Alex the vet
@alex_thevet • 107,400 subscribers
Videos
Day 6 of my cat Home Vet Check Series: the 2-second gum check. Gum colour + how fast they refill after a light press tells you about circulation, oxygen, liver function and whether your cat is going into shock. Learn their normal pink while they're well so you can spot an emergency in seconds. #vetexplains #cathealth #catemergency #seniorcat #vetadvice
Alex the vet200,700 views • 8 days ago
The reverse sneeze is one of those things that looks like a genuine emergency the first ten times you see it, and almost never is. It's a sudden, repeated rapid inhalation that sounds between a snort, a honk, and a choking sound. Most dogs stand still with the neck extended, and 30 seconds later carry on as if nothing happened. Something has irritated the soft palate at the back of the throat, and the body resets it. Small and flat-faced breeds (Pugs, Frenchies, Bulldogs, Cavaliers, small terriers) are wildly overrepresented. The finger-over-one-nostril trick works because it makes the dog swallow, which resets the reflex. A gentle throat rub or soft blow towards the face do the same. Worry if it's several times a day, lasting more than a couple of minutes, or newly starting in an older dog, then see a vet. Video: @houseofsausage on Instagram #vetexplains #reversesneezing #dogbehaviour #doghealth
Alex the vet1,400,000 views • 2 months ago
Every dog like this exists because someone paid a lot of money for the last one. That's the whole engine. This video isn’t an attack on the owner in the video, many people don’t understand the full extent of the issues these dogs get. It is to use this as an example to raise awareness of the larger problem with breeding dogs like this. Nano bullies, teacup Frenchies, "exotic" bulldogs, breeders take an already-troubled brachycephalic breed and dial the extremes up further: shorter legs, wider faces, bigger heads, more wrinkles. A look that sells for thousands. The cost of that look is the dog: breathing that never gets comfortable, spines that buckle, joints that can't carry the body, skin folds that infect and reinfect. And here, cropped ears, a cosmetic mutilation that's illegal in the UK for good reason. The market rewards the damage. The more broken the dog, the higher the price. This gets solved on the buying side: every one that finds a buyer tells the breeder to make more. If you want a bulldog-shaped dog, please look at rescues. #vetexplains #dogwelfare #extremebreeding #adoptdontshop #vetadvice
Alex the vet1,400,000 views • 3 months ago
MMM (masticatory muscle myositis) in dogs: the immune system attacks the chewing muscles either side of the head. Early signs are subtle, facial swelling, jaw pain, drooling, reluctance to chew, before the skull-like sunken look. One blood test diagnoses it and it's treatable. German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans and Goldens are over-represented. #vetexplains #dogwelfare #MMM #doghealth #vetadvice
Alex the vet43,600 views • 3 days ago
If you own a large-breed dog, this is the emergency I'd most want you to recognise at 2am. Bloat, also called GDV, can kill a healthy adult dog in hours. The stomach fills with gas and twists on itself, cutting off the blood supply. The four signs to burn into memory: • A swollen, tight, distended belly • Unproductive retching and excessive drooling (trying to be sick with nothing coming up, the single most important red flag) • Restlessness, pacing, inability to settle • Collapse If any of these happen, don't wait it out. Get to an emergency vet immediately, every minute counts. High-risk breed? Feed small meals, use a slow feeder, no exercise around mealtimes, and ask your vet about gastropexy. #vetexplains #dogemergency #bloatawareness #doghealth
Alex the vet967,300 views • 2 months ago
Watching a dog dream is one of the sweetest things in pet ownership. The twitching, paddling, muffled little half-barks. And the science is lovelier than most owners realise. Dogs enter REM sleep in cycles throughout the night, same as we do. The brain fires almost identically to the human dreaming pattern, and the body goes into partial muscle atonia so they don't act the whole dream out. The twitches are the signal leaking through anyway. Studies on sleeping rats found they replayed the exact mazes they'd learnt that day, so dogs are likely replaying their day too: walks, meals, play, the people and dogs they met, maybe you. Puppies and senior dogs dream most. One safety note: a dreaming dog is loose, paddling softly, and can be gently woken. A seizing dog is stiff, may lose bladder control, and can't be roused. If anything looks off, assume seizure and see a vet. Otherwise, leave them to it. Whatever they're dreaming about, let it be their best day. #vetexplains #dogbehaviour #dogsleep #dogfacts #vetadvice
Alex the vet79,900 views • 27 days ago
