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View the list of previous questions.

VETIQ SERENE-UM – How often can I give my pet VetIQ Serene-Um?

VetIQ Serene-Um can be given long term, with no side effects. It is not addictive and you can stop administering it at any time.

VETIQ GREEN-UM – How does VetIQ Green-Um work?

VetIQ Green-Um is composed of amino acids and plant extracts. They work in combination to help prevent yellow spots appearing on your lawn. Yellow spots are caused by highly alkaline urine being excreted from your pet onto the grass which causes it to turn yellow. The amino acids in VetIQ Green-Um help to lower the pH of your animal’s urine making it less alkaline; thereby preventing the appearance of those yellow spots. In addition, the plant extracts in the product help to prevent excessive ammonia in the urine from burning the lawn.

VETIQ STOOL FIRM – Can I give VetIQ Stool Firm to my pregnant dog with diarrhoea?

The use of VetIQ Stool Firm in pregnant dogs is safe as the product contains no ingredient that would affect the pregnancy status of the dog. However, as the product would have a constipatory- effect, it may affect the absorption of various minerals/vitamins or any medication that may be given with the food. If medications are required with the food, then VetIQ Stool Firm should be administered at different times.

VETIQ STOOL REPEL – Why does my dog eat his own faeces?

This condition, where your dog eats his own faeces is called Coprophagia. Although frequently encountered and disgusting to the owner, coprophagia is not harmful unless parasites are transmitted. It is quite natural for a nursing bitch to do this with her pups, and wild carnivores are known to eat the droppings of their herbivore prey to obtain nutrients therein. The main causes of coprophagia are:

Parasitic infestation- dogs with a high internal parasitic load commonly eat their faeces, and will have a ravenous appetite but will still lose weight.

Mal-digestion and Mal-assimilation Syndromes-due to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, colitis, lymphangiectasia, intestinal bacterial overgrowth, – here the dog may eat their faeces due to the high fat content (steattorrhea) contained in it due to maldigestion of fat in the gut. These conditions lead to an energy deficit because nutrients are not broken down properly in the digestive system and thus the dog will eat its faeces. In these conditions the dog will lose weight in spite of a healthy appetite.

Behavioural problems- it can develop as a vice or habit due to boredom and is a manifestation of stereo-typical behaviour or anxiety. It may be aggravated due to confinement or lack of attention.

Mark + Chappell’s VETIQ Stool Repel is an effective solution to this condition. This product has been specially formulated to deter such behaviour through a combination of active ingredients which, when ingested by the animal, help to produce a stool which is unpalatable to the animal.

The general treatment involves:

Remove the faeces from the environment
Provide more activity for the dog to reduce boredom, reduce the dog’s confinement and spend more time with him. If the problem began recently then it would be important to remember if you changed anything in his environment that may have created or intensified some anxiety that he may have being feeling which could be anything from a change of diet or bedding to new surroundings or people
Rule out parasitic disease due to toxocara canis or D caninum by regular worming, normally every 2-3 months or more often if required. It is also important to regularly treat him for ectoparasitic problems like fleas as these carry the intermediate stages of the tapeworm life cycle
Dietary management- a highly digestible diet balanced for your pets particular stage of life.

GENERAL – Do Cats & Dogs Get Sunburn?

Summer is a time for both you and your pet to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, but along with the fun, the season offers up situations that can endanger your pet. Cats and dogs can get sunburn. Cats with white ears are especially prone to develop sunburn on the tips and edges of the ears.

Collies and other dog breeds such as Shetland Sheepdogs, who have no pigment on their nose can develop a condition called Collie Nose or Nasal solar dermatitis. This is actually caused by a hypersensitivity to the sun. Some pets, whose hair is clipped over their bodies or for some reason have sparse hair, can also develop sunburn where their skin is exposed. Pets susceptible to sunburn should be kept out of direct summer sun, especially in the middle of the day when the sun is particularly strong.

Sunscreens (SPF should be 15 or greater) including those developed specifically for pets should be used to prevent sunburn. For pets with skin exposed on their bodies, a t-shirt (children’s or adult) can be fitted over the body. As with humans, animals with skin that has sunburned are more likely to develop skin cancer, so protection from sunburn is extremely?important.

The following precautions will help keep your pet sunburn-free this summer:

Keep your pet out of the sun as much as possible between 10am and 4pm
Apply waterproof sunscreen on unprotected areas
If your pet must be outdoors during this time, provide plenty of shade
Avoid walking or running your pet on hot pavements or blacktop surfaces.