I have a rescue Staffie, he’s around 11 years old. It’s rather embarrassing, but for the past few weeks he has had extremely bad wind! It’s constant day and night, and it smells awful. Is there something wrong with him?

A common cause of wind is a dog’s diet. Food that has ingredients that can’t be digested, table scraps or even foods he may scavenge out on walks can all cause excess gas! Swallowing large amounts of air by eating food too quickly is another possible cause. However, being gassy can also be a sign of certain illnesses. I’d suggest you make an appointment with your vet, taking along with you information about what your dog eats and how frequently you feed him. Your vet can check for any underlying health problems and advise on whether it might help to change his diet.

My cat Tizzy is five, she used to love going outside and being independent. But over the last four months she’s been very clingy and sometimes lashes out and scratches for no reason. I have a six month old kitten too but he seems fine.

Cats generally prefer their own company rather than having a cat friend, so the new kitten may actually be the source of Tizzy’s behaviour changes. Living with unrelated cats can cause them stress, which can cause out of character behaviour and can lead to stress-related diseases. The general rule for improving cohabiting cats’ lives is to provide one each of everything, such as litter trays or food bowls, plus one extra. Also, provide a safe haven for each cat so they can get away from each other, any time they want some peace and quiet. Get Tizzy checked by a vet to make sure she’s not unwell. More advice and tips can be found on our website www.pdsa.org.uk/cats.

We have two male dwarf hamsters from the same litter. They are very noisy and are always squeaking at each other. Do you think they might start fighting?

Dwarf hamsters will often live happily in pairs, unlike Syrian hamsters which should live alone. In many cases the squeaking is the normal way in which hamsters communicate. Different squeaks mean different things, so it’s best to keep a close eye on them when you hear these noises, especially if they’re getting louder as this could mean that a fight could break out. Having a nice big cage with lots of hiding places, shelters and tubes (cardboard rolls are fine), separate areas to sleep and food bowls at opposite ends of their cage can help prevent fighting over resources.

I noticed the other day that my dog Bunty has a lot of wax in his left ear. Could this mean he has an ear infection? Is there anything I can do to get rid of it?

Bunty’s ears will naturally produce a certain amount of earwax which can be normal but, if you’re noticing a build-up, it’s best to get his ears checked as this can lead to painful infections.

Your vet will check Bunty’s ears for pain, inflammation or infection and will prescribe medication if necessary.