We rescue wildlife. I’ve had a fox in the garden who appears to have advanced mange. He is very emaciated. I have two-year-old mix of mange medicine (Panomec) with honey. Would it still be effective? Roger, Oxon

This fox sounds really poorly and although the mange drug (Panomec) has a long shelf life when stored properly, this is not the case when it is mixed with another substance, in this case honey. I cannot recommend you use this potion. It sounds like this fox may need more than mange treatment. Ideally you need to trap the animal and get a vet to check him over. I know this is easier said than done, but you may be able to enlist the RSPCA to help. They may at the very least provide you with a suitable trap to catch it.

We have a 22-week-old border collie cross. She has been examined at the vet’s and is in good health. I spoke to the vet about having her spayed and he said it was his policy to do this at six months, before her first season. What is your policy on this please? Jenny, Oxford

We are advised that bitches that are spayed before their first season are more likely to develop bladder incontinence later in life. My policy is to explain this to owners and leave the choice up to them.

My seven-week-old kitten got the lower half of his body stuck under a folded lawn chair. Now he sleeps on one side and limps. He lets me move all the digits on his paws. I asked the vet who said, at seven weeks, their bones were very soft and pliable and it was unlikely that a bone would break. Debbie, Oxon

I have never come across a bone that was soft and pliable and in my experience they are very likely to break! However, broken bones are very painful and animals are very reluctant to take weight on them, so I suspect that if it was broken, the lameness would be much worse and he would be very sore when you touch the area. There would be heat and swelling, and possibly the shape of the leg would be altered.

It does sound like this is a case of bad bruising and, if so, will be much better two weeks after the accident.

Keep, an eye on him and take him back to your vet if there is no change or if he becomes poorly in the meantime.