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.

Should I give my Staffordshire Bull terrier bones to chew?

I would say that generally bones are a bad idea. Raw bones are a food-poisoning risk, and can be broken up and eaten, risking impaction and/or constipation. Bones big enough to be safe from crunching are often so hard that dogs will break teeth on them! A good rule is that if something is too hard to be marked with your thumbnail, then it is too hard for a dog treat!

Last week I thought my 6 month old kitten had broken her back. She was wailing in pain and writhing on the floor, but the next morning she was fine! What was happening?

Cats “on heat” do that! Female cats start cycling from 5 months of age, and are reflex ovulators. This means that if she was only crying for one night she was probably mated to bring her out of heat early. That means she is likely expecting! Talk to your vet urgently to discuss options. Sadly there are very many unwanted kittens in NI, and perhaps spaying her in a couple of weeks might be the best way forward, thereby terminating the unwanted pregnancy safely and humanely, and stopping further “broken backs!”

My Dad says it is OK to keep my two goldfish in a bowl, but I am worried they are bored!

We don`t think goldfish get bored terribly easily, but I agree that a bowl is far from the ideal home. Fish need good quality water to live in. This means controlling waste products (nitrites especially) and the pH (acidity) of the water. Bowls have little buffering or filtration facility, and are subject to wild fluctuations in water conditions which can be very stressful for the fish, causing disease and even death. A small, filtered aquarium with gravel and plants is an attractive and welfare-friendly addition to the house!

I read that my budgie needs grit, but when I went to the pet shop there were no budgie-specific grits there?

In the wild many birds need grit/pebbles to assist grinding food in their gizzards (true stomachs). Most domestic birds however are fed a highly digestible diet of seeds, fruit and vegetables which really don`t need much grinding up. Some budgies gorge on grit too which can lead to fatal bowel impactions!

My rabbit, Poppie, smells the day after I clean her. There is a very strong smell in her urine. She's not been spayed and we're worried that there might be something wrong. Thank you.

Female rabbits who haven`t been spayed are a slave to their hormones! They get PMT and some awful moods. The smell may be related to heats or to uterine discharges. Please do get her neutered: 80% of all unspayed rabbits get cancer of the womb. This fatal disease can be prevented so easily. I believe that all non-breeding pet rabbits should be neutered. At Cedarmount, this is now very routine: we do several every week. Modern anaesthesia is so much safer now that we really have very few qualms about advocating the op!

I read that there are Zebra fish which glow in the dark. How can that be?

Yes Sam, they do exist: sounds like science fiction doesn`t it? Genes from fluorescent jelly fish have been implanted into Zebra Danios (a common fresh water aquarium fish). These genes cause the fluorescence. Amazing to see!

A large and increasing area of my three year old cat's abdomen is completely devoid of fur. Anti inflammatory injections and hormone tablets have not helped. Can anything further be done?

Overgrooming is a common and tricky problem. Some people believe stress is a big factor, although personally I believe that the vast majority have skin irritation/itches as the main cause. You could ask for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist for allergy testing. Don`t forget that 97% of all cat itches are fleas!! There are also new anti-inflammatory medications which can be strikingly effective for allergic cats.

My cat has kidney failure. Can she have a transplant?

I am sorry to hear that. Renal transplants for pets in the UK remain a massively controversial subject. Ethical concerns exist around the source of the new organ. Should it come from a donor who is put to sleep to provide it? Perhaps specially bred? Should the owner adopt the donor cat after having one of its` kidneys removed? Transplants are not currently available here. There is a huge amount though that can be done to help your cat. Talk all the medical and dietary options through very carefully with your vet. It is not always the disaster diagnosis it once was.

I have a year old Macaw, and I exercise him in the living room, but I am frightened he might fly away if a door were opened. Is there anything I can do?

Your vet can clip his primary flight feathers to limit his flying range. Often only one wing is done so he might still fly, but in smallish circles! Either way, be warned: he might get hurt the first few times he tries to fly, and remember some birds still make a decent attempt at escape!

My Cavalier had a bleed into his chest which the vet thinks might have been due to a lung worm. Is that right?

In recent years, Angiostrongylus cases have been diagnosed more frequently, associated with unexpected bleeding episodes in several breeds of dog. Cavaliers in Ireland do seem predisposed to infestation with lung worms. No-one really understands why. Scientists are hoping to learn how the worms cause haemorrhages, in case they could be used instead of medical warfarin for people who need anti-coagulation treatment. If given in time, the correct anti-parasitic treatment will cure your dog completely! Also remember that regular worming will protect your dog from these and other internal parasites.

My cat has had three operations to stitch a cut in her armpit. It won`t seem to heal. Is there anything which can be done to help?

Cats uniquely have a pouch of loose skin in which their elbows move around freely. It can be notoriously difficult to encourage wound there to heal. In recent years there have been two special operations designed to improve success rates. Perhaps you might ask your vet to have her referred to someone performing the newer procedures, or have him telephone a specialist for advice to assist him in getting this frustrating problem corrected.

We have bought a holiday home in Cannes, and want to be able to take our pet bunnies, Cuddles and Hammy, with us. What do we need to do?

The Pet Travel Scheme is designed to allow you to do just that! It is vital that you seek advice well in advance of your travel dates, because the minimum time from starting the process, until you might re-enter the UK from abroad, is seven months! Talk to your vet, and telephone the Export Section of Veterinary Services in Dundonald House for the latest, country-specific advice. Our website can point you in the right direction.

My wee Bichon has just been diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes. I am devastated. My vet is talking about chemotherapy but I am worried. What do you think?

