What is going on?

[Daisy and Delilah]

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we are on the Internet. People can do a search in a search engine like Google and find similar topics, so they stumble on our board, register and post.

Not everyone grew up with animals and knows as much about them as they should, so they reach out for advice. What might seem blatantly obvious to a lifetime cat owner might not be for someone who just got a cat, for example. And so we should all respond with good intentions, and hope our advice is taken.

Unfortunately, I guess alot of people aren't as aware as they possibly could be. We have a wealth of great information here and it's really a compliment that others would seek advice from this board. Also: I agree with you Zara. Money can be tight for many people.

Well said, Karen. It is the best to respond with good intentions, advise them to seek a vet's care(when necessary), and hope that it turns out well. We would absolutley love it if they let us know how things went.

[K9soul]

I don't have a problem with people posting for advice if they are willing to TAKE the advice that the animal needs to see the vet. Often these types will post and make it clear they have no intention to go to the vet because they can't afford it, or else they are advised to take the animal to the vet and they ignore the advice saying the vet is not possible for one reason or another. THAT is what I find infuriating.

Of course there are always situations as mentioned, such as a younger poster who relies on parents. It is still upsetting if the animal cannot receive vet care, but more understandable on the poster's part.

I also don't agree with relying so heavily on ANY board for a diagnosis. We are not vets here, and cannot see the pet. We can give ideas, but a board should NOT be a substitute for the vet to diagnose and treat an ill animal. Sure someone could join up and post their dog is limping lately, someone else may suggest the dog could have arthritis and that buffered aspirin might help. The poster may just decide the person must know what they are talking about and figure they just got saved a trip to the vet, only to find out down the road their dog had something much more serious that could have been caught and treated earlier.

These are just my thoughts on this.