A vet has revealed five things he would never do to his own dog that could put the animal (and sometimes the people around him) in danger.
UK based content creator @ben.el.veterinariowho has more than 210,000 followers on TikTok, recently shared his tips in a video.
Many of Ben’s videos address animal welfare topics and provide viewers with information on how to responsibly care for pets.
He also regularly discusses the various health challenges faced by different species and breeds, often delving into the physiological qualities that animals have that can cause health problems, using scientific literature and his own professional experience to inform and educate his followers.
In her recent clip on what not to do when caring for a dog, she shared a variety of reasons, from everyday activities to general long-term health.
British vet and TikTok creator Ben the Vet (pictured) revealed five things he would never do to his own dog
1. ‘I would never let my dog walk off leash on the road’
According to Ben, the first thing on his list was that he would “never let (his) dog walk off leash down the road.”
Explaining why, he said: ‘I have a very clear memory (of) when I was 16, of seeing this Shih Tzu run over by the tire of a van. Miraculously, the dog was fine and none of the passengers were injured.
“But, annoyingly, I saw those same owners walking that dog in the same place a few weeks later. It’s very dangerous and really not worth the risk. No matter how obedient or well-trained my dog was, I could never trusting that he wouldn’t be distracted by a squirrel or a misfiring engine.
2. ‘I would not give them bones or antlers’
Speaking very specifically from his perspective as a veterinarian, Ben revealed that “when you spend half an hour performing an enema, removing bone fragments from a dog’s colon, you probably feel the same way.”
He added that it’s not just about that: these bones and antlers are “too hard to chew and fracture their teeth.”
The vet explained: “Very commonly, you see a lot of dogs with block fractures of their carnassial teeth, which are their last premolars on the top, and this is painful.” It can cause an abscess to form at the root of the tooth and the tooth needs to be extracted.
Among Ben the vet’s five things (pictured) was not letting his dog eat raw meat and not giving him bones or antlers.
3. ‘I would never leave my dog alone in a car’
While most people are aware that leaving their dog in a car can be fatal, many still do it, perhaps without being aware of the danger they are putting their dog in.
But as Ben explains: “It can be very hot in a car, even if you open the windows, and it’s a particularly hot day.
“So, in my opinion, it’s not worth the risk. If I were going out to run some errands, I’d leave my dog at home where he has a little more space.’
4. ‘I would never feed my dog raw meat.
According to the vet, in addition to the risk of infection for the dog, there is also the risk of infection for other members of the family, with concerns including E coli, Campylobacter and salmonella.
He said: ‘If I were making raw chicken, I would never rub raw meat juice from my hands on my children’s faces. But essentially, if you give raw meat to your dog and then he licks you or the children in the family, you are doing the same thing.”
Ben added that, in his opinion, it’s just not worth the risk.
5. ‘I wouldn’t let my dog get fat’
Since “food is the way to a dog’s heart,” the vet says he understands why it’s so easy to let your dog become overweight.
In his experience, it’s also quite common. However, the health risks they pose to dogs are quite high.
“I would venture to say that the majority of dogs I see as a veterinarian are overweight or obese,” he said.
“And so I would do everything I can to keep them nice and lean, so they’re less likely to develop arthritis at a young age and hopefully live as long as possible, because we all want our dogs to live forever.” .’