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.” If you want him to answer a question for YOU simply email him at [email protected]

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Sean helps a pet owner whose dog has been left traumatised by fireworks

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Sean McCormack, head vet at tails.com, promises he can ‘help keep pets happy and healthy’Credit: Doug Seeburg – The Sun

Q) MY Border Collie Susie was badly affected by Fireworks Night last month.

It was particularly noisy this time and ever since then she’s been a bit sheepish. If she hears a loud bang she cowers and she’s not running to the door like she did before.

It has been a good few weeks now and she is still doing it. Could it be some kind of post-traumatic thing?

Emma King, Walsall

A) Sean says: It can be an association-based fear, yes. She remembers being really scared and any reminder brings up those anxieties again.

Luckily, there’s a really effective behavioural technique to tackle noise phobias in dogs.

It is called desensitisation and involves slowly exposing them to the types of sound they are scared of, gradually building the volume until it becomes background noise and they are no longer bothered by it.

It takes time and patience but will really help. There are guides online showing how to go about it.

Q) I HAVE a black labrador called Mollie. She has always been on Wainwrights food and is happy with the turkey one.

But I am vegan and want her to be vegan too. Is it OK for dogs not to have any animal products?

Bethany Poole, Glasgow

A) Sean says: Using the parts of farm animals that we as humans choose not to eat for our pet’s diets is a really sustainable way to feed our furry friends.

Plant-based pet diets can actually use more resources or release more greenhouse gasses than …….

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/17140313/dog-scared-fireworks-animals-vegan/