I am so sorry to hear about your dog. Lymphoma is fairly common. In our clinic I take referrals of these cases for chemotherapy, and am very excited with recent success rates. More than 85% will respond well, with very minimal side effects. Few dogs ever lose hair or have terrible sickness as a result of the drugs, and most have a really good quality of life throughout their treatment. Sadly it is true that we cannot cure this disease, and it will eventually come back: it is the quality of life which counts! Talk to your vet about choices of treatment – different protocols suit different situations, and some offer dramatically better remission times than others.

My wife is expecting our first child. I have read about a disease our cats might give our unborn baby. Can you advise us please?

Please don`t worry, and “Congratulations!” What you read about is a protozoal disease called Toxoplasmosis. Most people have already been exposed to this from their diet, and are already immune. Some health authorities offer blood tests to check pregnant ladies` immunity; you could ask your doctor. Few pet cats excrete the infectious stage of the disease, but if they do the source will be the litter tray. Simple advice: if pregnant get someone else to clean the trays, or wear gloves if no-one else is there. Boiling water kills the oocysts, so pouring a kettle-ful over the empty tray is another sensible precaution. Further information is available from http://www.tommys.org

I keep two goldfish in a bowl on top of the TV. My friend says I really should get a tank for them.

Goldfish are quite hardy and will tolerate severe fluctuations in water quality. You should really invest in a better set up though, as an aquarium is so much easier to keep good water quality for them: they will be much happier, and are likely to live a lot longer!

Can you tell me where nest to get advice about rabbit-proofing my living room? Thanks

More and more people are keeping rabbits indoors now. They toilet-train easily and are great fun. Visit the British House Rabbit Society website. They are knowledgeable and very helpful.

My husband is at the end of his tether! Jack, our lovely ginger neutered tom has just started wetting up the kitchen wall. He has never done this before. Please help before I have to get rid of him (the cat, not my husband!)

Don`t panic! This is usually easily solved. The first thing you need to do is have your vet do a physical examination of him and of a urine sample. There may be a physical trigger for this antisocial behaviour. If not, then usually it is because Jack feels threatened, perhaps by a new cat in his garden, or by a new member in the household. This is a form of territorial marking very common in entire male cats, but which still occurs in neutered animals albeit to a lesser extent. Diagnosis is key! Once you know why he is doing it there are lots of ways to help stop it eg. Cat pheromone sprays, anxiolytic medication, behaviour modification, deodorising the “target area”, putting tinfoil in target zone to make an odd noise if he performs! Talk it over with your vet: he/she will have come across this many times!

I have bought two tortoises, and I am worried about setting up a hibernation routine. What should I do?

Jim, your first port of call is where you bought them. I assume that they were acquired through a licensed pet shop. They should be able to give you exact species name, to allow you to adapt their husbandry to the native environment where they evolved. If not, visit www.tortoisetrust.org where you can access breed-specific care sheets with all the necessary information. There are some basics, which your vet can help you with: namely good body weight reserve, basic health check and routine anti-parasiticides. These things are much more scientific these days!

My dog hates my new boyfriend. He growls and his hackles rise. Help!

Oh dear, that sounds tricky! He sounds like he is threatened, or feels that you are under threat and he is protecting you. Try and get your boyfriend to meet him out of his own space, perhaps on a walk together? Encourage him to feed the dog, and to perhaps give a food treat when the dog is a bit quieter. I think it is best not to have a confrontation, just in case a nip might happen. Be patient: explain to your friend that it`s not personal. Your dog will come round in time!

My cat is short of breath. Could he have asthma?

Yes, he might. Shortness of breath is a serious sign. Please don`t delay, and take him straight to your vet. Asthma attacks can be fatal, as can the other illnesses he might have affecting his breathing. We do see a lot of asthmatic cats, and I now try where possible to have owners use an inhaler to deliver the necessary medications, because side effects are much less significant than with oral or injected drugs. Yes, most cats can use an inhaler!!

I have a 3 year old female hooded rat. She has developed a big lump on her tummy. What do you think it might be?

Unfortunately, rats do get a lot of mammary (breast) tumours, which are frequently cancerous. I think you should have your vet take a look at her, as they can be removed surgically. Rats are very good anaesthetic patients, and recover quickly from their operations. If it is a cancer then really only rapid intervention offers any hope of survival. Left untreated, these nasty masses often ulcerate through the skin, causing significant pain and distress, so we really need to take them seriously in the interests of animal welfare.

My Bichon Frise is six now, and has had lots of problems with bladder stones. What can I do?

Sadly, this is quite a common problem in the breed. You don`t say which type of stone has been found, and this is paramount if you are to try and prevent more forming. In our practice, many Bichon`s form oxalate stones, which can actually obstruct the urethra and cause blockages which are surgical emergencies. Proper control centres on elimination of any concurrent infection, tight control of urine pH and concentration by the use of veterinary prescription diets and addition of potassium citrate to the food if necessary. You need to be constantly vigilant, and monitor urine regularly. I often let owners take home the testing kits to make things easier (and cheaper) in the long run.

I want to know the sex of my African Grey. The pet shop can`t tell.

No, I can`t tell by looking either! We have stopped surgical sexing birds now, as DNA sex-testing is now commercially available. Chat to your vet for details of samples necessary. On occasions the laboratory has trouble testing cheek swabs or feathers. A heparinised blood sample is the preferred option.

More Pet Question & Answers from pooh eating to microchipping Macaws
More Pet Questions & Answers from over grooming to keeping tortoises