Creature comforts

Animal expert and veterinarian David McDonnell of Tauranga Vets answers your im-paw-tant questions about pet health and wellbeing.

Photo Salina Galvan

Got fleas? Should you shear your dog like a sheep in springtime? And what about wet pet food? Here’s vet David’s best advice for keeping your furry friends happy, healthy and well as the weather warms up.

Q: How often should I de-flea and worm my pet?

A: Fleas can be a problem for our pets all year round in the Bay of Plenty, as we have a relatively warm climate here and many of our pets live indoors as well, staying warm all the time. Because of this, we recommend keeping up with regular flea treatments all year round to ensure you don’t get a flea infestation in your house. Ninety-five percent of the flea population live off the animal; that is, in our environment which can include our house. Ensuring good flea control in our homes by using regular vacuuming and a flea bomb, for example, can also help prevent your pet becoming reinfected following flea treatment. There are many different flea products available these days. The most commonly used products are given orally, and some are still applied to the skin on the back of the pet’s neck. The length of time each product lasts can also vary from one to six months usually. Talk to your vet for advice on which product would be best for your pets.

Q: Should I shave my pet to keep them cool in summer?

A: In the heat of summer, it can be hard for some dogs to keep themselves cool. This is especially so for some bigger dogs with heavy coats, as well as brachycephalic breeds of dogs such as bulldogs. Unlike humans, dogs cannot sweat through their skin. They rely on panting and releasing heat through their paw pads and nose to regulate their body temperature. If they can’t cool down, they will quickly develop heatstroke. For pets with thick and long coats, shaving them can certainly help to keep them cooler in the hot summer months as well as prevent unwanted knots or mats in the fur. There is a small risk which is higher in some breeds of dog that the hair doesn’t grow back properly. Breeds at increased risk include those with long, plush coats, such as the Alaskan malamute, American Eskimo, Chow Chow, Keeshond, Pomeranian, Samoyed, and Siberian Husky, but it can occur in any breed. No one knows exactly why this occurs sometimes for some dogs. 

Q: Why does my pet only want wet food?

A: Most pets should be able to eat a completely dry or mixed wet and dry diet. If you have noticed a change in your pet’s preference to only wanting wet food, there could be some underlying health reasons for that. The most common medical reason for this would potentially be pain in the mouth from dental disease. Pets will often keep eating even with teeth that have serious disease present. The best way to check for this is to get a dental and health check done by a vet. Good dental health is pivotal to good overall health and welfare for our pets. Dental disease can cause significant pain to animals that is very hard for owners to detect until it is really severe. Your vet should complete an oral exam during your pet’s annual health check as well. 

Q: My neighbour's dog barks all day. Is this a sign of stress?

A: Barking is how dogs communicate. They can bark for many reasons including fear, territorial barking, anxiety and boredom. In these situations, it’s best to alert the owner, as they may be unaware of what their dog is doing while they’re not home. Once they’re aware, it’s something that would require a significant amount of work and training to help alleviate the dog’s underlying reason for barking. We often recommend contacting a qualified dog behaviourist or trainer to help with these kinds of situations. They are able to come to the dog’s home and help assess what it is that’s causing the dog to bark. They would then be able to work with the owner to implement some environmental adjustments or enrichment, alongside training the owner on how to train the dog to prevent the barking from occurring. 

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Pawsome advice

Animal expert and vet David McDonnell of Tauranga Vets is a wealth of knowledge on pet health and wellbeing.

We all want our four-legged companions to be happy, healthy members of the household, but knowing how to help them thrive, and understanding what’s going on between those ears, isn’t always clear. Vet David has some suggestions – from tricks for calming your feline to recognising when it’s time to visit your local vet. 

How do I keep my cat calm and safe after a move?
Moving house can be a stressful event for our furry friends. The good news is there are lots of useful aids to help make the transition into their new home as stress free as possible. I would recommend in the 2-3 weeks prior to moving house, starting them on the Royal Canin Calm diet. This food should be continued once you have moved until your cat has settled into the new environment. This special food has something called L-Tryptophan in it which helps cats to feel calm. We have had great feedback from our clients on this food. Other things you may wish to consider are keeping your cat inside the new house for the first 2-3 weeks, and using a Feliway plug-in diffuser. The Feliway diffuser releases a pheromone that cats will smell but you won’t. It helps them to feel less anxious and more relaxed in their new environment.

