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."
Pouncing on Feet and Climbing Curtains: How to Discourage Your Cat's Behavior
Q) PEEPS, my cat, pounces on everyone’s feet. We try to tell her "no" but she thinks it’s a game and she sometimes claws.
How can we stop her doing it? She’s a year old and also likes to climb curtains. I would love to have any tips for discouraging her.
Barbara Edwards, Newcastle
A) This is a common problem with cats who were encouraged to "hunt" fingers, hands, and feet as kittens because it is quite cute at that age. But it becomes quite problematic later.
It’s made worse by people’s reaction to it later, as they either shriek and run (exciting!) or scold the cat and add a bit of tension and aggression into the mix, making the cat bite harder in fear.
Every time Peeps take an inkling towards her foot fetish activities, redirect the behavior into hunting something more appropriate.
Fishing rod toys around the house at a reachable distance are a solid investment.
By keeping feet and legs still and offering her something more exciting, she should lose interest in time.
Sore Skin Patches and Cysts in Huskies: How to Address the Issue
Q) MY 13-year-old husky gets really sore skin patches and also cysts.
I bathe Meeka once a month in Malaseb but sometimes it still doesn’t keep on top of it. What else can I do?
Sarah James, Sidcup
A) It’s difficult to say without knowing the specific type and location of the cysts, and also addressing the underlying cause. Are these diagnosed by your vet as cysts?
Skin problems can be complex, with many causes, and sometimes multiple factors all contributing — e.g. allergies can make things worse, even if the primary issue is oily skin or yeast or bacterial infections.
I highly recommend working with your vet to come up with a specific diagnostic and treatment or management plan.
How Often Should You Check Your Rabbits' Teeth?
Q) HOW often should I check my rabbits’ teeth?
Hoppy and Fluffy are both boys and a year old and seem to be fine.
But someone said I should be doing dental checks with my vet. Should I?
Sara Knight, Scunthorpe
A) Their annual vaccinations and health check is a good opportunity to do a dental check.
For healthy teeth, diet is super important. Feed as much high-quality hay and grass as possible to encourage lots of chewing.
Rather than feeding a traditional muesli rabbit food, choose a good uniform pellet diet which prevents selective feeding and also encourages chewing of a hard, balanced, and complete diet.
Watch for signs like drooling or discomfort when eating, weigh the rabbits regularly to check for weight loss, and pay attention to their eating habits.
If anything changes or they seem out of sorts, a vet check is recommended. Rabbits are prey animals and hide illness well.
Importing Rescue Cats: Health Considerations and Disease Prevention
Q) I AM thinking about rescuing a cat from Cyprus.
Is there anything I should look out for health-wise or any checks I need to make for specific diseases before I bring her home?
MARK BROMPTON, Windsor, Berks
Sean says: There can be problems with importing rescue pets, particularly when it comes to accidentally bringing in diseases we don’t have here in the UK.
It’s also important to consider that we have tens of thousands of cats (and dogs) in UK rescue centers needing homes.
The big problem with stray cats in Cyprus needs to be tackled at source with better education and neuter campaigns, rather than shipping them to foreign countries for rehoming.
Some rescues routinely test their cats, with associated adoption fees but others just vaccinate. Insist on testing for FIV/FeLV and Feline Coronavirus at least.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://hellofaread.com/money/stay-healthy-for-free-easy-ways-to-soothe-cold-symptoms-this-winter/
