We welcome readers to send in questions on pet care or general pet health problems. All questions will be answered by our distinguished Vet Consultants:

- Dr Jean - Paul Ly

- Dr Chong Lay Hoon

- Dr. Hsu Li Chieh of The Animal Clinic
55 Lorong L, Telok Kurau #01-63, Bright Centre, Singapore 425500. Tel: 64404767.

- Dr. Edmond Tan of Edmond Tan Veterinary Surgery
Blk 151Serangoon North Avenue 2 #01-65, Singapore. Tel:62821581

All questions & answers will be updated weekly.

Commonly Asked Questions on Dogs:

1. What are the responsibilties involved in owning a pet dog?

Owning a pet dog requires commitment on your part to provide:

• proper housing (i.e. protection from the elements)
• food and water
• bathing and grooming
• exercising
• proper healthcare
• love and affection

2. What must I consider when choosing a pet dog?

Questions you need to ask yourself before you decide which breed of dog is most suitable for your lifestyle will include:

• How much time can I afford looking after the dog? Long-haired dogs require daily grooming and care especially in our hot and humid climate.
• Do you live in an apartment or a landed property? Small breed dogs are most suited for apartment living while larger breeds will require more space. Also, HDB and most private apartments will only allow toy breeds, to be kept.
• Should I have a male or female dog? Male dogs tend to be more territorial and can sometimes be aggressive. Female dogs however, do come on heat every 6 months and may cause some inconvenience for the owner. Also, they have the potential of getting pregnant unless they are sterilized.

3. Why must I get my dog vaccinated?

Dogs are susceptible to various bacterial and viral infections much like in humans. Also, most of these infection can be transmitted through the oronasal route i.e. through inhalation of droplets from other dogs. Some of these infections can be fatal especially in the younger dogs and so vaccination is highly recommended. Dogs should be vaccinated against distemper, infectious hepatitis, parainfluenza, adenovirus H, leptospirosis, kennel cough, viral gastroenteritis. Vaccinations are recommended to be given at ages of 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeds (or 8 weeks and 12 weeks).

4. Should I get my dog sterilized?

Unless there is the intention to breed from your dog, physical sterilization of both the male and female animal is highly recommended. This helps to control the pet population from unwanted offspring. In addition, for female dogs, sterilization removes the stresses associated with the heat periods both for the dog and also for the owner. It also removes the risk of infection of the uterus and reduces the risk of mammary cancer. In male dogs, sterilization reduces or halts its aggression, urine marking, roaming tendency and "mounting" of humans.