DR BRUCE CHARD

contact@northharbourvet.co.nz WE recently lost our dog due to old age and want to replace him with a medium-sized dog that is safe around children and suitable to come into our house. We live on an orchard. What breeds would you recommend?

Before discussing breeds you may be able to find a suitable dog from your pound or local SPCA. People who adopt out abandoned dogs are careful to assess temperament before recommending their placement. They are always de-sexed and come with a microchip and vaccination. Failing this I can recommend three breeds which are active dogs so will thrive in your space and are usually reliable with children. Labradors and golden retrievers are great and provided you feed them carefully to keep their weight down they will give much pleasure. My third breed would be a border collie known for its intelligence.

Nik, my 21⁄ year-old labrador, has a small area of hair loss on the side of both of his elbows. I was wondering if it was due to something in his environment such as toxic cleaners. What do you think?

Almost certainly it is a case of developing elbow calluses which tend to form mostly in large breed short-haired dogs. They form due to dogs lying on a hard surface and pressure from the floor irritates the skin where it covers the bone of the elbow on the outside of the joint. You can try to minimise its development by keeping Nik’s weight down and encouraging him to lie on a soft bed. This is difficult in the summer as cold tile floors are preferred over bedding. The reaction is only cosmetic and will not harm Nik; treat any thickening of the callus by applying a safe cream to the area. So obviously it is not related to an environmental toxin.