Removing The Aged Dog And Palliative Care Forums

[Sheridan]

I posted in the Forum help and suggestions forum but didn't get much of a response there. I am concerned that a number of important health threads are getting missed because people are not going in the aged dog and palliative care forums. I think they would be better this general forum. There has been a thread about transporting an old blind dog and one on kidney failure with very few replies. I think these forums were established so threads didn't get lost but they are anyway because few people visit them. Would it be better if these two forums were blended into this general one?

[shepherds]

I think specific health queries (irrespective of age) can be in the general health section, but I for one very much appreciate the palliative care section.

Currently having two very sick dogs, who's care is palliative, I very much appreciate the support and care from members where irrespective of the cause we are all facing the same outcome. We support one another through the roller coaster ride we have all found ourselves on, share the good and the bad days and being pallative, whilst we might not want to acknowledge it, we all know why we are in that section.

[Sheridan]

I'm not saying the threads are unimportant but not everyone gets responded to, to whit the DOLer with the dog with kidney failure. Were I that DOLer, I wouldn't feel so supported.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Sheridan

[RiverStar-Aura]

It's a hard one Sheridan. I tend not to visit the palliative care forum mostly because I don't know what to say. I've never had a dog needing that sort of love and dedication so I have nothing helpful to add.

I feel awkward letting people know I'm thinking of them because the words seem so insincere, especially when backed up with nothing helpful.

That being said, on the other hand, it seems wrong to segregate the topics into a sub-forum -- almost as though they're being hidden because it's shameful or something. I guess if they weren't hidden in a sub-forum, there's the potential to generate much more traffic and awareness and having them in the general health forum won't be forcing me to comment either.

Hope this helps somewhat.

[Boronia]

After a few views when I first joined DOL I don't visit the aged dog or palliative care forum either Sheridan, I (like RiverStar-Aura) found it difficult to know how to reply without seeming trite...how can you convey to a Doler that your heart is breaking for what they are going through.

I also have two older dogs and really don't want to face up to the fact that I will lose them in a few years.

I do reckon that some of the topics you mentioned could be put in other forums, perhaps, by keeping an look-out for some of the topics that could be moved, we could ask Troy to move them to a more-read forum.

[becks]

I think there is a limited group of people who have actual help to offer with things like aged care. I have a 14.5 year old who is (tough wood) in good health except for weakness in back end. So I don;t need to ask about things and have little experience of aged issues. Now if there comes I time when i wamt to search for answers to something, it is much easier with these separate forums.

If someone feels they aren;t getting tthe replys they think they could get, then they can post in another forum, just as people do with other issues. the kidney failure one could be in the general health one as it isn;t specific to just being old

So I vote to keep as it is.

[Troy]

I think the palliative and aged dog forum has it's place. If you see a topic that needs attention and you think should be moved ... just report it and I can move it across to the main health forum.

[kayla1]

If someone feels they aren;t getting tthe replys they think they could get, then they can post in another forum, just as people do with other issues. the kidney failure one could be in the general health one as it isn;t specific to just being old

Specific to just being old?? I posted my boy's kidney failure thread in palliative care because that's exactly what it was, palliative care. I had already posted two other related threads in health with limited response. It's not about an expectation of replies, but a hope that someone somewhere can share some advice or thoughts. So if you're in a situation with a chronically ill dog and feeling desperate and getting nothing, of course you can feel disheartened.

I do read the palliative care threads, same as I read rainbow bridge. My heart aches for people in those situations. I very rarely have any constructive advice other than to express my sympathy. But as Sheridan said, some threads get more support than others. I tend to post in threads where it looks like there is not as much support, but that's a personal choice I make because I really feel for those people.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I just use the "new posts" and "my content" links so it doesn't matter a lot which bit of the forum a post is in, unless I'm trying to find it for a reference a week or two later.

[Staffyluv]

I still check the palliative care and aged sections because I have experience in both areas with Ollie dog, so feel I can offer advice - I tend not to respond to those threads where I cannot offer advice and that is what they are asking for.

