Q My grandma’s pups are six-weeks-old and one of them has twice passed worms within 20 minutes of each other. After passing the worms the puppy falls asleep. The puppy weighs much less than the other pups and has done since it was born. It has been wormed twice. Jake and John (aged 12), Woodstock A Your puppy will probably be fine if his symptoms are purely down to the worms. It is not unusual for puppies to pass worms as they are all born with worms in their tummies. You are doing things the right way by worming regularly. I recommend a dose every two weeks from four-weeks-old until 12-weeks-old. It is important to be sure the dose is right for the weight of the puppy and to be sure the puppy is actually swallowing the dose and suckling. Also have a vet examine him.

Q My rat is a year old and four weeks ago she developed a lump on her belly. it is now about the size of a halved golf ball. She gets around okay but now her breathing is bad and she does not eat much. What should I do? T Mann, Headington A I suspect your rat is really quite ill. Lumps on female rats are common and it could be an abscess, a cyst or a tumour. You should take her to your vet to have this checked out, especially as she is going off her food. If this lump is a tumour it needs to be dealt with quickly.