SINGAPORE - In this fortnightly column, veterinarians from the National Parks Board answer questions about pet health and behaviour.

'Hole' in Shiba Inu's hip from constant biting

A Shiba Inu has been left in my care by its owner. In January, I noticed it was licking and biting his hip. When I checked, I discovered a "hole". I have no idea if it's a burn, scald or a skin rash. I bought a head guard and a liquid spray to protect it from further harming itself. Is this a serious condition or can it be treated using over-the-counter remedies?

Charie De Guzman

Itching, which causes biting, licking or scratching, fur loss and redness of the skin, are common signs of skin inflammation. Some of the more common causes of skin inflammation in dogs are irritation, allergies and infection from bacteria, yeast, fungus or parasites.

Some cases of localised skin inflammation may occasionally be resolved on their own. But you should consult a vet, who will be able to thoroughly examine the dog and conduct any tests required to diagnose medical conditions.

He or she will also dispense the suitable medications needed for treatment and can advise on ways to alleviate the itch and make your dog feel more comfortable, as well as how to reduce the recurrence of such problems.

Inform the vet of any past medical history such as visits and treatments at other clinics, past parasite treatments, current diet, as well as shampoo or other topical creams or solutions that are being used.

It is a good idea to prevent your dog from licking and biting the area, as you have done using the head guard. This will reduce any further irritation to the skin.

The Elizabethan collar - also called E-collar, buster collar or cone collar - also helps and can be cleaned and kept for future use.

Pomeranian's coughing fits

My eight-year-old pomeranian has a chronic cough, possibly due to a collapsed trachea. The coughing is intermittent. She seems to be in distress when she has a coughing fit. How do I relieve the problem?

Lilian Lee

Coughing can be distressing for your dog and may be an indication of an underlying health condition that needs to be addressed.

Frequent coughing may also result in further irritation or inflammation to the respiratory tract that, in turn, worsens the cough. Visit a vet as soon as possible, if you have not already done so.

The vet can conduct a thorough physical examination to assess your dog's overall health and may recommend diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, to determine the underlying cause of the cough.

This is important as different conditions - such as heart disease, chronic canine bronchitis and tracheal collapse - can cause chronic cough and will require different types of management.

Your vet will also be able to recommend a suitable approach to manage your dog's cough depending on his or her findings, which may include medications or potentially surgery.

Other adjunctive measures that may provide some relief include avoiding pressure on your dog's neck area. This can be done, for example, by using a chest harness when she is taken for walks, to avoid pressure from a leash on her neck collar.

Other measures include keeping her weight in a healthy range; reducing over-excitement or over-exertion that may cause barking or increased breathing effort; and keeping her in humid environments, such as areas that are not air-conditioned, for prolonged periods. You can also use humidifiers around her.

• Answers by Dr Juline Chua, a veterinarian from the Animal Veterinary Service who is involved in animal health-related policy work. She loves all breeds of cats and dogs, especially Labradors.

• Have a query about your pet? E-mail it with clear, high- resolution pictures of at least 1MB, if any, and your full name to stlife@ sph.com.sg. We reserve the right to edit and reject questions.

Webinar

Catch a free webinar by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) about how to take care of pet rabbits on April 24, 11am, on AnimalBuzz's Facebook page. Dr Chang Siow Foong from AVS and Dr Cathy Chan from veterinary clinic The Animal Doctors will host the session with animal welfare groups, House Rabbit Society Singapore and Bunny Wonderland.