Do animals have to be gasping their last before people on here get a clue?

The problem with most humans is that we are greedy and tend to think of everything in terms of how we act.

Look at your typical human with a simple cold, they whine, they fuss and make entirely too much drama about it. For some reason, humans think that a sick-acting pet isn't really that sick. There's a big difference though between animals and humans in terms of how sick we act. Animals rely on appearing strong for survival. Weakness can even get a sick animal kicked out of a herd to avoid attracting predators. When an animal looks sick, unlike a human, they are REALLY sick to the point where they can no longer act as though they are not.

If your pet had a mild cold of the severity a human usually gets, the owner probably wouldn't even notice the pet was sick. By the time the average owner picks up on the signs, the pet is really sick and the owner thinks they can 'wait and see.'

That's just one more area where thinking of pets as 'little people' is really harmful to them.

Another mistake people make is not having a good relationship with their vet that is built on the vet seeing the pet for regular exams. Then, instead of being able to get fit into their regular vets scheduling they have to go to the emergency vet. Pretty much, you don't save money not going to a regular vet. One trip to an emergency clinic will often cost hundreds just to walk in the door. But, if you have a relationship with a local vet, they will often squeeze you in to their regular hours for an emergency which is a huge money savings. Smart pet owners get their pet treated when they start acting sick instead of having to rush them in when it gets really bad over a night or weekend.

You have to keep in mind that 45% of the population has a below average IQ. That translates to people that aren't capable of realizing their pet is sick until they're really sick. That's people who aren't capable of doing basic math to know it's cheaper to go to a vet when the problem can be fixed with medication BEFORE it needs emergency surgery.

I hear where you are coming from. I have seen my share of stupid questions as well. Sometimes I try to reason with the person, but other times it just seems pointless. I am used to forcing all those questions to the back of my mind so I don't have to sit there helplessly, knowing that this is how someone is treating an animal.

My greater concern is not only that they cannot make such decisions for their pets, but what about children? It is ignorance like this what raises crappy people.

But anyway, I think it is mostly because a lot of people with animals cannot actually afford (or are willing to afford) vet care. I for one grew up in russia where animal welfare was unheard of. All dogs and cats lived outside, and were lucky if their owners bought them food that was labeled to be for dogs or cats.

So you must keep an open mind that in some parts of the world, taking your dog to a vet is not as common as it is here. And not een that, but many people living in this country can simply not afford animals. But they are selfish and have them anyway. So naturally they have found ways of avoiding paying a lot for their pets, and when the time comes, even a vet visit is in question. The best we can do is educate, I suppose.

Edit: "the asker of the q in link above emailed me to call me pompous, arrogant, cynical and mean (all spelt wrong of course). Better those things than irresponsible I say!"

LOL! That made my day. Some people... tisk tisk

I think it boils down to just how much the animal actually means to them. If it's a family member, those owners are on the way to the vet with their car pronto, they don't waste time on the internet first. It's the LAST thing on their mind!

If a pet is sick, the only place TO take the animal is the vet. However if it's a minor question or one about symptoms (after the vet's been seen) then that is fine. But this 'what do I do' seems to be limited to the clueless, the uninformed or the very young.

i agree. though sometimes i guess without an emergency vet (since i have all exotics) it is helpful to know what to do until the vet is in. but with a dog or cat, there should be some emergency vet around. most people don't consider animals worth it sadly. i was charged 600 for my guinea pig at a doctor and people tell me i'm crazy. i don't see how. if your child needs a doctor in an emergency, you take them, so why not take the furry/feathered/finned/hairless/etc. child too? but since i have no emergency vet, i study a lot before hand, and always keep meds on hand. so used properly the 'net can be a handy tool. it should just be used prior to the animal NEEDING it.

i agree with you i think every pet owner should have a vet number ready in case of emergency instead of hoping on the computer to find one at the last min. or hoping on answer to talk about what to do and some say o i cant pay the vet bill then you should not have a pet in the first place

Oh my gods...three days...!

I can understand jumping online if a dog is sneezing a lot or hasn't been eating as much, but that dog is coughing up blood!!

24-hour-emergency vets are often willing to give what opinions they can over the phone as well.

And "lightly" run over?! No care has to be abuse.

Many people that have pets don't deserve them. The animals suffer for their owner's stupidity.