From a restless pup to a mourning horse – 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.
Q: OUR 13-year-old miniature Schnauzer just won’t lie down.
Bosco sits up all the time, even to sleep, then he collapses and wakes himself up.
He runs around on the field and he doesn’t yelp when I touch his back.
But since Friday this has been happening. He’s looking lost and down in the dumps.
We don’t think it is pancreatitis, which is common, as his poop and appetite seem fine.
We suspect he might have dementia. What do you think?
Simon Smith, Hove, East Sussex
Sean says: This doesn’t sound great for Bosco, from a sleep deprivation point of view.
There are various things that spring to mind, and one is indeed dementia, or more accurately a condition called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD).
This is similar to senile dementia in humans, and it can present as restlessness, confusion or agitation.
I’m also wondering if there may be a heart or lung issue, which could mean his breathing is laboured when he lies down due to fluid build-up.
But you would usually hear coughing.
If it continues for more than a few more days, take him to the vet for a physical exam.
Q: MY horse Barnaby whinnies a lot in the day after we lost his equine companion Petra.
I regret not taking him to see her at the vet so he understood fully what happened.
Do you think it is a good idea to show pets their companion has died?
Or could something else be making him do this? He seems healthy.
Vicky Brown, Truro, Cornwall
Sean says: Poor Barnaby.
Normally I recommend our animal friends get to say goodbye after their companion has passed away.
But transporting a horse to the scene might be traumatic for them and it could build a very negative association with the horsebox.
Think about getting another companion for Barnaby.
Horses are social creatures.
Perhaps see if anyone with a horse or pony nearby would benefit from them having a new companion.
Q: EVERY day in my garden I feed a very beautiful lady fox.
She looks in good health with no sign of mange.
ut my husband was worried she might be a health risk to our greyhound Woodster.
Is she? We keep Woodster in when I feed her so their paths don’t cross.
Anne Green, Barnstaple, Devon
Sean says: As long as they are not coming in direct contact, it is pretty low risk.
No more so than our dogs being out in the park, sniffing and smelling fox poo or urine, or rolling in mess as they are weirdly prone to.
There are a few risks, the main one being mange but if your vixen shows no sign, we can largely rule it out.
Ensure Woodster’s worming is up to date, and he is covered for lungworm in particular.
Q: I HAVE a 4ft deep and 6ft wide pond with about six fairly good sized goldfish in it.
Is it OK to keep them out after the harder winters we seem to have had?
What do you recommend in terms of feeding too as they definitely get quieter when it is cold.
Steve Brown, Middlesbrough
Sean says: As long as you have a good depth of water, fish will retreat to the bottom of the pond and do fine as it’s quite insulated down there.
A minimum 2-3ft depth is needed, the deeper the better in colder areas.
If the pond is frozen for several days, place a bucket of hot water on the ice to melt a hole for airflow.
Do not smash the ice as the vibrations harm fish.
And do not add hot water to the pond as it can shock fish.
Don’t feed outdoor pond fish over winter, as their appetite reduces.
Uneaten food will pollute the water.
WIN: Faux fur dog bed
SWEET dreams are guaranteed for the winner of this luxurious dog bed and treats prize.
We’re offering a lucky reader a large Lords & Labradors High Wall Bed in fawn faux fur worth £149.99, plus a £100 voucher to spend on dog treats by gourmet firm Ruffingtons.
Send an email headed RUFFINGTONS to sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk by December 29.
T&Cs apply.
See ruffingtons.co.uk.
Star of the week
AURORA and her six kittens are lucky to be alive after being dumped in a box on the hottest day of the year.
Xico Brito, a helper at Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in Brentwood, Essex, stumbled on the cardboard box after taking a detour on his lunch break.
The three-week old moggies had been left outside a closed school, dehydrated and riddled with fleas.
Hopefield’s marketing officer Tracy Tristram says: “We found their mum the next day and christened her Aurora after the Northern Lights, due to happen that night, August 13.”
She adds: “Aurora is proving an amazing mum. She and the kittens are now thriving.”
See hopefield.org.uk/help-hopefield-animal-sanctuary.
Carbon monoxide a paws for alarm
WE are devoted to our pets but many of us are not aware of a silent killer.
The RSPCA has joined forces with the Gas Safe Register to highlight the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning after research reveals 99 per cent of owners would not spot the warning signs.
Rob Denman, of the UK’s official body for gas engineers and businesses, says: “Carbon monoxide can be extremely dangerous, even deadly, especially as it’s an odourless gas.
“As a nation of pet lovers, it is concerning that the majority of owners could not identify potential signs.”
Reddened gums, ears and lips are just some of the signs, says RSPCA Chief Vet Caroline Allen, who adds: “If there’s a carbon monoxide leak in your home, pets would be the first to feel the impact because they are generally smaller in size and have less lung capacity than us.”
Other signals also include unusual irritability, wobbliness and vomiting.
Take your pet outside for fresh air if they display symptoms and get an audible carbon monoxide alarm as it could save their life – and yours.
See gassaferegister.co.uk for more info.