From a panting bearded dragon to one-legged cat – 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) PETRA, my bearded dragon, sometimes seems to pant when he sits under his basking spot.
But he doesn’t move and he is otherwise healthy. Is this normal?
KEITH DOWLING, Crayford, Kent
Sean says: Yes this is normal. As long as Petra has room in his vivarium to move away from the heat source and it is controlled with a thermostat to prevent overheating, he will be fine.
This is an important design factor for reptile housing, allowing a thermal gradient, or range of temperatures to choose from, across the length of the enclosure.
Reptiles control their body temperature by their behaviour, basking and then moving away from the heat.
Just one of the reasons I always recommend as large and enriched an enclosure as possible.
Q) AFTER a fox got him, our five-year-old cat’s leg had to be amputated.
Billy still goes out but tends to stay closer to home these days.
He has scratch posts and one on the floor too. He still jumps onto the sofa and he’s got chase toys but would you recommend anything else to keep him occupied?
BEN JONES, Cardiff, South Glamorgan
Sean says: Poor Billy, that’s quite unusual. Normally in the cat and fox interactions I’ve seen, the cat is very much in charge and foxes are quite nervous of getting in their way.
It sounds like you are doing a good job, but you can never have too much environmental enrichment in the home for cats.
Shelves, tunnels, boxes and lots of play time with fishing-rod toys and balls are all easy and cheap.
With his adventures curtailed a little and with added pressure on the remaining leg, it’s very important you control his weight with tailored portions and regular checks.
Your vet team can teach you how to body-condition score Billy, a useful technique to keep him trim.
Q) OUR greyhound Myra has really bad separation anxiety. She is a rescue and a former racing dog.
She cries terribly and I’m afraid to leave her. Is there any tech you can recommend to help? What can I do?
IAN KING, Brighton, East Sussex
Sean says: There is no easy, quick fix to separation anxiety. It’s a process of weaning them off their co-dependency and gradually increasing their time without you while reinforcing that nothing bad happens in your absence.
There’s a lot of psychology at play during that process and sometimes we can make little errors.
So I highly recommend getting a qualified animal behaviourist to help.
They will observe you both and design a programme specific to you and Myra.
Check out the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors website (apbc.org.uk) for suitable people.
Q) MY cat Peaches hates my dog JoJo. We’d love to find a way for them to get along better.
Is there anything we can do to encourage this?
KYLIE BROWN, Burnley, Lancs
Sean says: I’m sorry to say that somtimes this type of situation just won’t resolve.
It usually happens with a rambunctious young dog or dog breed that’s way too keen on the cat.
Or else a dog breed with a high prey drive being overly stimulated by the cat and giving off “danger” vibes.
Reward-based training with JoJo might help, with lots of praise and favourite treats given for ignoring Peaches, and for acting calmly when she’s around.
Similarly, reward Peaches when she ventures downstairs and specifically when she gets closer to JoJo. But accept they may never be best buds.
Star of the week
ROSIE, a seven-year-old cockapoo, is one of life’s winners.
She beat more than 4,000 other dogs to be crowned the face of Dogstival festival, which is just the latest in a string of contest prizes.
Owner Naomi Cearns, 40, from Nottingham, said: “She’s won accolades including best in show, world’s worst guard dog, most adorable pet and guiltiest pet expression.
“And there’s never a dull moment when Rosie’s around.
“She once dressed up as Chewbacca from Star Wars and helped us win a holiday to Florida.
“But being crowned the face of Dogstival really is the icing on the winning cake.”
For more information about the June event at Burley Park, Hants, visit dogstival.co.uk.
WIN: Gut health check
WOULD you like to know what’s going on inside your dog’s gut so you could improve their health and wellbeing?
The results from a Biome9 GutDiscovery test include a personalised feeding plan and a BiomeBites supplement programme.
We have one test plus supplements worth more than £400 to give away.
Send an email titled BIOME9 to sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk. See biome9.com. T&Cs apply.
Get cats micropchipped or face £500 fine
A WOMAN reunited with her cat after 12 YEARS is urging other owners to get their feline friends microchipped.
From June 10, all cats over 20 weeks in England must be microchipped or owners could face a £500 fine.
Michelle Watkin knows how important the technology is after recently being reunited with her cat Finn, who went missing in 2011, thanks to his microchip.
He was found by a stranger and taken to a vet. As he was registered with database Petlog, his details were kept up to date.
Michelle, from Barnstaple, Devon, said: “I’m so happy to have him back.
“Please get your pets microchipped and ensure your contact details are correct.”
Bill Lambert, from the Kennel Club, which manages Petlog, said: “We’re so pleased Finn could be reunited with his family. Cat owners in England should be aware of the law changes in June.
“Amid the trauma and heartbreak of losing a pet, in the future owners could also face fines if their cats are not microchipped.”
Diane James, head of pet loss support at Blue Cross, added: “Not knowing where your pet is is similar to the death of a pet.”
More information can be found at petlog.org.uk.