This kind of danger was one of the issues facing the dog I was talking about on Daybreak on ITV this week. Mabel, a rough collie cross was one of the unlucky few dogs to be born with this condition and now, aged 4, she battles against sudden attacks of deep sleep every day of her life.

‘She’s a rescue dog,’ explained Mabel’s owner Trevor as we waited to go on the show, ‘and we only knew that she had narcolepsy when she had her first attack, a couple of days after we brought her home. We were terrified as it looked as though she’d died!’

On the show, Adrian Chiles asked Trevor what happened when Mabel had an episode.

‘She wags her tail furiously and runs around yelping before she hits the ground like she’s been struck by a bullet,’ explained Trevor. ‘It usually happens when she’s excited, so when the postman comes, or when she meets other dogs.’

Christine Bleakly then turned to me and asked me what caused this condition.

‘It’s thought to be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain,’ I said, ‘but no-one is really sure of the exact details either in dogs or people.’

I then went on to explain how this lack of understanding meant that treating narcolepsy was not an easy task.

‘The main way we help dogs suffering from this disease is through behavioural advice such as teaching owners how to reduce stress and avoid over-exciting situations which trigger episodes,’ I explained. ‘There are some drugs available such as anti-depressants that can help but in general most cases are managed by owners rather than treated medically.’

During the interview a video of Mabel suffering from an attack of narcolepsy was shown and it really was amazing to watch – one minute she was racing around chasing her tail barking wildly, and then she just collapsed in a heap. After a few seconds she was back on her feet as if nothing had happened – but it was easy to see how distressing these episodes must be for the owners, particularly to begin with before they become used to them. Thankfully there’s no evidence that narcolepsy causes significant distress or discomfort to dogs, and as far as I could see Mabel was otherwise completely healthy and happy.

It was a fascinating case and although it’s very unlikely that Mabel will ever be completely cured, I’m sure she can look forward to a good quality of life ahead thanks to the love and care of her owner Trevor.

Harry the ginger tom has always been a bit of a character, and has been involved in many scrapes over the years, including cat fights, a near miss with a car engine and a mysterious broken leg when he was very young probably caused by an over-adventurous bit of tree climbing. Despite all these various mishaps and injuries, Harry has aways pulled through without any lasting problems, using up his nine lives but otherwise seemingly to be pretty much indestructible.

This week though I really thought Harry had reached the end of his nine lives and this most resilient of cats was finally going to be defeated. He was rushed into the surgery by his owners Carole and Steve, and as soon as I saw their faces I knew that this time there was something really seriously wrong with Harry.

‘He’s been hit by a car,’ gasped Carole as she carried Harry’s basket through into the consulting room.

‘We saw it happen,’ continued Steven, ‘he chased after a squirrel and ran out across the road and a car just didn’t see him.’

I looked into the basket and saw the usually boisterous and noisy Harry lying sill, curled up in a ball at the back of the basket. I gently lifted him out and began to look over him, dreading what I would fine. From my experience of accidents involving cats and cars, the injuries can often be life-threatening and I was desperately hoping that I wouldn’t find anything like this with Harry.

The first thing I noticed however was not a good sign – Harry was clearly struggling to breathe and the colour of his gums was pale. These symptoms immediately made me immediately suspicious of a very serious condition which can happen when cats have been hit by cars – a ruptured diaphragm. This occurs when a car hits the cat’s abdomen and bursts the diaphragm, which is the large flat muscle dividing the abdomen from the chest. Once the diaphragm is burst, the abdominal contents such as the stomach can move into the chest and this severely affects the cat’s breathing, making this condition very serious and requiring critical attention if the cat is to be saved.

With this worrying diagnosis in mind I completed the examination and was relieved to find that amazingly Harry seemed to have escaped without any broken bones, something that is most unusual in cases like this. However, despite this good fortune, Harry’s life was still very much in the balance as I took him through to the hospital area for immediate oxygen therapy to ease his breathing, and an x ray to confirm the diagnosis.

‘I’m sorry to say that he has got a ruptured diaphragm,’ I explained to Carole and Steven half an hour later as I showed them the x ray, so he will need a major operation to fix it.’

