From feeding dogs fruit to bad hairballs – your pet queries answered

HE is on a mission to help our pets  . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.

Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.

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He says: “If your pet is acting funny or is under the weather, or you want to know about nutrition or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”

Q: I HAVE three and five-year-old girls, Arabella and Anna, who are animal mad.

I want a great starter pet for them that is easy to keep. Any suggestions?

KATE BROWN, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear

 Sean says: Three and five are pretty young so your daughters will still need your help.

It mostly depends largely on the level of ­commitment and supervision you can provide, and what you like.

I might suggest some interesting insects but if you’re afraid of bugs that’s potentially a no-go.

There’s also the more short term option of trying out their enthusiasm for pets and animals without such long-term commitment as a permanent pet.

I got my young nieces a grow-your-own butterfly kit (that you order through the post) for example, and they loved raising caterpillars and releasing their native Painted Lady butterflies back to the wild once they appear from their cocoons.

Climbing the pet bug ladder you could go for Giant African Land Snails, or Giant Millipedes, which are both vegetarian and easy options.

If cuddly and cute is more your vibe, beware of the usual rodent options, as some are too skittish or difficult to handle for such young kids.

A pair of guinea pigs might be robust and docile enough as long as you teach the girls gentle handling.

Q: MY cat Pickles gets really bad hairballs.

She’s a Norwegian forest cat and I brush her daily. Is there anything I can do?

JULIE GREY, Plymouth

Sean says: Daily brushing is great, so keep that up. Hairballs unfortunately come with the territory of such a long-haired breed.

They are basically exactly what they sound like — large clumps of ingested hair that accumulate in the stomach and can cause blockage, fluid build-up, retching and vomiting, after which they appear as a soggy mess on your kitchen floor for you to step in first thing in the morning.

There are also products you can use to prevent hairball formation or allow them to pass through Pickles more easily.

Some diets are formulated to help with hairballs, usually with higher fibre levels. Hairball pastes sold over the counter or mild laxative products from your vet can also help, but we need to be sure they are suited to your cat and their medical needs.

Q: WE have got into the habit of giving our dachshund Daisy fruit in the morning with her food.

So she eats berries, bananas and apples. It seems to be quite healthy for a dog, but can you have too much of a good thing?

AMANDA WEST, Bromley, Kent

Sean says: Fruit can be a delicious, healthy and nutritious treat for dogs, but like anything delicious, moderation is key.

While it contains healthy fibre, vitamins and antioxidants, especially berries, fruit is also rich in sugar.

High sugar means high calories, which means weight gain if those calories come in addition to what your dog usually eats in a day.

Excess weight in dachshunds is the single biggest factor, after genetics and anatomy, that predisposes them to spinal disc disease.

What I’m saying is a blackberry here and there is fine, but don’t overdo it, and perhaps not every morning, unless you are reducing Daisy’s dinner portion a little to ­compensate.

Remember, a tiny dog eating two blueberries might be the equivalent of a human eating five apples a day.

Star of the week

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LUNA the Bengal cat loves watching TV – and she even blocks her owner’s view of Coronation Street.

The one-year-old house cat loves watching the box from her favourite spot on the TV cabinet, according to Karen Harris, 60, of Sudbury, Suffolk.

Karen said: “Luna rules the roost and she loves stretching out on top of our cabinet in front of the TV.

“We can’t watch Coronation Street as her tail waggles over the screen.

“I’m sure she does it on purpose as she is a sassy diva who likes being the centre of attention. She should be on Gogglebox!”

Garden leave a must for OAP tortoises

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CLIMATE change means owners of ageing tortoises need to take extra care of their “heirloom” pets.

Sean McCormack, head vet at tails.com, says they can no longer be kept in the garden year round.

He explained: “The tortoises your grandparents bought in the 1950s or 60s are now becoming elderly. They can reach 80, 90, even 100 years old.

“So there is now a wave of OAP tortoises who need a little more care and attention to bring them through the ever more challenging weather conditions. We just can’t leave them at the mercy of the elements any more.”

He urges owners to hibernate their pets this year in a dedicated fridge and wake them up at the right time with an indoor heat lamp.

He added: “Only put them out again in the garden on sunny days, with access to an indoor heated area as needed. As vets, we see many more tortoises coming into clinics in a poor state of health each spring.

“Many are not making it through hibernation despite their owners using the same process they always used to.

“Climate change and this growing wave of geriatric tortoises mean we have to adapt our techniques to see these pets grow to the ripe old age they deserve.”

 For tips see tortoisetrust.org.