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.
GettySean is asked this week what it means when gerbils vibrate and whether it is reason to worry[/caption]
SuppliedSean McCormack, head vet at tails.com, promises he can ‘help keep pets happy and healthy’[/caption]
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) WHAT does it mean when gerbils vibrate?
Whenever our family pets Ariel and Elsa have cuddles they do it.
AIMEE CLARK, Rochester, Kent
Sean says: This is a really good sign your gerbils are happy and content in your company.
They tend to tap their teeth together really quickly when they are being sociable, and it feels like they are purring or vibrating.
So, no, you don’t have battery- powered gerbils, but you do have well bonded ones that take pleasure in being handled and petted. Congrats!
Q) MY cat Charles keeps trying to eat my dinner.
If it’s pasta or fish fingers he begs for some of it. He gets really persistent and tries to stick his head on my plate.
He’s really fussy about his own food so I end up giving in and giving him some mixed with his cat food.
How can I have peaceful mealtimes again without my unwanted guest?
DARREN KING, Barnsley
Sean says: Some cats will think nothing of begging at the dinner table — with some pretty surprising favourites at times.
My friend’s cat would murder his mother for salt and vinegar crisps.
Giving in is the factor that makes the problem worse.
You’re just saying, “Charles, if you beg hard enough I will always give in.”
So, to save your sanity, the only way to break the cycle long term is probably to start excluding him from the room while you eat dinner at first, then later, if he is allowed back in, try to resist those efforts.
Got a question for Sean?
SEND your queries to [email protected]
Q) OUR Labrador Dave suffers from nightmares.
His legs go like the clappers and his nose twitches. But eventually he starts howling and then wakes himself up.
We tend to leave him to it, unless it gets too loud.
Is that the right thing to do? We assume it’s nightmares — but sometimes he sounds like it’s excited woofs too. He’s ten.
BEN CHURCH, Launceston, Cornwall
Sean says: I wouldn’t always assume that’s nightmares. I’ve watched many dogs have animated dreams like this and I think a lot of the time they are doing something really exciting in their minds’ eye.
Perhaps chasing squirrels or playing with other dogs. Who knows?
In any case, I don’t think it’s much to be worried about, as they seem to be fine afterwards for the most part.
And I’m not entirely sure there is anything we can do to influence it in the first place. J
ust watch out for more serious symptoms like rigid limbs and violent tremors that could suggest seizure activity rather than normal dreaming. If in doubt, a vet check is wise.
Q) OUR four-year-old Shih Tzu Luna was spayed last year and has since become overweight.
We vary her food from tinned food to boiled rice and mixed vegetables with chicken or turkey. She weighs 9.5kg.
She is fed three times a day and goes out three times a day. She very rarely has treats so how do we help her lose weight?
DAVID TULLETT, Manchester
Star of the week
Oakley the life-saving English Springer Spaniel is our pet of the week
OAKLEY the seven-year-old English Springer Spaniel has become a life-saver to his owner following a devastating motorcycle accident.
Nick McMahon, 45, lost ten years of his memories in a crash and can’t even remember marrying his wife Emma, 44, or becoming a dad to Connor, 18, and Ryan, 13.
Nick has developed epilepsy due to his brain injury – but Oakley lets Emma know when he is having a seizure.
Emma, of Newcastle upon Tyne, said: “Despite having had no formal training, Oakley has alerted me several times to Nick having a seizure. He’s a huge part of our family.”
WIN: ScoopFree Covered Self-Cleaning Litter Box
PAWS and Claws have teamed up with PetSafe so one lucky cat owner can win an award-winning ScoopFree Covered Self-Cleaning Litter Box worth £279.99.
It tracks how many times the box is used – helping alert owners to possible health issues.
To enter, send an email headed SCOOPFREE with contact details to [email protected] by September 17. See uk.petsafe.net.
T&Cs apply.
Big-hearted Bertie is our Pet Idol
Stewart WilliamsBertie the caring cat is the winner of our Pet Idol competition[/caption]
MEET Bertie Theobald – the cat with a big heart – who is the winner of this year’s Sun on Sunday’s Pet Idol competition.
The 12-year-old was picked from entries all over Britain by our panel of judges who were all touched by his wonderful story.
He comforted his owner Marion Theobald, 71, after the loss of her husband Will, at 51, and brother Barry, at 63, to cancer.
Plus, the caring moggie decided to spread his love and started visiting her neighbours in Basingstoke, Hants, giving them “unconditional love”.
Marion said: “I couldn’t have coped without him. He is my world and his companionship and unconditional love helped me through my losses.
“Many of my neighbours are elderly and now live alone and he goes to visit them all.
“They love to see him and they say that he brings happiness wherever he goes.”
Bertie was chosen by the team at Pets At Home, Vets For Pets and Pets Grooming who sponsored this year’s Pet Idol, and Tails.com vet Sean McCormack.
Bertie has won £1,500 for Marion to spend at Pets At Home as well as a photoshoot.