Open-mouth breathing in cats is never normal, and one possible reason is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) - the most common heart disease in cats. In HCM, the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, which can make it harder for the heart to pump effectively. When this happens, fluid can build up in or around the lungs, making breathing difficult and forcing the cat to gasp or breathe with its mouth open. But it’s important to remember that HCM isn’t the only reason a cat might breathe this way. Open-mouth breathing can also be linked to respiratory infections, asthma, severe pain, heat stress, anxiety, or airway obstruction. Regardless of the cause, it’s always treated as an emergency until proven otherwise. If you ever notice your cat panting, struggling to breathe, or holding its mouth open to get air, seek veterinary attention immediately - cats hide illness well, and breathing changes are one of the most important signs to act on quickly. #HCM #CatHealth #openmouthbreathing #FelineCardiology #FelineCare
Alex the vet802,400 views • 11 months ago
That exaggerated sway in your dog’s hips when they walk might look like a cute wiggle — but it is often one of the earliest signs of hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a condition where the ball and socket of the hip joint do not fit together properly, causing laxity and instability. Over time, this leads to abnormal movement, inflammation, and eventually arthritis. The hip sway you see is actually the result of your dog’s body compensating — recruiting muscles through the lower back and lumbar spine to make up for weak or unstable hindlimbs. You might also notice a bunny hop when running, reluctance to jump, difficulty getting up after rest, or muscle loss around the back end as the front legs take on more of the work. If your dog has that signature sway, speak to your vet about getting X-rays done. Early diagnosis means more options and a much better outcome long term. Save this for anyone with a dog that walks like it is on a catwalk. #vetexplains #hipdysplasia #doghealth #hipswayindogs #jointcare
Alex the vet423,000 views • 7 months ago
For years, scruffing was the default way to hold a cat still. We now know better, and if you're still grabbing the back of the neck, it's time to retire the habit. Scruffing means gripping the loose skin at the back of the neck, often lifting the cat or pinning it down by it. The old justification was that it mimics how a queen carries her kittens. But that only applies to tiny kittens, for a few brief seconds, and a kitten going limp for its mother is not the same as an adult cat being restrained. In a grown cat, scruffing doesn't calm them. It frightens them. The stillness people read as "relaxed" is usually fear, the freeze of an animal that feels it has no escape. It also tends to backfire. A scared cat is a cat that struggles harder next time, learns to dread handling, and is more likely to lash out. You make every future vet visit, nail trim and pill harder. What to do instead: - Less is more. Use the lightest contact that does the job. Many cats settle better with gentle support than firm holding. - Support the body. A hand under the chest and one supporting the back end, so they feel secure rather than trapped. - Let them keep their feet. Cats feel safest with all four paws on a solid surface. Don't dangle or flip them. - Go slow and read them. Flattened ears, a thrashing tail, dilated pupils or a low growl mean back off and give them a moment. - Use a towel, not a grip. For a wriggly or anxious cat, gently wrapping them in a towel ("burrito" style) is far kinder and safer than scruffing. The whole modern approach is about working with the cat, not overpowering it. A cat that feels secure and in control of its own body is calmer, easier to handle, and far less likely to bite. Gentle genuinely is more effective, not just nicer. #cathealth #cathandling #fearfreevet #catwelfare #catcare
Alex the vet237,300 views • 4 months ago
Dogs are wired to hide pain. In the wild, showing weakness was dangerous, and that instinct is still there. So a dog in real discomfort rarely cries or limps dramatically. Instead it tells you in small, quiet ways, and once you know what to look for, you can’t unsee them. Three places pain shows up that most owners walk straight past: How they greet you. Think about the dog that used to fly to the door and now stays in its bed, or gets up slowly and stiffly to come over. A drop in that eager greeting isn’t your dog loving you less. It’s often that getting up simply hurts, and it’s one of the earliest changes owners notice in hindsight. How they sit and lie. Watch for a dog that sits in an odd, sloppy way, flopping a hip out to one side rather than sitting square, or that shifts and circles for ages trying to get comfortable. Difficulty settling, or getting up gingerly after a rest, points to sore joints. A