were you suckered by our experiment? - Pet forum for dogs cats and humans

howdoyouknow · #1 January 21st, 2009, 11:40 PM

We're two vet students. Somewhere on this site, we perpetrated a fraud.

We created a pet, an owner and a family in pain, providing day-by-day accounts of the winding down of the pet including its eventual euthanasia. We created a story that had flags built into it that should have told someone "hey, this is false".

But not one of you caught the flags.

Our experiment proved two dangerous things:

1. people will believe anything they read.
2. people will give pet advice based in a life and death scenario without being first-hand on the scene.

As vet students, our hypothesis was proven:
Amateurs have no place in the province of the professional.
Next time you read something, ask questions. Read critically.

Do not now attack us, but look to your selves and remember our lesson: don't take everything you read as truth. Someone may be posting to play on your emotions for their own selfish needs. The story may not be true. Verify before you trust.

babymomma · #2 January 21st, 2009, 11:52 PM

Do I even need to tell you how unprofessional that is?
Taking advantage of people who are hear to give advice when asked.
And who genuinly care about animals? While, vets like yourself will
be goin ghome at the end of the day, thinking of nothing more then the
big check you would have made that day. Its just sickening. People like yourselves (If you are at all telling the truth), Shouldnt be allowed to hold another living creature life in you hands. Did you like watching us grieve and feel sad about the "animal" in question? Are you just posting this for us to question every member here that has recenly had pets with problems and had to be euthed?

You are sick human beings.

Diamondsmum · #3 January 21st, 2009, 11:54 PM

Bm leave it dont give them a chance to sit back all smug & get us riled up.

hazelrunpack · #4 January 21st, 2009, 11:56 PM

We do try to help and often take things with a grain of salt. Most of our advice involves "Get thee to a vet"

Most of the people who post here do post here in need. We get some trolls and now, I guess, we get vet students who seem to think they're proving some point.

Likely you got some sympathy in your thread, because we have all lost pets and can empathize.

As students in a medical field, you should develop a little empathy yourselves. It'll help when you have clients and patients of your own to deal with.

Of course, since I don't always believe everything I read, I'm actually leaning toward you either being a troll or being a "student of psychology".

howdoyouknow · #5 January 22nd, 2009, 12:00 AM

Do not now attack us, but look to your selves and remember our lesson: don't take everything you read as truth. Someone may be posting to play on your emotions for their own selfish needs. The story may not be true. Verify before you trust.

Caite · #6 January 22nd, 2009, 12:11 AM

This is why I like dogs better than people most of the time....

growler~GateKeeper · #7 January 22nd, 2009, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdoyouknow

We're two vet students.

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdoyouknow

Do not now attack us, but look to your selves and remember our lesson: don't take everything you read as truth. Someone may be posting to play on your emotions for their own selfish needs. The story may not be true. Verify before you trust.

So if you are actually vet students......tell me where are you planning on setting up practise? I'll be sure to stay far away

Stacer · #8 January 22nd, 2009, 12:16 AM

I'm sorry, but I don't think you proved your points at all.

When a person(s) posts on pets.ca advice is given based on the info that the OP presents to us and often our advice is
a) from first hand experience and
b) out of genuine love of animals and the desire to see a situation end well

If a poster is lying about their situation, then shame on them for misleading a group of very well intentioned individuals. We're not here to police the liars, we're here to help pet owners in need and discuss our pets in an atmosphere with a certain degree of trust.

Of course people give advice without being on the scene! If a person wants on the scene advice then they shouldn't be coming here in the first place to ask about life or death situations (which BTW is stated in the rules of the forum). Generally only when a person has stated that they've taken their pet to the vet and are doing everything they can, do members offer advice of possible alternatives, things that maybe the OP's vet hasn't thought of (again, more often than not based on first hand experience).

You show your ignorance by calling the regular members of this forum 'amateurs'. If you'd done your research (like any good student should before making a blanket statement) then you would know that we have many members with a vast amount of animal experience (and no members that claim to know better than a vet, except in matters of nutrition, which we all know is a vet school farce).

Frankly, I think you're both ridiculous and I doubt you're actually vet students. Shouldn't you be dissecting a hamster or something?

lUvMyLaB<3 · #9 January 22nd, 2009, 12:32 AM

So whats your point? That you made up a story and people responded to it? yeah... and? Thats great, kudos to very member on here, that no matter what situation you are reading, you take the time, to care, listen, and offer any advice you may have! So what if the story was not real! I don't actually care if anyone that asks a question if it is real or not, what does it matter to me? So thanks hamsterdisecting students! For pointing out that everyone here cares enough to answer everyones post, and get emotionaly involved, that is why I love it here already, and can't get away! Now students, now that you know that there is a bunch of caring people on here, willing to offer any advice they have at the drop of a hat, you can now use your spare time to go and learn about dog and cat nutrition ok? You must be so proud of your accomplishement, and thanks for pointing it out! and thanks pets.ca people, I am happy to know that if I need any advice all of you are here to give it to me, along with thoughts, concerns, prayers, and everything else I have seen on here, They pointed out nothing bad imo!

hazelrunpack · #10 January 22nd, 2009, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdoyouknow

Do not now attack us, but look to your selves and remember our lesson: don't take everything you read as truth. Someone may be posting to play on your emotions for their own selfish needs. The story may not be true. Verify before you trust.

