A Suggestion

M_surinamensis

Shillelagh Law
Messages
1,165
Delete, or lock and archive, the Health and Medication subforums and lock/delete any such threads created in other subforums around the site.

The number of registered members who seem capable of appropriately and responsibly discussing the topic is very low relative to the number who misuse them.

Most of the threads in those sections consist of people who are creating posts as a substitute to seeking appropriate veterinary care for their animals. They ask questions or seek information that are impossible for anyone else to really answer in a responsible and educated manner and they often get answers from people who are completely under-qualified to be discussing the topic to begin with (even if they were seeing the animal in person and were able to directly observe, analyze and test).

The few people who might be qualified to offer information will almost never be willing to do so because of the inherently subjective nature of the owner's description and the way that it is completely irresponsible to diagnose or recommend a course of treatment without seeing the animal personally and directly.

The few topics which might be appropriate to discuss are all on the fence between health and medication and the general husbandry forums anyway, so things like shedding tips or feeding techniques still have a place where they can be appropriately posted. Everything else ultimately comes down to "see a vet" as the only responsible answer that can be given anyway; though there are a few members who don't seem to understand that and will contribute inaccurate, unsubstantiated and sometimes dangerous misinformation regardless.

Having the forums there encourages people to post. Most of them are probably innocently naive of the fact that their questions are either impossible or irresponsible; some kind of statement encouraging them to seek appropriate and qualified medical care would do them a lot more good than those forums do in their current incarnation.

Basically comes down to a scenario where nothing good can be achieved with all these "My animal is sick, help!" threads, but there is a great potential for negative consequences when under-qualified members step up and try anyway. I've seen a few which were already dangerously ignorant and liable to result in the injury or death of the animal in question, thankfully most have been caught and addressed but why encourage the risk for no gain?
 

M_surinamensis

Shillelagh Law
Messages
1,165
Ten months later, having been recently reminded of the topic, I remain convinced of the validity of that post. Just sayin'
 

NinjaDuo

New Member
Messages
566
Location
Central Texas
I agree, concerning medical treatment in a public forum is not logical. (On rare cases were there is no help in their area)... See a vet! Should pop up whenever people are asking these types of questions
 

BrightReptiles

Badhabits727
Messages
948
Location
Seminole, FL
I agree. Maybe replacing it with a short write up on treating simple issues, such as stuck shed, tail drops, etc and in the end stating anything more severe such as * need to be addressed and diagnosed by a qualified reptile vet, with a link to the vet finder.
 

LZRDGRL

Active Member
Messages
2,807
Location
Southern Illinois
If you close this thread, what about opening another thread for "Photos of Absurdities, Defects, Wonders of Nature, etc."? Many of us just look at the "Health & Medication" section out of anatomical/medical (maybe sensational ;)) interest to see pictures, like in a "cabinet of horrors."

I personally like to see what is out there, and what is anatomically possible (such as hatchlings with a big fluid sack under their chin, or animals with two heads, two tails, or Siamese twins, necropsy, or post-surgery pictures).

If you close the Health section forever, you'll lose all those hits of people who just want to see what abnormalities others hatch. I don't know if you're a fan of Gunther von Hagen's "Body Worlds" exhibitions (I, as a German, am, of course... despite of Catholic upbringing). I went to several of his exhibitions both in Germany and in St. Louis. I've also been to forensics museums in Russia and Germany. It's just the same. Enlarge your horizon; see the extraordinary, and get a little adrenalin rush.

I just mean it is interesting to see medical photos, and I personally would miss that section. Of course, I won't miss all those posts saying: "My animal is impacted, help, but don't tell me to get rid of the sand!" etc.

Please consider this :main_yes: Some people might consider this perverse. You could put an indicator *graphic! Not recommended for minors* on there, or something.

I probably get some "Eeeh" responses now :D

Chrissy
 

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