From hyperactive pups to cats who can’t be alone — your pet queries answered
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) MY Norwegian forest cat Feline Frisky gets sad and grumpy when I go to work. I thought only dogs get separation anxiety.
She’s a house cat and a total diva, so she sits meowing by the door and scratches it until I come home.
It’s like having a toddler going through the terrible twos and her claws wreak havoc with the paintwork. She even follows me to the loo. Any advice?
Shaun Bow, North Prospect, Devon
Sean says: Norwegian forest cats are big personalities, so I’m not too surprised she follows you around meowing and acting like the diva she is.
Does she have enough to do at home to keep her occupied and engaged? It could be separation anxiety or perhaps she’s “feline” bored. More toys and environmental enrichment should help.
An outdoor enclosure is also an option: A dedicated “catio” for refined lady cats to lounge on.
Got a question for Sean?
SEND your queries to sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk.
Q) BETTY, my Westie-Bichon cross, mixes beautifully with most dogs in the park but chases a Cockapoo, Luna, which squeaks.
She doesn’t bite Luna. She just seems to like making her squeak like a toy. Any helpful hints?
Ron Lloyd, Walsall
Sean says: Is it causing Luna distress when Betty chases her or are they just having fun? I’d suggest they need to spend more time together to learn to play nicely.
Set up some doggy play-dates if Luna’s owner is up for it. Doggy play can seem a bit rough-and-tumble to us sometimes but often it’s natural and fun. It just looks a bit aggressive.
Without watching, I can’t say for sure. Reward calm play and pop them back on their leads if it gets a bit much for either dog.
Q) MY hyperactive Collie, Bob, has snapped his cruciate ligament a second time.
It’s been tough for him recovering. We didn’t overdo the walks and our vet said it was just bad luck. Any ideas to stop this happening again?
Steven Whinfield, Newcastle
Sean says: You don’t say if he had surgery or not. If cruciate ligaments rupture in one leg, the opposite leg is very likely to rupture at some point too. Keeping your dog trim and slim is a great help.
And be careful with high-impact exercise. Twisting, turning and coming to abrupt stops places huge strain on the cruciate.
It’s not easy with a Border Collie. I feel your pain . . . and Bob’s!
Q) MY 14-year-old Boxer, Lady George, has been incontinent for weeks but doesn’t realise.
We have had her at our vets for UTIs but they come back clear. She also drags her back left leg and seems to want to drink constantly.
Is this just old age? Is there anything we can do?
Jo Stacey, Selby, North Yorks
Sean says: There are a few other possible reasons for incontinence. Older female dogs can develop it but it is easily treated with a daily pill or a liquid medication in her food.
Have they tested for diabetes? Excessive drinking can be a sign of diabetes in pets. Her back leg might be another old-age problem, like arthritis.
It’s always worrying when our pets get older and things start to go wrong but the earlier you work with your vet to find answers, very often the better we can help them live out their senior years in comfort.
Star of the week
CLEVER kitty Jemima is a lifesaver for owner Rachel Wilson.
The two-year-old cat, who was adopted as a kitten after being rescued by the RSPCA, instinctively knows when her owner’s blood-sugar levels drop by sniffing Rachel’s breath.
She then wakes Rachel up to take her insulin by pawing at her face or hands.
Diabetic Rachel, 40, from Lincoln, who works for her local authority, said: “She’ll scratch me. Whenever she’s done that, I’ll check my blood sugar and it’s always getting low. It’s extraordinary.
“She’s my little guardian angel.”
WIN: Bags and mitts
WINTER dog walks mean braving the cold and mud – but two products from fetchitbags.co.uk offer the ultimate clean-up.
Its compostable poo-bags are biodegradable and contain no nasty micro-plastics.
It also sells compostable mitts that can be used to wipe mucky pups after a walk, then be rinsed and reused. They are hypoallergenic, so kind to your dog’s skin.
We have eight bundles to be won, each worth £30. For a chance to win, email sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk, with Fetch It in the header line.
Entries close January 31.
Helping needs paws in Covid crisis
A COUPLE who have given free care to needy pets during the pandemic have won an award for their kindness.
Steve Belgrau, 34, and partner Megan, 32, own a luxury pet-boarding house in Conwy, Denbighs.
But when Covid-19 hit their business early last year they decided to use their time by offering their services for free.
They set up a charity called the Protection of Animals in Wales Society (PAWS) and have provided free boarding to pets whose owners have needed to go into hospital, and have found loving homes for abandoned pets.
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Their initiative won the Best Rescue category at the recent DogFriendly Awards 2020.
Steve said: “We set up the rescue work in June, after realising that there was a need to help. On average, we now re-home around 12 cats a month and three dogs, as well as small furries such as rabbits and hamsters.
“Pets are like family to us and we plan to promote responsible pet ownership in schools and give owners support.
- To read more about the latest DogFriendly awards, see dogfriendly.co.uk/awards/finalists
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