Pets Q&A

Q I adopted my puppy two months ago and I've been following my vet's advice on the right care and diet for her, but she is losing her teeth. Should this be happening?

A Puppies and kittens usually start to lose their milk teeth and gain their permanent set between four and five months of age. The process is usually complete by about seven months of age. So it is likely that what you are seeing is normal, but you should ask your vet to check her teeth to be safe.

Dental disease would be quite rare at her young age, but it is not impossible, so it is best to get her checked out. Preventing dental disease is best achieved by daily tooth brushing, and dogs are happiest to have their teeth brushed when the routine is started as a puppy. You can begin gently brushing her teeth from around four to five weeks of age, using a puppy toothbrush and toothpaste. Make it fun for her, and give her praise.

For a demonstration from a PDSA vet of how to brush a dog's teeth, visit www.pdsa.org.uk/pethealthvideos.

Q I have two guinea pigs and noticed that one of them has cloudy eyes. What could be causing this?

A A vet needs to look at your guinea pig's eyes to see which part of the eye is affected. If there is a discharge coming from the eye, this would usually be a sign of conjunctivitis.

If it is the surface of the eye that has become cloudy, this could be an eye ulcer. Eye ulcers are painful and need urgent treatment so that they don't become worse.

Conjunctivitis and mild ulcers are often treated with medicated eye drops, whereas a more serious eye ulcer might require an operation. You should make a vet appointment as soon as possible.