It is not unusual for cats to lose a few whiskers

My dog was feeding her puppies but now two of her teats have become hard and swollen and she has a fever. I gave her a fever reducer but it has not healed the teats. I tried to help the puppies feed on her, but she howls. What should I do?This sounds like mastitis, which is a bacterial infection of the mammary glands. Untreated, this condition can turn to gangrene, and the infection can prove to be fatal. The puppies will develop diarrhoea from nursing on the infected nipples, so you need to hand feed the pups with a dog milk replacer.

The dog will have to get an antibiotic from the vet. Usually Cephalexin. The dose goes by your dog’s body weight — 15 mg per pound of body weight, given every eight to 12 hours depending on the severity of the problem. The 250 mg capsule is a perfect dose for a 15 pound dog.  Bt no puppies can feed if the mother is on antibiotics. My  female cat is two years old and I’ve just recently noticed her whiskers falling out. Is this normal? If not, what could that mean?It is not unusual for cats to lose a few whiskers now and again, especially when they are rundown, but prolonged or frequent loss of whiskers can be an early indication of general ill health. Watch out for other symptoms such as discharge from the eyes, ears or anus, hair-loss, brittle nails or bad breath. If she continues to lose whiskers or has any other of the symptoms listed, please take your cat to the vet for a full examination.I have a 10 year old female shepherd that I am now having problems with. While out walking she barks at other dogs. This has only started happening since I had to put my male shepherd to sleep two months ago. They had been together since they were puppies. Help.It seems that your dog is experiencing unresolved grief about her dead companion. There are some Bach Flower Remedies specifically meant to be given for loss and grief.  You can give her Rescue Remedy. I would definitely suggest taking an unfamiliar route when you walk your dog.  Increase her exercise to help relieve stress and give her extra attention.  If you meet another dog along the way and she starts to bark, cross the street or turn around and walk in the opposite direction. You can also use a tiny treat to distract her. It wouldn’t hurt to bring in another friend for her.  I wouldn’t recommend a puppy.  I’d recommend a middle aged, submissive and gentle male dog to give her a sense of companionship she so craves.

Maneka Gandhi responds to queries raised by  animal lovers across the city