PDSA Vet Nurse Nina Downing answers your questions

Dear PDSA Vet, I’m going on holiday in the summer and I’m not sure what to do with my cat, Swiftie. What are my options? Rebecca 

Hi Rebecca, there are many options to consider. The difficulty is finding the best one for Swiftie, as all cats are different.

We recommend cats are kept at home with a trusted house sitter that lives in your home while you are away, if possible. You should never leave your cat without anyone coming in to check on them at least a couple of times a day when you go on holiday – even if you have an automatic feeder or cameras throughout your house.

If that’s not possible, you could book them into a cattery. Always ask for recommendations, from family, friends and your vets, and make sure you check out reviews, and do a pre-visit or multiple visits first to check you’re 100% happy. Find out more on the PDSA website. 

Dear PDSA Vet, my rabbit, Steven, keeps drooling. Is he ok? Noah 

Hi Noah, healthy rabbits don’t dribble, so if you notice your rabbit doing so, it needs to get checked out. There are a number of things that could be causing this from dental disease to exposure to some sort of toxin to something stuck in his mouth.

I’d recommend booking Steven in at the vet. Rabbits are prey animals and are good at hiding pain and illness, so they need us to get them help quickly when we see there is something wrong. Rabbits can become dangerously affected by pain, it can stop them from eating and can slow or stop their guts from working, which can be fatal.

Help your vet by telling them about any other symptoms such as weight loss, lack of appetite, tooth grinding, a dirty back end (if he is unable to groom), low energy or a head tilt. For more information visit pdsa.org.uk/drooling-in-rabbits

Dear PDSA Vet, my brother says my dog Nancy needs to have her ‘kennel cough’ vaccine before she can go into a dog hotel this summer. What is that? Ben  

Hi Ben, kennel cough is an airway infection that causes a dry hacking cough in dogs. In many cases dog’s recover well from the infection without any need to see their vet, but some dog’s may become very unwell and need treatment from their vet.

It can be very contagious and often spreads easily in areas where lots of different dogs gather so most reputable kennels and doggy day care centres will require you to have your dog vaccinated at least a few weeks before they arrive.

You should speak to your vet about adding kennel cough into Nancy's vaccine schedule. Once she’s had it, it lasts 12 months and should be repeated every year. Find out more: pdsa.org.uk/kennelcough

Dear PDSA Vet, my dog keeps eating his own poo! I’ve heard giving him pineapple will stop him doing this. Is that true? Roman 

Hi Roman, some people say that feeding their dog pineapple or courgette stops them from eating their own poo because it gives the poo a bitter taste but there is no evidence to suggest that this works.

There is no harm in trying, and it’s fine for dogs to eat pineapple and courgette in small amounts, but remember any sudden changes in diet can cause a stomach upset.

Most dogs eat poo out of habit, hunger, stress, or boredom. If you are feeding a complete and balanced diet then it’s very rarely due to a medical problem or something lacking in their diet.

The best way to stop your dog eating poo is by distracting them and giving them something better to do for example rewarding them with their favourite treat or toy when they respond to you calling them away from the poo.

If this is a recently new problem though and is unusual for your dog, then do speak to your vet. Find out more: pdsa.org.uk/dogs-eating-poo