Goddard Vet Group

24/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 24 – Sugar-Free Sweets (Xylitol): Dangerous for Dogs 🍬

Could your good intentions be unintentionally harmful to your dog? Xylitol, a sugar substitute often used in baked goods, sweets, peanut butter, jams, chewing gum, and even dental products, is extremely toxic to dogs. Even small amounts can be fatal.

Ingestion causes a rapid drop in blood sugar, which can lead to:
🔸lethargy and wobbliness
🔸confusion
🔸vomiting
🔸collapse
🔸tremors or seizures

In some cases, dogs may go on to develop acute liver failure. Fortunately, cats do not appear to be affected by xylitol.

🎄 Tip: Always check labels and keep sugar-free products well out of reach of dogs. If you suspect ingestion, contact your vet immediately — fast action can save lives.

23/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 23 – Salt: A Hidden Danger to Watch For 🧂

As Christmas gets closer, pets are spending more time around decorations and festive displays. Homemade salt dough decorations may look harmless, but they contain very high levels of salt, and even one ornament can cause serious poisoning if eaten.

⚠️ Signs to watch for include:
🔹vomiting or diarrhoea
🔹reduced appetite or lethargy
🔹poor coordination
🔹excessive thirst or urination

In severe cases, tremors or seizures may occur.

🎄 Top tip: If you have salt dough decorations, make sure they’re securely out of reach and check regularly that none have fallen or been chewed.

If you think your pet has eaten a salt dough decoration, contact your vet immediately.

22/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 22 – A Safe Space: Helping Pets Feel Secure 🏠

The festive period can bring changes to routine, extra visitors, and more noise — which can feel overwhelming for some pets. Creating a safe, quiet space gives them somewhere to relax and feel secure when things get busy.

💤 How to create a safe space:
▫️Choose a quiet area away from visitors and noise
▫️Add familiar bedding, blankets, or favourite toys
▫️Allow your pet to come and go freely — never force interaction
▫️Make sure children and guests know to leave them undisturbed

Providing a calm retreat helps reduce stress and allows your pet to enjoy the festive season at their own pace.

21/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 21 – Raisins & Sultanas: A Serious Festive Risk 🍇

Grapes and their dried forms — including raisins, currants and sultanas — are highly toxic to dogs, whether raw or cooked. Ingestion can lead to acute, potentially fatal kidney failure.

Christmas treats such as mince pies, Christmas pudding, cakes and festive bakes often contain dried fruit, so it’s important to keep them well out of reach. Even just a few grapes or raisins can cause severe illness.

If your dog ingests any amount of grapes, raisins, currants or sultanas, contact your vet immediately.

20/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 20 – Onions & Garlic: A Hidden Food Hazard 🧅

Did you know that onions and their relatives are toxic to dogs and cats? The Allium family — including onions, garlic, spring onions, chives and leeks — can damage red blood cells, which may lead to lethargy, weakness, or collapse.

Even small amounts can be harmful. In cats, as little as one or two garlic cloves may cause serious problems, and repeated exposure to small amounts over time can also build up and cause illness.

🍗 Festive tip: Gravy is a common hidden source at Christmas. Many instant gravies contain high levels of onion or garlic powder, so avoid offering gravy or seasoned leftovers as treats.

When it comes to festive food, it’s safest to stick to pet-friendly treats only.

19/12/2025

Welcome to the practice, Ponyo 🥹🥹🥹

19/12/2025

A round of ap-paws for Penny 🐾👏 She was the bestest girl and stole all our hearts! 💖✨

19/12/2025

Milo wasn’t a fan of the kennel during treatment for his heart condition, so we made him extra comfy with a special bed in our prep area 🐾💖 Plenty of cuddles and calm vibes for this sweet boy! 🩺😊

19/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 19 – Ni****ne: Keep It Well Out of Reach 🚭

Ni****ne poisoning can occur in pets, so it’s important to keep ci******es, vapes, and ni****ne products safely out of reach. The flavoured liquids used in e-ci******es can be particularly attractive to dogs.

With significant ingestion, symptoms can appear very quickly and may include:
🔹drooling
🔹vomiting
🔹diarrhoea
🔹excitability or agitation
🔹neurological signs

Always contact or visit your vet immediately if you think your pet has ingested any form of ni****ne.

18/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 18 – Mouldy Food: A Serious Hidden Risk 🦠

Mouldy food can be extremely dangerous for pets. It most often becomes a problem when dogs raid kitchen bins or food-waste caddies — something that can happen more easily at Christmas when there’s extra food waste around. Ingesting mouldy food can lead to rapid and severe symptoms, including:

🔸restlessness
🔸panting
🔸excessive salivation
🔸whole-body muscle tremors
🔸 sensitivity to touch or noise
🔸seizures

🗑️ Top tip: Keep food-waste bins securely closed and out of reach, and dispose of mouldy food carefully. If you think your pet may have eaten mouldy food, seek veterinary treatment without delay.

