Hey! The whole neighbourhood is talking about it...'CLEAN UP' Now down at the vets.

Spring Cleaning can be refreshing and it looks like we are in for a hot and steamy summer, so it's good to be cleaned up and prepared. This month it's all about cleaning up, being prepared and protecting our pets from all the summer nasties. You can read about how to protect your pets from snakes in the grass. This month is your last chance to clean up and Win when you lose ticks, fleas and worms. Meet CC, our AquaDog swimmer winner, who has certainly cleaned up with a new happy active life just by hanging out at the pool. There's also a great story about how the vets cleaned up Smudge's nasty cough and her whole family became winners!

So this month CLEAN UP...be prepared, become a winner and look forward to some warm, happy, summer days of play.

Your LAST CHANCE to clean up  and WIN $10,000 or $1,000 gift cards. Be a winner... lose ticks, fleas and worms. For more information go to  www.bayeranimal.com.au 

CC is a 6 year old Lhasa Apso who first arrived on our doorstep in May this year. She couldn't walk as she had become completely paralysed in her hind legs after jumping off the bed at home and rupturing two discs in her spine.

Her vet recommended swimming at AquaDog because it is a non-weight bearing therapy. To our delight, CC when in the water, could actually move her hind legs!. She began gently paddling only one and a half laps of the pool three times a week. After only one week she began to try to use her legs out of the pool to walk. After 4 weeks she began to walk with some assistance and within 2mths she was walking again unaided!

CC's family are amazed at her recovery. Her dad Wayne believes 'CC wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the benefits of swimming at AquaDog. This sort of hydrotherapy has rebuilt the wasted muscles in her legs so she can walk again.'

Now after nearly 5 months, CC swims an amazing 11 laps each session. She is almost fully recovered. 'She is running around doing everything a normal, happy dog does!' Wayne shared with us recently 'She loves coming to AquaDog, so much that when we pull up in the car park she gets so excited. She can't wait to run in, get her float jacket on and jump in the pool. She loves it so much that she doesn't even need a lead and will swim a whole lap on her own.'

Well done CC, you're a champion AquaDog swimmer with a champion family supporting you. The team at AquaDog are proud of you all.

Around 6,000 dogs and cats are treated in Australia each year after being bitten by snakes. If treated quickly, pets have a good chance of survival but there's much we can do to prevent bites in the first place. As we move into the warmer months, it's a good time to take stock and make your local environment as safe as possible. Here's what you can do:

Backyard clean up - keep grass cut short, remove any garden rubbish, woodpiles or debris
Discourage rodents - remove food sources for rodents such as open feed bags or fruit dropped from trees. Rodents are a food source for snakes and will attract snakes into a backyard.
Keep away from long grass - keep dogs on leads near long grass or river banks.
 
Look out for the following signs of possible snakebite:

• Shaking or shivering
• Listlessness
• Drooling
• Dilated pupils
• Red coloured urine

[Cats that have been bitten are often quiet, not very responsive and floppy when picked up]

First aid:
If you suspect snakebite call us immediately for assistance. The quicker we can treat a victim of snakebite, the better are the chances of survival.

Keep your pet calm and prevent from walking. Where possible carry and limit any movement that may increase the rate of movement of venom in the body.

Don't try to kill the snake - many people get bitten this way and many snakes are protected species. 

Smudge the Siamese had always experienced a cough but it had suddenly deteriorated. A visit to her vet revealed she was wheezing and breathing more rapidly; further investigation was required.

A blood test ruled out heartworm and revealed a high number of inflammatory cells in her blood stream, meaning there was something irritating her airways. Xrays showed that her lung tissue had changed, the result of constant inflammation.

The next step was an 'endotracheal lavage'. Under an anaesthetic, a small amount of fluid is washed into the airways and the remnants from the wash are examined at a pathology lab.

Thankfully this ruled out the parasite lungworm and it helped to confirm the diagnosis of feline asthma.  

Smudge's owner is a cigarette smoker and was shocked to learn that this can cause asthma in cats. But why did Smudge's cough suddenly get worse? We discovered the likely culprit  - a new brand of very dusty kitty litter.

Smudge required medication to help settle her cough and she went back to using the normal, dust free litter. Her owner quit smoking and they are both now much happier and healthier.   

Our puppy pre-school is 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, parents 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.
To join our next class, please call the location that suits your family and ask our friendly staff for more details or click here

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

Congratulations to all our recent graduates of our Puppy Preschool classes:

At Nerang: Class commenced 12.8.09
Mia Bartlett, Bella Hancock, Penny Waldron, MJ Flether, Roman Kimberley, Ruby Sullivan, Ruby Davies, Pebbles Grioli

At Helensvale: Class commenced 17.8.09
Max Bartlett, Alli Eicke, Daisy Weissel, Rusty Bianchi, Lilly Woodward, Milo Holt, Lucy Zahalka, Lilly Jordan

At Arundel: Class commenced 18.8.09
Rolf O'Connor, Bear Moody, Toree Milliner, Millie Lucas

Thank you to all the enthusiastic puppy preschoolers and their dedicated families 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.