Happy New Year...

Wishing you and your pets a New Year full of good health, fun and fitness and many happy summer days of play with special friends and family.

Apart from being closed on New Years Day our normal opening hours will apply During January. For after hours and emergency veterinary care, please call the clinic and listen to the message for contact details.

Out of small beginnings grow great things! The first wag of a puppy's tail is the start of a lifetime of happiness

Its summer holiday time, a great fun time for pets and families! As we leave the indulgences of the festive season behind we celebrate new beginnings and happy endings for our family pets - both the young ones and the young at heart.

For the best start to new life for puppies and kittens

The food you choose to feed your puppy and kittens during the first year is critical to their adult development, health and growth. Hill's Science Diet is specially designed to provide all the nutrition your puppy or kitten needs. It provides complete nutrition, without excesses or deficiencies to help avoid health problems. Hill's offers a complete range of Science Diet puppy and kitten foods including treats to meet all your little ones unique nutritional needs and enrich your pet's life.

Receive a FREE fun and informative book about puppies or kittens this month...with any purchase of Hills Science Diet puppy or kitten formula

New beginnings make happy endings when you microchip your pet

Young or young at heart, it's never too late to ensure your best friend can find their way home. Simply and easy - it only takes a few minutes for us to insert a tiny identification chip under your pet's skin. Collars can be lost but with a microchip if ever you are separated from your pet a veterinarian or animal officer can scan the microchip and access your contact details from a national pet registry.

Celebrate new beginnings and especially happy endings... Microchip your pet NOW for only $40 (with desexing) normally $55 - Have you heard our pets talking about it over the fence?

The summer holidays were over and it was back to school for the kids. Jack, the 2 year old Kelpie cross didn't cope so well. The family had been around every day for the past months but were now suddenly gone for long periods. Jack started chewing the legs of the outdoor table setting, digging up the garden and howling all day while the kids were away.

Jack was suffering from separation anxiety and was fretting constantly. Howling and destructive behaviour were helping alleviate his stress.

How can you prevent this situation?

• Teach your dog to be comfortable when separated from you. As the school holidays come to an end, gradually build up the time spent away from the family
• Make the time apart a positive experience by leaving your dog with something to do. Rawhide chews, treatballs and other food treats can help divert their attention. Visit www.kongcompany.com for ideas
• When you leave your dog alone turn on some music or talkback radio
• Lessen the enthusiasm in your hellos and goodbyes to help make those moments calmer - this will lead to less anxiety
• Reward your dog only when behaving in a calm and relaxed manner

These tips helped alleviate Jack's anxiety and he is now content when left at home. Contact us if you feel your pet is suffering from separation anxiety or other behavioural problems.

Aquadog is a great, safe and fun place for swimming and our puppy swim classes are making new splashes in the New Year. We believe puppy swim classes are very important steps in a puppy's learning, especially when it comes to water safety. With summer fun upon us and many families enjoying a refreshing splash in the backyard pool we need to be aware of the risk of drowning. Our pets, especially adventuresome puppies are also at risk.

That's why all our puppy preschool graduates are offered the opportunity to complete a specialised puppy swim class at Aquadog as a part of our preschool program. The puppies have such a delightful time learning that swimming is safe and loads of fun! It is ideal to start your dogs swimming at a young age to help build their confidence in water.

All puppies are born with an automatic reaction to ‘doggy paddle' when placed in or above water. There are many benefits to swimming your dog, especially if they learn to love water from an early age.

These include:

• Desensitisation to swimming and to prevent your puppy from growing up with a fear of being in water.
• To allow your puppy to build swimming confidence in a safe environment with people they know and trust, and are praised and rewarded for their bravery.
• To encourage water safety and prevent your dog from panicking in a situation where he or she needs to swim to safety.
• Swimming is excellent for fitness!It strengthens the heart and lungs and builds and strengthens your puppies muscles and joints
• For fun! Swimming provides excellent enrichment for your puppy, and different stimulation to encourage a happier, healthier dog!

Some dog breeds, like Golden Retrievers and Labradors, were specifically bred for swimming and water retrieval and these breeds normally have a natural swimming ability and love for water. However other breeds, like Bull terriers, Boxers, Dobermans and Rottweilers may not be as competent in the water because of their shape, size and muscle mass. These breeds often need help when learning to swim and may need to wear a buoyancy vest.

Remember that like learning any new thing, puppies may be anxious and hesitant to enter the water at first. This is completely normal as swimming is an unknown skill to them. Confidence in the water probably won't come from one swimming session.

Build your puppy's confidence and swimming skills...return within two weeks of completing puppy preschool for a half price 2nd swim session for your puppy ONLY $7.50. Aquadog is right next to The Vets at Nerang. Call our friendly team at Aquadog on 5502-2444 to arrange a fun introductory swim.

Aston Marton is a 20 week old female Labradoodle owned by Amelia and Damien.
 
Aston attended our December puppy swim class and is a perfect example of how great things can come from small beginnings! She was by far the champion achiever of the night! Aston was reluctant to get in at first but once she was suited up with her buoyancy vest and offered a few liver treats she was off to an impressive start! She was a natural born swimmer from the beginning, not having any difficulty at all and with minimum splashes! She was the only puppy who could manage 3 full laps without getting tired and was cheered on by all the other puppies and their owners. Even after the three laps it didn't look like she wanted to get out!
 
