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We all want what’s best for our furry friends. But what if, by trying our best, we may unintentionally do more harm than good? Think of all the overpriced and delicious-looking snacks you get for your bamboozler at a local pet store, the sea of pet toys you shower them with just because you love ‘em to the moon and back... and you wonder what’s up with your bank balance!
But one vet is debunking common myths and sharing some real useful pet tips, from things to get them at a pet store to things we feed them that are actually very toxic.
Meet Dr. Hunter Finn, TikTok’s beloved veterinarian, who has set out on a mission to educate owners on pet care and “strengthening the human + animal bond.” And with a whopping 1.9M followers and a total of 39.5M likes, it seems like Hunter is doing a terrific job.
More info: TikTok | Instagram | Youtube | DrHunterFinn.com
@dr.hunterfinn #petsoftiktok #veterinarian #vettech #veterinarylife I’m on vacation, but promise to make more videos if y’all like these. Cats next.
♬ Send Me on My Way - Guy Meets Girl
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
1. Shows you their tummy
2. Gently bites/nibbles you
3. Slowly stares and blinks at you
With so many fun, colorful and tasty-looking things sold in the pet stores, it’s easy to get lost. Do you really need a bunch of overpriced organic dry foods for your furry friend, or yet another chewy bone to add to your pupper’s collection? Well, the experts say you may be better off without some of them.
So to find what to snatch and what to pass on in pet stores for the safety of our beloved four-legged friends, Bored Panda talked to Molly DeVoss, a certified feline training and behavior specialist who runs Cat Behavior Solutions agency.
“I do not recommend buying a covered litter box—especially in a multi-cat household. Cats worry that they’ll be ambushed when coming out of a covered box,” Molly said and continued: “In the wild, a cat will choose to urinate/defecate in wide open spaces so they can see potential predators coming.” Turns out, covered litter boxes are often a cause for avoidance issues.
#4
Sheila McEnany Markowitz 3 years ago
My cat loves cool, wet cloths draped on him in very hot weather. He walks around wearing it like his superhero cape.
#5
"Doesn't it always mean they are sick or have a nutritional deficiency? If they eat too much grass it can cause them to vomit yes. But the truth is they probably just enjoy it."
Bow, I’m a Slytherclaw 3 years ago
Our old cat used to go outside, eat some grass, then come in and puke on the living room floor.
#6
"My whole life's been a lie because that's the most perfect pill pocket I've ever seen"
Missy Moo Moo 3 years ago
British bulldog owner here - she seriously LOVES strawberries! I could hide a brick in a strawberry and she would eat the brick too
Among other things that Molly would suggest avoiding is buying a box that’s too small. “As a rule of thumb, the box needs to be at least 1.5 times the length of your cat (measured from tip of nose to base of tail),” she explained.
Moreover, the feline behavior expert would also avoid buying dry food for cats “because it does not provide adequate hydration. The worst brand of wet food is far better for your cat than the highest quality dry food. Yes, dry food is convenient for you, but it is not what your feline species needs to maintain optimal health.”
#7
"The plants are extremely toxic and can cause kidney failure. Even the pollen or water from the vase can be toxic"
#9
1. Recognizes your name when talked about
2. Guarding you or looking the other way while you eat
3. Prolonged staring at you
Yettichild 3 years ago
With medium to large dogs, you can easily tell by the number of things your dog breaks wagging their tail.
And when it comes to cat toys, Molly said it is a lot like buying toys for children; “you want to avoid small parts and pieces that can break off or be chewed off and swallowed. Ingesting toys can create serious intestinal issues and blockages in cats.”
According to her, wand toys are the best choice for your cat; interactive play simulates the hunting sequence and burns off pent-up energy. “Be sure to put the wand toy away—out of reach to the cat—when you’re not using it,” she reminded all the cat owners.
#10
1 year old dog= 31 year old human
2 years=49
What about 7 year old dog? 62
Aging slows down. 8 year old= 64
#11
Make sure there is no xylitol and its super high in calories so MODERATION or else they gonna get chonky
#12
"We don't know the exact toxin in the grapes and some dogs will be fine while others go into kidney failure"
We also talked to Salman Haqqi, a pet insurance expert at Money.co.uk who said that when picking the right toy for your dog, you should consider “the size of your dog, how active they are, their breed and age." Moreover, "Toys that are too small can get lodged in your dog's throat or be easily swallowed so it’s best to buy the appropriate size for your breed.”
