Welcome to Tanya's Support Group. All new members are moderated initially i.e. their messages have to be approved by a moderator before they reach the group. Here are some tips on how the group works and how to use it. The sooner we know that you understand how to use the group (especially points 1 and 2), the sooner we can take you off moderation.
This is a high volume group and you may not wish to receive so many e-mails in your inbox. You can manage your subscription here:
https://tanyackd.groups.io/g/support/editsub
1. Please use a hashtag in the subject line of all your posts (you do not need to use one in responses, it will be done automatically). Hashtags begin with a # and there is a list on the group's homepage. If you compose your message on the group website, there is also a dropdown menu for hashtags. Hashtags are not the same as a subject line, you need both, and the hashtag goes at the end. For example, I would entitle my first post to the group Helen and Thomas introduction #intro
2. Please do not mention vets, veterinary practices or vet schools by name. Please say "Dr A" or "my vet".
3. Please trim your posts. i.e. only include the part of a message to which you are replying. Please don't leave the entire thread (topic) in place, just enough material for people to know what you are responding to. If you're not sure what we mean, watch how the moderators respond to posts. We ask that you do this because we have some blind menbers, and it's a lot easier for them if you trim.
4. The group is not a substitute for veterinary care. Nobody here is an expert (that includes the group owner), and any posts suggesting they are will be edited or deleted. Suggestions made by group members should always be discussed with a qualified vet, and should never be implemented without veterinary approval. No responsibility can be accepted.
5. The default on this group is for all responses to go to the entire group. However, you can and should send certain responses, such as condolences, privately rather than to the list. One or two word responses should definitely go to the original poster!
6. Dealing with CKD can be stressful, and sometimes this is reflected in people's posts. Please try to be polite and supportive as much as possible. If you are upset by a message and wish to post a riposte, please take a little time to cool down and then decide whether you still wish to post. Sometimes things look different after a time-out. Flaming is not permitted.
7. Please be careful about copyright. It is usually safer to give a link to a website rather than to repeat the content verbatim in a message to the group.
8. Advertising, SPAMming and selling are not permitted. Suggesting sites or products which may be helpful to members is not considered SPAM, as long as you have no financial interest in the products or services concerned. Please do not solicit money, for your own or for another person's cat.
9. Messages are copyright to the original author, so please do not forward them to anybody else or use them elsewhere without the original author's permission.
10. Please only use a signature of a reasonable length.
11. Please try to keep your posts on-topic. It is absolutely fine to post about any aspect of your CKD cat's care, but if you, say, want to ask about your healthy cat's ear infection, please join our sister group, cats-healthandbehavior. You can join it by sending an e-mail to chb+subscribe@groups.io
Please feel free to introduce yourself to the group. Tell us about your CKD cat and start getting some support. To start sending messages to members of the group, simply send an e-mail to tanyackd@groups.io. Please include the hashtag #intro, your name and that of your cat in your subject line e.g. Helen and Tanya introduction #intro. This way people won't get you confused with any other new members who have joined the same day as you, and it will help ensure you get responses.
If you have any questions about how the group is run, please write to us at the e-mail address below.
Helen, Anne, Rekha, Robin, Steph, Mark, Sarah and Lisa
Group Moderators
tanyackd+owner@groups.io
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