PDSA Weekly Q&As

Dear PDSA, with dressing up arguably being the best part of Halloween, I was wondering if it's ok to dress my pets up as well? Thanks, Michaela
Hi Michaela, we understand that it may be tempting to dress your pets up – particularly over the Halloween and festive periods to come. However, we believe that costumes for pets actually cause more harm than good. The best way to look at it is from your own pet's perspective. Would they, given the choice, dress themselves up? The answer would be no. Why? Because they can't behave naturally, they can quickly become over heated and they can't display body language, this can result in pets being misunderstood which can lead to conflict putting themselves and others at risk.  For this reason, we advise against dressing up our pets for Halloween – unless it's for practical reasons, such as to keep them warm or safe in the dark. 
Plenty more advice can be found at: www.pdsa.org.uk/happy-on-halloween  

Dear PDSA, my Irish Setter is really scared of inanimate household objects – particularly the ironing board. Can you help?
Thanks, Ray Hi Ray, having a dog with a behaviour problem, can be really difficult. As well as being stressful for you as their owner, these problems can affect your dog's quality of life too. Knowing where to go to get help is vital. If you think your dog has a behaviour problem, we'd recommend you get them checked by your vet. They'll be able to look for any possible underlying medical reasons and give you initial advice, they may then suggest referring you to a certified dog behaviourist. Working with an accredited behaviourist can really help you to support your dog in working through their behaviour. They will put a treatment plan in place, which will give you direction, goals and guidance on the correct way to support your dog to move away from the unwanted behaviour.
Further advice is available at: www.pdsa.org.uk/dog-behaviourist-advice   

Dear PDSA, my Gerbil loves nothing more than to eat anything placed in his cage, should I be worried? Thanks, Celine  
Hi Celine, Gerbils are fast, busy little animals that need to have lots in their environment to keep them feeling stimulated, physically and mentally satisfied.  See if there are ways that you can make his environment more fun and engaging for him, he may be focussing his attention on things to eat if his needs aren't being met. Gerbils are very social animals and should never be kept alone.  They need to be kept with same sex friends of their own species. However, if you need to introduce your gerbil to a new group, you must do this very carefully and over time – plunging a new gerbil into a new gerbil social group will cause fighting. They love exploring, burrowing, climbing and knawing within their enclosures and so need plenty of room to exercise and lots of gerbil safe activities to investigate and chew.  

Dear PDSA, despite my three-year-old cat being well and healthy, she keeps being sick in the night. Thanks, Francois 
Hi Francois, vomiting can be a symptom of many different conditions, some mild and some serious. It's not always necessary to see your vet the first time your cat vomits, but it's extremely important to monitor them closely and call your vet for advice if they vomit again, seem unwell, or have any other symptoms. Worms can cause vomiting as can overindulging in wildlife if she is a hunter and fur balls if she seems to be moulting a lot at the moment, which can happen as their winter coat comes through. However, if this a recurring problem and she shows any signs of being unwell; such as low energy or not her usual self, diarrhoea, vomiting more frequently, going off food or drinking more then you must consult your vet. For more advice go to: www.pdsa.org.uk/cat-vomiting  

For more information visit www.pdsa.org.uk    

PDSA is the UK's largest vet charity providing a vital service for pets across the UK whose owners struggle to afford treatment costs for their sick and injured pets. For many vulnerable pets, PDSA is there to help when there is nowhere else for their owners to turn. Support from players of People's Postcode Lottery helps us reach even more pet owners with vital advice and information.