And when it comes to many dogs' favorite squeaky toys, the Money.co.uk animal experts warn that the canine “may want to track down and demolish the noise, which could be ingested if left unattended, so just keep an eye on your pooch to make sure they aren't eating anything they shouldn't be.”
#13
"Yes, they like the exaggerated, high pitched tone. But only when using dog relevant words like 'walk' or 'play'"
Lynn Donovan 3 years ago
We do sound stupid when we walk our puppy. "Yaaaaay!" "Good boooy!". But we don't care! We love how excited he gets.
#14
"Pig ears. Very fatty. Can contribute to obesity, vomiting and diarrhea. Higher chance of bacterial overgrowth"
“Be careful with rawhide dog chews as they may pose choking hazards, it's always important to check with your vet about the most safe and appropriate toys. We’d recommend Kongs and fun treat dispensers that keep your pet entertained for long periods of time.”
If you’re thinking of getting your pet some chews, you should make sure there is nothing sharp or hard that could damage pets' teeth or cause injury, “anything that could splinter or be a choking hazard.”
#16
1. Picking fights with housemates.
2. Peeing outside the litterbox
3. Tearing up furniture
4. Overgrooming
5. Sleeping more
6. Overeating
crazy_cat_notAlady 3 years ago
in that case...my cats were born bored. assholes. (but I love them)
Seabeast 3 years ago
Peeing outside the litter box isn't usually a sign of boredom. It may mean you're way overdue to replace the litter, it may mean a bladder stone or arthritis, it may also mean that a stray cat is hanging around outside and triggering territorial anxiety.
sharron lynn parsons 3 years ago
If kittens sleep a lot, one of mine, continues to sleep like a kitten, my other cat, sleeps less and wants to play, my sleeper does not care to play, she prefers to sleep !!!
Amber Hills 3 years ago
Me wanting to know if my cat is bored: 1. No 2. No 3. No 4. No, he's probs not bored. *Sees 6* *Sighs*
Craig Silberman 3 years ago
uh, please define "overgooming" and "sleeping more" --- more than what?
Rissie 3 years ago
First of all, cats are bored a lot, especially when they live indoors. But these behaviors can have many things as a root cause. Once one of my cats came from the vet, very stressed, the other one could just not deal with it and started hissing at him. Overeating can come from a setting where a cat moved house and has a different excercise pattern. Picking fights can also be because they just have different expectancies from each other. Tearing up furniture can be learned behavior. The thing is, most of it is just stress, and stress can be caused by so many things.
InfectedVoice 3 years ago
Sleeping more?? Cats are meant to sleep 17hrs a day or more, how the f**k can I measure that?
#17
"They are smelling secretions from anal sacs. These glands produce a unique odor to that animal. It gives them instant information and helps them determine how to act"
#18
"Bones (Raw or processed) and Hooves. These WILL wear/break your dogs teeth and possibly cause gastrointestinal problems. Remember this: if you can't make any indention with your fingernail or hit it against your knee comfortably, then it's hard for your dog to chew"
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
I don't know what to believe. Some vets say raw bones are good for dogs, especially with keeping their teeth clean and now this vet says no to raw bones.
#19
The next year=about 10 years
Then every year = about 7 years after that
crazy_cat_notAlady 3 years ago (edited)
I'm living with the equivalent of a 65-year old man with a "mid-life" crisis. my cat's human persona would b a grey-haired man, with a small paunch, who lounges around in his boxers, yells at his neighbors for mowing their lawn on Saturday afternoons. Drinks beer after lunch while judging millennial kids and dreaming about buying a boat. (pisses in the garden despite having 5 toilets in the house) yup. that explains it.
#20
1.Remove the stinger (don't use tweezers)
2. Apply baking soda/water paste and ice the area
3. Call your vet
#21
"These won't always cause problems, but if shredded, ingested and unable to be passed can become life threatening"
Lynn Donovan 3 years ago
My dog loves a good tugging war but I always put the rope away when we're done. I do this with a good majority of his toys (he can keep his plushies and one chewing bone) so he never gets tired of them and it's safer this way (I'm home with him all day so we play multiple times a day).
