DEAR PDSA Vet: My five-year-old cat, Alfie, goes berserk when I try and give him a worming tablet. It can become really stressful. How can I get around this? Pete

I recommend speaking with your vet as they may be able to suggest alternative products from the traditional worming tablet.

There are spot-on wormers which you could use instead. Spot-on medications are applied directly to the skin at the back of the neck.

All you would need to do is part the hair on the back of the neck and apply the drops to the skin beneath. The product soaks into the skin, enters the bloodstream and spreads around the body. Alternatively, you could take Alfie to see your local vet nurse as they will be happy to administer the worming tablet if that’s what you prefer.

Dear PDSA Vet: I find it hard to resist those puppy dog eyes and often give our dog Skylar titbits from our evening meal. What sort of foods can dogs tolerate, and what should we avoid giving her? Dana

Regularly feeding dogs human food can lead to obesity, which can have a huge impact on their health.

Overweight pets are more likely to struggle with conditions such as arthritis, breathing problems or cancer and may reduce your pet’s lifespan.

Treats shouldn’t make up more than 10% of our pets’ daily food allowance and those extra titbits soon add up.

It’s important to be aware that foods such as onions, garlic, chocolate, grapes and raisins are poisonous to dogs, so keep these out of reach!

If you’re worried about Skylar’s weight, or need some advice to help manage it, I would recommend speaking with your vet.

Dear PDSA Vet: One of our rabbits, Buttons, has an overgrown tooth. We try to help by giving her things to chew as well as hard fresh food but it doesn’t seem to be helping. What else can we do to help? Fliss.

Rabbits’ teeth never stop growing so they need to constantly graze on hay to keep their teeth worn down, otherwise they can become too long which causes pain and discomfort.

If your rabbits’ teeth are overgrown, they’ll need to be seen by your vet so that they can be treated.

Sadly dental disease is common in rabbits, to prevent this it’s really important to ensure bunnies are fed the correct diet.

Good quality hay should make up the majority of your rabbits’ diet, supplemented with some rabbit feed pellets and fresh, leafy greens.

Dear PDSA Vet: My cat returned home with a cut on her leg recently, but this seems to be healing and she isn’t limping. Do I need to take her to the vet? Sandi

You need to get your cat checked up by your vet as soon as you can, as cuts and bites can lead to infection and form abscesses.

It’s always better for an injured pet to receive treatment earlier rather than later. If any part of the wound still looks open or fresh, then clean it with a weak salt solution. Use a teaspoon of salt in a pint of lukewarm water that had been previously boiled, dip a piece of cotton wool in to the solution, and squeeze it above the wound to flush it.

Allow the wound to dry naturally if possible and try to stop your cat from licking the wound, as this can introduce infection.

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