Q My six-year-old westie with a wheat, flea and tick intolerance; she has been itching and is very pink. The vet has done a blood test, but at £300 a time, I’m finding it hard to keep up with the bills. Please can you suggest anything to get rid of it for good?

A: This type of allergic eczema is common in westies (west highland terriers). The good news is that the expensive blood test you had done should not have to be repeated. You need to avoid contact with those things that trigger the itch. First step is to feed a diet which is wheat (gluten) free. There are plenty of these on the market eg Trophy Sensitive & Shine (www.trophypetfoods.co.uk ). Then you need to keep her as flea and tick-free as possible by using a spot-on tick and flea medicine such as Advantix. This is applied every four weeks. Treat the house as well with a spray such as Skoosh. If you take all of these steps and you are persistent it should be possible to have better control of the itch.

Q: Our dog, Tess, is suffering from a bad eye despite five visits to the vet and three lots of eyedrops The vet seems puzzled as to what is the matter. Her eye is bloodshot and is running occasionally and she is closing it. I feel bad for her so would welcome any suggestions.

A: This is obviously a stubborn one and there are many possible causes. I always get a second opinion from a specialist if, after some treatment, there is reddening of the white of the eye (bloodshot), clouding of the cornea, signs of pain, uneven pupil size and persistent discharge. Eyes can be very tricky to get to the bottom of but there is help out there. It may be time to ask for a referral to an eye specialist.

Q: My two-year-old collie competes in agility competitions. I have real trouble keeping weight on her. Is this because she is still growing? I feed her tinned meat with some dry kibbles and more than is recommended on the packet. Please help!

A: Some dogs do struggle to gain weight while they are still growing and this may be part of her problem. However, she is taking part in a very demanding sport and coIlie dogs do things with incredible enthusiasm and energy and I suspect your feeding regime is not quite supplying all that she needs. However, there are foods on the market which may suit her better as they are aimed at dogs who work hard such as her. I recommend Supadog Active, made by Burgess. This is a complete dry food and it is designed to provide all the energy and nutrients needed by these special dogs. Visit www.burgesspetcare.co.uk

Q: I’m wondering what to do with our cat when we go away for holidays – is he OK to be at home with twice-daily visits for food, or is a cattery a better option and take him away from the environment he knows?

A: Actually if you have a reliable friend/neighbour whom your cat knows and who is willing to cat-sit then there is no problem with that arrangement. There may be a slightly increased risk of him going walkabout if he gets lonely, so get him identichipped just in case. I think cats are very adaptable creatures and seem to accept a period of captivity without getting overly stressed and for this reason I suggest a cattery is also fine. Here you have the added benefit of knowing he is safe and secure at all times. Check out your local catteries before you make a decision – I am sure he will be fine either way.

Vet Barton Stephen of The Elms Veterinary Surgery, Faringdon, has worked with animals for more than 20 years. So, if it’s a poorly hamster or an untrained pup, he’s the man to help. Email: questions2barton@aol.com Write: PO BOX 3562 Faringdon SN7 9AQ