Dr. Dalya
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- Q: My wife and I purchased an 8-week old Goldie bitch last week (Holly) and today we took her to the vet for a routine check-up. Unfortunately the vet informed us that Holly had a grade 3-4 heart murmur and recommended an ultra-scan at a specialist.
- A: A grade 3-4 murmur in a puppy unfortunately is of concern
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- Q: I have a Newfoundland dog, he is 110 pounds and is really picky with dog food. He's two years old this month, when will he be fully grown?
- A: A Newfoundland pup should be fully grown by the time he is 18 months old.
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- Q: We have two sister cats at home who fight a lot, most of the time it's harmless, but should we be concerned?
- A: What you describe is not abnormal behaviour.
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- Q: My new kitten cries every time I put him in the car to take him to the vets. Is there anything I can do to make him feel more comfortable?
- A: To begin with, make the carrier his “safe happy place”. > Read more.
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- Q: My kitten leaves hair all over my flat. Why is he malting in November when I would have thought he'd keep his fur in the colder months?
- A: Cats moult all year round, so I'm afraid you will never be clear of this problem! > Read more.
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- Q: What can I do to get rid of the fleas my 9-month old kitten has?
- A: Firstly, you need to treat the kitten with an effective topical flea treatment. The second part of the flea equation is to rid your house of the flea eggs. > Read more.
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- Q: How do I stop my cat sitting in my bathtub and sink?
- A: The answer depends on why he is doing it! There are two possible reasons for this behaviour. > Read more.
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- Q: I went to the vet with a fecal sample and they checked my cat for worms and said he was clean. I wanted him to give meds but he said not to worry. It cost me 150 dollars and three days later my cat passed a tape worm. How could that happen?
- A: Unfortunately, worms shed their eggs intermittently, which means that they will not be present in every stool sample. > Read more.
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- Q: Why is my cat growling at and attacking his tail?
- A: There are a number of possible reasons for tail biting behaviour in cats. > Read more.
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- Q: How do you make a blind dog less nervous with a puppy?
- A: Being unable to see does make life much more difficult for a dog. > Read more.
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- Q: My neutered cat still seems to be sexually displaying.
- A: Firstly, you mention that Charlie is neutered. Are you sure that both testicles were removed? > Read more.
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- Q: I brought home a stray kitten and it tries to nurse my older cat, when should I discourage this behaviour?
- A: There is probably no need to discourage the behaviour. > Read more.
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- Q: My cat is 13, was last wormed just over a month ago and has been rubbing his bottom across the floor.
- A: If Sammy seems otherwise well in himself, the problem is unlikely to be urgent and should be able to wait a couple of days until you can take him to the surgery. > Read more.
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- Q: My vet says my pets are a little overweight. What is the best way to help them get healthy?
- A: You need to try to help your pets lose weight! > Read more.
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- Q: What symptoms should I look out for if I think my dog is having a stroke?
- A: The main symptoms are a head tilt, nystagmus (eyes continuously flicking from side to side), loss of balance and vomiting. > Read more.
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- Q: My Maltese seems to have a real gurgly stomach. He acts fine but it is quite loud. Any suggestions?
- A: A gurgly stomach may be normal for some dogs, but a gurgly stomach may be an indicator of a more serious problem for other dogs. > Read more.
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- Q: Help, I've just found out my dog has cancer!
- A: Speak to your veterinary surgeon about this - it very much depends on the type of cancer and whether your vets have the experience and the facilities to treat it themselves. > Read more.
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- Q: Is wet food or dry food better for my pet? How do I know which one to feed them or is it best to mix?
- A: A healthy dog or cat can be fed either wet or dry food, or a combination of the two, without any problems. > Read more.
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- Q: Are there any human medicines I can give to my pets when they are sick?
- A: If your pet is unwell, seek advice from your veterinary surgery. > Read more.
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- Q: I take vitamins on a regular basis, are there vitamins I should be giving my cat and dog too?
- A: If your cat and dog are being fed a complete diet, and have no underlying medical problems, then they do not need vitamin supplements. > Read more.
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- Q: My husband and I are in the process of making our wills and I am very worried about what will happen to our pets if they outlive us.
- A: The best course of action would be to speak directly with your vet about your concerns. > Read more.
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- Q: My elderly cat has kidney failure and isn't keen on food prescribed by the vet. Is there any other foods we can mix it with?
- A: There are a number of different types of foods available to help cats with kidney disease. Wet diets are usually preferable for cats with kidney disease because they do offer extra water, and are often more palatable. > Read more.
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- Q: I've heard pets can get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), how do I tell if my pet has it?
- A: Seasonal Affective Disorder has not been reported in dogs or cats. > Read more.
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- Q: Can you tell us more about the possible flu vaccine for dogs? I hear it's not available in the UK yet.
- A: As long as canine influenza cases remain rare, isolated, and without proven dog to dog contagion, the vaccine cannot be recommended for widespread use, even if it were available. > Read more.
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- Q: Is it safe feed my pets the leftover bones from my family's dinner?
- A: It is not very safe to feed your pets cooked bones. They are prone to causing constipation in both dogs and cats. > Read more.
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- Q: My black lab gets chronic ear infections. What causes this and how can I prevent it?
- A: There are many reasons why some dogs have chronic ear infections. > Read more.
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- Q: My dog just had puppies a couple days ago. How long do I need to wait before getting her spayed?
- A: You should wait until the puppies are completely weaned, which is usually around 8-9 weeks of age. > Read more.
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- Q: I keep hearing about feline AIDS. What is this and how do they get it? Is my family at risk?
- FIV will not infect humans (or dogs, etc) but only cats, and HIV will not infect cats - only humans. Your family is not at risk should your cat become infected with FIV. > Read more.
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- Q: My dog snores really loud! How Can I Get My Dog To Stop Snoring?
- Unfortunately, you may not be able to! A lot of dogs snore, and it is not usually a health risk. > Read more.
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- Q: Tests show my thirteen year old cat is healthy, why is he suddenly thirstier?
- A: There should be a reason for the excessive thirst, especially in an older cat like yours. It's just a case of finding which one. > Read more.
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