Pet questions 15/12/12

Q. I have two girl guinea pigs, recently I noticed one is bleeding from her rear end and it’s slightly swollen there. She seems ok otherwise.

A. You need to take your guinea pig to see your vet as soon as possible. The vet will examine her and try to find out where the bleeding is coming from. She may have wounded herself or there may be an internal problem. The options for treatment will depend on what is found, but a diagnosis is needed as soon as possible.

Q. My cat has fleas and I don’t know how to get rid of them. We bought medicine from our vet but this hasn’t helped.

A. It is good that you visited your vet, as they are best placed to provide advice. However, it is essential when trying to get rid of fleas that you treat both your pet and your home. Pet flea treatments, if used the correct way, should kill any adult fleas that are living on your cat. It is important that you also treat any other cats and dogs living in your home, so that fleas don’t jump from them back on to your cat. If the problem persists then I would recommend revisiting your vet.

Q. Our nine-month-old terrier, Mac, wees around the house constantly, even when he’s been out for a walk. We now have a baby on the way, and desperately need to stop his behaviour.

A. The first thing to do is get Mac checked by your vet in case a medical condition is causing him to wee a lot. If he gets a clean bill of health then you need to check that he has been effectively trained to go to the toilet outside. You should take Mac outside at regular intervals and give him lots of praise when he goes in the right place. This needs to happen straight away so he learns to associate going in the right place with something nice happening!

Q. I planted some bulbs in tubs recently but my Collie dug them up and ate them. it can’t be that he’s hungry. How can I get him to stop?

A. You should move the pots somewhere that Dante can’t reach them, because some plant bulbs are poisonous to dogs (eg daffodils). Although he’s not hungry, Dante might have enjoyed the taste of these bulbs or found that doing this is a way of getting your attention – even if it is shouting at him. Collies are very active and intelligent dogs, so make sure you are giving him lots of walks and regularly playing games with him to keep him occupied and stimulated. It would also be useful to teach him a “leave” command.