hunched, roached back while standing can signal belly or spinal pain. Their face. Dogs have pain expressions, just subtle ones. Tension around the eyes and muzzle, a tight or grimacing mouth, ears held back or flat, a hard “faraway” stare, or repeated lip-licking and yawning when they’re not tired. A panting dog that isn’t hot or recently exercised can be panting through discomfort. Other quiet signs worth stacking alongside those: - Slowing down on walks, or lagging behind. - Reluctance at stairs, jumps or the car. - Licking repeatedly at one spot or joint. - Becoming grumpier, quieter, or less keen to play. - Being touchy about being handled in a particular area. The trap is the phrase “he’s just getting old”. Slowing down and moving stiffly is so often pain, not simply age, and pain we can usually treat. A dog isn’t being lazy or moody. Something hurts. You know your dog’s normal better than anyone. If a few of these have crept in, a change in the greeting, the way they sit, the look on their face, don’t wait for an obvious limp. Get them checked, because the earlier we find the source, the more we can do about it. #doghealth #dogpain #caninearthritis #dogwelfare #veterinary
Alex the vet190,700 views • 4 months ago
This puppy's health problems aren't bad luck. They were preventable, by not being bought in the first place. She came into the world with breathing problems because her airways are too crowded for her head to work properly. She has skin folds that already need daily cleaning to stop them infecting, and a cherry eye. None of this is unusual for her breed. It's the predictable, documented cost of selecting generation after generation for that specific face: a 4.5-year median lifespan, over 80% caesarean rate, BOAS in roughly half the breed, chronic skin and eye issues as the baseline. The owner isn't a villain, she loves the puppy. But breeders only exist as long as there are buyers. If you want a Frenchie-shaped dog, please look at rescue first. If you must buy, insist on seeing both parents, independent health testing, and a vet-verified health history. Share this with the person in your life who's thinking about getting a Frenchie. #vetexplains #dogwelfare #frenchbulldog #adoptdontshop #vetadvice
Alex the vet53,000 views • 1 month ago
You can’t screen for every cancer at home, but there’s one simple check that helps catch one of the most common ones early — and most owners never do it. Lymphoma often shows up first as swollen lymph nodes, and the dog usually feels completely well at the time. That’s exactly why it gets missed. The trick is knowing what’s normal for your dog now, so you notice when something changes. There are a few nodes you can feel from the outside. Under the jaw, on both sides — these are the easiest to find. In front of the shoulders, where the neck meets the chest. And behind the knee on the back of each hind leg. Use gentle fingertip pressure and always compare left to right, because symmetry tells you a lot. A normal node is small, soft and easy to overlook. The ones worth acting on feel enlarged, firm or rubbery, and they’re usually not painful — which is part of what makes them deceptive. If you find a node that’s grown, feels harder than its partner on the other side, or both sides are clearly bigger than before, book a vet visit promptly rather than waiting to see if it settles. Run this check once a month while you’re stroking them. It takes thirty seconds, it’s not a substitute for a proper vet exam, but catching changes early genuinely changes outcomes. #DogHealth #DogCancer #VetTips #DogCare #PetHealth
Alex the vet192,000 views • 5 months ago
Let’s talk about something that really shouldn’t exist - debarking, or devocalisation. This is a surgical procedure where part of a dog’s vocal cords are removed to reduce their ability to bark. But it doesn’t solve the reason behind the barking - it just takes away their ability to express it. As a UK vet, I can say this has no place in modern practice except in rare circumstances where there is a medical reason to do it. Barking is a natural and essential part of canine communication. Dogs bark because they’re anxious, excited, scared, or trying to get attention. Taking that away doesn’t make them calm - it makes them confused, frustrated, and often more distressed. From an animal welfare perspective, debarking causes unnecessary pain, scar tissue, and lifelong breathing or vocal problems. It doesn’t improve behaviour - it just hides it. That’s why it’s banned here in the UK and in many other countries. There are, however, extremely limited situations where a devocalisation procedure may be considered - and only for medical reasons, not behavioural ones. For example, if a dog has severe, chronic laryngeal paralysis or throat scarring that causes airway obstruction and other treatment options have failed, a partial vocal cord resection might be done to help them breathe more comfortably. These are rare cases, always done with full welfare considerations and under veterinary ethical review. For behavioural reasons, though, there are much kinder and more effective options - like working with your vet or a qualified behaviourist to understand why your dog is barking. Training, enrichment, and proper support will always be better than silence. Every bark is communication - and every voice deserves to be heard. #vetadvice #animalwelfare #veteducation #vetreacts #doghealth
