Over the past year, hundreds of you have asked Whistleblower for help. While we can't investigate each tip, we want to share more of what you tell us. In 2009, we started publishing a few tips each week to stimulate online discussion and create ways for our readers to help each other. Unlike our news stories, we have not verified this information. If you have a tip, send it to whistleblower@startribune.com.

A Minneapolis dog owner said he's skeptical about veterinarians' practice of taking animals into the back room during visits. After some expensive vet bills, including a $400 wart removal, the dog owner wondered whether the vet was taking advantage of his ignorance.

"There were always these fees for operations/tests that required the vet to take our dog into the back room," he wrote to Whistleblower. "How is a regular person supposed to know what procedures a dog or cat may need?" Do you think that veterinarians should treat animals in front of their owners? How can pet owners make sure they're well educated about their animal's medical treatment?