Why does our rabbit thump his back legs?
Help and advice for every animal- lover
Ask the vet
My bunny, Thumper, keeps thumping his back legs whenever the next door neighbour’s cat comes into our garden. Why does he do this?
Rabbits thump their legs like this when they are alarmed and nervous. If your rabbit lives alone he will feel scared and vulnerable, as rabbits are very social and should live with at least one other rabbit for comfort and companionship. In the wild, thumping is a signal to other rabbits that there is danger nearby. Your rabbit feels threatened and anxious when your neighbour’s cat comes in to your garden, so it is important that you make sure he has somewhere to hide, so he can feel safe. Try giving him some large tubes and cardboard boxes in his exercise run that he can retreat to. Rescue charities can help you to bond your rabbit to another bunny that needs a home, that way you’ll have two happy rabbits.
Our dog Horace has started to wet himself every night when he’s asleep. What can we do to help him?
Your vet will need to check Horace over. There are some medical problems which can cause pets to do this, including incontinence, diabetes or kidney problems. You can help Horace by taking him out to toilet regularly throughout the day and last thing at night, so he doesn’t go to bed with a full bladder and make sure he goes out first thing in the morning too. Incontinence sheets are useful at night to protect his bedding. Horace will need a bath if he ends up lying in urine, or his skin will become sore, use a mild shampoo and dry him well. Don’t be tempted to restrict his drinking and
he must have access to fresh drinking water at all times.
My cat is over a year old now but missed getting his vaccinations due to the lockdowns, is he too old to have his primary course?
Vaccinations are very important and there’s no age discrimination – older cats can have the full primary course followed by regular boosters, just as a kitten does. Just contact your vet to check what they’re able to provide right now, some vets may still be offering limited services.
My Jack Russell is 15- years- old and has become very picky about his food. He also
doesn’t seem to enjoy his walks anymore, and I’m worried his health is starting to fail. Can you help?
As dogs age, some of their organs don’t work as well as they used to; problems with the liver or kidneys can reduce appetite and make a pet feel under the weather; dental issues can also really make them feel fed up. Another possibility is arthritis, which is common in older dogs, affecting their keenness to walk or even get out of bed. Regular veterinary checkups for elderly pets can help diagnose age- related diseases as early as possible. I recommend that you get your dog checked by your vet to find out what is wrong. While many of these diseases can’t be cured, they can be managed effectively with medication to improve your dog’s quality of life.