Abbeyfields Veterinary Centre in Bishopthorpe Road, York offers some timely advice now spring is just around the corner.

Spring, and a tomcat's fancy turns to thoughts of ... queen cats, fighting over territory and swaggering around the streets at night.

The results include unexpected and often unwanted kittens, cat bite abscesses and road traffic accidents. Now is the time to get both male and female cats booked in for neutering.

Tom cats in particular make much better house cats if they are neutered. Both operations are normally straightforward, routine procedures, carried out under anaesthetic.

You may also be thinking of putting rabbits back out in their garden hutches. At this time of year wild rabbits will be out and about, and may come in contact with pet rabbits.

There are two serious and usually fatal, diseases which can be spread from wild to pet rabbits. They are myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease. Vaccines and other measures such as flea control can be used to reduce the risk to your rabbit. Ask your vet for advice. Dogs kept outside moult solely in the spring and autumn, getting their summer and winter coats respectively. However, house dogs tend to moult all year round, partly because the house temperature which suits humans is a little warmer than most dogs need. They will often moult even more in the spring.

Some breeds, for instance German Shepherds, can produce staggering amounts of undercoat. The general rule is if the dog is not going bald or patchy, then the amount of hair loss is normal.

If I could discover a substance that stopped dogs moulting, I could probably retire and buy a big house in the country. Here at Abbeyfields we have found some dogs moult less when given some of the fish or evening primrose oil products.

Finally if you plan to go away for Easter and wish to put your dog or cat in kennels or cattery, check their vaccinations are up to date. Kennels may also require a vaccination against some of the causes of kennel cough.

We now know that one of the kennel cough bugs can give cats flu-like symptoms, and your cattery may also request an extra vaccine to protect your cat.

Lesley Edwards,

Abbeyfields Veterinary Centre,

York.

Updated: 15:45 Friday, January 28, 2005