Crystal's Canine Classes

12/10/2026

06/10/2026

Last week we had Cleo the Labradoodle graduate in puppy class. Nearly 3 years ago her mumma Tivoli graduated my classes as well.
Here you can see Cleo (black nose) & Tivoli (chocolate nose). As their 2 legged mumma said "Like 2 peas in a pod!" 🫛
I really do appreciate families who come back with new puppies. I love being able to catchup on how everyone is going.
The last 2 courses of 2026 have been scheduled for Tuesday 13th October & 17th November Bowral Veterinary Hospital

30/09/2026

Last night puppy class graduates.. such a variety of breeds and personalities. Everyone got on so well though.
We missed Biscuit the Golden Retriever.
Next class starts Tuesday 13th October.

24/09/2026

🍇🐶 Grape Toxicity in Dogs

Most of us know chocolate isn't suitable for dogs, but another common food can cause a serious emergency as well…

🍇 Grapes, Raisins And Sultanas

Eating grapes or dried grapes can cause acute kidney injury and potentially fatal kidney failure in dogs. According to the MSD Veterinary Manual, toxicity has been associated with grapes, raisins and Zante currants, which are dried grapes belonging to the Vitis genus.

And one of the most important things for dog owners to understand is:

⚠️ There is no reliably safe number of grapes for an individual dog. ⚠️

🍇 What Makes Grapes Toxic?

For many years, we knew grapes could cause kidney failure in dogs but didn't know exactly why. Researchers investigated possibilities including pesticides, fungal toxins and other compounds. Current evidence points towards tartaric acid as the likely toxic component. Grapes, raisins and tamarinds can contain relatively high concentrations of tartaric acid.
Dogs appear to be particularly vulnerable because they don't excrete some organic acids as efficiently as other species. This may allow tartaric acid to accumulate within the proximal tubular cells of the kidneys, causing serious damage.

❓ How Many Grapes Is Too Many?

This is where grape toxicity becomes particularly frustrating. We can't look at a dog and confidently say, “They only ate two grapes, so they'll be fine.” The amount of tartaric acid naturally present in grapes can vary considerably, meaning one bunch, variety or individual fruit may not contain the same concentration as another.
The MSD Veterinary Manual states that, in general, more than one grape or raisin per 4.5 kg of body weight may contain enough tartaric acid to pose a risk of kidney injury.
But this should NOT be interpreted as a safe-dose calculator.
Veterinary recommendations remain cautious because toxicity is variable and it's impossible for an owner to know the tartaric-acid concentration of the grapes their dog has eaten.

🍇 One dog may eat several and appear unaffected.

🍇 Another may develop serious illness following what seems like a relatively small exposure.

Don't wait to find out which dog yours will be.

🧁 Don't Forget About Raisins And Sultanas!

Dried grapes can easily be overlooked because they're hidden inside other foods.
Be particularly careful with:
🍞 Raisin toast
🍪 Biscuits and cookies
🥣 Muesli and granola
🥧 Fruit cake
🥗 Salads containing grapes or raisins
🥐 Baked goods
🎄 Christmas cakes and puddings
🥜 Trail mix
Dried fruit is particularly concerning because a dog can consume many grapes' worth of fruit in a very small amount of food.

🚨 My Dog Just Ate One – What Should I Do?

Call your veterinary clinic or veterinary emergency hospital immediately.
Don't wait for vomiting or other symptoms to appear. A dog can look completely normal immediately after eating grapes while kidney damage develops later. When exposure is recent and the dog is clinically well, a veterinarian may recommend inducing vomiting to remove the fruit before more toxin is absorbed. Depending on the amount consumed and the individual case, treatment may also include IV fluids and monitoring of kidney function and urine production.

🍇 Remember
Grapes might be a healthy snack for us, but they're not worth the risk for your dog.

📚 Information based primarily on the MSD Veterinary Manual – Grape, Raisin and Tamarind Toxicosis in Dogs.

16/09/2026

Percy decided to leave his jim jams on today. Brr

14/09/2026

Percy trying to look professional😅

09/09/2026

Thankyou Alice from High Paws Dog Grooming & Pet Care. Percy has his Spring spruce up today😘

26/08/2026

Happy International Dogs Day to all of our loved puppers! May your day be full of hugs and sloppy kisses 😍

11/08/2026

A beatuiful mix of clever puppies graduated tonight. We had lots of fun completing mini agility exercises, playing with our friends and learning some new tricks.
Next class starts Tuesday 1st September.

06/08/2026

Microchips are a great thing... but we have to make sure our details are up to date.

🐾 Microchips: Your Pet’s Ticket Home 🐾

Did you know that a microchip is one of the most important things you can do to protect your pet?
Microchipping is a quick procedure that places a tiny chip (about the size of a grain of rice) under the skin. It doesn’t have GPS, but it does provide permanent identification that can help reunite lost pets with their families.

🐶🐱 Which pets can be microchipped?
Most people think of dogs and cats, but microchips can also be used for other pets, including:
✅ Rabbits
✅ Ferrets
✅ Birds
✅ Reptiles
✅ Guinea pigs and other small mammals

📌 What happens when a microchip is scanned?
When a vet clinic, ranger, or shelter scans your pet, a 12-digit microchip number appears.
A registered person such as a vet clinic or shelter staff member, can then log into the microchip registry system and search that number.

If the chip is registered, the following details may appear:
📍 Pet’s name
📍 Owner’s name
📍 Address
📍 Phone numbers
📍 Email address
📍 Any extra pet information on file

This allows us to contact you immediately and reunite you with your pet as quickly as possible.

🔄 Keeping microchip details up to date is ESSENTIAL

🖊 How do you change your pet’s microchip details?
In most cases, you can update details by contacting our local council or pet registry or by logging into your registry account online. You may need proof of ID and ownership, depending on the registry.

🔐 Who can change microchip details?
Only authorised people can update microchip information, such as:
✅ The registered owner
✅ Approved registry staff at council and the pet registry
This protects your pet and prevents ownership fraud.

❓ What if there’s no microchip or the details are wrong?
If a lost pet has no microchip, or the microchip details are outdated or incorrect, it becomes much harder to reunite them with their family.
In many cases, they will be taken to the local animal shelter and held for around 2 weeks while waiting for someone to claim them.
If no one comes forward, they may be put up for adoption.

🐾 Microchipping is only step one, updating your details is what keeps it working!

If you’re unsure whether your pet’s details are current, contact your vet clinic and they can help you check.