There are two types of forum on VetSurgeon.org:

Expert Help Forums

The Expert Help Forums offer a way in which members can post a question which is sent to veterinary experts for their opinion.  

Any member can post a question in the Expert Help Forums, but only members who are registered as referral practitioners or representatives of industry can reply. Other experts who'd like to reply must email support@vetsurgeon.org to have their account approved.

There are a number of benefits to this format:

1. You can ask a question in the knowledge that answers will come from people who know what they're talking about!
2. Because the discussion is between someone looking for help, and someone who is normally representing a referral service, you can be assured of a polite, helpful reply.
3. You won't have to scroll through a sea of similar answers to a question from large numbers of people, as you would on Facebook.
4. Both you and the expert can claim time spent on your question towards CPD
5. When you get a helpful answer and press 'Thank Expert', the expert's logo and contact details are displayed as part of their answer
6. Your discussion thread is easy to find and refer back to, unlike on Facebook.
7. Your question and the answer is easy for others to find in the future, so it adds to a growing knowledgebase

There is only one rule in the VetSurgeon.org Expert Help Forums, which is that experts who choose to reply MUST display a reasonably complete VetSurgeon Profile. This is important so that readers can put your reply into context. It is also good marketing practice if you offer a referral service.

Discussion Forums

Any member can post a discussion thread and any member can reply. There is only one rule in the forum, which is to be extra polite to each other. Devoid of facial expression, the written word can appear stark and uncompromising. Compensate for this limitation by using additional words, phrases and 'smilies' to soften what you're saying. It's fine being concise, but be aware that it can sound terse.

Standard blurb also applies, scroll down for details.

Who can read my posts?

The registration process for VetSurgeon is designed to deter people from outside - or not closely associated with - the profession from joining the community and we do carry out spot checks. However, this system is not infallible and you should always presume that what you write in any forum (not just this one) might be read by anyone. You should keep it in mind and not post things which might get you into trouble, or bring the profession into disrepute.

Forum Features: Posting Anonyously

If you want to seek advice about a sensitive issue, you can log into the website anonymously using the details below. Because it is impossible for anyone to know who has logged into the site using these details, it can only be used for seeking advice about sensitive issues. Other posts will be deleted.

Username: anon@vetsurgeon.org
Password: vetsurge0n (that's a zero)

Remember to log back out again after you have made your anonymous post.

Forum Features: Mentioning Members

You can let another member know you've mentioned them in a post. As you write your post, type the @ symbol followed by a space and a drop down menu will appear, listing names of members. Type the first letters of their name to narrow the list, and then select the member you wish to be notified.

They will then be notified on site (the bell at the top of all pages) or by email, depending on their settings.

Forum Features: Post Signatures

You can add text to appear under all of your posts in the general discussion forums, typically a website address for your business or your job title, configured in your account settings. Best to use small font. 

Forum Features: Quoting

When you reply to a post, you should normally quote part or all of the post you are replying to, in order to make it clear who you are replying to, or which specific point you are replying to. To do this, highlight the text you are replying to with your mouse and you will see the word 'quote' appear. Click it and the selected text is transposed into your reply, for you then to continue beneath. You can select multiple bits of text from multiple posts on the page.

Forum Features: Tangent Discussion

If, whilst reading a forum thread, you want to discuss a related but tangential point to the one under discussion, press the link marked 'Tangent' under the relevant post. 

• In the Discussion Forums, this will start a new linked thread about the topic you wish to go off on a tangent about.
• In the Expert Help Forums, pressing the tangent link starts a new thread in the associated general discussion forum, which anyone can contribute to. In other words, it allows you to take a discussion point from the Expert Forum where only the expert and the original poster can participate, and broadens it to a new discussion in which anyone can participate. 

Forum Features: Private Messages

To send a private message to someone who has posted in the forum, click their name and press 'Send Private Message' in their profile.

Forum Features: Smilies

Smileys or 'emoticons' are used to express the emotion behind your words, and can help remove ambiguity in situations where, for example, your post could otherwise be read as sarcastic. We strongly recommend you use smileys to clarify your meaning or soften your words as necessary.

To add an emoticon, click 'Insert' under the forum post editor, then 'Insert Emoticon'.

Forum: Standard Blurb

1. Working Communities does monitor this forum regularly. However, due to its real-time nature, it is impossible for us to guarantee to review any or all messages or confirm the validity of any information posted. Please remember that Working Communities is not responsible for any messages posted by other users of this forum, and nor can the company vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any such messages. All messages express the views of the author of the message, not necessarily the views of this forum or any entity associated with this forum. Any user who feels that a posted message is objectionable is encouraged to contact the editor immediately. We have the ability to remove objectionable messages and we will make every effort to do so, within a reasonable time frame, if we determine that removal is necessary. This is a manual process, however, so please realize that we may not be able to remove or edit particular messages immediately.
2. You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use this forum to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or which otherwise violates any law. You agree not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyright is owned by you or by this forum.
3. Although Working Communities cannot guarantee to review any messages posted, and is not responsible for their content, we reserve the right to delete any message for any or no reason whatsoever. You remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Working Communities, and their agents with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s). Working Communities reserves the right to reveal your identity (or whatever information we know about you) in the event of a complaint or legal action arising from any message posted by you.