Ask The Experts

Managing fido’s dental health

Dr Bruce Syme 6 years ago
Q: I just adopted a seven-year-old Shetland Sheepdog. As his previous owner did not bother to manage his dental health, he has bad breath, horrible plaque and tartar buildup on the surfaces of his teeth. What can I do to improve his condition?

Acupuncture for pets?

Dr Liang Xutian 6 years ago
Q: I am keen to try acupuncture for my pet. When should I explore this treatment option?

Black spot on kitty’s tongue

Dr Denise Poh 6 years ago
Q: While feeding my eight-year-old orange tabby cat, I noticed a black spot on his tongue that was not there previously. Is this something that I should be concerned about?

Shaving off a matted coat

Bernard Ong 7 years ago
Q: I sent my seven-year-old Shih Tzu for a groom recently and was told that her fur was heavily matted. As a result, she had to be shaved down. Why can’t the groomer just brush the tangles out?

My toy poodle suffers from luxating patella

Dr Bruce Syme 7 years ago
Q: My nine-month-old Toy Poodle was recently diagnosed with grade one luxating patella on her left hind knee. There wasn’t much the vet could do except to prescribe some supplements. However, I am concerned that the condition might deteriorate over time as she is relatively young and extremely hyper. What are some of the holistic treatments I can explore to prevent her condition from worsening?

Itchy dog

Dr Grace Heng 7 years ago
Q: My six-year-old Shih Tzu cross has been experiencing serious skin problems for the past nine months. We have visited several vets but his condition has yet to improve. While he does not lick or scratch when he is out on walks, he does so relentlessly at home. Could his condition be due to boredom or is it medically related?

Puss keeps bringing me her dead prey!

Zulkifli Bin Daud 7 years ago
Q: I am terrified of lizards but my three-year-old female Calico cat brings me dead ones and it is freaking me out. What can I do to stop her behaviour?

My cat has struvite stones

Dr Bruce Syme 7 years ago
Q: My three-year-old male Maine Coon suffered from urolithiasis and had to undergo a procedure to have the struvite stones flushed out. Although he has fully recovered from this episode, I understand that there is a high recurrence of the condition. What can I do to prevent this from happening again?

Brushing fido’s teeth is an ordeal!

Bernard Ong 7 years ago
Q: My newly adopted four-year-old Terrier mix does not let me brush his teeth. What can I do to improve his dental health?

Help! My cats don't get along!

Zulkifli Bin Daud 7 years ago
Q: I have a seven-year-old Ragdoll named Cuddles. I recently adopted a year-old local cat, Dimples, from a shelter. Unfortunately, Cuddles did not take to the new feline well and the two sometimes get into aggressive fights. Is there anything I can do to help both of them live peaceably?

My rabbit has wet eyes!

Dr Grace Heng 7 years ago
Q: George, my rabbit, seems to have wet eyes. It’s been going on for about a week and despite my flushing it with water and drying it as often as I can, the wetness still persists. He doesn’t seem to be suffering or experiencing any changes in appetite and behaviour. Could it be something in his cage that is causing the eye irritation?

Raw diet for skin allergies?

Dr Bruce Syme 7 years ago
Q: My six-year-old Great Dane, Gloria, was prescribed a semi-raw diet by my vet as she has sensitive skin. Her diet consists of prescription kibble for her breed and age as well as frozen raw meat (Gloria is only allergic to chicken; she takes rabbit and kangaroo mostly). Her skin has improved tremendously after two weeks but she recently rejected her meals (I usually mix the raw meat with the kibble), picking at it when she’s hungry but never finishing the entire serving. Should I combine kibble and raw meat and if there is any way I can switch it up so that she will like her food again?

Will castration make my dog less nippy?

Rodney Tay 7 years ago
Q: My eight-year-old Shih Tzu bites people when he is not happy. He especially likes to do this when he’s being showered, groomed or when he has to wear shoes. Everyone in my family has been bitten by him before. Will it help if we castrate him?

No jumping on the table!

Zulkifli Bin Daud 7 years ago
Q: My Russian Blue cat, Janelle, likes to jump onto my dining table whenever we have dinner. How do I teach her that it’s inappropriate? She is generally not allowed in the kitchen and eating areas but she has free run of the rest of the house, including our coffee tables and writing desks. Is that why she cannot tell the difference?

Sore and red eyes

Dr Grace Heng 7 years ago
Q: Recently, I noticed that my eight-year-old Holland Lop rabbit’s eyes have turned sore and red. His right eye seems to be a little more blood-shot than his left but he does not seem to be experiencing any pain. What could be the cause of this redness and what can be done to treat it?