I explained that the operation was by no means guaranteed to be successful and that there was a significant risk that he wouldn’t pull through. Carole in particular however remained very positive and seemed convinced that Harry’s fighting spirit would see him through – and thankfully, as it turned out she was proved right. As I write this, Harry is recovering well from the operation, which went as well as could be expected, and I am confident that he’s going to make a full recovery now – so perhaps January isn’t always such a depressing month after all!

Joe filming with the RSPCA

I was up in Cheshire last week filming for my new series ‘Operation Animal’ with the RSPCA at their Stapeley Grange wildlife centre. It was my first visit to the centre and absolutely fascinating to see the work they do there with a wide variety of species (they treated over 250 different species there last year!). It was really busy, with lots of interesting cases including the swan in this picture that had been treated for injuries (after flying into a tree!) and then was released back to the wild while I was there. There were also lots of birds of prey including falcons, buzzards and even a beautiful sparrowhawk that had suffered injuries to his chest after being hit by a car.

By the time I left I’d seen more wildlife cases than in my whole career as a vet, and it left me feeling a great sense of admiration for the work the vets and support staff do at the centre. With a bit of luck you should be able to watch all the action on TV sometime next year.

• Preventing reproduction and therefore reducing animal populations and unwanted litters
• Prevention of several serious health problems – mammary cancer and womb infections (pyometra)
• Prevention of seasons

In dogs in particular there is very strong evidence for the protective effect of spaying against mammary cancer, and dogs that have been spayed before they are 2 years of age will generally be 100% protected against this killer disease later in life.

The spaying operation:

The operation involves removing the entire womb and both ovaries via an abdominal incision and is carried out under a full general anaesthetic, with the operation generally taking around 30 minutes to complete. The fact that the operation involves entering the abdomen, and removing the ovaries which have a large blood supply directly from the aorta (the main blood vessel from the heart to the body), makes it trickier to carry out than castration and there is the potential for complications including life-threatening internal bleeding – although this is very rare.

Side effects and risks:

As with any surgical operation there are risks with both castration and spaying, and these include:

• Wound breakdown – this is generally only a problem where the patient doesn’t stick to the post operative regime of rest and recuperation!
• Bleeding – this is mainly a risk with spaying and can be life-threatening. However it is very rare and the statistical risk to dogs is very low indeed.
• Infection – infections can occur and in some rare cases lead to serious problems but with modern surgical practices becoming ever more hygienic such complications are very unusual.

There are also some side-effects to neutering which can concern owners, and these include:

• Weight gain – neutering does alter the metabolism of pets and usually reduces their calorific requirements. This means that pets will often put on weight if kept on the same diet after an operation as before, but this is easy to prevent by simply reducing their daily calories by around 15-20% after the operation
• Coat changes – some dogs in particular will end up with fluffier and softer coats as a result of being neutered, but apart from show dogs this is not a major problem

Temperament changes – in most cases any changes to the temperament of the pet is beneficial as neutered pets tend to be calmer, more placid and less prone to aggression.

• Preventing reproduction and therefore reducing populations and unwanted litters
• Reducing behavioural traits linked to testosterone – aggression, wanderlust, urine marking, inappropriate sexual behaviour (leg humping!)
• Preventing health problems linked to entire male animals – testicular cancer, prostate disease

This relatively quick and simple operation involves the removal of both testicles from a male animal thus rendering them completely infertile and removing the main source of the male hormone testosterone which has effects on their temperament, character and physical attributes. The operation is always performed under a full general anaesthetic and is usually carried out through a small incision just in front of the scrotum. Recovery is quick with most pets being back to their old self within a few days and the incidence of complications is very low.
The only occasional complicating factor is when one or both testicles have failed to descend, a condition referred to as cryptorchidism. In these cases the un-descended testicle needs to be located and removed, as if it is left in situ inside the body, there is a high risk that it will turn cancerous due to the higher temperature of the body compared to the scrotum where the testicles are designed to live. Finding and removing the un-descended testicle is not always straightforward and can involve a major abdominal operation if the testicle is retained deep within the abdominal cavity, and recovery from this kind of operation is usually longer and more difficult that for a straightforward castration.
In cats and dogs the operation is generally quick and straightforward, but in some other species such as guinea pigs and rabbits it is a little more complex and the anaesthetic risks are also slightly higher.