17/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 17 – Mistletoe: A Holiday Favourite, but Not for Pets 💚

Mistletoe may be a symbol of holiday cheer, but it can be toxic to pets if ingested. Both the berries and leaves contain compounds that can cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, or other serious symptoms in dogs and cats.

Keep mistletoe out of reach of curious paws, and avoid placing it in areas where pets might nibble on it. If your pet has ingested mistletoe, contact your vet immediately for advice.

16/12/2025

🎄 Festive Hazards Advent Calendar – Day 16 – Holly Berries: Festive but Not Pet-Friendly 🌿

Holly is a popular Christmas decoration, but the berries and leaves can be harmful to pets if chewed or swallowed. Curious dogs and cats may be tempted to investigate, especially if holly is placed low down or within easy reach.

Ingesting holly can cause tummy upset, drooling, or irritation to the mouth and digestive tract. To keep pets safe, place holly decorations well out of reach or choose pet-friendly alternatives instead.

If you think your pet has eaten holly berries or leaves, contact your vet for advice.

11/11/2025

🥹🥹🥹

Albert catching some Zzzs 😴🐾 before his very first vaccine appointment — such a calm little champ! 💉💛

29/10/2025

🎆 Fireworks season is here — and while we love the sparkle, our pets often don’t! 🐾💛 Swipe through for our top tips to help keep your furry friends calm and safe when the fireworks start.

💬 Share this post to help other pet owners prepare
📌 Save it so you’re ready for the big night

17/10/2025

Some heroes wear capes. Ours wears a stethoscope 🩺 Watch Vet Sam and the team at Mandeville Hospital help Max!

22/09/2025

Not your everyday patient! 🦅

19/09/2025

👀 Your pet’s eyes do a lot more than help them see — they’re also a window into their health. But because pets can’t tell us when something feels wrong, it’s up to us to spot the signs early.

Here are 7 common warning signs of poor eye health:
1️⃣ Asymmetry – eyes don’t look the same
2️⃣ Irritation – rubbing, squinting, or redness
3️⃣ Blindness – clumsy, confused, or vision loss
4️⃣ Tear Staining – reddish-brown streaks under the eyes
5️⃣ Redness – inflamed or swollen eyes
6️⃣ Cloudy / Colour Change – eyes lose their sparkle or change shade
7️⃣ Runny / Sticky Eyes – watery, mucus, or unusual discharge

🐾 Eye problems can be painful and progress quickly. If you notice any of these changes, the best thing you can do is book a check-up with your vet. Early care means happier, healthier eyes — and a happier, healthier pet. ❤️

18/09/2025

🐾 Pet Eye Health Awareness Week: Rusty’s Story 🐾

Rusty, a retired police search dog, developed a sore patch near his eye linked to a chronic skin condition. Thanks to specialist care at our South Woodford practice, his condition is now well managed.

Vet Adam Thoms explained:

“Rusty’s condition is being managed with medication and he’s responded very well to treatment and is feeling much more comfortable.”

Rusty’s story is a reminder of how important eye health is for our pets. Here are 7 common signs of poor eye health to look out for:

👁️ Asymmetry
👁️ Irritation
👁️ Blindness
👁️ Tear staining
👁️ Redness
👁️ Dull, cloudy, or colour change
👁️ Runny or sticky eyes

If you notice any of these, book a check-up—early care makes a huge difference.

💙 Read Rusty’s full story on our blog here: https://www.goddardvetgroup.co.uk/blog/our-support-for-london-retired-police-dogs/

Find out more about how we are supporting the London Retired Police Dogs Trust (LRPD) charity.

16/09/2025

👀✨ It’s Pet Eye Health Awareness Week!

Did you know that eye problems are surprisingly common in pets? From redness and cloudiness to discharge or pawing at the eye, small changes can sometimes signal something more serious. By checking your pet’s eyes regularly, you can help spot issues early and keep them comfortable, happy, and healthy 🐾💙

08/08/2025

08/08/2025

It’s International Cat Day! 🐾 Swipe through: Which emoji is your cat? Post below 👇 Tag your cat-friends and let the chaos begin!

🎙️ The Vocal One - talks back, announces every entrance, meows like they pay the rent
💨 The Chaotic Zoomer - random sprints, wall runs, parkour wannabe
🛋️The Couch Potato - sleeps 23/7, wakes up for food and stretching only
👀 The Judgy One - constant side-eye, always watching, definitely thinks they’re better than you
💻 The Keyboard Supervisor - sits on your laptop as soon as you open it
🧽 The Clean Freak - always grooming - themselves, you, other pets, the air…

29/07/2025

BOOP🐾💖

📍 Goddard Vet Group Raynes Park

Not-so-little Lila was in for her first puppy check, and we couldn’t resist this close-up! That nose? 10/10 would boop again 😍

18/07/2025

Those pesky grass seeds 😫 www.goddardvetgroup.co.uk/blog/how-to-protect-your-dog-from-grass-seeds/

Grass seeds: 0, Rue: 1 ✅

This brave girl came in after one made it deep into her ear—and we found 20+ more hiding in her fur! Please check your dog’s ears and paws this time of year 🌾🐶