HE is on a mission to help our pets  . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.

Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.

He says: “If your pet is acting funny or is under the weather, or you want to know about nutrition or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”

Q) MY rabbit Ginge bangs his back legs, like Thumper the rabbit from Disney’s Bambi movie.

He does it when he sees me or is happy about something. Is that a ­normal thing to do or is he a bit of a weirdo?

Emma Bryant, Plymouth

A) Perfectly normal rabbit behaviour. In the wild, it tends to be an alarm signal, alerting others in the warren to danger nearby.

That could be a predator or a strange ­rabbit that’s unknown to the colony.

It’s a social behaviour that leads to cohesion and safety, so perhaps Ginge is using it in his domestic setting to say: “I’m excited to see you friend”.

Whenever I hear of a single rabbit pet, I feel I must mention that they are a highly social species.

So if Ginge doesn’t currently have another rabbit friend I urge you to get him one. Rabbit rescues can help with the bonding process.

Q) MOOSE, my Beagle Boxer cross, is very flatulent.

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He eats a mixture of wet and dry supermarket food.

I admit he has a penchant for a snack of pork pie if I’m eating one. How can I stop him being so windy?

Andrew Woodhouse, Sheffield

A) Haha, what a conundrum!

Beagles are basically a stomach on legs and one of the breeds most prone to obesity.

Just like Labradors, they will eat almost anything.

So flatulence is often par for the course.

I would recommend against pork pies, as they are highly calorific, and unlikely to help Moose’s gut health.

Fibre content of the food can have a bearing on flatulence, as can ingredients he is intolerant or allergic to.

So try him on a hypoallergenic diet, or look to adjust his fibre levels. Pre- and probiotics can help.

There are also diets formulated for sensitive digestion.

Drop us a line on [email protected] and we will be able to come up with a suitable tailor-made recipe for Moose that leads to a more pleasant odour at home.

Q) ONE minute my two Burmese cats are wrapped around one another, the next they are ­having a major fight.

Raffles and Reilly are 12-year-old brothers and were always chilled and loving house cats.

This all started when my husband passed away at the end of last year.

They were also put on a diet by the vet and are now their target weight.

Ever since, they have been constantly demanding food and stealing any they can get to.

The fights are nasty — all hell breaks loose.

I have sprayed them with water and put one in the bathroom to break aggression.

I have Feliway Optimum plug-ins throughout the house, a cat therapist visited and used Bach Flower Remedies but neither has helped.

I am at my wits’ end.

Nancy Rowe, Gosport, Hampshire

A) Firstly, I’m sorry to hear about your husband passing.

Like dogs, cats will react to the loss of an owner with sadness, withdrawal and sometimes even depression-like symptoms.

I’m at a loss to explain why fighting has become an issue here but wading in with further negative action will only add to the conflict.

So don’t spray them, raise your voice or even react to the behaviour.

The reduced access to food can also be a trigger.

Cats, even siblings, will subtly compete for resources like food, shelter and vantage points.

So make sure they have plenty of options to get away from each other to feed, toilet and rest.

It might be time to get a qualified animal behaviourist in to observe them and advise on their triggers.

Star of the week

GREMLIN the Shih Tzu had fur so matted he couldn’t see.

Now his future looks bright in a loving new home after his rescue by UK charity Blue Cross.

Staff had struggled to tell the two-year-old’s gender or breed because his fur was so overgrown.

But after a haircut and some TLC, he is a different dog.

Amanda Rumball at Blue Cross, said: “Poor Gremlin was in such a sorry state.

“We treated him at our animal hospital in central London before transferring him to our rehoming centre in Burford, West Oxfordshire.”

Now Gremlin has adoring owners in accounts manager Nina, 50, and tech adviser Gerry Stock, 54, in Luton, Bedfordshire. See bluecross.org.uk.

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Kind cat lovers call for law change

AN ARMY of animal lovers are saving pets 24/7 on Britain’s streets.

Gizmo’s Legacy, set up by Helena Abrahams, has more than 1,500 volunteers searching for strays and collecting and identifying pets who have sadly died.

Helena, 53, from Bury, Greater Manchester, founded the group in 2016.

She says: “People call us the 4th emergency service.

“Animals are being dumped because owners can no longer afford to keep them.”

Gizmo’s Legacy gets hundreds of calls daily.

It is named after Helena’s cat Gizmo, who was hit by a car and disposed of, with no attempt to contact Helena.

Last year it became law that cats must be microchipped.

Helena is campaigning for a change in the law for all cats killed on roads to be checked for microchips so they can be reunited with their owners before they are cremated.

She says: “Gizmo was run over then put to sleep without anybody contacting me.

“So now I campaign for others not to go through the same heartbreak.

“Our charity collects pets killed on the road and takes them to a vet where they are kept for seven days before cremation in case any owners appear.”

