Dog owners issued warning about 'lemon' TikTok trend

A vet has warned pet owners not to participate in a popular trend that sees people throw lemons at their dogs to try as it could have fatal consequences for pooches.

With over 20.1 million views on TikTok, you've probably seen a #DogVSLemon video pop up on your For You page, where slices of lemon are thrown at dogs for them to catch and see their reaction to the sour fruit.

But Dr Anna Foreman, Everypaw Pet Insurance’s in-house vet says this trend isn't amusing and has urged people not to participate as it is a "choking hazard" for dogs and also means the dogs might eat anything that is thrown their way - even if it is dangerous.

“This dog will clearly try and eat anything that is thrown in its direction, and implies that it would do the same to anything found on the floor. This can be dangerous – for example, if a human drops something toxic to dogs, such as a raisin, chocolate, or onion," she said.

"I believe there has been a rise in the number of animals misused on social media for entertainment."

Dr Anna added: “Throwing food at a dog for them to catch is a choking hazard, particularly if the piece of food is too large to swallow whole."

However, she did note how this method can potentially be "a valuable training tool for dogs who are prone to eating things they shouldn’t” but only if the method is properly practised with a restrain-trained dog.

The vet also pointed out how citrus fruits can make dogs ill if they consume them.

Dr Anna added: "The flesh of citrus fruits such as orange and grapefruit are not toxic to dogs, however contain moderate quantities of sugar and can cause vomiting or diarrhoea if consumed in large quantities. Sour citrus fruits such as lemon and lime tend not to be palatable to dogs, however if eaten in anything more than minimal quantities can cause gastrointestinal upsets or more severe clinical signs like collapse."

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