Yeah, I saw that little gem in your first post.

So I'm wondering...what are your selfish needs? I must say you're beginning to be mildly entertaining.

Stacer · #11 January 22nd, 2009, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by growler

So if you are actually vet students......tell me where are you planning on setting up practise? I'll be sure to stay far away

I suspect Houston Texas, so you're safe Growler

growler~GateKeeper · #12 January 22nd, 2009, 01:28 AM

But they could've made that up too

hazelrunpack · #13 January 22nd, 2009, 01:33 AM

Hey, rainbow! I'll bet these guys are responsible for Homer! They admitted to perpetrating a fraud--it was Homer!

lUvMyLaB<3 · #14 January 22nd, 2009, 01:36 AM

i think they need a hobby... really I do... like what was the point of that "experiment"?

rainbow · #15 January 22nd, 2009, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stacer

I suspect Houston Texas, so you're safe Growler

That was my thought and why I never posted in the thread even though I did come close to it a few times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by growler

But they could've made that up too

True enough ......I honestly don't even think that they're vet students.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Hey, rainbow! I'll bet these guys are responsible for Homer! They admitted to perpetrating a fraud--it was Homer!

Nope.....it wasn't Homer.

badger · #16 January 22nd, 2009, 01:48 AM

Hey, you smug little jerks, you know what you found out, the only thing you found out, in fact? Sometimes - wait for it - we don't need you to provide good care. We're onto your crap food and your lousy diagnostic skills and your failure to think outside the box. You have more to learn here than we ever will from you. Keep sucking up those dollars - they won't be mine - and keep reading.
If you really are vets or almost-vets. I'm guessing psych students, a twisted lot.

rainbow · #17 January 22nd, 2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdoyouknow

Do not now attack us, but look to your selves and remember our lesson: don't take everything you read as truth. Someone may be posting to play on your emotions for their own selfish needs. The story may not be true. Verify before you trust.

I think someone has way too much time on their hands and needs to get some professional help.

Shaykeija · #18 January 22nd, 2009, 02:31 AM

: loser:

rainbow · #19 January 22nd, 2009, 02:40 AM

LOL, Shaykeija .....I was waiting for you to post one of your cute troll pics.

Dracko · #20 January 22nd, 2009, 03:15 AM

Like others have said, what exactly do we lose if we supply help/info to someone who is lying? Life's about the giving not the getting.

I think you are the losers in that you don't get to experience the caring and support that we all do on this board day in and day out.

"What you reap is what you sow and so it goes.
Where you plant your needs is where your garden grows."

hazelrunpack · #21 January 22nd, 2009, 03:16 AM

Ooooo...nice fangs on that troll, Shaykeija!

mummummum · #22 January 22nd, 2009, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howdoyouknow

We're two vet students. Somewhere on this site, we perpetrated a fraud.

We created a pet, an owner and a family in pain, providing day-by-day accounts of the winding down of the pet including its eventual euthanasia. We created a story that had flags built into it that should have told someone "hey, this is false".

Well good on ya. But before you declare empirical evidence, if you're worth your salt you should be able to prove the results of your experiment. What was the original post and what were the alleged flags?

14+kitties · #23 January 22nd, 2009, 07:02 AM

Good one!!!!

But what have you REALLY proved? That there is a group of people out there that care deeply for the welfare of animals and are not in it to make a buck? Oh my, stop the world and let me off!!

You are, if indeed two vet students, two of the most sanctimonious people I have had the pleasure to “meet”. You see, even if we see a thread that is riddled with errors we do not point it out to the OP because it is quite possible in the midst of their grief mistakes will/can be made. It's called empathy. There is nothing “mystical” about it. You would do well to learn some.

Now how ‘bout you step off your pedestals and join us in the real world?

clm · #24 January 22nd, 2009, 07:23 AM

I fail to see what you've proven by this so called experiment. All of us here direct people to seek the advise of their vet. All of us here care about the posters here and their pets and like to provide support to those in need.
End result being that you know how to lie.

No one here thinks you're smart or funny.

And finally, everyone here thinks you're a pair of losers.

Cindy

mummummum · #25 January 22nd, 2009, 07:34 AM

If anyone ever asks me why I love pets.ca, the responses here are proof. You make me laugh ~ in a good, good, good way.

Love4himies · #26 January 22nd, 2009, 08:02 AM

I too am confused as to what you have proven, how were we suckered???? Medical advice is not normally given on this site, but suggestions to get a second opinion if we think the person is not getting good advice (and lets face it, not all vets are created equal), or to seek vet care should the OP not have done so in the first place

. If there is specific medical advice we seek it from our wonderful on line vet, Dr. Lee.

Members on this site have vast experience from MANY different vets and that experience is worth more than the experience of ONE vet. Just my

.

Oh and BTW, there is NO WAY of confirming whether the poster is lying or not, so yes, we do take their word at face value.

Maxine · #27 January 22nd, 2009, 08:36 AM

wow... that is sooo lame.... LOL I can't believe vet students have that much time on their hands, I want to be one then!! It seems you don't even need to have a brain nor common sense!!! (cause this experience isn't an experience at all...c'mon....

)