Fears over impact of fireworks on puppy

My puppy Monty has never experienced fireworks before and I’m worried he’ll get frightened by the noise over the weekend. How can I make sure he feels safe?

Loud noises and bright flashes can scare our fourlegged friends, so it’s important to keep curtains closed and try to drown out any sounds outside with music or your TV. Also, be sure to walk Monty in the day, so he’s safely at home before dark, as this will reduce the risk of him experiencing fireworks going off while you’re outside. You might also want to prepare for the night by making Monty a den covered in blankets and pillows to absorb noise. This way, if he does get scared, your canine companion can hide in the den and feel safe. For more advice on preparing your pooch for fireworks season, visit pdsa.org.uk/ fireworks2021

My dog always seems to rub her tummy on the doorstep, and she scratches it a lot –so much so that it’s getting really sore. What can I do to stop her?

It sounds as though your poor pup may have some skin irritation on her tummy, which is why she seems to be scratching the area a lot. There are a few possible causes of this irritation, such as parasites (e.g. fleas), a bacterial/fungal skin infection or an allergy. It’s worth popping a t-shirt on her to protect the area so she doesn’t cause any further damage to her skin and take her to your vet to have this investigated. As each possible issue would require a different kind of treatment, your vet will probably want to do some tests so they can get to the root of the problem.

I have noticed that my pet budgie has started losing his feathers recently and seems very unhappy. Sometimes he lies at the bottom of the cage, what could be the problem?

These are all tell-tale signs that your budgie is very unwell, and it’s important to take your budgie to your vet as soon as possible. Birds are susceptible to respiratory illnesses – so make sure their home is positioned where the air is well ventilated but not in a draught and well away from the kitchen as non-stick pans can be fatal for birds when heated up. It’s vital that you clean out your budgies’ home daily, to prevent a build up

of poop, and deep clean weekly.

My dog Bruce has been constantly licking one of his front paws. I’ve checked it and can’t find any cuts or anything visibly wrong, but he’s licked it so much that it’s starting to get raw. Can you suggest anything to help?

Cover the area so that Bruce can’t cause further skin damage and take him to see your vet. Pooches can develop a ‘lick granuloma’, as a result of concentrating on cleaning one area – often the foot. Your vet will make sure that there isn’t an underlying physical cause, before he can address the possibility of this. If your dog has caused a ‘lick granuloma’ then it’s important to find the cause of why he’s done this.