Pet Questions

Q Our nine-month-old terrier pees around the house constantly, even when he's been for a walk. We have a baby on the way and desperately need to stop his behaviour before the birth. What can we do?

A The first thing to do is get your dog checked by your vet. If he gets a clean bill of health, you need to persevere with house training him to teach him where you want him to go to the toilet. Take him outside at regular intervals and give him lots of praise when he goes in the right place.

Q My cat loves to sit in my daughter's bedroom, on her pillow and eat her hair. Why? How can I get her to stop?

A Your cat probably does this because she has learnt it gets her attention. To get her to stop, your daughter will have to ignore her when she does this, though I realise this could be difficult. If she keeps ignoring her, eventually she should stop. A simpler solution might be to make sure she has somewhere else comfortable and cosy to sleep at night, or to keep your daughter's bedroom door closed.

Q My chinchilla finds it hard to chew his food and his eyes often water. What's wrong?

A It sounds like he may be suffering from dental disease. A chinchilla's teeth grow continuously throughout their life, so they need to eat lots of hay to wear them down. If he isn't being fed enough hay, or some of his teeth don't meet, this will cause them to become overgrown. They can grow into the tongue and cheeks causing painful ulcers, or the roots can grow towards the eyes. Take him to your vet as soon as possible. Overgrown teeth may need to be filed down. Your vet will also be able to advise on diet.

• Stuart McMorrow is based at Edinburgh's PDSA PetAid Hospital, 2b Hutchison Crossway, 0131-443 6178