PET SUBJECTS

Vet Pete Wedderburn has the answers

Q

Last year my vet told me that my eight-year old Cavalier King Charles had a very mild heart murmur. This year he told me that it’s now a gradethree murmur. He’s suggested trying medication even though she shows no signs of being unwell. Will this stop her getting even worse?

KM, Liverpool

A

In the past, vets usually only started medication for dogs with heart murmurs once they started to show signs of heart disease (such as coughing, difficulty breathing etc).

More recent studies have suggested that it can be worth starting treatment earlier, if a murmur is getting worse and if the heart has become enlarged. The medication can delay the onset of signs of heart disease, prolonging the period of good health enjoyed by the dog.

Sadly, this type of disease tends to be progressive regardless of early intervention, eventually causing signs of illness. Your vet’s advice will certainly help your dog stay healthy for longer.

Q

Our 14-year-old cat has always been chatty but, over the past six months,

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The vet has checked him over and has run the “elderly cat” checks, but all is normal. The constant meowing is frustrating: help!

BM, Berkshire

A

It’s good that you have been to your vet: this helps to rule out some of the serious causes (such as overactive thyroid glands, high blood pressure etc).

Other possible causes include feline cognitive dysfunction (a type of senile dementia) which affects more than 55 per cent of cats aged 11 to 15 years and more than 80 per cent of cats aged 16 to 20 years. Sight, hearing, memory and personality can all be affected and unusual vocalising can result.

Make her environment as comfortable as possible: a warm soft bed (with an electric heater pad if you can afford it), tasty food and a night light in the dark. Talk to your vet about anti-anxiety medication for her if this doesn’t help the situation.

CORONAVIRUS-LINKED PET CONCERNS

Vets are seeing an increasing number of dogs requiring treatment for ingesting discarded face masks and other items of personal protective equipment.

What’s more, there has also been a surge in reports of pets being poisoned after eating hand sanitiser and other cleaning products, too.

Remember to take care to store, use, and dispose of all such items with care, keeping them out of the reach of your furry friends.

Send queries to petsubjects@telegraph. co.uk or tweet @petethevet