A veterinary professional is speaking out against a harmful TikTok trend that is putting pets at risk.
Using the platform to raise awareness, Jade urged pet owners to prioritise their animals’ safety over the pursuit of viral fame, warning that many are unintentionally causing harm.
Jade, a registered veterinary nurse known on TikTok as @jade.the.vet.nurs, has amassed over one million likes through her educational content about animal care.
A devoted pet parent to three dogs and three tortoises, she pleaded: “Can we please stop this trend where people are picking up their cats, dogs, or rabbits by their front legs and spinning them around in circles?
“This is not a nice trend for your pets. It can actually cause damage.
“By picking your animals up under the front legs, you put a lot of pressure and strain on the shoulders, the elbows, the muscles and the ligaments. You can cause to feel really dizzy and nauseous.
“I’ve literally seen people try and do this trend with large dogs and I have seen people drop their dogs which can cause injury. I have seen people do this with smaller dogs and as they’re spinning their dog around, the dog is literally squirming because that is not pleasant for them.”
She stresses that when we pick our pets up this way, it can cause “damage to their spine” and two breeds are at more risk than others. She notes that “French bulldogs and dachshunds” are among them, with owners of these dogs urged to be extra careful.
Calling the trend dagerous, she said: “I don’t think it’s a very responsible thing to do. So I would say if you have posted one of these videos, it’s probably just a good idea to delete it and don’t get sucked into these kind of trends.
“I know you watch them and they look cute and they look fun” she understands, “but please guys think about our pets health and welfare first. I don’t think it’s a good idea to do this video for the sake of trying to get a few of likes or maybe a viral video.”
Concluding her video, she warned: “Always put your pets health and welfare first, and please, if you see these videos pop up on your FYP (For You Page), do not interact with them, do not support them. You can just click to see you’re not interested in them and please do not participate in this trend.”
Limping and stiffness in dogs
Since this trend can hurt their legs, something to look out for is limping and stiffness in dogs. According to the PDSA, this “usually indicates that something is wrong with your dog’s legs or back.”
They note: “Limping and stiffness can be caused by several different conditions, the most common being minor injuries and arthritis. It is important to take your dog to the vets even if their problem appears minor – some dogs are very good at hiding pain from their owner”
Symptoms include:
- Holding a leg up.
- Reluctance to jump or use stairs.
- Stiffness after resting – this is a very common problem, especially in older dogs. Stiffness often comes and goes and is usually worse after walks and resting.
- Swollen legs or joints.
- Slow walking.
- Over grooming – licking a certain spot more than usual could indicate pain.
- An unusual gait – limping can involve more than one leg, sometimes even all four! It can be very difficult to notice limping on more than one leg. Instead, you may notice your dog walking differently or looking stiff.
- General slowing down – many owners presume their dog is slowing down due to age. This can be the case, but it’s always good idea to have them checked by a vet to make sure it’s not because of an underlying condition that would benefit from treatment.
