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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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) CAN my five-year-old Labrador Molly tell the time?
She is like clockwork. Up at 7am, she also knows walkies time, when
I’m coming home from work and definitely when it’s dinner, to within about 20 minutes.
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Kate Armitage, Leicester
Sean says: This is one of the mysteries of dog life. But some of the behaviours that seem to indicate dogs know what time it is can be explained.
For example, they might know someone is coming home from work a minute before they pull up in the driveway because their hearing is better than ours and they recognise the specific sound of the car driving up the road.
Other cues are just taken from routine and external factors like light, you stirring in the bed and so on, which sets their internal clock and allows them to predict the time.
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Q) I WOULD like some advice on what Guinea Pigs like to do.
I’m getting two for my family, but I want to make sure we meet all their welfare needs.
Also, is it true that dandelions can stain their coat?
PIPPA TURNER, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Sean says: It’s a great question to ask ahead of getting a certain pet.
So good on you for wanting the absolute best life for them.
Giving them as much space as possible and the most complex environment, is the best approach.
Have plenty of environmental enrichment in the form of tunnels, caves and platforms, with steps up and down so they can climb.
Think about how they live in the wild. They are from rocky slopes, savannahs and forests in the South American Andes mountains.
They are also highly social, so I’m glad you are getting a pair, which really is a must.
More is even better, but I won’t tell your son that! I’ve never heard of dandelions staining their coat, but I know they are a firm favourite and a rich source of Vitamin C.
This is vital for guinea pigs as, like us, they need it from their diet and can’t manufacture it for themselves.
Q) WE have a problem with our 14-year-old collie cross Poppy.
We lost another dog a year ago and I know Poppy misses him, but she now has the habit of regularly howling in the night.
She also isn’t eating much and isn’t as motivated.
She still goes out and enjoys walks but when she’s at home she just lays on her bed. How can we help her?
GILL GARNET, Rotherham
Sean says: I totally agree Poppy will miss her old pal, but dogs do tend to move through grief a little quicker than we do.
Because it’s a year ago now, and she is elderly herself, I wonder if she may have a condition called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction.
It’s basically like senile dementia in people.
Howling at night is a classic symptom. I’d say your best bet is a full exam by your vet to rule out pain and discuss some options.
Q) MY cat Chairman Meow won’t drink the water in his bowl unless it is fresh.
He meows until I give in and give him fresh water.
It’s already changed three times a day — but he just won’t drink unless it’s freshly poured.
I work from home so I cater to his whim, but what’s going on?
STEVE BLACK, Bromley, Kent
Sean says: I love that name for a cat. Almost as good as my favourite previous patient name, Mr Kilmowski.
Anyway, cats do enjoy fresh or running water, and sometimes dislike drinking from metal bowls.
The easiest thing to do would be to buy a cat drinking fountain, and hopefully that way you can get some work done.
But don’t forget you are his servant, not his owner.
Star of the week
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CALLIE the poodle is showering her owner with love as she undergoes a clinical trial to treat liver cancer.
The two-year-old pup is supporting Ann Robertson, of Orpington, Kent, who hopes her taking part will help other cancer sufferers in the future.
Ann, 65, who is having chemotherapy, immunotherapy and a trial drug, said: “Callie is such a loving dog, she knows when I am feeling off and instantly comes and lies down and sleeps next to me.
“She’s been so good for me. My future looks positive and I know Callie will be by my side all the way.”
WIN: £250 feeder
WE’VE teamed up with Petsafe to give one lucky reader a Smart Feed Automatic Pet Feeder worth £250.
This nifty piece of tech can schedule, monitor and adjust your pet’s feeding schedule remotely with a smartphone app.
For a chance to win, send an email headed FEEDER to [email protected] by November 14.
See uk.petsafe.net T&Cs apply.
How to ease pets’ firework fright
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EASING fears and anxiety can help make Bonfire Night a lot less scary for your pets.
Experts from dog bedding firm CharleyChau.com said some pups can experience “sheer terror”.
And Cats Protection charity believes moggies’ super-sensitive hearing can really raise stress levels.
Tips to keep dogs calm from charleychau.com are:
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- Get a Lickimat or tough chews, or a toy that can be stuffed with something to lick, as licking is a self-soothing action for dogs.
- If you can, walk your dog earlier in the day.
- Find a sheltered spot, under a table, for example, for your dog’s bed.
- Relax My Dog on YouTube, iTunes or Spotify has programmes that play continuously.
- Cats Protection’s tips for helping cats cope are:
- Keep your cat indoors, ensuring they have access to a litter tray.
- Cats often feel safer higher up, so consider placing a cardboard box lined with a blanket on a sturdy shelf.
- Put on background noise, like the radio or television.
- Close the curtains so they can’t see the fireworks.
- Consider getting a pheromone plug-in diffuser.
For more information, visit cats.org.uk/fireworks.
