From a ‘bored’ cat to a dog dealing with the heat – 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.

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Q) MY cat, Chairman Meow, seems to groom herself constantly. Is this a sign of boredom?

She has plenty of toys, scratch posts and beds. She’s five. I live near a busy road so she’s a house cat. Should I give her outside access?

JUDE BROWN, Birmingham

Sean says: Firstly, I love this name for a cat. I had a patient that was named the same years ago, and it always made me chuckle.

Over-grooming can be a sign of stress, boredom or an appeasement behaviour that is self-soothing as it releases happy hormones.

She’s got plenty of enrichment indoors, but I wonder if you could play more interactive games with her, such as scattering feeding treats, using fishing rod toys and the like. If she’s not losing hair, it may just be that Chairman Meow is a fastidiously clean and well-presented cat.

Q) BORIS, my Labradoodle, was running on the beach when he just collapsed.

He lay down for several minutes then got up again and has been fine since. He’s nine and is a big dog.

How concerned should I be?

GILLIAN MANN, Edinburgh

Sean says: That is worrying. And it raises more questions than answers.

Is it the first time this has happened? Was he seemingly conscious or absent while laying down, did he yelp or whine?

What were his limbs doing? Was he limping or seem pained after?

Was he salivating? If it was hot out, how was his breathing?

All these factors would lead vets to rule in or rule out certain conditions.

If it happens again, try to video it on your phone and get him checked by your vet as soon as possible.

Hopefully it’s a one-off but it could be an early sign of something else worth investigating.

Q) WHAT precautions should I take with my dog Ted now that it’s getting hotter?

He’s a Labrador cross who is eight. I always make sure he has shade, but should I consider a fan after the recent hot summers? What about cooling vests on walks?

SIMON EVANS, Barnstaple, Devon

Sean says: First thing with Labs, in particular, is a weight-loss programme and diet if he is overweight.

Obesity can really make things tough on our pets in hot weather.

Your vet practice can help assess, or you can look on our tails.com YouTube channel for videos on “body condition scoring”.

I’m not a fan of putting more layers on a dog for exercise. I prefer to recommend walking them in the cooler periods of the day.

Cool water and shade should be available always, and a cooling mat for Ted to lie on if he so wishes.

Q) TWO dogs and two cats have moved in next door, and Bella, our 12-year-old West Highland terrier, is now weeing a lot.

She even wakes me in the middle of the night to go into the garden.

Could the new cats and dogs be affecting her?

She’s had a blood test, and there’s no diabetes, but there is a lot of protein, which affects kidneys.

VIRGINIA SPRING, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

Sean says: Certainly a switch in circumstances in the home, or next door’s garden, can lead to changes in toileting behaviour.

But I would associate that more with male dogs marking their territory.

The flag here is excessive protein in her blood. Has Bella had a urine test too?

If not, pop a tray under her when she squats and decant the urine into a sterile jar from your vet.

This warrants further investigation.

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TWO Newfoundlands, Ralph and Walker, took to the water with a group of injured veterans as part of a wellbeing event to boost mental health.

The dogs jumped into a lake and gently pulled the ex-servicemen back to dry land – leaving smiles all round.

Their owner, paramedic Pete Lewin, of Leicester, said: “Newfies are known for their abilities in the water.

"But they also have incredible personalities and being with them has amazing restorative impacts.”

Many of the veterans who attended the event last month are members of military charity Blesma – the UK’s limbless veterans association – and spokeswoman Sarah Criddle told Paws and Claws: “The wellbeing factor was so powerful.”See blesma.org.

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A LEADING pet expert has revealed the secrets to communicating with your dog.

Jo Middleton, owner of learning platform Canine Principles, believes pups are often misunderstood.

The co-presenter of The Dog Expert Podcast said: “What if your dog’s ‘bad behaviour’ isn’t disobedience, but a communication issue?

If a dog feels safe, it is so much more capable of learning and adapting.”

Dogs experience a broad spectrum of emotions. Jo said joy is often shown through tail wagging and excitement.

Fear is indicated by cowering, shaking or avoiding eye contact.Frustration can cause barking, chewing or pacing.

Grief can lead to withdrawal. But there could be subtle differences that owners also need to be aware of.

Jo added: “A wagging tail doesn’t always mean happiness – the position and speed tell you more.

“Whining and barking convey different things depending on context. Sudden shifts in behaviour may be your dog’s way of signalling distress.”

She urged owners to use positive reinforcement, such as verbal cues like “good boy” or treats when communicating.

• See canineprinciples.com.