u/wflxssan

i am having a full breakdown right now because i just noticed i have this little skin tag on my neck and i have a first date TOMORROW and i cannot stop staring at it in the mirror

so i went deep on tiktok at 1am watching videos about how to remove skin tags in one night and now i have seventeen tabs open and some people are saying to tie dental floss around it and some are saying apple cider vinegar and one girl said she used nail scissors and i almost passed out just reading that

i ran to my bathroom and i have tea tree oil and a bandaid and some dental floss and i am literally deciding if i should just do it myself tonight. i already put the tea tree oil on it twice because someone in the comments said that works overnight and now the skin around it is a little red which is probably fine??? i think???

the tag is not that big but it is RIGHT on my collarbone area and i just know i am going to be self conscious about it the whole date and keep touching my neck awkwardly 😭

has anyone actually tried any of these overnight methods and did they work or am i going to wake up with a worse situation than i started with???

our lab mix just ate something he definitely shouldnt have. found him in the pantry licking what used to be a wrapped piece of dark chocolate my wife had hidden from the kids. cant tell exactly how much he got but at least part of a bar is gone calling the vet now but theyre closed and the emergency line has me on hold forever. so im sitting here googling how to make a dog vomit and getting like 5 different answers which is super helpful in a panic
some sites say 3% hydrogen peroxide with a turkey baster is the standard at home method, like 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds. other sites are screaming DO NOT DO THIS, can cause ulcers or worse, call a vet only. then theres the aspca that says peroxide CAN be used but only in specific situations and not for every kind of poisoning. one site mentioned salt or mustard which i thought was a myth but apparently some old timers swear by it??
Also i dont understand when its actually safe to make him vomit vs when its dangerous. like i read somewhere that if its something corrosive or sharp you should NEVER induce vomiting because it does more damage on the way back up. dark chocolate i think is fine to bring back up but im not 100% sure and im scared of doing the wrong thing
i have a half empty bottle of 3% peroxide under the sink and a turkey baster. ive measured out what i think the dose would be based on his weight but havent given it to him yet because im waiting on the vet to call back. hes acting fine right now btw, just sitting there looking guilty, not panting or shaking or anything
for anyone whos actually had to do this in a pinch, did you go with the peroxide method or just rush to the vet anyway. and how long is the window where its still worth trying to make him vomit before its already past the stomach. Im trying not to lose it here

I have a 3 year old mini schnauzer and I've been going back and forth for weeks now on whether dog toothpaste actually worth it or if I'm being sold on something I don't really need.
I am a first time dog owner, and at her last checkup the vet mentioned she has early signs of plaque and casually suggested I start brushing her teeth. She didn't push any specific product, just said to look into dog toothpaste and start a routine. 
Some sources say daily brushing with dog toothpaste is essential and the only way to actually prevent dental disease without expensive cleanings under anesthesia. Other sources say dog toothpaste is mostly flavoring with minimal active ingredients, and that dental chews, water additives, or even just a proper diet can do most of the work. A few articles suggested it's basically a marketing product and that mechanical brushing (with or without toothpaste) is what actually matters.
I'm not asking for product recommendations because every time I bring this up in a Facebook group it just turns into people pushing whatever brand they personally use.. actually want to understand is whether dog toothpaste itself adds meaningful value compared to brushing without it, or compared to other dental care methods.
My specific concerns are that she's a small breed (apparently more prone to dental issues), she eats a mix of dry kibble and some wet food, and she does get dental chews a few times a week. Her breath isn't terrible but it's not great either. I don't know if I'm at the needs intervention now stage or the this is fine, don't overthink it stage.
For people who've had dogs for years and gone through the dental care journey, did dog toothpaste actually make a noticeable difference for your dog's long term oral health, or did you find that other approaches worked just as well? Trying to figure out if this is something I should commit to seriously or if I'm worrying about it more than I need to.

I was researching pet insurance options for our golden retriever when I came across "dog life insurance" and now I'm confused. I had no idea this even existed... is this a real thing or another way to take money from worried pet parents?
dog life insurance is different from regular pet health insurance. Pet insurance covers medical expenses while they're alive, but dog life insurance pays out a death benefit if your dog passes away. The companies advertising this make it sound essential, but I'm skeptical.
they claim it covers replacement cost of the dog (especially for purebreds), burial or cremation expenses, lost income for working dogs and "Emotional support" payments (really??)
The pricing seems all over the place. Some quotes I got are $20-50/month for basic coverage, higher for older dogs or specific breeds, maximum payouts of $5,000-25,000 and various deductibles and waiting periods
What's bothering me about dog life insurance is that many policies exclude death from old age (which is when most dogs die), pre-existing conditions aren't covered, some require expensive vet exams to qualify,hereditary conditions often excluded and suicide clause for dogs?? (I literally read this somewhere)
I understand it might make sense for show dogs, breeding dogs, or working dogs with actual monetary value. But for our family pet who's just a beloved companion? Seems like emotional manipulation to me.
The salespeople kept asking "what would you do if something happened to your beloved Max tomorrow?" as if money would somehow ease that pain. Frankly, I find it tasteless to suggest insurance can compensate for losing a family member.
But then I started thinking about emergency cremation costs ($200-500) and proper burial ($500-1500). Plus if our dog died from negligence somewhere (boarding facility, dog walker), wouldn't I want some financial recourse?
Has anyone actually purchased dog life insurance? Did it pay out when needed or was it impossible to claim? Is this legitimate financial planning or just preying on pet owners' emotions? Trying to figure out if I should look into this seriously or run far away from these companies

my daughter has been begging us to breed her mare and have a foal... im trying to figure out if this is even realistic for regular people or just for rich folks

looked into costs and holy crap, stud fees alone are $1200-3000, each attempt costs another $500-1000, total can hit $15000-20000 before the foal is even weaned. thats literally a year of college tuition for a baby horse haha.

her mare is 8 years old which seems fine but apparently breeding gets riskier as they get older... some say up to 15-16 is safe, but others say over 14 is high risk. also found out mares only have a 50-60% chance of getting pregnant each try so we might be paying for multiple attempts...the whole process sounds complicated too, need health exams, vaccines, negative coggins tests. plus the mare cycles every 21 days and youve got like a week window to try

My wife thinks itll be a good experience for our daughter to learn about responsibility... but someone online said "foals WANT to die" which doesnt exactly fill me with confidence

anyone done horse breeding just for fun not professionally? is it worth the money and stress or should i just tell my daughter we'll get a goldfish instead? starting to think this is one of those rich people hobbies we accidentally thought about