Emergency vet reveals the five things he’d NEVER do with his pooch – from giving the pup a bone to taking him to a DOG PARK
- Dr. Marcus Dela Cruz is an emergency veterinarian based in Oakland, California
- He has revealed the five things he would never do with his dog in a viral clip
- The vet recommended you keep your furry friend away from dog parks
A veterinarian has revealed the five things he would never do with his beloved pet pooch – from taking the pup to the dog park to allowing him to chew on bones.
Dr. Marcus Dela Cruz is an emergency veterinarian and dog dad to his Labrador, Charlie, and he frequently shares tips and tricks to keep your pup safe with his TikTok followers.
Most recently, the Oakland, California-based doctor detailed the various things he wouldn’t do with his 10-year-old pooch.
Dr. Marcus explained he has treated too many dogs to allow Charlie to chew on a stick, sniff another pup, and free-feed him before detailing why limiting a few things may help save your furry friend’s life.
Dr. Marcus Dela Cruz is an emergency veterinarian and dog dad to his Labrador, Charlie, and has revealed the five things he would never do with his dog
He frequently shares tips and tricks to keep your pup safe with his TikTok followers
To begin with, Dr. Marcus slammed the dog park because it can result in many health problems for your pup
Keep your dog safe! The five things you should NEVER do according to a vet
- Take them to a dog park
- Give them a bone as a treat
- Walk them without a leash
- Stop giving them medications or vaccines
- Free-feed them
Captioning the viral clip, which amassed over 2.3 million views, ‘Five things I will never do with my dog as an ER veterinarian,’ the doctor detailed how you may be unintentionally putting your furry friend in a dangerous situation.
To begin with, Dr. Marcus slammed a spot loved by all dogs: the dog park.
‘Number one, we are not going to any dog parks. Can he catch a tennis ball? Maybe, but you know what he can catch there? Parvovirus, Giardia, these hands from another dog, way too any wounds that I’m healing or stitching up in the hospital for me to take my chances there,’ he said.
According to Courteous Canine, saying ‘no’ to dog parks doesn’t make you a horrible dog owner, it makes you an even better one.
Dog parks can result in traumatic experiences for your pooch and can bring on health issues, so vets recommend you keep your pooch out of the pup playgrounds.
Next up, the emergency vet said he doesn’t allow Charlie to chew on bones or sticks.
‘Number two, I will never give him a bone or a bully stick,’ he said.
Bones may be a well-loved treat for your pooch, but they can be extremely dangerous.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, bones increase the risk of illness.
Among reports of health problems in pups, 68 per cent of those were due to bones blocking their digestive tracts.
Dr. Marcus said: ‘Either a foreign body or a fractured tooth either way, I don’t want to do emergency surgery on my dog.’
Giving your dog a bone can also cause them to choke, vomit, have diarrhea, bleed, and even die. The FDA reported that 15 dogs have died after eating a bone treat.
Instead, Dr. Marcus recommends you try dental sticks.
Next up, the emergency vet said he doesn’t allow Charlie to chew on bones or sticks because they can get lodged in his digestive tract
The vet said he wouldn’t ever take Charlie on a walk without his leash because it takes just one second for something to go wrong and for the pup to end up on the road
Next, Dr. Marcus warned pet owners about the dangers of stopping medication or vaccines and free-feeding
And just because you should be avoiding dog parks, you should allow your furry friend to enjoy the outdoors, just don’t ever forget his leash.
The vet said he wouldn’t ever take Charlie on a walk without his leash because it takes just one second for something to go wrong and for the pup to end up on the road trying to dodge cars speeding toward him.
‘All it takes is one squirrel, one tennis ball, and now he is in the middle of the streets of Oakland, and he got hit by a car,’ the vet explained.
A leash is also commonly referred to as your ‘pet’s lifeline’ because it helps restrain them from running toward danger.
And while you may think your sweet pooch would never even dare to run off, the vet suggests you don’t take the risk.
Next, Dr. Marcus warned pet owners about the dangers of stopping medication or vaccines.
‘I won’t stop giving long-term medications, preventatives, or vaccines. It’s way easier to prevent disease than it is to treat it,’ he said.
5 things I will never do with my dog as an ER Veterinarian #petcare #vetmed #ERvet #doghealthtips #petcaretips
Viewers flocked to the comments section to thank the vet for helping them keep their furry friends safe
Lastly, the doctor suggested you keep a close eye on the amount of food your dog eats. He explained that he would never free-feed him, which is the practice of making food available to your dogs at all times.
‘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 diseases,’ he explained.
Viewers flocked to the comments section to thank the vet for helping them keep their furry friends safe.
‘Very good advice,’ commented one person.
Someone else added: ‘We never go to dog parks! Our dog trainer always calls them “disease infested fight clubs.”‘
‘I did all of these, and my pup lived till 18 years of age. I miss him everyday, but I know he was healthy, loved so much, and taken care of!’ wrote another person.
‘Thanks!’ said someone else.
One person commented: ‘I agree with this 100 per cent.’
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