10 March 2024 , 19:10
777
0
Millions of people in the UK have a pet dog, but one animal expert has outlined the mistakes that many owners are still making.
This is in spite of the Labrador, Charlie, most likely enjoying some of them. But the risk to his health and wellbeing is too great, Dr Marcus added. He posted a video on TikTok with the advice to his 28,000 followers. And the clip has been viewed more than 2.3million times.
The vet, who is based in America, talks to the camera in the video as he poses with Charlie. Scroll down to read the five things he would never do with his dog, as reported by Birmingham Live.
Go to dog parks
Speaking about parks made specifically for dogs to run free off the lead, Dr Marcus said: "Can he catch a tennis ball? Maybe. But you know what he can catch there? Parvovirus, giardia, 'these hands' from another dog. Way too many bite wounds that I'm healing or stitching up in the hospital to take my chances there."
Give him a bone or bully stick
Chews can be dangerous for dogs as they may get stuck in their systems or break their teeth. "Either for a foreign body or a fractured tooth, either way I do not want to do emergency surgery on my dog," Dr Marcus said.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
Walk him without a lead
Dr Marcus has warned that dogs can run away fast if they're not on a lead. He explained: "All it takes is one squirrel, one tennis ball and now he's in the middle of the streets and hit by a car."
Stop giving him long-term medicines or vaccinations
He also advised against giving pets long-term medicines or jabs when they don't need them. Dr Marcus said: "It's way easier to prevent disease than it is to treat it."
Free feed
When it comes to feeding your furry friend, Dr Marcus suggests having set meal times. He said: "As much as he would love to eat everything all day, every day, I like to control how much he eats and keep him on a consistent schedule and also it allows me to see if he has a decrease in appetite which can be a huge marker for underlying disease."