Help and advice for every animal-lover We’re worried about our terrier having fits Ask the vet
I HAVE a seven-year-old terrier, Max, who’s always been healthy. Lately though, he’s started having fits and body spasms for a few seconds at a time. He comes round quickly, but seems tired. What’s the cause of this and should I be worried? This sounds distressing for both you and Max. There are many possible causes of seizures, so it’s important you take him to the vet as soon as possible for some tests that will help find the problem. In many cases your vet will be able to give Max medication to help control the seizures but this can take some time to get under control. In the meantime you can help Max by keeping the household calm. If he has a seizure, close the curtains, turn music or the TV off and move away any furniture that he could hurt himself on.
OUR guinea pig has sores on his back and I have been told it could be mites. If so, can I buy anything over the counter?
Mites can cause intense itchiness, which can cause the guinea pig to damage their skin through scratching. They can also cause scaling skin and fur loss. Another possible cause of the sores is a bacterial skin infection. If your guinea pig’s sores are due to mites or a bacterial infection, he will need safe and effective medication prescribed by your vet to treat them. A vet will also need to confirm the diagnosis, so you need to take your guinea pig to be examined as soon as possible to prevent him suffering.
I OWN a three-year-old spayed cat called Jess. When she goes to the litter tray she screams a
ACRE is a bouncy young boy who arrived in the care of the Scottish SPCA after he was found straying and is now ready to find his forever home.
This happy big boy is a typical German shepherd who is very vocal and can be a little unsure of new people initially but does come round quickly.
Acre loves running about in the exercise pen with his toys. He will need an adult only home with someone who is about for most of the day to give him company.
If you think you could give Acre a home, contact the Glasgow centre on 03000 999 999.
little and sometimes passes blood. What’s wrong with her?
Poor Jess will be experiencing pain and discomfort, so she needs to see a vet as soon as possible. Depending on the cause of Jess’ symptoms there are a few things that you can do to help stop this from developing again in the future. Sometimes your vet will need to prescribe a new diet for your cat to help change the pH of her wee, this helps in cases of blocked bladders caused by bladder stones. You can also change Jess’s food to wet cat food, rather than feeding dried food. As well as this, make sure her drinking water is fresh each day and if she is fussy about where she
drinks you could to try an indoor water fountain.
I HAVE a Hermann’s tortoise hibernating in the garden shed. There’s no heating, but there’s no gaps for the cold winter breezes to get in through. At what temperature should I consider moving him? Unfortunately hibernating in sheds has its own risks and can be dangerous due to temperature fluctuations and attacks from rodents. Tortoises can be exposed to the risk of frostbite or even death if temperatures go below 5 degrees C. The ideal temperature should be maintained throughout hibernation at 5-8 degrees C. Hibernation is much more successful if your tortoise has been well prepared for hibernation in advance and is placed in hibernation using a temperature controlled refrigeration system.
Send your questions to askthevet@pdsa.org.uk. To find out if your pet is eligible for free PDSA treatment, call 0800 7312502. Glasgow PDSA PetAid Hospitals: 1 Shamrock Street (0141 332 6944), Muiryfauld Drive, Tollcross(0141 763 0800).