My good friend MA from Felinexpress.com has posted a very informative article about advice sought on internet message forums, (I couldn't agree more) worth the read!:
Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
New: Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
New: Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
..........Traci
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Phoebe's human
- Posts: 248
- Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2004 2:09 pm
- Location: Portland, OR
Re: New: Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
Thanks for posting this! Very worthwhile reading!
Re: New: Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
Thank you Traci! Backatcha about good friend 
The smallest feline is a masterpiece.
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Re: New: Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
Interesting read!
I wonder tho, how many kittens/cats would be on the streets or in shelters if the only people that had them were the ones that can afford vet bills at the drop of a hat....I understand taking responsibility for your pet, and while I can afford the cost of shots, spay or neutering, and I can certainly feed my pets, I can't afford $400 for testing when the vet has no idea of what's going on. Top that off with say, up to $5000 for surgery to fix what's wrong.... you can see why many look to internet sites for help with their pets in the hopes that they can save their pet without having to tell the vet to put them to sleep because treatment is unaffordable and the vet is unwilling to take payments...
I wonder tho, how many kittens/cats would be on the streets or in shelters if the only people that had them were the ones that can afford vet bills at the drop of a hat....I understand taking responsibility for your pet, and while I can afford the cost of shots, spay or neutering, and I can certainly feed my pets, I can't afford $400 for testing when the vet has no idea of what's going on. Top that off with say, up to $5000 for surgery to fix what's wrong.... you can see why many look to internet sites for help with their pets in the hopes that they can save their pet without having to tell the vet to put them to sleep because treatment is unaffordable and the vet is unwilling to take payments...
Re: New: Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
The problems are numerous, as this topic and the link spell out.
Responsible pet ownership comes with a lifetime comittment and cost, just as having children comes with a lifetime comittment and costs. The more we can teach pet owners about responsibility, the more enabled they can become. There are numerous ways to save money, to keep a "fund" for your pets. There are numerous ways a pet owner can come up with needed money to pay a vet bill. There are numerous insurance options for pets. If a client has a well-established relationship with their primary vet, chances are, that vet will be more likely to work out payment arrangements at some point.
Pet owners also need to understand that their vet's facilities are a business, just as human hospitals are. Your vet has huge expenses he must meet in order to provide quality care, quality equipment, quality diagnostics and treatment. Ask any vet how many times a client has skipped out on payments, and how much was lost because the vet treated (and possibly saved a pet's life), only to have the owner dupe him in payment. All it takes is one bad owner to make it difficult for owners who do take responsibility. Remember the costs of equipment, drugs, pharmaceuticals, upkeep on equipment, costs of utilities, staff wages, legal insurance meet or even exceed those of human hospitals, so if you want proper and quality care for your pets, it comes with a cost.
Yes, bloodwork may be expensive, but thank goodness it is available. Bloodwork is essential to detect hidden problems, determine vital organ function, detect disease and treat or manage it (just as your human physician relies on bloodwork). The expense comes from the same as in human medicine: labs have to charge the clinic for their services whether it is human or veterinary)
The problem with information on the internet is clearly spelled out in the link. People have become dangerously complacent, lazy and want a "diagnosis" for free, and want this diagnosis from complete strangers who have NO qualifications to give it! Would you do that for yourself or your children? There are literally hundreds of sites and forums online that routinely give out dangerous, misinformed, illegitimate and downright dubious information and if a person doesn't think critically about the source of the information, then they deserve to get what they're asking for. But, do you think that is fair for THE PET? The PET relies soley on his/her owner to do the right thing, that being, see a qualified veterinarian, who is the ONLY one who can see, examine, diagnose, treat and prescribe. Your pets don't deserve anything less!
Lastly, the time spent when "searching" online for answers, could have been more wisely spent on getting the pet to the vet, diagnosed and treated effectively. Instead, owners choose to waste time on the net, take advice that is clearly dangerous or wrong, deny or delay vital treatment for the pet who suffers, and become habitual in expecting such convenience and "free" advice, then yell and scream because their vet won't treat their pet for free or make payment arrangements. They needed to be responsible in the first place. Most of the time, that very bad advice they got on the net is propogated for the next owner who gets online for free advice, and more pets suffer.
Responsible pet ownership comes with a lifetime comittment and cost, just as having children comes with a lifetime comittment and costs. The more we can teach pet owners about responsibility, the more enabled they can become. There are numerous ways to save money, to keep a "fund" for your pets. There are numerous ways a pet owner can come up with needed money to pay a vet bill. There are numerous insurance options for pets. If a client has a well-established relationship with their primary vet, chances are, that vet will be more likely to work out payment arrangements at some point.
Pet owners also need to understand that their vet's facilities are a business, just as human hospitals are. Your vet has huge expenses he must meet in order to provide quality care, quality equipment, quality diagnostics and treatment. Ask any vet how many times a client has skipped out on payments, and how much was lost because the vet treated (and possibly saved a pet's life), only to have the owner dupe him in payment. All it takes is one bad owner to make it difficult for owners who do take responsibility. Remember the costs of equipment, drugs, pharmaceuticals, upkeep on equipment, costs of utilities, staff wages, legal insurance meet or even exceed those of human hospitals, so if you want proper and quality care for your pets, it comes with a cost.
Yes, bloodwork may be expensive, but thank goodness it is available. Bloodwork is essential to detect hidden problems, determine vital organ function, detect disease and treat or manage it (just as your human physician relies on bloodwork). The expense comes from the same as in human medicine: labs have to charge the clinic for their services whether it is human or veterinary)
The problem with information on the internet is clearly spelled out in the link. People have become dangerously complacent, lazy and want a "diagnosis" for free, and want this diagnosis from complete strangers who have NO qualifications to give it! Would you do that for yourself or your children? There are literally hundreds of sites and forums online that routinely give out dangerous, misinformed, illegitimate and downright dubious information and if a person doesn't think critically about the source of the information, then they deserve to get what they're asking for. But, do you think that is fair for THE PET? The PET relies soley on his/her owner to do the right thing, that being, see a qualified veterinarian, who is the ONLY one who can see, examine, diagnose, treat and prescribe. Your pets don't deserve anything less!
Lastly, the time spent when "searching" online for answers, could have been more wisely spent on getting the pet to the vet, diagnosed and treated effectively. Instead, owners choose to waste time on the net, take advice that is clearly dangerous or wrong, deny or delay vital treatment for the pet who suffers, and become habitual in expecting such convenience and "free" advice, then yell and scream because their vet won't treat their pet for free or make payment arrangements. They needed to be responsible in the first place. Most of the time, that very bad advice they got on the net is propogated for the next owner who gets online for free advice, and more pets suffer.
..........Traci
Re: New: Processing Fact from Fiction in Cat Communities
How scary and sad! Thanks for posting this.