Beware of Google

[snuffer]

The other Friday (12th Feb.) Bertie, one of the hounds, was being sick so I took him to the vet. He checked him over gave us some medicine and reccomended that we come back for a blood test on Monday (15th Feb.). We went on monday for the test and the results indicated that liver enzyme levels were SLIGHTLY raised.

Then I made the mistake (and I knew it was a mistake before I did it but could not help myself) of checking Google. Oh boy, in the last few days Bertie has had every illness you can think of. I've been in a real old state, literaly sick with worry. In the last week I have lost well over half a stone in weight (not a bad thing in itself) through worry.

Yesterday (22nd Feb.) I had to take our other hound, Phoebe, for her booster injections and so asked the vet just how worried I should be. His reply was, not at all, the levels were only very slightly raised and are of no real concern. You can't imagine how relieved I am.

Google can be a good tool but it's not always a good idea to be on there looking for reasurance.

[bobleponge]

Google is the devil incarnate as far as I'm concerned Snuffer, I hate it.

Hope Bertie boy is fine, and its only dad thats concerned.

[Nicos]

Google is the devil incarnate as far as I'm concerned Snuffer, I hate it.

Country boy!!

[piskieinboots]

Google is a tool - it can be very useful for searching out information but, as you have found, you need to double check that what you are reading is actually correct, which, by its nature, can make it a time-stealer.

Glad Bertie is ok

[Two_Sheds]

I guess the crucial word you missed in your Google search was "slightly" ...?

[pigletwillie]

As with every tool and information gathered therefrom - let common sense prevail. Why did you just not phone the vet?

[Nicos]

I guess the crucial word you missed in your Google search was "slightly" ...?

Ha!!....very,very true!

...and yup - I'm glad Bertie is doing well..I bet all the extra loving attention you will no doubt have shared will have done him a power of good too!

[HotStuff]

Glad Bertie's OK. In Googles defence can I say that other search engines are available and could also probably have caused just as much worry.

And even before the coming of the great Interweb I used to cause myself much worry by delving into medical dictionaries

[Flummery]

As some wise person said about something else - the internet is a good servant but a bad master. I tend to look at it as though I have a reader's ticket to the world's biggest library - I love it.

PS, how rude of me - I'm glad to hear Bertie Basset's problem is not serious.

[bobleponge]

Country boy!!

Guilty as charged.


How is Bertie today Snuffer? And how are you too? Getting round to putting some of that weight back on yet?

[Bigmallly]

Like Flum said, glad Bertie was not as ill as you first thought. You can't blame google as you would have got the info from elsewhere. I appreciate that it can be "too easily" accessable at time.

[piskieinboots]

... putting some of that weight back on yet?

I have some to spare, PM me your address Snuffer and I'll ship it over to you right away

[snuffer]

Like Flum said, glad Bertie was not as ill as you first thought. You can't blame google as you would have got the info from elsewhere. I appreciate that it can be "too easily" accessable at time.

I don't blame Google. I blame myself. I knew I shouldn't look but it was as though the laptop was calling to me.

Bertie seems to be fine. He was only sick on the Friday. The medicine he was given soon put him right. If I hadn't looked on Google I'd have been hailing the medicine as a miracle cure and would have been as happy as Larry.

I don't worry about many things. I've been in hospital after breaking neck, spine, ribs and fracturing skull. Doctors advised a wheel chair. I just thought, well that's a bit crap and got on with getting as well as I could and doing without the wheel chair. It never bothered me at all. But tell me something is wrong with one of the dogs and I go to pieces. I know it's silly but I can't help it.

[piskieinboots]

.. I know it's silly but I can't help it.

It isn't silly, I worry over my cats just the same

[bobleponge]

Agree with Piskie, not at all silly, a dog really is mans best friend, I am already dreading the day when my fella leaves me.