Alex the vet380,000 views • 1 year ago
Tracheal collapse in dogs happens when the rings of cartilage that hold the windpipe open become weak, causing the airway to flatten. When this happens, air can’t move in and out as easily, which leads to coughing, breathing trouble, and that classic “goose-honk” sound many owners notice first. This condition is especially common in small-breed dogs like Yorkies, Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, and Toy Poodles, but it can happen to any dog. Signs can range from mild coughing during excitement to more serious episodes where a dog struggles to breathe. Heat, stress, exercise, and even pulling on a collar can make symptoms worse. While tracheal collapse is a lifelong condition, many dogs live comfortably with proper management. Treatment may include cough suppressants, medications to open the airways, weight control, switching to a harness, and avoiding triggers that cause flare-ups. In more severe cases, special procedures or stents mag even be needed . Do you know a dog that has tracheal collapse? #trachealcollapse #DogHealth #smallbreeddogs #veterinarycare #dogcough
Alex the vet206,600 views • 10 months ago
Despite what some claim, ear cropping doesn’t improve health or prevent infections - there’s no scientific evidence for that. What it does do is expose dogs to unnecessary pain, stress, and risk of complications, all for a purely cosmetic outcome. Many vets, animal welfare groups, and entire countries have banned the practice for this reason. Dogs don’t care what their ears look like. They don’t need them altered to live full, healthy lives. Ear cropping survives mostly because of aesthetics, tradition, and breed conformation standards - not because it benefits the dog. At the end of the day, it’s a painful, elective procedure done for human preferences, not canine well-being. And that’s why so many people - and professionals - consider ear cropping unnecessary, outdated, and cruel #earcropping #stopthecrop #doghealth #animalwelfare #veterinarymedicine
Alex the vet205,700 views • 11 months ago
If you ever see your cat panting, it’s usually a red flag. Dogs pant all the time, but cats generally don’t. So open-mouth breathing with the tongue out usually means something is straining their respiratory system and has pushed them beyond their normal comfort zone. Sometimes there’s a simple explanation. Cats can pant briefly after really intense play, during a stressful car journey, or if they’ve become overheated. In those situations it should stop fairly quickly once they settle. But panting can also be a sign of something more serious - especially heart disease or respiratory problems. It’s actually one of the signs we sometimes see in cats with underlying heart conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. If it lasts more than a minute or two, keeps happening, or you notice other signs like lethargy, pale gums, or breathing effort, it’s something I’d get checked by a vet. Dogs pant. Cats usually don’t - so when they do, it’s worth paying attention. #cathealth #catpanting #vetadvice #pethealth #veterinarian
Alex the vet67,300 views • 8 months ago
Pancreatitis is one of those conditions that can take a dog from "a bit quiet" to seriously ill alarmingly fast, and there's one piece of body language that should put you straight on alert. The pancreas sits near the stomach and helps with digestion. In pancreatitis it becomes inflamed, and the digestive enzymes it makes start to irritate the organ and everything around it. The result is pain, sickness, and a dog that feels rapidly worse. The classic giveaway is the "prayer position". The dog drops its chest and front legs to the floor while keeping its bottom up in the air, looking like it's stretching or bowing. It isn't playing. It's trying to relieve the pain in its belly by stretching the abdomen, and it's one of the more telling signs we look for. Alongside that, watch for: - Repeated vomiting. - A painful, tense or bloated tummy, and reluctance to be touched there. - Off food, lethargic, hunched and miserable. - Diarrhoea, sometimes with a fever. What tends to trigger it is worth knowing too. A sudden fatty meal is a common culprit, the stolen Sunday roast, the bin raid, the well-meaning bowl of leftovers. Some dogs are more prone, including certain breeds and dogs that are overweight. Pancreatitis isn't something to ride out at home. It needs a vet, because cases range from mild to life-threatening, and dogs often need pain relief, fluids and anti-sickness treatment to recover properly. Caught early, the outlook is far better. So if your dog is repeatedly sick, off-colour and adopting that bowed, bottom-up prayer position, don't wait to see how things go. Get them seen. #doghealth #pancreatitis #dogsafety #veterinary #petcare
