[BonBon]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

I'm seeing so many threads lately from members who have questions and are seeking advice regarding medical & basic health issues regarding their dogs, which I think is fantastic. The amount of information I have personally learned since I've been a forum member is astonishing, although I take everything learned with a grain of salt.

I'm seeing members dishing out advice that flat out goes against what the dog's veterinarian recommends. Literally, I see people say "no your vet is wrong" or "your vet is not doing the right tests", etc. The vet may say to try a certain food, while someone else may say "no, chicken is no good".

Without actually seeing the dog's symptoms is it possible to really give a clear diagnosis online? I think that advice is priceless, but I also think that the folks asking questions may be getting confused by so many contradictions. I see so many new people come home from the vet, post their information and after seeing the replies they now say "gosh I'm so confused and don't know what to do". Shouldn't the vet's advice generally be followed?

While I think sharing information and stories is a huge asset to this forum, i'm not so sure that clinically diagnosing is. I've never had a major issue with a veterinarian in a negative way and perhaps I'm lucky. I really have a great relationship with my vet and do trust them. Maybe I would feel differently if I've had a horrific experience.

Thanks for letting me post.

Wonderful post!

Offering suggestions and experiences can be helpful. But some on here go too far and terrify pet owners with horrific "possibilities" long before test results are in or a diagnosis is made by a trained, educated doctor. I know members who've been brought to tears because of this - and their pups have turned out to have only mild/minor illnesses.

I try to follow along on some of the S&I threads to offer prayers and support. But after a while I begin to feel like I'm being bashed over the head by those who post after post after post after post. It's overwhelming to me, so I can't imagine how the OP's of these threads must be feeling. Gentle, concise, factual information would be so much more helpful in these cases.

Thanks for letting me share some of my opinions.