#22
1.Hyperactive at times
2. Always hungry
3. Drinks a lot of water
4. Losing weight
#23
1.Establish one primary veterinarian
2. If you're concerned, don't wait
3. Invest in pet insurance
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Disagree with the pet insurance. Even Choice Australia doesn't recommend pet insurance coz there is just too many catches, restrictions and fine print. Better to save a few dollars a week in a separate account or money box.
#24
"Meat is the #1 ingredient means it must be the best right? Meat is generally about 70% water. So maybe it should say "water is the first ingredient". Don't base your choice off of this one marketing tactic"
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
Grain free is also a marketing tactic coz dogs need some grains in their diet unless medically exempt. And vegan cat food should be illegal since they are obligate carnivores and can't thrive and survive without meat in their diet.
#25
"Wet noses help their sense of smell and help cool them down"
#26
Yettichild 3 years ago
If you value your sense of smell/sanity, never feed a dog jasmine rice. We had to evacuate the house her farts were so bad.
#27
"All dog feet smell... some more than others. Mainly due to microbes like yeast and bacteria. If the odor is getting stronger or your dog is licking/chewing a lot go see you vet"
#28
At least once every 3 days. Make sure to get those back molars especially as they chew with those most often
Yettichild 3 years ago
I can't brush my cat's teeth. He won't let me. But, I did feed him oral care food plus feline greenies up until recently (had to change him to Rx food for kidneys) and my vet is always floored by his teeth. He is 14 now and has never once needed a cleaning or anything. The vet says, by his teeth he would have said my cat was 6, and that just from the wear. Pretty sure they think I'm lying about his age. But he was one of my foster kittens and I've had him since he weighed less than 2 lbs. I'm determined to keep him around as long as possible. Within reason of course, I wouldn't make him suffer needlessly.
#29
"The best way to avoid even HAVING to do this is to use prevention (orals are better than collars). But this product helps you remove the entire tick. Without having to touch it or leave the head in the dog. Prevention is better than simply removing ticks because now this dog is at risk for many different diseases"
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What do you think ?
Bill 3 years ago
So this is paid advertisement from a vet who gets a commission to hawk pet insurance?
Becky Samuel 3 years ago
He seems awfully committed to branded dog food too.
Load More Replies...
Mazer 3 years ago
And stay away from veterinarians who just want your money, Not all veterinarians are good veterinarians just like not all doctors are good doctors
Seabeast 3 years ago
I still feel bitter about the one who pressured us to keep our old male tabby alive about a year past the point when we should have let him go. He had no quality of life in that last year, but whenever we brought up euthanasia the vet would say "No, he has plenty of life left in him!"
Load More Replies...
Becky Samuel 3 years ago
It's very highly opinionated imho. I understand why vets are wary of people who feed their dogs naturally rather than using mass-produced dog food, because it's not easy to get right, but this guy is taking it to extremes. I also disagree with him about many of the chews - if I don't provide something that is hard enough for my dogs to chew on for more than 5 minutes without destroying it, then they will seek out something much less suitable by themselves.
Load More Replies... 
Ozacoter 3 years ago
According to this guy nothing. He is daying bullshit
Load More Replies...
Zedrapazia 3 years ago
He basically says thar any dog toy is bad except for plastic toys - sounds like he got sponsored by a dog toy producer. Wolves and dogs have been eating bones since ever, I'll keep giving them to my boys - except for chicken bones of course as they can splinter and cut the dogs stomach from inside.
Red Rose 3 years ago
Cooked chicken bones will splinter. Raw chicken bones will not splinter. Ask any raw feeder.