A. Most vets would recommend spaying dogs at around 6 months of age, which is usually before their first season. Some vets prefer to wait until after the first season as there is some evidence that this may reduce the risk of urinary incontinence later in life – but most vets nowadays believe that the benefits of early neutering in terms of preventing cancer mean that it is preferable to spay before the first season. If your dog is older, then she will need to wait until 2-3 months after a season before being spayed.

Q. My dog is aggressive with other dogs – will castration help?

A. Probably – although there are many reasons for aggression and it may be that behavioural help is required. Castration removes the main source of testosterone from the body and this tends to reduce aggression related to dominance, but it will have little effect if your dog’s aggression stems from another emotion such as fear for example.

Q. I would like to have my male guinea pig neutered but I have heard that guinea pigs do not cope with anaesthetics well – is it worth the risk?

A. It is true that guinea pigs do suffer from a much higher level of anaesthetic risks than cats or dogs, so a neutering operation is less safe. There are also other risks due to the anatomy of guinea pigs which mean that they’re are prone to suffering hernias after the operation if it is not carried out carefully. However, most vets nowadays can deal with these issues and the incidence of problems is actually very low, so if there is a good reason to do the operation, I would recommend that you have it done.

Q. I am thinking of getting my dog spayed but have heard that she is likely to put on weight afterwards – is this true?

A. It is true that spayed dogs generally put on weight more readily than entire dogs – but it is easy to prevent any weight gain by simply reducing their daily intake of calories by 15-20% by either reducing the amount you feed or switching to a lower calorie ‘light’ diet.

Trying to select a worthy winner in these classes is hard enough, but then having to deliver the devastating news that little Tricky Woo hasn’t made the top three of the dog with the cutest nose to little Tommy is almost impossible. With usually only 3 rosettes to give out, there are usually at least 10 disappointed owners left wondering why the nasty vet from the telly didn’t pick their dog, and this makes the decision making that much harder – especially so when there are children involved.

At the Paws in the Park event in Cheltenham a couple of weekends ago I was asked to judge the ‘Best Junior Handler’ category and my heart immediately sank. This is the worst nightmare for a judge at one of these events – lots of lovely children with their beloved pets trying their best to impress with their dog handling skills – and one mean vet having to disappoint the vast majority of them!

In these situations the best one can hope for is that there will be one or two entrants who are clearly the most worthy winners. This makes the decision making process that much less stressful and also generally makes the disappointment for the rest of the field a bit easier to take. Thankfully on Sunday this was the case and it was clear that a little boy called Gabriel and his dog Jazz were the obvious candidates for the top prize. Gabriel was one of the youngest handlers in the class, and Jazz one of the largest dogs, so it was all the more impressive how he managed to control the dog and even got him to perform a faultless sit, stay and recall manoeuvre.

With the ‘Best Junior Handler’ class out of the way it was time to turn my attention to the next category which was ‘Best Senior Dog’ and here again I was very relieved to find an obvious candidate for the top spot. A little terrier called Millie made her entrance onboard a homemade dog wheelchair, and her owner proceeded to explain all the medical problems Millie had faced in her 18 years and how well she was still doing despite suffering from kidney problems, arthritis and various skin lumps.

By the end of the day I was exhausted and very thankful that the dog show season is drawing to a close – I’m not sure my nerves will take too many more days like this!

I’m working at the Pet Vaccination Clinic in Wythall, near Birmingham, which is a fantastic practice that offers really good service at low prices (www.petvaccinationclinic.co.uk). I really enjoy working there because it’s always busy with loads going on and there’s no time to get bored, and you usually see more cases in a day there than most vets would see in a week elsewhere – my record is about 85 consultations in a day which is quite something when you consider that most consultations take about 10 minutes!

This week’s actually been quite quiet – possibly because lots of people are stuck overseas due to the ash (I just hope someone is looking after their pets while they’re away!) – but it’s still been good fun and I’ve seen some interesting cases including a rabbit who’d had her front teeth removed because they were growing in the wrong direction, and a dog with a mysterious lump on his ear which will probably need surgery next week.

