Pet Questions and Answers

Craig is the new Vet in the Belfast Telegraph – with a weekly column on Saturday Nights. Read an archive of his Pet Questions and Answers here.

My four year old cat Darkie has licked all the fur off his back! What is wrong?

Over-grooming has many causes, from physical disease to stress-related problems. In my experience, the most common is dermatitis caused by fleas. In our globally warmed world fleas easily survive the winter. Only 3% of fleas live on your pet: the rest live in your house! Take him to your vet, and if fleas are the problem, then you can use a modern safe flea spot-on to get rid of his new friends, and perhaps also a spray to clear your house. Please do get good professional advice: some flea products are not as safe as others! 

My three year old Dachshund, Poppy, has got a swollen tummy, and her nipples have grown. My husband says she looks pregnant, but she hasn`t been out of the house so she can`t be!

Poppy sounds like she has a False Pregnancy. This is common in entire bitches following a heat and can be very severe. Some will produce milk, and vomit with Morning Sickness. Some have mood swings, becoming quite cantankerous, and not their usual selves. In many cases I will prescribe a safe drug to switch off the signals from the brain which are causing the problem. False pregnancies can be easily prevented: if you don`t plan on taking pups from Poppy talk to your vet about having her spayed before she comes on heat again. 

My friend told me that sugar-free gum can be fatal to dogs. Is she right?
 
Yes, I am afraid so. Several dogs have died of severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and liver failure from eating products containing xylitol in quantities which most people can consume quite safely. If your dog has eaten even a few grammes of xylitol he/she needs urgent treatment. Call your vet! Sadly our pets are at risk from many products which we regard as safe eg. Chocolate in dogs, or paracetamol in cats. More information is available at www.bva-awf.org . 

I am really worried about my koi. Now that they have surfaced after the winter, I can see they are covered in large white ulcers, which are all red and fluffy at the edges.

You are describing Ulcer Disease, a common skin infection in Koi. Severe cases probably need veterinary attention if they are to survive, but the first thing you must do is check the water quality. A good pet shop will often carry test kits if you don`t have one. No treatment will be effective until the water is right!  

I really want to get a parrot, but my Mum says I wouldn`t look after it properly. What should I do? 

Your Mum may be right. Parrots live long lives, are very intelligent, and need lots of attention every day. It is unfair to keep him/her in an unstimulating environment. They can be noisy and messy, and can be very tricky to feed – often having bad food habits – just like us! Talk to someone who owns one to find out how much work they are!   If you can care for them properly they can be great companions. 

My twin sister and I got two rabbits for our birthday. They have got horrible dandruff all over their backs. What is wrong with them?

They probably have Cheyletiella Mange, known as “Walking Dandruff”.  Some poor rabbits can get so itchy they tear at their skin until it bleeds. Fortunately it`s easy to treat nowadays, and your vet can give drugs to stop the itch. Please do get treatment quickly as these wee pests can bite you too!

I am really worried my old Labrador is going blind. She has silvery cloudy lenses. What can I do? 

Good news: most old dog “cataracts” aren`t really cataracts! Nuclear sclerosis is an ageing change which rarely causes blindness. Try the “FBI” trick: hold a bright torch up beside your head, and shine it directly into her eyes. If her eyes reflect  green or red in the centre then light is getting to the retina and out again! She is not going blind. If there is a black spot visible, then you should have your vet assess the eyes in case she may need cataract surgery to save her sight. If the worst were to happen, many dogs adapt fantastically well to loss of vision, so don`t despair.

My 4 year old Burmese cat has suddenly started drinking loads of water. What is wrong? 

Polydipsia (dramatic thirst) is a common problem. Your vet will need to check for kidney disease, but the chances are your wee cat may have Diabetes. This illness causes high blood sugar, dramatic thirst, hunger, and rapid weight loss. It can occurs in all breeds, but particularly in Burmese. Don`t worry: treatment is very successful. In our practice, this common ailment is well managed in most cases, and cats live a full and happy life.

I have two lovely Mini-Lop-Ear rabbits who live in my garden. Dad says he read that they can get attacked by maggots! Surely maggots don`t affect living animals?

Your Dad is right! Sometimes in hot weather like we have been having flies will lay their eggs round your bunnies` bottom – this is called Fly Strike! It can be very serious, so remember to check your bunnies bottoms are cleaned regularly. There is also a product your vet can get to repel flies from your rabbits hutch.  

Frank is my great big Golden Retriever who is three years old. Over the last year he has had six or seven smelly and sore ear infections. How can I stop this happening?

I suspect that Frank may have allergic skin disease. People forget that ears are lined by skin, and hot sweaty areas like that can be the first affected by any dermatitis. In my practice, we see a huge percentage of Retrievers allergic to both House Dust Mites and to something in their food. Your vet can test Frank to fully diagnose his allergy, and any associated secondary infections. Don`t worry: with correct treatment we can often stop these painful problems.

