HE is on a mission to help our pets . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.
Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.
He says: “If your pet is acting funny or is under the weather, or you want to know about nutrition or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”
Q) I WANT to dress up my cat Starsky and dog Hutch in Halloween outfits to make my niece and nephews happy.
Hutch, my dachshund, is up for anything and likes to occasionally play dress up with the kids.
How can I get Starsky to agree?
SHEREE COX, Sevenoaks, Kent
Sean says: Dressing up any pets can sometimes be tricky, certainly some don’t tend to enjoy it while others seem to like the attention it brings.
But cats are a bit of a different story to dogs.
You might get away with a neckerchief or something, but a full-on costume is another game entirely.
I think if Starsky objects at all to it, it might be a good opportunity to teach your niece and nephew that there are many ways to keep our pets happy, and that Starsky just isn’t into playing dress-up and that’s OK.
Q) I HAVE read there is a new disease called Brucella Canis in the UK and it can pass to humans.
How worried do I need to be about my rescue Spaniel Lily, who is five?
MAGGIE GRAY, Colchester
Sean says: It’s a disease that is on the rise recently due to large numbers of dogs being imported to the UK for rehoming, the majority from Romania.
And you are correct, it can be transmitted from dogs to humans, but mainly through contact with birthing secretions and the like.
So unless you are breeding imported dogs and helping them give birth, your chances of contracting Brucellosis from your dog is really quite low.
Lily, if neutered, should be just fine, but if she was an imported rescue dog it may be worth checking her health records and making sure she was tested for B.canis infection at the time of coming to the UK.
Got a question for Sean?
Q) WITH the recent hot weather I’m concerned about algae when I take Dave, my Lab-cross, for a walk by water.
What do I need to look out for and why is it so dangerous?
PETER THOMAS, Bournemouth
Sean says: Not all algae is harmful for dogs, it’s the blue-green algae also known as cyanobacteria that is often toxic.
This forms in clumps or a scum at the surface of the water, and is bright green or blue in colour.
Occasionally it can form a foam at the water’s edge, and you tend to find it most in still water around the shallow margins, especially in hot weather when it really blooms and can be quite extensive.
It’s important to keep dogs on a lead and out of the water if you suspect blue-green algae is present.
And seek vet advice immediately if you think your dog has swallowed water containing any.
Q) OUR Staffie Woody suffers from wind. He’s an embarrassment – like a four-legged Whoopee cushion!
Do you think probiotics might help?
HELEN MAITLAND, Bexley, Kent
As a breed, Staffies (and Weimaraners and French Bulldogs) are right up there in the flatulence hall of shame.
We have surveyed customers to find out.
But luckily there are things we can do to help, from eliminating common ingredients that can cause digestive intolerances or dietary allergies, through to adjusting fibre levels, providing beneficial prebiotics for a healthy gut microbiome and supplementing our dogs’ gut flora with healthy probiotics.
Our customer experience team would be happy to see what we can do. Email them on [email protected].
Star of the week
A REAL-life Bagpuss, thought to be the oldest rescue in Britain, is looking for a new home.
Golden oldie Ginger is the equivalent of 92 years old (19 in cat years) and was handed in to the RSPCA’s Manchester and Salford Branch after her last owner became unwell.
A spokesperson said: “She will sleep for a lot of the afternoon, then around tea time she will wake up again and start asking for laps and food.
“We try to ensure a happy ending for every animal that comes into our care, young or old.”
To find out more email [email protected]
WIN: Kovered bag
WE’VE got your getaway Kovered – with two bags, each worth £125, to give away.
Sustainable bag brand Kovered’s Humber holdall in moss green, heritage waxed canvas, is ideal for a weekend break with your pooch.
For your chance to win one of the bags send an email headed KOVERED to [email protected] by Oct 15.
See Kovered.co.uk. T&Cs apply.
PAIN REASON THAT PETS BEHAVE BADLY
“UNWANTED behaviours” is the shock top cause of death in dogs under three years old.
New research has found that dogs have been put to sleep due to undesirable behaviours, including biting and aggression, as well as those who died prematurely because of accidents attributed to “poor training”.
But veterinary behaviourist, Sophie White, working with Agria Pet Insurance, has urged owners if their dog is behaving badly, to first get them checked out by a vet, because pain could be the cause.
Sophie said: “Up to 80 per cent of all referred behaviour cases are believed to have a source of underlying pain – a shocking statistic that doesn’t take into account pets that don’t reach the referral stage.
“This data leads us to ask – how many of the nation’s dogs being euthanised due to their behaviour, are in fact, in pain?
“If our dogs are feeling unwell or in pain, their mood and tolerances will be altered as a result.
“With patience, persistence, and the right professional guidance, it is possible to modify a dog’s behaviour and create a safe and happy household.”
For more information see agriapet.co.uk.
