PDSA expert shares advice and answers your questions

Dear PDSA, I’ve noticed my Border Collie seems to chase shadows, should I be concerned? Alesha 

Hi Alesha, Border Collies are a unique breed, known for their quirky and wonderful behaviours often brought on by their strong herding instinct and high intelligence. So, if your dog has always done this sort of thing, I wouldn’t worry too much.

We can however see these sorts of behaviours with some behavioural issues and occasionally with some medical conditions, so if you are worried, or your dog has started this behaviour all of a sudden, contact your vet for a check-up.

Also, Collies need plenty of both physical and mental stimulation, and if they don’t get enough, sometimes these types of behaviours become more noticeable, so be sure they're getting enough exercise and activities that challenge their brain!  

 

Dear PDSA, I have two hamsters, and they’ve suddenly started fighting in their cage. How can I help prevent this? Douglas 

Hi Douglas, hamsters do not need to live with other hamsters. In fact, all domesticated hamsters much prefer to live alone. Even the smaller hamster species, like Russian dwarfs, should be housed alone (despite the fact that in the wild they live in small colonies).

Hamsters don’t get lonely or need a friend, and in fact, keeping them together can often lead to fighting, stress, and injury, as you’ve found.

We’d highly recommend you house them separately to ensure their safety and well-being, as now they’ve started fighting it’s unlikely they will stop.

Syrian hamsters and Chinese hamsters live alone in the wild, only encountering others for mating or territorial defence. If they meet, they will fight, leading to injury or possibly even death.  Find out more about caring for hamsters, here: www.pdsa.org.uk/hamster  

 

Dear PDSA, my dog has got a broken nail on his back paw, it seems to have split in half. Will it be ok left alone or does it need any treatment? Saeda 

Hi Saeda, if the split nail is hanging off loosely, or is broken or split, it usually needs to be cut off to prevent it from catching on things and causing further pain or injury.

The soft area where the nail attaches could also become infected, especially if your dog is licking the area.

Clipping off the damaged nail, usually allows a healthy, new nail to grow back in it’s place.

If the nail area is swollen, bleeding or looks infected, contact your vet.  Find out more about maintaining dog's nails here: www.pdsa.org.uk/how-to-clip-your-dogs-nails 

 

Dear PDSA, I see on social media pets dressed up in outfits, is it ok to dress up your pet? Charlie 

Hi Charlie, there are lots of pet clothes available to buy which are purely designed to make your pet look ‘cute', but they can often do more harm than good for our furry friends.

Some outfits can just be uncomfortable, but others may stop your pet from doing their normal and essential behaviours, such as going to the toilet, grooming themselves, and controlling their body temperature.

It can also stop them from displaying important body language signals to other people and animals, which can result in conflict, fear or injury.

Stressed cats might put their ears back, twitch their tails, hide away, or they may show aggression towards you.

Dogs might avoid eye contact or show the whites of their eyes, lick their lips, put their ears back, or sometimes yawn/pant.

Some clothes can be useful to keep our pets warm or safe, e.g. a winter coat or a surgical vest, but otherwise it’s best to avoid dressing up your pet. 

For more information visit pdsa.org.uk