The Point Veterinarian

STICKS: Love to throw sticks for your dog…? Here’s why you shouldn’t. Ah yes, the humble stick. What could possibly go wrong…it’s just a harmless twig, right…? Well, not quite. Not for your dog at least. Dr John tells us about the dangers of throwing sticks for your dog and why he’d never ever do it (and hopes you won’t either). The amount of broken sticks we have to surgically remove from dogs’ jaws, tongues, throats and worse, would make you change your mind about throwing that stick. Real quick. The problem, Dr John says, is usually related to speed, or the need for your dog to leap in the air to catch it. Or the stick turning on its end and becoming a knife (sends shivers down your spine). That’s where the injuries happen. Nasty ones too. A stick piercing the back of the throat. Becoming lodged. Tongues punctured. Jaws dislodged. So many injuries for what seems a harmless act. So please, If you’re going to throw something for your dog to catch - make sure it’s not any of these: 1. Sharp (sticks etc) 2 Small enough to swallow (at speed) and 3 perishable. 🙏💙

You get a hug. You get a hug. And…you get a hug. Sweetest wee guy Spud, the 9 wk old baby Cocker, made sure to make his way round all our hearts 💙

IF these are not the eyes of guilt, we don’t know what is. But a note to wee self: Carbs and pups don’t mix. Especially when it’s a dozen ciabatta buns. Sydney, 4 and his two year old sister Rose, a couple of beautiful Brittany Spaniels, thought it was a good idea to tuck into mum’s bread rolls all to themselves. But we know what that means. A visit to the vet and you bring up exactly what you put down. A few trayloads of upchuck and all better. Best you stick to your carnivore diet, kiddos. #dogs #brittanyspaniel

Just good people. Doing good things. ❤️ #vet #puppy

PUP DIARIES with Dr John and Sterlo pt 2:🐾 1. Did you know you can overwalk your pup? Just small short walks (15-20 mins) a few times a day (to protect growth plates) in your growing puppy. 2. Using a harness rather than a collar on your young pup avoids damage to the windpipe when they pull. 3. Desexing: in small breeds, we generally recommend around six months. With larger breeds like Sterling, we like to wait until around 18-24 months. 4. Foods that are toxic ‼️⚠️to dogs: your pup is a toddler, so keep all avocados, grapes, raisins, chocolates and medication in foil packets well out of Puppy Reach (this is what we commonly see at the clinic). 5. Over washing your pup can cause skin issues - monthly is fine to avoid stripping their natural oils. 6. From 5-6 months you can cut to two meals a day. This helps with gradual weight gain but allows the stomach to adjust. And of course, NEVER give your pup cooked bones - ex-lap surgery is no fun for any pup - and we see far too much of it. ❤️

PUPPY DIARIES with Dr John: Want to know what to feed your pup? When to clip their nails? How to clip their nails? What foods to avoid? How long you should walk your pup? When to get them desexed? How often you should wash them? So much to ask with a new pup. Our boofer Babypup, Sterlo is the goodest model pup ever and now that he’s almost five months old…there’s so much more to keep in mind. We sit down with Dr John this week in a series of wee videos to learn all about the next phase of puppyhood and what we need to be doing to keep them safe and healthy…this week is nail clipping…fun times. Remember it’s important to play with your pup’s paws and mouth to get them used to it from an early age. 🐾💙

Here are a few of our favourite things this week. From ear drains to loving paws. Bellies full of sand to the golden girls in for group dentals. Oh and did you spot Sterlo and his gf Maple…? 🤩 #veterinary #vet #puppiesofinstagram

Dem stones like river stones. Poor lil Lulu will get peeing so much easier now she’s rid of these 😮🙌 #vet #doglife

Surgery done. Right back into her tucker. 👌

It’s a super happy hump day…we’ve got Doc John back from hols and saving paws and there’s plenty of bum wiggles and paw shaking to put a smile on our dials ❤️

WHEN Babypup met Supermutt…my dad found this little guy with the helicopter tail but I don’t needa be too worried. He brings home puppers all the time. Oh hang on a gosh darn minute, why is he bringing so many of the toys and beds if he’s only here for visiting? And why does he have a food bowl? That’s just for me. I’m the head pup. Sure, I let him do the sniffing, the pup investigating of my house. I let him sniff all my fave pee spots then go over them so he knows this here lies my castle. Then he do disappear acts and I thinks to myself yes, I lost him. But no. He came back. Again and again. Mum says this is Babypup, Sterling Riggleton the first. I tell her he’s not sharing my bed. Or my dinner. I don’t care how cute his lil’ polar bear nose is. After some serious rule teaching, I let him come sleep by me. He sure do a lot of it. Okay maybe I will let you stay, I tell him but know this: I’m still the bestest Supermutt no matter your soft cuddly belly and your jelly bean paws. They don’t fool me. Not one bit. 🐾

WHAT’S better than a day of tough surgeries and sad goodbyes…a lil box of furmunchkins like these little puppers to make our day brighter and the grey clouds disappear. Happy Monday 💓 #thepointvet #puppies