Both Amelia and Damian had a fabulous time with their gold medal swimmer puppy Aston and are comforted to know that when it comes to water safety for Aston, her new beginnings will have happy endings!! We look forward to seeing her making lots of new splashes in the New Year. Well done Aston

Aquadog ‘Join a Friend' summer fun offer
Our Aquadog coaches are always on the look out for new talent to try out for champion swim team and experience the health benefits and fun of swimming for fitness. The proven benefits to heart, muscles and joints are terrific for dogs of all ages. We'd like to thank our existing dedicated swim team and in the true spirit of Christmas experience the giving, sharing and togetherness of Summer Fun at the pool.

Make a splash together and share some summer fun. Bring a friend for an introductory swim and receive $20 to spend at Aquadog.
Just tell your friends to say that you sent them or bring them along for a swim and you will receive a $20 credit each time one of your friends join the Aquadog summer fun experience. For more information click here

Call our friendly swim team at Aquadog on 5502-2444 to arrange an introductory swim NOW

Puppy preschool is where we ‘Love, Listen, Laugh and Learn'. It's a fun way for puppies and families to learn all the skills required for a rewarding life together. Under the expert guidance of our qualified nurses, families can enjoy being involved in developing their new puppy's social skills to ensure they become polite and well behaved canine citizens. Classes are held once a week for 4 weeks 6.30 - 7.30pm at our Nerang, Helensvale and Arundel Clinics. To join our next class please call the location that suits your family and ask our friendly staff for more details.

Our 4 week program includes a puppy water safety class at our indoor swimming facility, Aquadog Health & Fitness Centre. For more information click here.

Congratulations to our recent graduates of our puppy preschool classes:

At Nerang: Class commenced 19.11.08

Storma Raughy, Lou Lou Fitzroy, Roger Johnson, Minnie Grazina; Rani Hughes, Molly Dimcheff, Ziggy Jones, Bella Price.

At Helensvale: Class commenced 10.11.08

Louis Alagic; Charlie Lawrie, Cassie Palmer, Aston-Marton White, Coco Ward, Bear Barwick, Norman O'brien,  Buddy Barton

Class commenced 11.11.08

CJ Lacey, Patch Scown, Demon Jones, Tinker Ansell, Gemma Johnston, Jasmine Parker.

Thank you to all the enthusiastic puppy preschoolers and their dedicated parents for sharing the experience with lots of learning, love and laughter. 

We hope you will enjoy the memories of your time together at puppy preschool by printing your class photo to display in the frame provided. To print your class photo or to email to friends and family go to our website www.thevets.com.au then go to E-cards to find your framed class photo.

Many of us will be driving long distances, often interstate this holiday season. It is not uncommon to come across injured wildlife along the way. What should you do?

Contact the local vet or wildlife hotline in that state. The numbers are:
VIC - 1300 WILDLIFE (1300 9453 5433)
NSW - 13000 WIRES or 1300 094 737 
ACT - 132 281 or RSPCA Wildlife - (02) 62878100
NT - Wildcare - (08) 8988 6121
QLD - (07) 5527 2444
SA - Fauna Rescue - (08) 8289 0896
TAS - (03) 6233 6556
WA - Wildcare - (08) 9334 0333

Some additional wildlife handling tips include:

• If you see an animal beside the road pull over only when it is safe to do so and put your hazard lights on
• Approach the animal carefully and cover it with a towel or blanket to calm it and contain it
• Stress is the major killer of injured animals so keep handling and disturbance to a minimum
• Do not attempt to feed or force it to drink

Remember, it is in the best interest of the animal to seek help as soon as possible. For more information go to www.wildlifevictoria.org.au or www.wires.org.au

Jasper the energetic Cocker Spaniel pup visited us earlier this month with an irritated ear. Earlier that day he had been to the park and had rummaged around in the long grass - his favourite activity. When home he suddenly started shaking his head and scratching his left ear frantically.

Examination of his ear canal with a special light called an otoscope revealed the culprit - a grass seed. The tip of it was only just visible but impossible to grab as Jasper was so sensitive.

Brief sedation allowed us to safely remove the grass seed without causing Jasper's delicate ear structures any damage.

Jasper was sent home a much happier dog. A revisit 3 days later ruled out any infection caused by scratching.

Prevention tips:

• Avoid walking your pet in long grass
• Check around your pet's ear for grass seeds
• If you suspect your pet has an ear problem call us to arrange an appointment

A world first trial involving a bunch of puppies and penguins is proving to be a success on an island off the coast of Warrnambool in Victoria.

Maremma dogs, commonly used to guard sheep flocks, are being used to protect penguin chicks from predators such as foxes. After a dire population of just four in 2005, the penguin numbers have bounced back this year.

A new generation of puppies are currently undergoing training to become permanent guardians of the breeding penguins. The dogs will be placed on the island and given a full time job keeping the penguins safe.

For more information on this story go to: https://www.coast2coast.org.au/PresentationPDFs/Amor.pdf