News Hound Ady & Flo www.sunlive.co.nz

When the boss said Ady and I were due for shots, I ran excitedly and waited by the gun cabinet. It's been ages since we went shooting. About time.

But the news was not that exciting, because those weren't the sort of shots the boss had in mind this week. Our friendly mobile vet, Jorg Thamm, arrived in his mobile vet van, the one with the 0800 VETCALL sign on the side.

It was time for our annual inoculations and a top-up of the flea treatment. The boss decided we needed worming, for good measure. That's always fun, because it involves wolfing down a tasty ball of mince. But whoa, Jorg, be careful where you go with that needle!

The shots were a bit of a test however. I still remember going to see Jorg a few months ago and coming back minus some of my womanly charms. Never mind, it was over in a jiffy and Jorg was friendly and helpful as ever. It's a great service having the vet call at our place. We get treated in the comfort of our own backyard and there's no nervous waiting at the vet clinic, or the chance of dead-heating with an angry cat in a cage.

Thanks so much to Jorg and his lovely staff at Mount Vet Hospital, which runs the 0800 VETCALL vans. Now we are set for the summer.

If you've got any questions about animal care, give 0800 VETCALL a shout. They can answer just about anything to do with pets and critters. Although I don't know if they could answer some of the queries below. These are true questions fielded by some customer service people:

My cat just came in from the garage and I was wondering... how many calories are in a mouse?

I have a neutered male cat. How old should he be before I can breed him?

What should I feed a borderline collie?

What size litter box do I need to keep my cat comfy?

Is it normal for a dog to shed?

How can I keep my cat from stealing my husband's toothbrush?

My cat passed a stool on the indoor rug and it's stuck in the vacuum cleaner. Any suggestions?

How can I get the secret recipe for your special dog food?

How do I stop my cat from giving food to the dog?

Your food turned my dog into a stud. Now what do I do?

Will chewing cans remove enamel from my puppy's teeth?

Where can I get a six-toed cat?"

Okey dokey, that's it from us for the week. In the meantime, get your shots up to date (but not up the date) and watch out for angry moggies in cages. Especially the six-toed ones.

- Flo