See gizmoslegacy.co.uk.

HE is on a mission to help our pets  . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.

Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.

He says: “If your pet is acting funny or is under the weather, or you want to know about nutrition or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”

Q) MY seven-year-old cat, who I took in as a stray, is lovely – but does some strange things.

Lois has always been very strong willed and demands food.

If I don’t feed her quickly enough, she will bite my ankle.

Sometimes a normal noise, like getting cereal out of the cupboard, will make her eyes bulge and she dives through the cat flap at super speed.

What’s making her do it?

I live near farmland and wonder if she previously had a semi-feral life.

Patsy Davison, Anglesey

A) If you don’t know your pet’s history, their strange antics can fall firmly in the “my pet is just a weirdo” category.

Sounds like Lois is a complex character, and I could give you a list of a dozen possibilities why she might be behaving certain ways.

[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=” I’m a property expert, here are the five key things when moving with a pet” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6361562620112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]

Maybe she had a rough start and doesn’t fully trust humans, so she will either run away or lash out if she feels you’re being unpredictable.

Q) JUST before Christmas, my dog Benson developed a rough hacking cough that sounds like a goose honking.

When we go on a walk, he pulls really hard and I wonder if this has caused the cough by damaging his airway.

I now walk him in a harness, but would like to know if any bronchial damage will repair naturally or if there is anything I can do to help?

Janet Lowe, Groby, Leics

A) You describe exactly the symptoms of kennel cough, a contagious mixed bacterial and viral infection common in dogs.

As he has been pulling for a long time, but only developed these symptoms before Christmas, that’s my suspicion.

Kennel cough normally clears up in its own time, although occasionally a course of antibiotics or anti-inflammatories is needed.

You’ve already changed to a harness, so I wouldn’t worry about any further bronchial damage.

Q) ONE night when my Shih Tzu/ Poodle was on a walk, someone fired a shotgun three times.

Milly, who is four, nearly collapsed from fright and since then, every time she hears a noise, she just wants to go home.

What can I do to help?

Annie Johnstone, Ayrshire

A) Poor Milly, that sounds like a terrible shock.

These experiences are just the type of thing that can lead to serious noise phobias.

The good news is they are treatable, but the bad news is it can take quite a bit of dedication, patience and time for her to regain her confidence.

Look up a process called “noise desensitisation”, which could help.

Q) I NEED urgent help with my two dogs who have a really bad problem with toilet training.

Star, a two-year-old Samoyed, will lay there and wet herself rather than wee outside.

While Strider, a six-month-old Samoyed Chow Chow mix, is peeing everywhere, even though he will be out three times in ten minutes and do nothing. Help!

Evie Peter, Romford, Essex

A) Toilet training is simple in theory, but in practice can get really complicated.

A major factor here is habit and familiarity.

Your dogs have got used to toileting where they like, indoors, and dog scent is everything when it comes to choosing where to go.

You need to go back to basics.

Confine them to one room, use puppy pads, slowly shrinking the area covered.

Place the toilet zone near the door and, when they head there, take them outside and reward successful toileting.

A major cleaning blitz will help prevent any indoor “accidents”.

Star of the week

EDDIE the feline foodie insists on being seated for dinner with the family, and favours ribeye steak and pan-fried salmon.

Owner Tracy Murphy, 48, from Surbiton in Surrey, says of the six-year-old: “We started calling him Gourmet Ed when he was very young as he preferred our company and whatever we were cooking.

“He sits up with us and patiently waits to be served, then eats quite delicately, no paws on the table. He also likes to oversee prep in the kitchen.

“His brother, Syd, is the opposite, opting for fast food from a tin and showing no desire at all to dine with us.”

Writer Tracy adds: “His mealtimes aren’t just about food. He is almost as civilised as the adults.”

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Luna tops list of cat and dog names

THE name Luna is the number one choice for both cats and dogs for the fifth year running, according to research from Pets At Home.

But it’s facing competition from Sabrina and Taylor – in tribute to pop stars Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift – with both names surging in popularity last year.

When it comes to cats, Luna, made popular by Harry Potter character Luna Lovegood, is followed by Bella and Milo in the top three.

Those names also feature in the top four for dogs.

Making up the top ten for felines are Simba, Coco, Nala, Willow, Oreo, Daisy and Loki.

Most fashionable dog names include Teddy, Poppy, Lola, Daisy, Coco, Buddy and Willow.

Dr Samantha Butler-Davies, veterinary services director from Pets At Home, said: “When choosing, aim for something short, clear and easy to say.

“One or two-syllable names are ideal as they are easy for pets to recognise and respond to.

“Avoid names that sound too similar to training commands, or other names in the household, to prevent confusion.

“Most importantly, choose a name you enjoy saying – you’ll be using it often.”