Credits: Social Media
Vet warns pet owners against toxic ‘dog vs lemon’ trend from TikTok
Every now and then the most bizarre trends take over TikTok. The latest debate is sparked from something called the ‘dog vs lemon’ challenge, which an experienced vet strictly warns against.
Social media trends involving animals or pets are only cute when they are harmless and done to bring more joy. However, this trend is perceived as fun for all the wrong reasons.
What is the ‘Dog vs Lemon’ trend?
The ‘dog vs lemon’ trend has been around on TikTok for a long time, but it wasn’t as well defined as it is today.
You may have seen videos dubbed as “funny” depicting dogs’ reactions to the sour fruit and capturing it on camera is what the dangerous trend is all about.
The trend sees pet owners throwing slices of lemon at their innocent dogs and puppies as they eagerly catch it under the assumption that they are getting doggie treats and fruits that are actually edible.
The person behind the camera proceeds to film their reaction reflecting discomfort caused by the sour taste, which some audience find funny.
Several TikTok users have hopped on the trend to show how their pooch felt after being surprised with lemon and others taking pride in the fact that the poor animal ate all of it.
However, the ignorance among pet owners is alarming as Dr Paola Cuevas, veterinary consultant at Dogster told The Focus why people should stop participating in the mindless challenge.
Vet warns against the TikTok challenge
Lemon is one of the “deadliest” food items to feed dogs. Every part of the fruit is said to be highly toxic to the pet animal. Warning against this trend, Dr Paola Cuevas told The Focus:
“Lemon and other citrus fruits are considered toxic to dogs, the toxic agents are the essential oils concentrated mostly in the peel.”
She noted that a dog may have to ingest “too many lemons” with the peel to suffer negative effects, but a “piece of lemon and rind can turn into a potential choking hazard, and, if swallowed could end up causing an obstruction.”
If you think eliminating the peel and feeding them the pulp is fine then you’re wrong.
Dr Paola Cuevas explained: “Lemons also contain psoralens, a group of naturally occurring phototoxic chemicals that could result in mouth irritation, photosensitivity, and dermatitis.”
“While providing a piece of lemon without peel might seem like a great idea to continue the laugh, and the lemon fruit itself is considered edible, we would advise you to abstain from this,” she added.
The sour taste wouldn’t appeal to your dog and feeding them a slice of lemon forcefully or even tricking them into catching only makes it more unpleasant for the voiceless animal.
This is why dogs make “funny” faces when they chew on lemon, not because they are amused by it.
Lemon can cause your pet canine to have an upset stomach and irritate its digestive system severely, leading to vomiting and diarrhea.
And if your dog has accidentally eaten a lemon, forget being a part of the TikTok trend, and consult a vet immediately.
