Tess Sharpe

My dog sometimes scratches my painted wood door to come in, or go out. If I applied a matt spray varnish - would this stop the scratch marks - or is there another practical solution? Thanks!

ps I would rather have my dog and scratched doors than be without her.........So suggestions of removing the "problem" is not an option!!

Fringe, seems a logical word - you get fringes on lampshades and jackets etc - but where do "bangs" come into it?

Thanks!

I saw a programme regarding cruelty to horses where their hooves were overgrown, and it got me thinking what do wild horses do about their feet?

My sister's elderly (15yrs) siamese is currently on a drip at the vet. She has also given him a charcoal tablet. She (vet) is reluctant to do an enema due to possible electrolyte problems. She said she can feel a mass is there in the gut/bowel. Has anyone else had this problem? Should my sister seek a second opinion? This Cats brother died back in December and she is frantic about losing this one too. He hasn't been to the loo since Saturday/Sunday.

I watched programme on leopards last night (national geographic) and was very upset by one of the scenes. It was a story about a leopard female and her last remaining cub. The cub fell from a tree and was left dangling by its leg where the leg had got caught up on the way down. The bone was protruding (and bloody) from a broken pelvis. The sight of that mother trying to coax the cub and the cub crying was heart-breaking. There was no hope for the poor cub, why didn't they just put her down humanely? I know nature can be cruel - but how can you film something like that. I don't know how long it took to die - I just stopped watching in the end.

My 13mth old Akbash loves those cheap, crappy squeaky toys, she plays fetch with them and has never, ever destroyed one. When it comes to my shoes, boots, items of clothing and other "stolen" items she rips them to pieces! Do you have a dog that does this? I mean, a cheap toy costing less than $2 is safe, but other stuff that costs a lot and aren't toys are destroyed in minutes!

My sister's elderly cat is on a drip at the vet. He has kidney failure. I have heard that diet (even at this late stage) may slow down the failure. He has eaten dried all his life and refuses canned food. He sometimes eats cooked chicken and tinned tuna. Any suggestions?

I have been diagnosed for about 2 and a half years. I am 54 yrs old by the way. I have been on so many drugs but none seem to stop the flare ups. My feet, hands and wrist pains are the worst. I was on steroids for 2 years put on loads of weight - but no change to the RA. I am now on NSAID (Ibuprofen anti inflammatory) every day and Methotrexate once a week. Has anyone any suggestions other than these two drugs? I am getting desperate. Thank you.

I throw away so much of my dogs undercoat - it is so soft and pure white, I looked up "what to do with it" on the internet and found so many sites that promote spinning it (after washing of course) and knitting into clothes etc!! Would you wear a dog hair jumper?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1390126/Ba...

I am asking this as we do not have that service here. My dog loves going for walks, and I was wondering if you have a dog walker, would your dog start preferring that person to you?

I keep a first aid kit in the fridge - just in case, with:

Antibiotic powder (stops bleeding and infection)

Snake venom serum (viper)

iodine solution

Anti-poison serum (lanate is the locals poison of choice and kills within minutes)

ear mite solution (just in case)

antiseptic cream

If you have a first aid kit, is there anything else you could add to my list? Thanks!