First-aid workshop puts your pet first

Dr. Lauren Bugeja with dog Luci. Photo by Damjan Janevski.

It’s not every day you learn how to perform CPR on a dog.

Pet owners can be schooled in doggy resuscitation, how to recognise snake bites, and common poisons during free pet first-aid workshops being run by vet Lauren Bugeja.

Dr Bugeja, who has been a vet for 12 years and runs vet service Vet to Home, said the free workshops aimed to promote responsible pet ownership. She said the workshops also covered bandaging, common pet ailments, and knowing when to seek professional help.

Dr Bugeja said in particular, many pet owners were unaware about which everyday human foods were toxic for pets, such as eggs, avocado, macadamia nuts and cooked bones.

“There’s some really common household foods that people feed [their pets] on a regular basis – ham, kabana – that are poisonous to pets.”

Dr Bugeja said ear infections, dental disease, lameness, vomiting and diarrhoea and skin diseases were the most common ailments she had seen during her career.

Dr Bugeja, who had horses as a child, said she wanted to be a vet from a young age.

“I saw the vet stitch up my horse’s leg when he cut it open, and I just knew from that moment that I wanted to be a vet.”

The next workshop will be held on November 25 from 9am-noon at the Central Park Community Centre, 80 Lonsdale Circuit, Hoppers Crossing. To book, call Dr Bugeja on 0478 930 241 or click here