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.
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Q) MY dog Barnaby goes berserk over squirrels.
He charges after them and I end up chasing him around the park.
The rest of the time he’s the best dog ever, but walks have become stressful as a result. What can I do to stop his obsession?
ANDREW BROOKS, Maidstone, Kent
Sean says: You don’t mention what breed Barnaby is, but this affects the likelihood of being able to train him out of this squirrel fetish of his.
If he’s a sighthound or a terrier, this is what they were bred for. It’s hardwired into them to want to catch small furry creatures.
The best we can often do is limit their opportunity to express this behaviour, or redirect it into chasing more appropriate things, like balls and toys.
Without seeing him and you in action it’s difficult to give specific advice, so I recommend finding a qualified animal behaviourist to come to the park with you and observe.
Q) MY Labrador Marley has arthritis. He’s 14 and hobbles around but still asks to go for his two daily walks, albeit to the end of the street and back very slowly.
Someone tutted at me the other day and said he’s too old. But his pain is managed with medication and I’m in regular contact with his vet.
How will I know when it’s time for Marley? I think he’s still happy, so it’s not yet.
TOM SMITH, Bradford
Sean says: Age is not a disease, whereas arthritis is.
It’s a condition that needs to be managed in a holistic way, using pain relief medication, managing excess weight, dietary supplements and adapting flooring and the home environment to allow comfortable movement. Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy can also be helpful.
Work with your vet to agree on likely watchouts that may indicate Marley isn’t coping very well or enjoying life.
There are useful scoring systems online to help. I’m a big fan of these. See caninearthritis.co.uk.
Q) SOMEONE told me that you can feed hamsters cheese just like mice.
Is this true? My hamster is called Jerry so it would be apt.
AIMEE BULLEN, Plymouth
Sean says: Well, technically you can feed hamsters anything but that’s not to say everything is going to be good for them and their long-term health.
With hamsters in particular, they tend to store food in their cheek pouches and in their nest.
Cheese can turn mouldy and spoil in either location, so I would say it’s probably not a great idea. It’s also high in fat so even tiny amounts can lead to obesity and diabetes.
A more healthy alternative would be dried mealworms as an occasional treat, as hamsters are omnivores and will eat insects in the wild.
Q) MY cat Meg seems to get confused at times.
She’s 15 and sometimes cries but stands facing the wall. I’ve wondered if she has dementia. Is that possible? Is there any treatment if she has?
STELLA MANNING, Hull
Sean says: That is certainly possible, and you’ve described a really classic presentation.
Seeming to get lost in corners, staring into space and vocalisations that may sound distressed are all symptoms of feline cognitive dysfunction (FCD) or feline dementia.
Maintaining a predictable home environment is important and supplementing the diet with Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and antioxidants such as Vitamin E can also help.
Finally, there are some medications that can improve blood flow to the brain. But there is no cure, the aim of treatment is to alleviate symptoms.
Star of the week
CURIOUS kitten Daisy sneaked into a gardener’s van – and sparked a community to launch a rescue mission to get her home.
It was her second near miss as she’d been abandoned as a newborn last July, facing certain death when left in a plastic box with her mother.
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She was saved by Cats Protection.
Her new owner, Reverend Carol Lee, of Holy Trinity and St Oswald in Finningley, South Yorks, raised the alarm with posters and appeals via Facebook and Cats Protection.
The appeals led to someone spotting her half a mile from home – and they’ve now been reunited.
Rev Lee said: “Everybody was so helpful and supportive, the community really came together.”
WIN: Ralph & Co dog nest beds
WE’VE got two stylish nest beds from luxury lifestyle brand Ralph & Co to give away
Designed in the UK, the award-winning beds come with removable covers for easy washing.
Our winners can choose from the large or extra large bed.
To enter send an email headed RALPH & CO specifying large or extra large to sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk by May 18
See ralphand.co. T&Cs apply.
Help to give hedgehogs the edge
IT is Hedgehog Awareness Week – and pet owners are being urged to do their bit to save the spiky animals.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society wants everyone to “give hedgehogs the edge” by making an area of garden welcoming for wildlife.
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And pet owners are being asked to keep dogs away from them.
Chief executive Fay Vass told us: “Sadly, hedgehogs are a species on the edge of real trouble but there is lots we can do to help create and link fantastic habitats for hedgehogs.
“Just a little effort from each of us could make a world of difference.
“It is important to keep dogs away from hedgehogs in your garden as hedgehogs, as well as four-legged friends, can get injured.”
Ways to help include checking for wildlife before mowing, strimming or tidying wild areas.
Add “hedgehog highways” by making 13x13cm square gaps in the base of walls and fences.
Ensure there’s sloping edges, ramps or semi-submerged rocks in ponds so they can scramble out.
And don’t use pesticides that can directly harm wildlife and destroy the food chain.
See britishhedgehogs.org.uk for more.
