Winter is well and truly upon us, its nights like these where everyone just wants to stay at home, heater on and a nice warm cuppa, but that didn't keep the guys from attending one of the BIGGEST events held in our industry. Yes the annual veterinary ball.

Frocked up and ready to go looking absolutely stunning. Josh with his new hair do, Khaled ready for a dance off with any willing challenger and of course the girls looking beautiful.

From what I heard it was a fantastic night, The Palladium room at Crown Casino was magnificent, all it needed was a few television cameras and hundreds of screaming fans and it would have felt like the Logies.

The evening was one that will be talked about for sometime with the who's who of the vet profession being there, plus great food and music, champagne flowing all night and aching feet that will take some time to recover.

Here at the Beaconsfield Veterinary Centre we can offer the service of radiography to our clients. We have an automatic processor which makes the developing of xrays quicker and easier with a result in only a few minutes. All areas of the body can be xrayed to help us with diagnosis. Some of the conditions xrays can help us to identify include fluid in the chest cavity, foreign bodies and blockages of the intestines, heart disease, tooth root abscesses, bladder stones, arthritic changes to joints, and of course broken bones.

So if you have any concerns in regards to your pets health and would like us to investigate matters further please contact us, you are most welcome also just to arrange a time to tour the clinic and see our great facilities.

Dental disease is one of the most common diseases affecting dogs and cats. Teeth that are covered in tartar can lead to pain and disease elsewhere in your pet's body.

Prevention is better than cure and there is now a diet specially formulated to help clean your pet's teeth. The kibble is larger in size than normal and it has special properties to help resist crumbling. This means the tooth is 'scrubbed' as your pet chews.

The diet has been clinically proven to help reduce gingivitis (a nasty inflammatory condition of the gums caused by bacteria - laden plaque). It can also help improve your pet's smelly breath.

Dogs and cats find the diet very tasty but it needs to be fed daily for maximum effect. It is suitable to be fed alone and is full of antioxidants for a healthy immune system.  

Call us to arrange a dental check for your pet and we can help your pet to a healthier and better smelling mouth.

August is Hill's Pet Dental Month and Hill's is running The Million Dollar Smile competition. You could win $1,000,000. Competition closes 31st August. Visit www.petdental.com for more information.

Did you know that brushing your pet's teeth is considered the 'gold-standard' of dental care? 

Daily brushing is recommended but any brushing is considered beneficial.

Here are some tips:

1. Make it a daily routine. Always be calm and patient with your pet so it is a happy experience.

2. Start by getting your pet used to brushing with your index finger. Gently lift the lips and massage the gums and teeth. Praise your pet for allowing this.

3. Gradually build from here until your pet tolerates you massaging the gums for longer periods - this may take a few days to weeks.

4. Choose a suitable brush. Start with a finger brush initially and eventually move onto a firmer bristled brush. We have some excellent pet tooth brushes specially shaped to help.

5. Use a pet approved toothpaste. These are safe and are flavoured for added enjoyment. Never use human toothpaste.

6. Brush in a circular action, emphasising the brush stroke away from the gums. Brush all four sides of each tooth for two minutes.

Ask us to show you our dental care products.

To watch a good video on how to brush, click here: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-brush-your-pets-teeth 

Jet, the cheeky black cat loved roaming the streets and meeting with other cats in the neighbourhood. Getting too big for his boots, he got into a fight and returned home battered and bruised. Little did his owner know, the fight may have resulted in Jet contracting Feline Aids.

Feline Aids, also known as Feline Immundeficiency Virus (FIV) is spread via cat bites. Any cat that goes outdoors can be exposed to infection.  Whilst similar to HIV/AIDS in humans, FIV cannot infect people.

There is no treatment or cure for an infected cat. Positive cats may be healthy for years before their immune system gives up making them susceptible to diseases and ultimately early death. There is now a vaccination to help prevent FIV infection.

Thankfully Jet tested negative to the virus and a vaccination will need to be given yearly. Here are some other tips to prevent FIV:

* Limit exposure of indoor cats to outdoor cats.
* Keep outdoor cats indoors at night.
* Use caution when introducing a new cat. Have the cat tested for FIV.
* Isolate aggressive cats from other cats
* Desex all your cats - this reduces roaming and fighting behaviours

Earlier you read about Jet who had been in a fight with another cat. Jet was lucky in that he wasn't infected with FIV. He did not however, escape a cat bite abscess.

Cat bite abscesses are common. The cat's saliva contains lots of bacteria and when sharp teeth puncture the skin as a cat is fighting, the bacteria move in and set up an infection.

The bacteria become trapped under the skin and it can take more than a week for an abscess to develop. Your cat may develop a fever and appear unwell. Sometimes the abscess will erupt.

Look out for:

- A soft, painful swelling often at the tail end of the cat or around the head
- Lameness, caused by a bite on or under the leg
- Lethargy
- Loss of Appetite

The earlier an abscess is detected and treated, the better. If we can commence antibiotics and anti - inflammatories it may prevent the need for surgical drainage under a general anaesthetic.

Jet thankfully escaped surgery and is recovering from his ordeal.  If you think your cat has an abscess, call us for an appointment as soon as possible. 

Below is a selection of handpicked videos to give you a laugh. It shows just how intelligent and entertaining our pets can be.

Bailey Plays Dead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqlzuQfTwUk

Gin The Freestyle Dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kKnNyJvRAY

Balloon Dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQDBgQmnJbQ 

Next month we'll show you some smart cats!