We moved house recently and the living area is open to the kitchen. My vet says I shouldn`t keep my two cockatiels there now. Why not?

Intelligent birds benefit from close company and interaction with you, so normally it can be very effective to have them in your lounge. Many non-stick pans are lined with Teflon, which gives off a gas when you cook. This gas is toxic to cagebirds, so your vet is quite right – never house birds in a kitchen!

I am expecting my first baby in five months. I am worried I might catch something from my cats which would harm my baby.

Don`t worry! You are referring to Toxoplasmosis, a small parasite carried by cats. This is excreted for only a few days in your cats` lifetime, so the risk is always very small. In fact, most of us have already contracted, and are immune to, this parasite from gardening, or from salads at home or abroad! A sensible precaution, however, is to have a non-pregnant person empty the litter trays, or if you must do it yourself, do it every day, and wear gloves to handle the trays. Boiling water kills the spores, so you could also pour a kettle-full over the washed tray for extra peace of mind. Congratulations on your forthcoming arrival! 

My vet has told me my dog Timmy has done what Paul Gascoigne did: ruptured his cruciate ligament. He says even with surgery that the knee will get arthritis. Is there anything that can be done? 

Most dogs, except the very small, need to have a ruptured cruciate repaired surgically. Sadly all these damaged joints will develop arthritis in time: your vet will prescribe good painkillers, and often also nutraceuticals (eg. Glucosamine) to help him in recovery and over the rest of his life. 

I am very excited! My two guinea pigs. Popsy and Flopsy, are having babies. Do I need to prepare anything for them? 

Newborn Guinea Pigs are so cute: they are just miniaturised versions of their parents in every way! Do remember sometimes the Daddy can attack and kill the babies, so it is wise to separate them before birth. I would recommend dividing the hutch with good quality pet mesh (available in pet shops) so Mum and Dad can still see and smell each other. This makes reintroducing them much easier when the kids are away. Happy Families.

Oscar, my Persian cat, has started wetting on the wall beside the back door. What can I do?

There can be physical causes of this problem, so please get him to the vet, who will want to perform a clinical examination and probably check a urine sample. The most common cause of this antisocial behaviour is that Oscar is marking his territory, perhaps warding off an invader in the garden? Having him neutered makes sense, and if he already is neutered your vet can prescribe medications to relax him so he doesn`t feel so threatened.

We keep a bird feeding table in our garden, and love to watch the many birds which come around. We worry about Bird Flu. Is there anything we should be doing?

Avian Influenza remains a big threat to the domestic poultry industry. It is only through vigilance of members of the public like yourselves that we can catch an outbreak in time. The Department vets are very keen to learn of any deaths in groups of wild birds (more than three birds at a time), so if you find any such group please call your local vet immediately, who will assist you contacting the Department.

I think Tigger has canker? I tried drops from the pet shop but his ears are still a mess! 

Your vet can diagnose ear mites with an auroscope and a careful look down the ear canal. These wee parasites are very, very itchy and are quite contagious. Ear drops can be difficult to apply correctly if you haven`t been shown how. Your vet can now supply a “spot-on” product which you simply squeeze onto the back of the neck, and the ear mites are killed in one treatment. Much easier than ever before! 

My son says he learned at school that some fish can give birth. Surely not: don`t all fish lay eggs?

Your son is quite right! Livebearers, as the group are called, carry fertilised eggs in their abdomens and the fry are then born free-swimming and well developed. The most famous of these fish are known as Guppies. They are a colourful freshwater tropical fish, and an ideal beginners` aquarium fish. Maybe you could get your son some – you never know where the interest may lead him – that was how I first developed an interest in animals! 

Bessie, my old Labrador, has to be put to sleep because she has a terminal cancer, and the vet says she is starting to suffer. Can I bury her in my garden?

I am very sorry to hear about Bessie. These are dreadfully difficult decisions, and I am sure you and your vet have explored all the ways to keep her comfortable. I now advise against home burials for several reasons. Firstly, a suitably deep hole can be very hard to dig, especially in the winter when the ground is hard. Secondly, many people move house, and then are faced with a wrench when they realise they have to leave their pets behind a second time. Individual cremation is available, whereby your pet`s ashes are returned for scattering or burial, or simply to be kept in the house as a reminder better times. I wish you well with your decision.

I remember keeping tortoises in the garden when I was a child. Why did the pet shop say I needed an expensive set up if I wanted to keep some now?

I am afraid many of the tortoises we kept were miserably cold, dehydrated and incorrectly fed. We know so much more about their needs nowadays. Consult an expert, or visit the Tortoise Trust online, for modern animal-welfare-sensitive husbandry advice.

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