I'm 15 years old and about to buy a ten week old cocker spaniel bitch. At the moment it is being fed on Beta puppy food as I'm planning to…
Neil McIntosh
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Why is my dog losing weight?
Gun dog health: My dog has always lost a lot of weight towards the middle of the shooting season.
How can I get a dog passport from the UK – and should I take my dog abroad anyway?
Q: “I am considering taking my dog abroad to Europe but confess to being slightly bewildered by all the rules and regulations. What is the simplest route to take to…
Why does my Jack Russell hop, skip and jump?
There are two likely possibilities and I am afraid each might require a surgical intervention, which is not what you will want to hear. Luxating patella The patella, or kneecap,…
Raw food for dogs – a good or bad idea?
A reader asks if it's ok to feed their Labrador raw tripe every day or if they should mix it up
Gluten-free diets for dogs – when are they necessary?
Q: I am thinking about buying a border terrier puppy from a local gamekeeper. My friend tells me I will have to avoid feeding it gluten. But gluten-free diets for…
How to help a dog with arthritis
I agree, but many working dogs are affected by arthritis and it can be a very debilitating and frustrating condition. There are a number of steps you can take to…
Why is my dog so thirsty? Is she ill?
Excessive thirst (referred to as polydipsia or PD on veterinary case notes) is not in itself a diagnosis, but it may be indicative of disease. There are, of course, some…
Hypothyroidism in dogs. What owners need to know
Underactive thyroid – known as hypothyroidism Let me list your dog’s clinical signs: Lethargy Weight gain Bilaterally symmetrical alopecia Skin changes Itchy skin It would seem most likely that your…
What you should know about dog bloat
Risk and factors of bloat in dogs A recent study by the Royal Veterinary College’s Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System, which looked into the frequency, risk factors and survival of…
Can you prevent arthritis in dogs?
Q: Both my elderly Labradors have suffered pretty badly from arthritis in later life. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this? A: Great question, but one to…
Why has my young sprocker lost form?
Q: My three year old sprocker spaniel had a good summer, even though she failed to conceive after two matings. Since the season started she has been beating with me…
What if your gundog needed a blood transfusion one day?
“When my lovely cocker spaniel, Flick, was only five months old, she needed nine (yes nine!) blood transfusions. If it wasn’t for a charity called Pet Blood Bank UK, she…
What are the symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs?
What are the symptoms if a dog contracts Lyme disease and what does the cure entail? Is it usually successful?
Dog tail docking
What can you do quite legally in England which could cost you a fine of up to £5,000 or even six months in jail if you repeated it in Scotland?…
How to treat your dog’s pollen allergies
With the warm weather upon us, Dr Neil McIntosh reveals how to treat your dog's pollen allergies
Why doping to win gundog trials is never worth the risk
Doping has been proven in many animal sports. Greyhounds, horses and coursing dogs have all been (successfully) given performance-enhancing drugs at one time or another. Some of the drugs used…
What’s causing our new ferrets’ bad behaviour?
My children have been ‘gifted’ a couple of ex-working male ferrets by a friend and, although not biters, they smell pretty bad, pee everywhere and can be quite aggressive to…
My gundog puppy is covered in spots!
Puppy impetigo: My cocker pup is covered in spots! It looks like chicken pox but she has been nowhere near a hen! I have also treated her for fleas to…
Can pheasants and other birds suffer from ticks?
For a while now, I have been hand feeding a pet pheasant, ‘Mr P’ who appeared at the tail end of last season. I have noticed he has small dark…