Pets Q&A

Q Our dog has a big lump on one side of his body, but we don't want to take him to the vet as he is quite old and we don't want him to be operated on. Can you give me any advice?

A Whilst I can understand your concern, it really is best for a vet to examine your dog as they will be able to carry out any necessary tests. One of the most common tests is quite straightforward and involves removing some of the lump's contents, using a needle and syringe so that it can be examined by microscope.

The lump could be an abscess caused by infection. This could be drained, and your dog given antibiotics. Or, it could be a sac filled with blood (called a haematoma); these are often caused by a knock to the area, or by some other trauma. This would also be drained and in both circumstances your dog should make a full recovery. There are some potentially more serious causes, such as a tumour, but a benign growth is possible, so an operation may not be required.

My advice would be to take your dog to the vet so that you can put your mind at rest.

Q We have a cute male kitten but he's quite aggressive and bites us if we try to handle him. The only peace we have is when he is asleep. What can we do?

A The first thing you should do is get your kitten checked by your vet, as there are certain medical conditions which can cause pets to become aggressive. If he is given a clean bill of health, your vet or vet nurse can help you find the cause of his aggression. It may be that he was mishandled, when he was younger, so is now scared of being held. If this is the case, you will have to start taking things very slowly, only gently touching him for short periods without trying to pick him up and rewarding him with small pieces of his food when he remains calm and relaxed.

He should gradually let you have more contact and you can build up the amount of handling slowly. Ask your vet for further advice.