Does my pet need its teeth cleaned?
Good question! Yes, absolutely dental healthcare is equally important for
pets as it is for us humans. It has been scientifically proven that pets with good dental health live longer lives and 80 percent of pets have some degree of dental disease by two years of age. In the first instance, I would recommend getting your pet’s teeth checked by your vet or vet nurse and a specific dental plan created which is tailored to your individual pet’s dental needs. We offer a free dental health check with our veterinary nurses. Some animals, for example, small dogs, can require annual professional dental cleaning every year, others may only require this once or twice in their life. |The frequency of dental cleaning is influenced by many factors including breed, diet and how much dental homecare the pet owner is able to achieve. Introducing your pet to toothbrushing daily when they are young is a great way to help prevent dental disease. We also have special dental foods that are designed to
keep your pet’s teeth clean.

My cat always seems hungry, what shall I do?
Hunger in cats can be caused by a few different things. I would recommend getting its health checked by a vet and ideally a blood test too which would include checking thyroid levels. Sometimes as cats age, they can get a condition called hyperthyroidism. This causes them to feel very hungry and eat a lot, but they’ll often still lose weight despite this. The good news is, that there are lots of great treatment options available to help and even cure these cats once we get a diagnosis.

My cat keeps vomiting, what could be the problem?
Vomiting in cats can be caused by many different things ranging from problems with the gastrointestinal tract, food allergies, through to pancreatitis and other disease conditions outside of the intestines too. The best way to get to the bottom of this type of problem is to have a complete physical examination with your vet and often some other diagnostic tests are required as well depending on what the vet finds and your pet’s symptoms. Some of the diagnostic tests for causes of vomiting may include a blood test to help eliminate things outside of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as ultrasound, x-rays and sometimes diet trials. 

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Vet’s roll!

Animal expert and vet David McDonnell at Tauranga Vets offers advice on the purr-fect way to prepare for your vet visit.

With people’s busy schedules, getting the most out of your visit to the vet can help save you time, energy – and stress! To streamline the consultation and ensure you leave with the best advice and recommendations, it’s important to communicate well.

Veterinarians genuinely want their clients to get value from their visits, and help solve any animal issues or
pet problems in the most timely and affordable way possible. With that goal in mind, here are some things
you can do to get the most out of your vet consultation.

First on the list is making an appointment. Many clinics offer online bookings, which are a great way to efficiently find a time that fits your schedule. When booking, it’s important to thoughtfully answer questions around any concerns you may have about your pet. This helps the software prioritise your pet’s care needs and give the vet clinic staff the right information about what you’re coming in for. However, if it’s an urgent case or you’re worried, call the clinic – receptionists and vet nurses can often triage the situation over the phone, and again, the more specific you can be with symptoms or the issue at hand, the better they’ll be able to assist you.

When it’s time for your visit, it’s super helpful to come prepared. Bring your pet’s record book and a list of questions or concerns. If your pet is particularly anxious, it can be beneficial to make a time prior to the appointment to come in and pick up some medication that can help lessen their stress.

To ensure your pet’s wellbeing and safety, make sure dogs are brought in on a leash, and cats are secure in a cage. Look for Cat Friendly Accredited clinics – at Tauranga Vets, we ensure that waiting and consult areas are separate for cats and dogs, and stagger their appointment times to keep our feline and canine companions apart. 

Consider bringing in pictures or videos of your pet’s concerning behaviour or symptoms. A picture paints a thousand words, and this tool can be very helpful for diagnosing issues. If possible, have a list of dates, times, changes to food, environment, or home dynamics. Animals can often be affected by the nuances of life, and a good history of the situation is important. 

Once in the rooms, your pet will take its cues from you. If you’re calm, it will help them to remain so. At Tauranga Vets, our consulting rooms have feline pheromone diffusers which are used to calm cats, and we’re trained in specific ways to handle them so as to minimise any stress they may feel. But as their owner, your calm demeanour can go a long way toward helping your pet to stay calm as well.

At the end of the consultation, your vet should clearly explain the next steps. More tests may be required, or a treatment plan be written up. If you need more clarification or you have questions, don’t be shy – just ask.
If you have concerns regarding payment, discuss these with the vet nurse, as many clinics now offer different payment options, such as Afterpay.

Your vet should communicate well with you, too. And if you’re both committed to clear, calm, respectful communication with your pet’s health at the centre of the conversation, you’ll have a much smoother and more efficient visit – and less stress all around. 

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