This evening it’s back on Gala Bingo TV to present my weekly pet advice spot between 8-9pm and we’re talking about obesity this evening so tune in and put a question to me live on air!

To my great surprise, instead of finding a lamb wandering around, all I could see when I followed the sound of the baaing was a little furry head poking out of a small hole at the foot of the tree. I walked slowly over, so as not to upset the lamb, and I could then see that this poor animal had somehow got itself well and truly stuck in the hole so that only its head was visible – the rest of its body was wedged down inside the tree. Quite how it had got there I don’t know, but it defintiely couldn’t stay there as it would surely starve if it wasn’t released.

So with Jack safely out of the way I put my rather rusty lambing skills to the test and as gently as I could eased the little lamb out of the hole and set him down on the grass. I checked him over and thankfully he appeared to be none the worse for his little adventure, and he quickly scampered off across the field towards the rest of the flock and the happy sound of his mother calling.

It was a strange start to the day, but very satisfying to have helped an animal in distress which is something I don’t get a chance to do enough of at the moment as I’m so busy here at Pets’ Kitchen and don’t spend enough time in the surgery for my liking!

Happy Easter to you all!

Take Bill for example; he looks like a good, sturdy cat, who should have no trouble looking after himself. Unfortunately, underneath that fierce exterior, is a meek and timid cat, who spends his days hiding in the house, terrified to venture into the garden in case another cat is in the area. This nervousness is not just causing behavioural problems, such as urinating in the house (which cats do in situations like this to try and reinforce their own scent in the house and make it feel safer to them), but it is also causing physical problems. Under the fur, his chin was a mess of scabs and scratches caused by rubbing his chin on the ground and pawing at it with his back legs – a stress-related habit which has intensified over the last few years as more and more cats have moved into his immediate neighbourhood.

Problems like this are not uncommon, although the symptoms can vary a great deal, from facial dermatitis like Bill suffers from, to red-raw gums and even cancer-like plaques on the thighs. The causes of these symptoms are complex, but it is clear that stress (as well as allergies in some cases) is an important factor, and treating the diseases without addressing the underlying causes is often ineffective.

In Bill’s case, we’ve been giving him injections of a long acting steroid on a regular basis for over a year now, and whilst it was very effective to begin with, the benefits from the drug seem to have been decreasing as the months go by. His condition suddenly worsened a few weeks ago, and his face was covering in sores and scabs despite intensive treatment with steroids and antibiotics. His owners even tried anti-bacterial face washes, but nothing seemed to help.

At this point I sat down with Bill’s owners, the Prince’s, and had a long chat about what could be the underlying cause of his sudden deterioration. There was no history of a new baby, or another pet – both of which are common causes of stress in cats, and no change in diet or bedding which could have worsened an allergy problem. Then Mrs Prince mentioned there was a new cat, which had moved in a few doors down the road, and they’d seen him in their garden a few times. Apparently he was particularly vicious, and had chased Bill into their house several times. Given Bill’s nervous temperament, I suspected immediately that this could be the cause of his deterioration, and advised Mr and Mrs Prince on what they should do to help.

Firstly, I suggested some cat-proofing of the garden, to try and prevent this new cat from getting in and threatening Bill’s territory. Then, if this failed, to arm themselves with a water pistol, to shoo the strange cat away if he did make it into the garden. I also suggested a magnetic cat flap, to make sure that only Bill could get into the house, and finally, I gave them a plug-in pheromone diffuser to waft comforting smells around the house. These can be highly effective in reducing stress in cats.

After two weeks, the results of this new approach were amazing – as you can see in the photo, his chin looks fine, and under the fur, the skin was almost completely healed. According to Mr and Mrs Prince, the water pistol had worked well, and now the new cat has been scared away, Bill is even beginning to emerge into the garden which he’d never done previously.

This case just goes to show that it’s not necessarily a picnic being a cat – so don’t envy your moggy too much when you next see them sunning themselves on the window ledge – inside they might be as stressed as you!