Load More Replies... Monday 3 years ago
I'm more of a "do what makes my pet happy" kind of person. I'm not going to deprive myself of the things I like because it's healthier to do so, so I'm not going to deprive my pets of what they like for the same reason either. Now I'm certainly not going to let them become obese, but I'm certainly not going to religiously follow these tips either.
fainasKeturatis 3 years ago
thanks, dr. Oz. I suppose we don't need to argue that not all tips from his shows were actually good.
sharron lynn parsons 3 years ago
Am I the only one ? there is some, important information in this post, thanks !!!
witchling 3 years ago
As a long time pet owner and animal business owner I think most of what this vet says is accurate. Keep in mind this is very generalized and directed at the average person... many of whom are not long time pet owners. There are people who are qualified or wise enough to construct a diet but too many people follow 'fads' without doing the research. Yes there are dogs who have a strong chewing instinct and need a more substantial chew toy but the average lap dog will break his teeth on a big bone. But there are people who think that it's ok for their pup because 'hey they'd do it in the wild right?!' We've domesticated them too much for that mentality. And finally, as for the pet insurance, he didn't promote a company but instead offered it as a generalization. I think it's important to remember that vets have the highestsuicide
witchling 3 years ago
Continued Suicide rate if all professions. Watching people put down pets because they can't afford treatment is soul wrenching. And no matter how much they may want to, vets can't afford to do tons of pro bono work! Pet insurance helps avoid that heartache for the pet owner and the vet. Thanks for reading my rant!!!
Load More Replies... Bill 3 years ago
So this is paid advertisement from a vet who gets a commission to hawk pet insurance?
Becky Samuel 3 years ago
He seems awfully committed to branded dog food too.
Load More Replies... Mazer 3 years ago
And stay away from veterinarians who just want your money, Not all veterinarians are good veterinarians just like not all doctors are good doctors
Seabeast 3 years ago
I still feel bitter about the one who pressured us to keep our old male tabby alive about a year past the point when we should have let him go. He had no quality of life in that last year, but whenever we brought up euthanasia the vet would say "No, he has plenty of life left in him!"
Load More Replies... Becky Samuel 3 years ago
It's very highly opinionated imho. I understand why vets are wary of people who feed their dogs naturally rather than using mass-produced dog food, because it's not easy to get right, but this guy is taking it to extremes. I also disagree with him about many of the chews - if I don't provide something that is hard enough for my dogs to chew on for more than 5 minutes without destroying it, then they will seek out something much less suitable by themselves.
Load More Replies... Ozacoter 3 years ago
According to this guy nothing. He is daying bullshit
Load More Replies... Zedrapazia 3 years ago
He basically says thar any dog toy is bad except for plastic toys - sounds like he got sponsored by a dog toy producer. Wolves and dogs have been eating bones since ever, I'll keep giving them to my boys - except for chicken bones of course as they can splinter and cut the dogs stomach from inside.
Red Rose 3 years ago
Cooked chicken bones will splinter. Raw chicken bones will not splinter. Ask any raw feeder.
Load More Replies... Monday 3 years ago
I'm more of a "do what makes my pet happy" kind of person. I'm not going to deprive myself of the things I like because it's healthier to do so, so I'm not going to deprive my pets of what they like for the same reason either. Now I'm certainly not going to let them become obese, but I'm certainly not going to religiously follow these tips either.
fainasKeturatis 3 years ago
thanks, dr. Oz. I suppose we don't need to argue that not all tips from his shows were actually good.
sharron lynn parsons 3 years ago
Am I the only one ? there is some, important information in this post, thanks !!!
witchling 3 years ago
As a long time pet owner and animal business owner I think most of what this vet says is accurate. Keep in mind this is very generalized and directed at the average person... many of whom are not long time pet owners. There are people who are qualified or wise enough to construct a diet but too many people follow 'fads' without doing the research. Yes there are dogs who have a strong chewing instinct and need a more substantial chew toy but the average lap dog will break his teeth on a big bone. But there are people who think that it's ok for their pup because 'hey they'd do it in the wild right?!' We've domesticated them too much for that mentality. And finally, as for the pet insurance, he didn't promote a company but instead offered it as a generalization. I think it's important to remember that vets have the highestsuicide
witchling 3 years ago
Continued Suicide rate if all professions. Watching people put down pets because they can't afford treatment is soul wrenching. And no matter how much they may want to, vets can't afford to do tons of pro bono work! Pet insurance helps avoid that heartache for the pet owner and the vet. Thanks for reading my rant!!!
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