Ask the vet

MY guinea pig’s nails have grown incredibly long recently. Do I need to cut them?

„ Guinea pigs’ nails should be checked regularly, to make sure they are the right length and to make sure they’re not curling around, which can make walking very difficult. The best approach is to ask your vet or vet nurse to show you how to cut the nails so you feel fully prepared and confident enough to do it yourself. It’s best not to try doing this yourself unless you’ve been shown first, because there is a nerve and a blood vessel that runs along the middle of the nails which should not be cut, otherwise the nail will bleed a lot and it can be very painful for them.

MY three rabbits keep biting each other and getting wounds. They don’t like being apart though. What can I do to stop them?

„ Rabbits are very social animals and get lonely and bored if not housed together. But, as you are finding, they don’t always get on. The best pairing is usually a neutered male with a neutered female. Two neutered males can sometimes live happily together, but two females housed together can often have the occasional squabble, even if neutered. Make sure they have a large hutch and exercise run, so they’re not over-crowded, frustrated or bored. Provide lots of hiding places like cardboard boxes and tubes. Place food in different areas so they don’t have to come close to each other if they don’t want to. If they still fight, separate them with a wire mesh barrier so they can still see each other.

LUCIFER is a beautiful royal python who is looking for a new home with an experienced owner.

He appears to be well handled and eats well and will require a large, suitable, secure set up.

Although the Scottish SPCA refer to Lucifer as “he”, they don’t know what sex Lucifer is as he has not been probed.

If you think you could give Lucifer the home he needs, contact the Glasgow centre on 03000 999 999.

MY German Shepherd is now eight-months-old and has got quite big, but he’s started barking at people for no reason and sometimes when I go to stop him he snaps at me. What’s the reason for this?

„ Aggression can have serious consequences, so it’s important to address this quickly. Take your dog to the vet to check for any underlying illnesses causing his behaviour. he gets a clean bill of health, his aggression could be due to something he has experienced and he may need more training and socialisation. Aggression is often caused by fear but, with professional help and persistence,

If it

can be resolved. Your vet may recommend a local member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (www.apbc.org.uk) to help. Don’t leave your dog unsupervised with anyone, particularly with strangers or children.

MY cat keeps tossing her food all over the kitchen floor. Why is she doing this?

„ It may be that your cat doesn’t like the bowl she is eating from. Plastic bowls in particular can affect the taste of a cat’s food, or there could be something else about the bowl that she doesn’t like. For example stainless steel bowls can show cats their own reflection which can put them off. Try a different bowl, use one that is wide enough so that her whiskers don’t touch the sides and one made from china.

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).