Why is my hamster drinking lots of water?

Ask the vet

My two- year- old longhaired Syrian hamster has started drinking large quantities of water with great frequency. He urinates a lot as a result, and when he wakes up he often has dried tear fluid holding his eyelids closed. Should I just put these symptoms down to the ageing process? The best thing to do is to get your hamster checked over by your vet as soon as you can. There are health problems that can cause your hamster to drink more and pass more urine than normal and your hamster’s dry eyes does suggest possible illness rather than just old age. There are things you can do to make his life more comfortable, such as making sure his bedding is always fresh and dry and provide fresh drinking water at all times.

My cat Victor is naturally quite grumpy. He’s normally ok with me, but he can be quite aggressive towards other people and animals. Why is this? Can I change his behaviour?

When cats display behaviour like this it’s vital to find out what the underlying cause is. Firstly, get Victor checked over by your vet, to make sure he doesn’t have any underlying illness. Pain can cause cats to be irritable and aggressive. Other possible causes can be fear, frustration, feelings of vulnerability or feeling unhappy with their environment. Cats that weren’t well socialised as kittens can also demonstrate this behaviour. To help your cat try providing dens in elevated positions and make sure there are plenty of resources like clean litter trays, bowls, toys etc so he doesn’t have to

share. Pheromone diffusers can help too.

My dog’s thick fur is normally enough to keep him warm, but now it’s getting colder I’m worried he might not be warm enough on his walks. Does he need to wear a dog coat?

A healthy dog with thick fur shouldn’t need to wear a coat on walks. Dogs with fine or thin fur ( e. g. greyhounds and whippets), and dogs that are very young, underweight, old or unwell may need an extra layer when the weather turns cold as they can develop hypothermia quickly. In very cold or wet weather, you may want to provide a warm, waterproof coat to protect your dog, as if he

gets wet, his temperature will also drop. Dogs don’t need to wear coats in our centrally heated homes, as they can overheat and become very uncomfortable.

My Shepherd Husky cross called Dee constantly whines and barks for attention. I’ve tried ignoring her when she does this but it just seems to make it worse. How can I stop this behaviour?

Make sure Dee is getting plenty of exercise – Huskies are a highly active breed, she’ll need two or three good walks every day with opportunities to run off the lead and play energetic games. If Dee doesn’t get enough exercise she will have lots of pent up energy and will crave attention. If you’re sure Dee gets enough exercise then you’re right to not reward her behaviour with attention.