Q&A

Dr Huw Stacey, vet and director of clinical services at Vets4pets, is here to answer all of your pet problems.

Q Most animals are scared of fire and loud noises, but my dog, Dude, doesn’t seem bothered by either. We often have fire pits and he will go alarmingly close to it. Should I worry about this lack of fear? Henry Robertson, Kingston A You’re quite right. Many animals are frightened of things like fireworks and there are now studies that show certain breeds like collies tend to be more sensitive, but there are always exceptions. My old collie Wingnut was a highly strung neurotic agility dog, but was immune to fireworks and thunderstorms that had the rest of our pack hiding under the rug! Affected dogs can really suffer, so it’s great that the Dude can abide these things. Just make sure that he doesn’t accidentally burn himself.