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#BestForPets
My 8 year old cat has started to get really stinky breath. Do you have any ideas on how to improve it? Smelly breath is a common complaint as pets get older. As tartar builds up on the teeth, bacteria are trapped causing the funky smell. If untreated, this can lead to inflammation of the gums and tissues surrounding the teeth, ultimately leading to loose and painful dentition. I would strongly advise getting your cat checked by a vet or nurse, as they may be in need of a dental procedure. This involves a short anaesthetic to clean the teeth using an ultrasonic scaler, assess the mouth and remove any damaged teeth. Once the teeth are properly clean, home care can help prevent tartar building back up. The practice can advise on the best options – be that tooth brushing, special diets or products to add to the drinking water.
I’ve just become a proud pet parent to two rabbits and having found out about Flystrike, I’m worried about keeping my rabbits safe over summer. Do you have any advice on what I can do? Being aware of flystrike is definitely the first step! I would always recommend checking your bunnies twice daily to ensure there are no fly eggs in the fur – if caught early fly strike is very treatable. Holding them securely, turn the rabbit over with their back to you, so you can check around the back end and genitals. Watch they don’t kick out and hurt their spine; if you aren’t sure, your vet or nurse can demonstrate the best way to hold them. You can also apply a preventative product like Rear-guard (included in HPC!), though this doesn’t remove the need to check them regularly. Fly strike is much more common if the back end is soiled. This can be avoided by making sure bunnies aren’t overweight, and not feeding too many watery greens so their stools are nice and firm. Cleaning the hutch regularly will also help avoid attracting flies.
I’ve noticed that my 2 year old male tabby cat has started to look a bit on the heavy side. Do you have any tips for helping him to lose weight? We’re suspicious that he’s eating our other cat’s leftover food! Unfortunately a lot of foreign rescue dogs have had very hard lives; they may have lived on the streets and/or spent long periods in kennels before being transported to the UK. As a result they can find adjusting to a domestic pet lifestyle very challenging. Acting aggressively towards other dogs is often a fear response, either because she missed out on vital socialisation as a puppy or because she’s unused to interacting while restrained on a lead. There is no quick fix for behavioural problems, and I would strongly recommend finding a qualified veterinary behaviourist to help work through this. It’s important to differentiate between a behaviourist and a trainer; look for someone accredited by the Association of Pet Behaviour Councellors (CCAB certified).
Some dogs are prone to gunky eyes, especially flat-faced breeds (such as pugs and bulldogs), and toy breeds (such as Bichons and Shih Tzus) as their tear ducts are often under-developed. Conjunctivitis, inflammation of the ocular tissues, can also cause ocular discharge however and this may need treatment. If your dog is rubbing at his eyes, the discharge is yellow, or the inside of his lower eyelid is very red it is worth getting him checked by your vet. If the discharge is clear or brown and isn’t irritating him, I’d bathe it daily with some salt water and just monitor that the corner of his eyes don’t get sore. My mixed breed dog often gets really gunky eyes. Is there a reason he’s getting this or is it just a natural thing that some dogs get?
To ask our resident vet, Shula, a question for the next issue, please email hello@mipetcover.co.uk. If your pet needs help sooner, please speak to your local vet in the first instance.
Provided by Shula Berg
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