. But people need to understand what worked for one posters dog may not work for yours. And, in fact, can actually be very dangerous to another's animal. What my 130 lb dog can handle and how she's treated (medically) is MUCH different than the next person's 5 lb Chihuahua. THIS is the most important thing people need to understand and realize.

My advice, especially with animal care, is to do your own research on it before taking the word of these complete strangers who, as you say, may just be posting from thin air for these (pointless) 2 points. If you ask a question regarding medical care and receive a variety of answers, copy and paste your question into google search (or any search engine) and research what comes up. At least this way you will be able to pull out the "real" answers from the "off the wall" ones and you run less risk of further injuring your pet.

Though a lot of people have good intentions, some do not.

EDIT: A quote from a few posters down...." I agree and I think that says a lot more about the owner that they were looking for one person to agree with them and want to believe it's not serious or don't want to pay to go to the vet."

My thoughts......ABSOLUTELY!!! There may be 10 people who disagree but if just 1 agrees, then 'my' thoughts are okay, right? As a pet owner and someone who takes a dog to the vet every day, this is SOO WRONG!

Answer 5

Even a licensed vet with many years experience can't diagnose an illness from the owner's description of symptoms without seeing the animal. Anyone who is using this site for anything other than SUPPLEMENTARY information is a fool! They should always take the dog to the vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment. I've trained dogs for 28 years and been a vet tech and a groomer and worked at boarding kennels. I STILL take my dog to my vet when there's a problem!

People who want to save a few bucks trying home remedies for worms and fleas and diarrhea are asking for big trouble!

Answer 6

Thank God someone finally said it!

It drives me crazy to see what some people talk about on Answers-Pets. The only reason I ever go on this sight is to try to give helpful answers to pet owners. It worries me too much that if I don't answer certain questions, the owners will take the wrong advice. For any health or behavior question, an answer should include asking a vet or behaviorist. I wish there was someone qualified to check over the answers in Pets, because you just can't equate this section to, say, Computers or Cooking!

Answer 7

You're right, I've read the answers by those claiming to be vet techs.
When it comes to vaccinations, even those who are vet techs will answer based on what the vet said. They have not researched it. They do not know the true duration of immunity to vaccines. They do not know that all 27 vet schools in the US have gone to a 3 yr protocol. They just keep repeating what their vet said.
People need to wake up and do some research on the net.
I always look up any meds that my vet gives. Vets don't tell you what to watch for in adverse reactions to meds.
I've learned a lot in 30 yrs of dogs. If it doesn't sound right, then look it up. Even if it does sound right, look it up anyway.

Answer 8

As a vet tech of 25 years I totally agree with you. I tell people that I answer questions for that no one can diagnose over the internet or phone and if they try don't believe them. I ALWAYS tell them to seek the advise of their vet. When I answer a question it is basically to give the owner more insight into what questions to ask their vet.

Answer 9

yep and 10 people can put up good answers and ONE a very bad one that will cause a lotta greif. Which does the poster pick as best? - the "bad" one with the comment finally someone who knows something.

Answer 10

Scary, isn't it. I really wish people would NOT answer questions unless they know the topic, it often seems they are just making a wild, uninformed guess. And yeah, that is usually the one that is chosen best.