From a grumpy terrier to a hamster going berserk – 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) MY Yorkshire terrier Popsy tears the post to pieces.

She is the grumpiest dog you’ve ever met. She once even bit my friend.

She also has a phobia of people trying to leave the room. She gets growly. She is a rescue.

What can I do to stop this? A behaviourist? Can you tell me what you think, please?

Ida Robins, Plymouth

A) First things first, the post is an easy fix.

Put a cage or tray around the letterbox to stop it falling on the floor for her to destroy.

She is doing this as if it’s a stranger invading the home on a daily basis, and to her mind, she is fending them off by going on the attack.

The postie leaves each time she does this, so she feels she has been effective.

With regards to her growling when people get up to leave, I’m guessing this is anxiety.

I think a behaviourist would be a really worthwhile investment to come and observe you and Popsy in the home and give some advice.

Q) FLUFFY my hamster goes berserk on the wheel and he goes so fast that I worry that he may break his leg or harm himself.

Should I be giving him more exercise?

I could get one of those balls and let him run around the room?

Aimee Bullent, Cardiff

A) Hamsters travel far and wide each night in the wild, looking for food, shelter and mates.

So we do them a disservice by keeping them in small cages.

The larger the cage you can give them the better.

Running wheels can be helpful in releasing some of that pent-up energy, but make sure they are solid-sided rather than separate rungs or spokes as these ones can indeed cause injury.

I’m not such a huge fan of hamster balls, as the hamster has no choice when it wants to leave them.

Better is to have a secure pen or run or even room for the hamster to get out in and explore for a few hours each evening under supervision.

Q) I HAVE a pug called Pepper who has scratched her eyeball on the side of the sofa and my vet had to sew a contact lense into her eyelid to protect it so the eyeball could repair.

It cost a fortune but she is now on the mend. Do I need to keep on putting in drops now?

It has been two months since the operation.

And can this happen again quite easily? I am scared I won’t be able to afford it next time.

Sam Wilson, Darlington, Co Durham

A) I can’t tell you because I didn’t do the operation, and I don’t know what type of drops. There are many.

Your vet is there for these types of questions and won’t mind chatting to you on the phone or perhaps at a final recheck appointment to examine Pepper’s eye and sign her off treatment.

Q) I HAVE a new dachshund puppy and I don’t like the idea of giving him shop-bought food.

Could you advise me on any homemade foods that I could provide that would give him the correct balance of nutrients.

He is called Jupiter and he is six months old.

Dave Edwards, Balham, South West London

A) It is extremely difficult to design a complete and balanced diet that keeps your dog healthy and meets all its needs.

My advice is to go with a brand that has qualified animal nutritionists and vets working with them, and who are members of UK Pet Food.

Star of the week

CHARLIE the gentle donkey has brought comfort to thousands in special needs schools, care homes and hospices, despite his bad start in life.

His owner Kelly Baker, who rescued the abandoned animal 15 years ago, says: “We could see how friendly and bold he was – he has a huge heart.”

The 23-year-old donkey’s star quality has led to him meeting stars including Rylan Clark, Ricky Gervais and Peter Andre.

He has even appeared on TV shows Loose Women and Casualty.

But his owner, who runs Kelly’s Donkeys (kellysdonkeys.co.uk) in Beckington, Somerset, says: “He most adores meeting those in need.

“He is so gentle and puts his head over the bedrails quietly.”

Cut pets’ treats… it's no biggie

NEARLY a third of vets have reported a rise in pet obesity over the last year.

More than 70 per cent of owners struggle with food portion sizes for their furry friends, a new survey shows.

More than three quarters of dog owners and 68 per cent of cat owners say they hand out regular treats.

And 53 per cent of cat owners and 36 per cent of dog owners have no idea what their pet weighs.

Sheri Ingram, 33, recently put her three-year-old Corgi, Biggie, on the scales and found he had gained 4.5lb in less than a year.

She blames the latest trend on social media, which shows owners bond with their pets while cooking.

The communications director from Cardiff explains: “My husband and I got into the habit of paying Biggie the cheese tax which means he has come to expect some every time we’re cooking with cheese.

“His weight shows just how many calories are packed into treats.”

Nikki Fox from Admiral Pet Insurance, which carried out the poll, says: “Ensuring pets receive the right portion sizes, monitoring calorie intake and adjusting meals and treats are essential.”