Should I be allowed to bring my dog to work? - Telegraph.co.uk

When asked recently about herbal flea collars, you ended up suggesting conventional flea treatment. Like many people I know, I despise modern medicine. I love my cats and I don’t want to pollute their bodies with chemicals. How can I have their needs addressed with only natural products? Are there vets who specialise in herbal treatments?

MM, Gloucestershire

You’ll be pleased to learn that there’s a growing body of vets who use herbal medicines to treat their patients – both for pets and for farm animals.

If you visit the website of the British Association of Veterinary Herbalists (www.herbalvets.org.uk), you’ll find nationwide listings of vets with a particular interest in this area.

We have two terriers, a father aged nine years and his three-year-old daughter. When left at home, on our return they’ve started to bark, rising into a crescendo of howling. The noise is unbearable! They’ve also begun to do this when visitors arrive. They get plenty of long walks so it’s not boredom. How can we stop them from doing this?

AS by email

Your dogs have learnt to react to these exciting situations by barking. You now have to take time to teach them to respond in a calmer way.

Do lots of practice of going out very briefly, and then coming back in and getting the dogs to sit for a treat. Do this over and over again, going away for such a short period that they don’t have a chance to get worked up enough to bark. Then gradually lengthen the time that you are away.

The idea is that they will learn that the response that gets them the most reward is to sit quietly when you get back. You should do the same type of training with them to change their reaction to visitors; get someone to pretend to be a visitor, and as they arrive, get the dogs to sit down quietly in front of you, in exchange for treats. The same “visitor” should come and go multiple times so that the dogs gradually learn the new behaviour.

We have a 13-year-old Border terrier who is fit and has three walks a day. She can comfortably manage two or three miles but gets very tired on a longer walk. She goes everywhere with us and as we are keen walkers I was wondering whether I could get a comfortable rucksack to put her in to manage a longer walk. Any ideas?

TM, Norfolk

A wide range of unusual dog carriers is available at www.canineconcepts.co.ukwww.canineconcepts.co.uk. There’s a selection of dog rucksacks for small dogs such as Border terriers, from a basic version for less than £20 to a more deluxe version, with more rigid support, padding and pockets, for over £40.

You’ll need to introduce the concept gradually to her, rewarding her for staying calm and relaxed. Many dogs soon learn to love being carried on their owners’ backs. The website also sells push-along pet strollers, bicycle baskets designed for small dogs, and dog trailers for cycling, walking or jogging with your dog in tow.

Cowpox: an old virus that still causes problems

SB from Shropshire has asked me to warn readers about the cowpox virus. Her 13-year-old cat is a prolific hunter and he picked up the infection during the summer. It was not diagnosed immediately; it was only as the sore, bald areas grew worse that the correct diagnosis was made.

Cowpox is an ancient disease that has never been fully eradicated, and it carries the risk of in-contact humans picking up a nasty infection. Cats catch it from rodents.

If your mouse-catching cat develops an odd skin problem, you may wish to remind your vet about this rare but worrying viral skin disease.

Read Pete’s regular animal themed blog at hereSend pet problems to pete.wedderburn@telegraph.co.uk. We regret that he cannot answer all letters personally. All sick animals should, of course, be taken to a vet

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