Pet’s Corner Q&A
I’m really worried about my three-year-old guinea pig as she keeps wheezing and it looks like she’s struggling to breathe. What could be wrong?
It sounds like your furry friend may have developed a breathing problem, which can become dangerous.
Your guinea pig will need to receive treatment quickly, so please contact your vet as an emergency.
You should also check she doesn’t have anything stuck in her throat or mouth if you can but be careful not to upset her doing this – if she gets distressed, leave it and get her straight to your vet.
Breathing problems in guinea pigs are commonly due to pneumonia or other infections, but they can also be caused by issues such as heart problems and stress.
Visit www.pdsa.org.uk/guineapighealth
My cat, Baxter, seems to be ignoring his food a lot. Why isn’t he eating?
It can be worrying when your puss stops eating, especially if they usually show a lot of interest around feeding time.
There are lots of possible causes for a reduced appetite in cats, including dental disease, stress, kidney disease or fever.
If Baxter hasn’t been interested in his food, or eating less than usual for a few days, then you should have him checked by your vet so they can examine him and investigate what might be the matter.
Sometimes cats may stop eating because of a change to their food or feeding location, but if nothing like this has changed at home, it’s best to pay a visit to your vet.
I recently rehomed some chickens but I’m not too sure what I should feed them
The right diet is really important for keeping your chickens happy and healthy.
You should always give them commercially produced feed appropriate for their life stage and whether they are laying eggs or not, which usually comes in dried pellets or crumbs.
This will give your feathered friends the right balance of nutrients they need.
Chickens like to graze, so they should have access to their food throughout the day but pick it up at night to keep rats away.
Keep in mind that hens can’t chew as they don’t have teeth!
So, it’s a good idea to give them grit or ground oyster shell with their feed, ideally a mixture of soluble and insoluble grit as this will help digest the food.
Picture: Pixabay/klimkin
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