However if they are just wanting to vent or ask for support, I am happy to do that. Sometimes that is all that can be offered - to listen and be supportive.

Palliative care is very different to general health and I think there is a place for that forum here.

[minimax]

I just use the "new posts" and "my content" links so it doesn't matter a lot which bit of the forum a post is in, unless I'm trying to find it for a reference a week or two later.

Same here, I'm actually surprised that people seem to choose which sub-forums to read or not, I don't even look at what forum posts are in when I read them.

[Sheridan]

I still check the palliative care and aged sections because I have experience in both areas with Ollie dog, so feel I can offer advice - I tend not to respond to those threads where I cannot offer advice and that is what they are asking for.

However if they are just wanting to vent or ask for support, I am happy to do that. Sometimes that is all that can be offered - to listen and be supportive.

Palliative care is very different to general health and I think there is a place for that forum here.

Sure but it's actually a cancer care forum. Nothing wrong with that but it does mean anyone else tends to get ignored.

I should add before anyone jumps down my throat that I don't expect people who have no experience with things like kidney disease to post advice but support, as was pointed out by shepherds, does go a long way.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Sheridan

[Staffyluv]

I still check the palliative care and aged sections because I have experience in both areas with Ollie dog, so feel I can offer advice - I tend not to respond to those threads where I cannot offer advice and that is what they are asking for.

However if they are just wanting to vent or ask for support, I am happy to do that. Sometimes that is all that can be offered - to listen and be supportive.

Palliative care is very different to general health and I think there is a place for that forum here.

Sure but it's actually a cancer care forum. Nothing wrong with that but it does mean anyone else tends to get ignored.

I should add before anyone jumps down my throat that I don't expect people who have no experience with things like kidney disease to post advice but support, as was pointed out by shepherds, does go a long way.

I realise you what you mean about support and advice and I think it is a given that we would only offer advice if we knew what we were talking about - but the support aspect of the forum is awesome.

Speaking just for myself and everything I went through with Ollie, having other dog minded people (especially those that had been through it and offered advice) to offer support was nothing short of amazing. The amount of DOLers who just propped me up when he was really sick a few times and I was doubting his treatment, my ability to make the right decisions etc, made all the difference in the world to how I felt about what we were going through.

My family couldn't believe I was spending 'that much money on a dog that was going to die anyway'..

I suppose it is more of a cancer care forum than other diseases - but maybe that is because cancer seems to be so much more prevalent these days than it used to be (or maybe it just wasn't discussed??).

Maybe the two forums (aged care and palliative)could be merged into one because from personal experience, I think there are some very important threads in there :)

I still think it would be a shame to lose all that helpful advice and experience to the archives and have them get lost in the health section as a whole.

[Sheridan]

Support is only useful if you get it. It took two days before anyone posted in Kayla1's thread. How many people posted in the cancer threads and ignored hers? And I berate myself here particularly because I do have experience with kidney disease and I didn't see the thread until it got bumped. It is just as lonely having a dog with kidney disease as it is having a dog with cancer. At least my posting this thread has highlighted the problem.

[Staffyluv]

I see where you are coming from now.

A lot of the threads in there are just support threads, they don't actually have treatments and progress discussed.

It is a hard call, on the one hand it would be a shame to lose the threads like Ollie's and Sophie's that do discuss the extensive treatments, diets and their progress.

But as you said, threads sitting there for a few days before anyone notices them isn't right either.

[becks]

If someone feels they aren;t getting tthe replys they think they could get, then they can post in another forum, just as people do with other issues. the kidney failure one could be in the general health one as it isn;t specific to just being old

Specific to just being old?? I posted my boy's kidney failure thread in palliative care because that's exactly what it was, palliative care. I had already posted two other related threads in health with limited response. It's not about an expectation of replies, but a hope that someone somewhere can share some advice or thoughts. So if you're in a situation with a chronically ill dog and feeling desperate and getting nothing, of course you can feel disheartened.

I do read the palliative care threads, same as I read rainbow bridge. My heart aches for people in those situations. I very rarely have any constructive advice other than to express my sympathy. But as Sheridan said, some threads get more support than others. I tend to post in threads where it looks like there is not as much support, but that's a personal choice I make because I really feel for those people.

