Ask The Vet

This is where our Pet Protectors Club vet, Sean, answers your pet care questions!

You can also see some of the questions that other Young PDSA supporters have sent in and read Sean's answers.

You can even send him one yourself and if you are lucky it might be answered on the website!

To ask Sean a question, please fill in this contact form and he will answer as many as possible on this website.

Sorry, but Sean cannot respond to questions individually. If you think your pet is sick or injured you must get an adult to take them to the vet as soon as possible.

This section is for young people to ask questions about the pets they care for. If you are aged over 18, please use the PDSA Vets on the Net form on the main PDSA website.

Hi Crystal,

As kittens grow up to be cats they become less able to digest milk, so milk causes some cats to get an upset stomach. Milk also contains quite a lot of fat, which can make it more likely for some cats to become overweight. The best thing for cats to drink is water. Make sure fresh water is always available and gradually reduce the amount of milk that is offered. Some cats like water that has been standing for a little while, as it contains less chlorine. Others prefer moving water, so a drinking fountain (available from pet shops) can be very useful for encouraging a cat to drink.

Hi Selena,

It’s great that you have set yourself a target and are preparing to work towards it to achieve your ambition. To be a vet you need to get good marks in your exams at school, as well as getting a variety of practical experience with animals. As you are 10, it might be difficult to do work experience at some places because they might not be able to get insurance for someone your age. But you can still show your interest in animals by joining animal clubs (like PDSA Pet Protectors!) and perhaps helping family and friends with things like dog-walking or, if someone lives on a farm, helping with the animals. When you are older you could then help on other farms, as well as doing work experience at local veterinary practices. This might be organised by your school, or you could write letters to find out if different places will let you visit. Good luck!

For more information visit www.youngpdsa.org.uk/workingwithanimals

Hi Layla,

Most of a rabbit’s diet should be hay – they should be given their own body size in hay to eat every day! They should also be given a handful of fresh greens morning and evening, and this can safely include nettles. Finally, they should be given a small amount of rabbit nuggets – just a tablespoon once daily for rabbits under 3.5kg, or twice daily if they are over 3.5kg. Always introduce any new foods very gradually, to avoid upsetting their digestive system.

Hi Noura,

Unfortunately, lots of cats that we see nowadays are overweight or obese, and this is causing weight-related diseases like diabetes (a hormonal condition) and arthritis (a painful joint disease). The main reason for this is that cats are eating too many calories and not doing enough exercise to burn the calories off. It sounds as though this might be a problem for your cat. You should cut out any human food your cat is getting, and just feed cat food instead. Read the feeding guidelines on the packet and weigh the food out to check you aren’t feeding more than you should be. It’s normal for cats to sleep a lot, but when he’s awake, encourage exercise by playing games with him. Toys that encourage chasing are best, such as fishing rod-type toys.

Hi Oliver,

At this age it is common for puppies to bite and mouth in play. But as they grow older they need to learn that biting is unacceptable. The best way to do this is to say a sharp “ow!” and pretend you’ve been hurt when your puppy bites you. Then, importantly, ignore him for a short while (don’t look at him or talk to him). Keep doing this and make sure everyone does the same. Eventually, he will link the bite with something that he doesn’t like (being ignored), so this should make him less likely to do it.