HE is on a mission to help our pets. . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.
Sean, chief veterinarian at tails.com, a bespoke pet food company, has been helping with owner questions for ten years.
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Sean helps a reader with a cat who is having a problem with splashing around the houseImage Credit: Getty – Contributor
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Sean McCormack, chief vet at tails.com, promises he can help keep pets happy and healthy.Photo credit: Doug Seeburg – The Sun
He says, “If your pet is acting weird, is bad, or you want to know about diet or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy. “
Q) I HAVE an eight year old female cat, Fluffles, and have had a problem with her spraying around the house for the past 12 months.
It used to be just plastic bags, but now it’s furniture, curtains, toaster and stove that can be very uncomfortable.
There was no change in circumstances or no new animals in the household.
I’ve tried Feliway plug-ins and spray but they didn’t work.
Christina Williams, Swansea
A) Did something happen to Fluffles a year ago that this suddenly started?
Does she have litter boxes in the house?
If not, and she’s intimidated outside, she may have developed a fondness for going inside.
After a year it is a tough habit to break. Another cat outside could intimidate them.
Feliway is just a help here, not a solution, but it’s worth moving on as it can relieve anxiety.
Did you have your urine tested at the vet? If she has an infection, it can cause her to go.
A vet appointment will help you get to the bottom of things and come up with a plan.
Q) MY four month old Yorkshire Terrier, Lily, gets really mad when I leave.
She has food, water, a bed and toys.
I leave her in the kitchen with the box open, but she cries, barks and moans.
I have a camera so I can see what it’s doing. I’m only gone 30 minutes to an hour.
Lesley Reeve, Bridlington, East Yorks
A) With Lily’s separation anxiety, you have to start again at the basics, leaving her without your attention for a short time, then not in the same room, then out of the house for seconds, then minutes.
Go out and back in, ignoring any crying or attention-getting behavior until she is calm and her focus is on something else when you come back.
There are online resources on this from Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, RSPCA, and PDSA. Otherwise, see a qualified animal behavior therapist.
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Sean advises a reader with a Yorkshire terrier who gets really upset if left aloneImage Credit: Getty – Contributor
Q) RIO, my Russian dwarf hamster, has problems with his eyes.
One is really swollen and the other doesn’t open until I bathe it.
His health has worsened this week, he is holding his food in his cheeks and breathing heavily.
Lee Armstrong, via email
A) If a hamster behaved strangely or uncomfortably in the wild, it was quickly noticed by a predator and eaten.
So if you see signs of illness and deterioration over time, unfortunately, that’s bad news.
A visit to the vet is necessary, even just to relieve his suffering, when there is no hope or he is too old to undergo treatment. It’s unfair to let him stay.
F) ONE YEAR ago our daughter made friends with Lola, a little cat.
It was always sitting on her porch, so she started feeding it.
One neighbor said she was a stray, another said she was attacked by a fox.
Lola doesn’t go out and doesn’t make any noise, she just sits there and stares at the wall.
She eats and drinks OK and hugs my daughter.
But she looks traumatized and has a bone in her neck, has started to lose weight and her fur looks thinner
We can’t take them to the PDSA because there is a property problem.
Cecilia Taylor Little Hulton, Gtr Manchester
A) With such an unknown history, I’d only guess what might be wrong with her, but sudden weight loss is always a problem for me.
She needs a vet visit, and while I appreciate that there can be problems with PDSA treatment, anyone who cares for Lola needs to find a way to at least get her for an initial vet consultation.
If finances are a problem, your vet will work within your budget to help her out. I promise.
Star of the week
HARRY KANE the Terrier loves meeting celebs like the footie star he’s named after.
The Jack Russell Cross lives with Sun on Sunday writer Nick McGrath and accompanies him when Nick interviews celebrities.
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Harry Kane the Terrier loves meeting celebs like the soccer star he’s named after
He once chewed a hole in a £ 2,000 Louis Vuitton handbag owned by actress Felicity Kendal – and ran off wearing Strictly Judge Bruno Tonioli’s underpants.
Nick, 50, of Walthamstow, East London, said, “Everywhere Harry goes people fall in love with him.
“He’s incredibly people-friendly and loves to roll over on his back to have his stomach rubbed.
“He was offered modeling jobs, but we are waiting for the right opportunity!”
Follow Harry at instagram.com/whenharrykane9met.
Profit: break with dog
TREAT your pup with a two-day getaway worth £ 500 at Hilton and Double Tree Hotels (explore.hilton.com).
Rooms have dog beds and your pooch can enjoy Beef Doguignon, Mutt Roast, Earl Greyhound and Tailwagger Creek from the Bone Apetit menu.
To enter, email sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk by September 12th with HILTON in the title.
The terms and conditions apply.
Lockdown bunnies aren’t much fun
Rabbits spearheaded a survey of the pets people most regret about being banned.
Research by Petplan found that 26 percent of people wished they hadn’t welcomed pets during the pandemic, and a huge 42 percent of rabbit owners regretted it, with 17 percent saying they underestimated the cost and 15 percent worried about potential health issues.
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Rabbits have spearheaded a survey of the pets people most regret about being locked away
Many owners have chosen rabbits because they look cute, but rabbits produce up to 300 fecal pellets a day and don’t like being picked up.
They also need a lot of space to run and without it they get depressed.
Animal welfare experts urge owners to make sure the creatures have enough exercise and toys to keep them entertained.
Animal behaviorist Sarah-Jane White explains, “Rabbits are not as easy to care for as people think, and children can often get bored when the novelty wears off.
“They need time out from their stable every day. They love to dig, so providing them with a special grab box is a great way to get them the exercise they need. “
The survey found that 46 percent of 18 to 34 year olds regretted having a pet, followed by 32 percent of 35 to 54 year olds and 12 percent of over 55 year olds.
TikTok was slammed by the animal welfare organization for “glorifying baby monkeys as pets” with lollipop and tap drinking videos