Alex the vet42,000 views • 4 months ago
If your dog suddenly seems painful when opening their mouth, struggles to eat, or you notice swelling on the top of their head or around their jaw, it might be more than just a sore tooth. One possible cause is Masticatory Muscle Myositis (MMM). MMM is an autoimmune condition where a dog’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the muscles used for chewing. This causes inflammation, pain, and swelling in the jaw muscles. In the early stages, dogs may act tired, drop food, avoid chewing, or cry when their mouth is touched. If it goes untreated for too long, those muscles can start to shrink and tighten, making it hard or even impossible for a dog to open their mouth properly. That’s why catching it early is so important. The good news? With the right diagnosis and treatment (usually medications that calm the immune system), many dogs improve a lot and can go back to eating, playing, and living comfortably. If your dog ever seems painful when eating or opening their mouth, it’s always worth getting it checked. They’re not being picky - they might be hurting. #mmmdog #doghealthtips #vetadvice #masticatorymusclemyositis #veterinaryeducation
Alex the vet66,700 views • 9 months ago
Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome (EDS) in dogs is a rare genetic condition that affects collagen, the protein that gives strength and elasticity to the skin, joints, and other tissues. When collagen doesn’t work properly, the body becomes more fragile overall. Dogs with EDS often have very stretchy, delicate skin that can tear or bruise easily, sometimes from minor bumps. Wounds may heal slowly and scar easily. Many dogs also have loose or unstable joints, which can cause limping, frequent sprains, or early arthritis. In more serious cases, blood vessels can be fragile, increasing the risk of internal bleeding. EDS is inherited and has been seen more often in breeds like Boxers, Dachshunds, Beagles, German Shepherds, and mixed-breed dogs, though any breed can be affected. There’s no cure, but careful management - such as gentle handling, avoiding rough play, and quick treatment of injuries - can make a big difference. With the right care and precautions, many dogs with EDS can still live happy, comfortable lives. #doghealth #veterinarymedicine #ehlersdanlossyndrome #dogfacts #dogskin
Alex the vet67,800 views • 11 months ago
This is one of the most sudden and distressing emergencies I see in cats, and knowing about it beforehand genuinely helps, because every minute counts. A cat that was fine an hour ago is suddenly crying out, dragging its back legs, unable to walk. This is a saddle thrombus, and it needs an emergency vet immediately. Here's what's happening. A blood clot forms, usually because of underlying heart disease, and travels through the bloodstream until it lodges where the main artery splits to supply the back legs, sitting across it like a saddle. It blocks the blood flow, and everything downstream is suddenly starved of oxygen. The signs are dramatic and come on fast: - Sudden paralysis or severe weakness in the back legs, often dragging them. - Crying out in obvious, intense pain. This is agonising for them. - Back legs that feel cold, with pads that look pale or bluish. - No detectable pulse in the affected legs. - Rapid, distressed breathing. The gut-punch part is what usually sits behind it. The clot is very often the first sign of hidden heart disease, a heart problem that was quietly there all along, showing no outward symptoms until this moment. For many owners, this catastrophic event is the first they ever knew their cat's heart was struggling. This is a genuine, drop-everything emergency for two reasons: the pain is severe and needs urgent relief, and the underlying heart disease is serious. Do not wait to see if they improve. Get them to a vet straight away, and ring ahead so they're ready for you. I'll be honest, because it matters. The outlook can be guarded, and these are difficult cases. But pain relief and prompt care make a real difference, and some cats do regain function. The kindest thing you can do is act fast and get them help. If you take one thing from this: sudden back-leg paralysis in a cat, especially with crying and cold limbs, is never something to watch and wait on. It's an emergency, every single time. #cathealth #saddlethrombus #felineheartdisease #catwelfare #veterinary
Alex the vet30,800 views • 4 months ago