I come in here and answer questions on breeding, fleas and ticks, and other various dog and house and garden questions. However, when I do, I see so many dangerous answers and I get scared! There was a question the other day about a dog that ate a bottle of Terro ant killer. The asker said that the vet told her Borax is harmless to pets! Ummm, it is a poison. I looked at the MSDS (material safety data sheet) and it wasn't at all "harmless". I have read answers that said to use sevan dust on dogs and puppies. (Only if you want dead or sick dogs and puppies.) One person wants you to burn a tick off a dog. (Have you ever tried to light a match or lighter near a wiggling dog?) How about the old "rub the dog's nose in his business" or "hit him with a newspaper" comments.
Is there anything dangerous that I have missed? Does this worry anyone else?
2007-07-01 09:02:33 · 26 answers · asked by Katslookup - a Fostering Fool! 6 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Kats what I have seen some people say here would make most other people's hair turn white. I do recall all the questions you have mentioned and also one about what you should do if your dog is chocking. One response was to massage your dogs throat. I flipped out. I only hope the questioner didn't do that because it was on a Doxi. The poor dog would have died.
The only thing I try to do is I will e-mail some else who does know the proper response to the question if I don't know. Then I can only hope that the other person will be available to quickly answer it.
Common sense is in short supply but I could not justify any answer given by me that would do harm to anyone's animal.
I'm with you, It does concern me greatly.
Ignorance, old wives tales, no common sence seem to be abundance here some times.
NOTE: I remember this one too. Used motor oil on a dog to get rid of mange. ?????
2007-07-01 10:52:03 · answer #1 · answered by ♥Golden gal♥ 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Yes I have seen them but I think most people don't listen to some of the crazy answers on dog health. Usually if I ask a dog health question it is to get more information and I may have already called the vet or plan to when they open so it doesn't replace the advice of a vet in my case and am hoping it is like that in most other cases.
As far as the old ways and sometimes ignorant ways of teaching a dog a lesson the ones you mentioned are counterproductive but not really dangerous. I have been hit with a newspaper before and it doesn't hurt but it also would not detour me from doing something.
You know you actually get more answers though when you make a problem sound really bad I just asked a medical question and got only one answer of course it doesn't sound that bad and maybe people don't know much about it but it seems you are more likely to get some suggestions if you ask a question that sounds more desperate.
2007-07-01 09:17:07 · answer #2 · answered by Carrie S 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most of the time on this site I gravitate between disgust, fear, laughter and tears. You are absolutely right, but I think you have missed alot of them.
There aren't any purebred dogs in shelters because people love them.
I want to breed my dog because I can. What's wrong with that?
How much $$ can I get for my puppies?(And all those other breeding questions that scare the h____out of me.)
My vet is too expensive. Do I really need heartworm protection for my dog?
My personal favorite-Why do I have to give the shelter so much money to adopt a mutt?
And so on, and so on....
2007-07-01 14:09:33 · answer #3 · answered by anne b 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah. And it's not JUST the dog section that is getting these horrible answers!
I hang around in the book section ALOT and some answers people give to people are barbaric!
I have noticed quite a bit too in the video game section people will give people wrong answers and they believe them! So like for instance in a video game these people follow the wrong advice and mess themselves up!
Health section is just the same.
I don't know if these people are trying to be cute...or funny...or what. But they ought to know the danger they're putting many people at!
Very good post you have here. You deserve a star!
Maybe some people will read this and stop the nonsense answers.
2007-07-01 09:11:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a HUGE concern. Whenever possible, I always try to give a link from a reputable site. (AKC, eHow, etc.)
As far as burning the ticks, you NEVER want to do that, but, my parents used to do that and what you do is light the match, leave it burn for 10 seconds or so then blow it out and touch the tick with the hot tip. Still VERY dangerous and something I would NEVER recommend doing.
If there is an answer that I find may help me, before I do anything, I will research it first.
People want to be know-it-alls and are all too quick to give out bad advice. Even worse, people take it!
2007-07-01 09:09:46 · answer #5 · answered by Pom♥Mom Spay and Neuter 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
I can understand and see your concern, but there is no sure way to trust people on a public site such as this. Don't get me wrong, this site has helped me with various answers for my school projects and such. I would always take a precaution acting towards an answer if the solution involves a life of a living thing.
2007-07-01 12:53:38 · answer #6 · answered by Axertion 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally take it as opinions only, not expert advice. we should still do some research ourselves about the answers we get to a question. i think these answers are just to give us other creative ideas we might not have thought of ourselves, and we can use them as starting points to do further research on the subject. 2 heads are better than one right?
I think people need to look up the basics for themselves and then come ask the questions. for example, any reputable article on dog training will say no hitting and no rubbing the dog's nose in it's business. so knowing that, users can ask for ideas and discard those that say to do things they have already learned they are not supposed to do.
2007-07-01 09:14:11 · answer #7 · answered by Kay 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No Kat, you know what is really scary? It is that the people offering the types of solutions you are talking about, own dogs themselves. Which means they have attempted the crap you are talking about. Poor, poor animals, the things they have to suffer at the hands of the ignorant is absolutely atrocious. Lack of common sense seems to be a wide spread disease in today's world.
If people have no knowledge on a particular question they should skip it instead of trying to appear knowledgeable because if someone takes the ridiculous and dangerous advice given it could be to the detriment of the dog.
2007-07-01 09:24:31 · answer #8 · answered by Shepherdgirl § 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Yeah and its also sooooo ridicules when someone asks 'Help! My dog is puking and not eating nor drinking and not even standing up'!!! OMG The fRiCkEn idiots!!! take the bloody animal to the V*E*T!!!
I don't know why they ask idiotic questions because what they are basically saying is this: 'My dog is dying! What do I do?' There is a doctor for animals now ya know!!!
Its so bloody ridicules don't you agree?
I love animals and so do soooo many people here.
I think we should start 'report abuse' on some of the people with REALLY REALLY dangerous questions what do ye think?
But we should make an asking question cause its only one person's opinion. wat do you think?
2007-07-01 09:08:54 · answer #9 · answered by CrazyCatGirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All too often I see people here offer "expert" veterinary advice on dogs and other animals. I've seen folks give detailed diagnoses and recommend treatment for all sorts of ailments. I've seen people ask how they can spay/neuter their dog at home; and I've seen serious answers to such ridiculous questions. I've seen people prescribe medicines and therapies, but I haven't yet seen a valid prescription on YA (thankfully).
If I was a veterinarian (I'm not), I would do a thorough hands-on examination of your pet before I offered any diagnosis. I might send out for xrays, or lab tests. Nobody can do that online!
2007-07-01 12:48:23 · answer #10 · answered by Ginbail © 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