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.”
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Q) OUR dog Bear gets travel sickness but we want to take him on a tour of France this summer.
Is there anything we can do in preparation, starting from now?
Joan Price, Aberdeen
A) It depends on why he gets sick in the car.
If it’s anxiety-related then behavioural modification could be a good approach.
Look up the techniques called habituation, desensitisation and response substitution.
You’re basically aiming to get him use to the car and then associate it gradually with positive experiences so that any anxiety around car travel disappears.
A qualified animal behaviourist can help if you’re struggling to progress.
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If that doesn’t work, it could be a physiological motion sickness problem.
And then it may be more difficult, but there are medications available from your vet to trial.
Q) MY rabbit, Eric, only picks out certain bits of his food to eat.
I’m worried about whether he’s getting a balanced diet.
What do you suggest?
Paul Robins, Bristol
A) This is a common problem called selective feeding, and there’s a simple solution.
Wean Eric off the muesli-style mix of rabbit food and on to a good- quality pellet diet such as Burgess Excel or similar.
And lots of good quality hay, a few fresh greens or grass daily.
It’s important not to allow selective feeding as it tends to be the sweetest, most calorific ingredients that are eaten up.
This can lead to obesity and dental problems, the latter of which can be very expensive to treat.
Got a question for Sean?
Q) EVERY year since I got my Scottie Isla in 2019 she got a grass seed in her paw which has had to be surgically removed.
This causes great stress to her and me.
She doesn’t walk in long grass and I brush her after walks to check her paws.
They are shaved by the groomer to help prevent seeds clinging to the fur but to no avail.
People cutting their grass and the wind blowing the seeds mean they are everywhere from now until autumn.
I tried boots but she wouldn’t take one step.
What else could you recommend, please, as I’m desperate.
Julie Jordan, Ryde, Isle of Wight
A) Other than not letting Isla out at all, it’s very hard to solve this problem, but obviously we can’t keep our dogs indoors all of the time.
The only thing to prevent it happening again is to check her feet a couple of times a day for seeds.
You’re right to get her feet shaved by the groomer too.
It doesn’t take long for the barbs on certain grass seeds to get stuck into the fur and skin and they disappear quickly into the tissue causing horrible abscesses.
You could try boots again.
It’s a normal reaction for dogs to freeze at first and have you take them off.
If at first you don’t succeed, try again.
Q) NOW the weather is warming up I want to take my tortoises back outside as they love it.
But I’m also conscious our weather has become more unpredictable.
What do you recommend as best practice for outside living in terms of shelter?
Emmy Douglas, Warwick
A) I think the days of having Mediterranean tortoises outside in the UK are fading fast.
These amazing reptiles need supplementary heat and UV light to go to when it’s cold or overcast some days.
I had several clients who made their tortoise a “des res” shed set-up in the garden, with tortoise flap and ramp for them to go in and out of, and a UV/heat lamp inside too so they can bask anytime they wanted.
Best of both worlds, indoor and out.
Star of the week
BRITAIN’S biggest scaredy cats Luke and Leia are looking for a special home after being found living under the floorboards of a house when their owner died.
The duo, named after the Star Wars characters Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, were rescued by the RSPCA near Burnley, Lancs, in February 2021.
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They were so traumatised that it has taken two years to rehabilitate them.
An RSPCA spokesman said: “Luke and Leia are still very timid. They are going to need very understanding owners, fully invested in helping them recover.”
WIN: Dog treats
BRITISH company W’ZIS? has created a luxury range of natural, plant-based dog treats.
They are grain-and gluten-free and low in calories, so friendly to pups’ tums and waistlines.
We have five bundles worth £50 each to give away.
To enter, send an email headed W’ZIS? containing your name, address and telephone to [email protected] by June 25.
See wzis.dog for more. T&Cs apply.
Don’t pay price of ditching cover
TWO in five pet owners are going without insurance, as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.
More than 50 per cent of cat owners haven’t secured insurance for their feline while 35 per cent of dog owners haven’t insured their pooch.
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The findings come as part of Tesco Bank’s new Pet Index, which looks at pet ownership in the UK amid the soaring cost of living.
Two in five owners without insurance claim policies are too expensive while 20 per are unable to afford it.
But Tesco Bank’s analysis of claims data from 2022 reveals that those who go uninsured may find themselves out of pocket if their pet becomes ill or gets caught in an accident.
It shows that for cats caught in an accident, the average claim paid is £803, while for illness it’s £691.
For dogs, the average accident claim is £879, while illness can cost owners £822.
Alex Cross, Tesco Bank insurance director said: “It’s startling such a significant proportion of owners aren’t taking out insurance, and while cost is a key driver, a shock vet bill will be harder to meet than the cost of pet insurance.
“It could also provide peace of mind that their pet will be well cared for should anything happen.”
