Pet answers at Christmas
WITH CHRISTMAS COMING I WANT TO GET MY DAUGHTER A PUPPY, WHAT SHOULD I LOOK OUT FOR?
Before looking out for anything you need to make sure you are getting the dog for the whole family not just your daughter, and that you are ready for the commitment for the whole life of the dog. The phrase ‘a dog is for life not just for Christmas’ is well worth remembering but doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get a dog if it is right for you. For me the main thing to look out for, once you know the breed you want, is if you are able to visit the puppies at home and see the mother. This will allow you to check the health and behaviour of the mum, see the cleanliness and setup for the puppies and ideally be able to see the puppy a couple of times before you pick it up. Hopefully the puppy will have been wormed and flea treated and vet checked with evidence of this. Avoid getting puppies from free ads or websites or from mobile locations (such as lay-bys). Also be aware there are a lot of puppies being imported from Eastern Europe (with passports) that are not that healthy or are coming from puppy farms.
I WANT TO GET MY DOG AN ADVENT CALENDAR, IS THIS OK?
Dogs cannot have normal chocolate at all as it is poisonous to them, so normal advent calendars are out. You can get doggie advent calendars that either have doggie chocolate in or other treats and these are fine (although in moderation!). As we get to the festive period it is well worth being aware of the things that are not safe for dogs. These include chocolate, raisins and onions as poisons and things like turkey bones and decorations as items that can get stuck if swallowed. If in doubt ask your vet about what is safe for your pet to eat.
ONE OF MY CATS HAS STARTED EATING A LOT BUT SEEMS TO BE LOSING A BIT OF WEIGHT. SHE IS OLD SO IS THIS JUST OLD AGE?
The short answer is no. Any time a cat is eating really well but losing weight we get a bit concerned and it is worth getting a vet to check her out. Common conditions for older cats include hyperthyroidism, where the metabolism is hugely increased due to increased thyroid hormone production, diabetes, kidney problems and unfortunately cancer. The tests for hyperthyroidism, diabetes and kidney problems are really easy and can be done with just a bit of blood and some urine and these conditions are often treatable. I often suggest to clients with cats over the age of 10 that they should monitor the drinking and eating habits of their cat as well as keep a track on their weight, while a screening blood test or urine test is a cheap and easy way of picking up early problems.
Do you have a pet or animal health question? Send it to us at . Cees will endeavour to answer all questions, whether published or not!
Cees Bennett BVetMed MRCVS Veterinary surgeon and Joint Venture Partner at: Peterborough Vets4Pets 231-233 St Paul’s Road Peterborough PE1 3RL Tel: 01733 890777 & Bretton Vets4Pets Inside Pets at Home Unit 2 The Bretton Centre Peterborough, PE3 8DN Tel: 01733 261094
