DR BRUCE CHARD
contact@northharbourvet.co.nz I have two British shorthair cats aged 15 months. My breeder said that they will still be growing but my vet says that their bones stop growing at 12 months. I like the idea of big cats so can I expect more growth?
Regardless of breed cats are considered fully grown at 12 months and their bones stop growing at 10 to 11 months of age. There will be a small amount of muscle growth after 12 months but weight gain should be minimal. You should be feeding an adult food from 12 months of age. Three months after your cat is neutered its resting energy requirements are reduced by one third which means you should feed a balanced diet in smaller portions. Try to measure body score as a means to assess weight and prevent obesity. You can see pictures online for this or get your vet’s help.
Our poodle cross puppy was given a flea and worm topical treatment and two days later he passed some long white worms in his poo. Does he need more treatment for worms? Should I treat my children for worms?
Your puppy has passed round worms which his mother passed on to him. The adult worms live in the intestine and lay large numbers of eggs which pass out in the poo. These eggs can survive in the yard for years. When swallowed by a dog, a larvae hatches out and migrates via the liver and lungs back into the intestine to grow into an adult worm. The topical treatment you have used kills these larvae as well as adult worms. You also should dose your puppy with a worming tablet. Children can pick up worm eggs from soil and larvae can migrate in their body. Giving a worm tablet will not treat this. Practising careful hygiene is the best prevention.