You chose to put your thread in a section that has little traffic, so you shouldn;t expect lots of replies, esp on a subject where there is limited number of people with experience. If you wanted an - oh dear, there there set of replies, utilise a forum that gets more traffic! It;s like saying you are disheartened not getting a lift hitch hiking, when you are stood in a country lane!

That said, I do sympathise, as last year I went through a similar thing with a fairly young dog who had liver failure and we knew when the balance tipped, it was going to be a fast run to the end. That doesn;t mean I am the type of person who wants to go to threads just to give sympathy, it is a dog forum, so for me that is a given anyway, I, personally would prefer posts that have the help and not have people saying stuff that gets in the way of the useful stuff.

[kayla1]

If someone feels they aren;t getting tthe replys they think they could get, then they can post in another forum, just as people do with other issues. the kidney failure one could be in the general health one as it isn;t specific to just being old

Specific to just being old?? I posted my boy's kidney failure thread in palliative care because that's exactly what it was, palliative care. I had already posted two other related threads in health with limited response. It's not about an expectation of replies, but a hope that someone somewhere can share some advice or thoughts. So if you're in a situation with a chronically ill dog and feeling desperate and getting nothing, of course you can feel disheartened.

I do read the palliative care threads, same as I read rainbow bridge. My heart aches for people in those situations. I very rarely have any constructive advice other than to express my sympathy. But as Sheridan said, some threads get more support than others. I tend to post in threads where it looks like there is not as much support, but that's a personal choice I make because I really feel for those people.

You chose to put your thread in a section that has little traffic, so you shouldn;t expect lots of replies, esp on a subject where there is limited number of people with experience. If you wanted an - oh dear, there there set of replies, utilise a forum that gets more traffic! It;s like saying you are disheartened not getting a lift hitch hiking, when you are stood in a country lane!

Goodness, what an incredibly insensitive thing to say about anyone that comes here to seek support in a situation like this. My post clearly states...it’s not about an expectation of replies. When you are trying to make your dog as comfortable as possible until the end, you post in the hope that someone out there has some advice or thoughts or support to share.

That said, I do sympathise, as last year I went through a similar thing with a fairly young dog who had liver failure and we knew when the balance tipped, it was going to be a fast run to the end. That doesn;t mean I am the type of person who wants to go to threads just to give sympathy, it is a dog forum, so for me that is a given anyway, I, personally would prefer posts that have the help and not have people saying stuff that gets in the way of the useful stuff.

Then we are two very different people. But if there are people who feel that way then I guess in future I'll need to be more careful about posting replies of sympathy in case they just get in the way.

[~Anne~]

I think the forums are fine the way they are. It is a choice as has been said. I chose to post in that area because it was specific to my needs at the time. The same as when I post in off topic or any other specific area. If people who are posting are not getting responses, and that concerns them, then surely they'd just post elsewhere.

[Salukifan]

Support is only useful if you get it. It took two days before anyone posted in Kayla1's thread. How many people posted in the cancer threads and ignored hers? And I berate myself here particularly because I do have experience with kidney disease and I didn't see the thread until it got bumped. It is just as lonely having a dog with kidney disease as it is having a dog with cancer. At least my posting this thread has highlighted the problem.

Sometimes you only get the responses you ask for.

If you ask for specific advice, sometimes people will not respond if they have nothing concrete to offer. Few vets here or people who feel qualified to offer advice on managing what is, essentially a life ending condition.

I have a dog here experiencing the early stages of renal failure. What can I say? It sucks. You manage as your vet advises and hope for a slow progress to the condition.

What can I advise others in this position? I had nothing that would help a dog in the end stages of kidney disease. So that's what I posted - nothing.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[kayla1]

Should one have to ask specifically for support to get it? General question, not related to any thread in particular.

I'm certainly very grateful for the support I've received now in my own thread, and I post replies of sympathy in other threads where it hasn't been specifically asked for. But clearly there are some people who would prefer that not to happen.