Vet Pete Wedderburn has the answers

My six-year-old female Jack Russell licks and gnaws her front paws for hours every evening. Two vets could not find anything wrong with her. What next? MG, GALWAY Some dogs start foot-licking out of boredom, while others develop itchy feet in reaction to allergies (such as pollens) or irritants (such as floor cleaners). Take a video and show your vet: you may need to seek a referral to a specialist dermatologist if your generalist vet can’t solve it. My 15-year-old cat Salsa’s paw pads are hard, dry and cracked, while her daughter’s are as pink and soft as always. Is this an inevitable age-related change? HJ, BERKSHIRE Issues such as this can often be eased by giving daily dietary supplements to improve skin health (e.g. the blend of omega 3 and 6 oils in Yumega Cat). Regular application of moisturising cream or Vaseline petroleum jelly will also help. We found a sleeping hedgehog beneath our garden shed. He woke up, and we moved him into our garage where we’ve been feeding him cat food. Can we release him? MJ, BRISTOL Yes, it’s time to return him to your garden. Leave out regular plates of cat food to help his transition. To learn more, join the British Hedgehog Preservation Society at britishhedgehogs.org.uk. Bennie is a sociable eight-year-old Jack Russell cross. Contact Blue Cross Hertfordshire on 0300 777 1490 or bluecross.org.uk. To view outcomes of rescued pets, see petethevet.com Send queries to petsubjects@telegraph.co.uk or tweet @ PeteTheVet. All sick animals should be taken to a vet. To order a copy of Pete’s new book, Pet Subjects (Aurum), go to books. telegraph.co.uk