Wishing you and your pet all the very best for a Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

From all your friends at the Beaconsfield Veterinary Centre.

We would like to introduce our new veterinarian, Angela Harris. Angela graduated in 2004 with honours and the surgery prize from the University of Melbourne. She left to work in a busy regional hospital in Mildura for several years, completing post graduate study in emergency medicine before travelling and working around Australia for 6 months. She has spent the last 2 years working in London and travelling throughout the world.

In her spare time she loves triathlons. She ran her first marathon last year and plans to run several more. She has 2 cats ‘Seek' and ‘Destroy' who she rescued and bottle fed from 3 weeks of age. Angela's knowledge and experience will be a great asset to the clinic.

Here at the clinic we like to 'give something back' to the community by donating $500 every second month to help support local associations. The donations to date stand at $15,500. Our clients are welcome to contact us to nominate a non-profit organisation in their community that they feel is worthy of the donation.

What are you getting your furry friend for Christmas? The list is endless but here are a few suggestions:

• Quality time: the best present you can give your pet is love and a good cuddle; they'll appreciate it more than anything
• Juicy bone: available from any good butcher, give a fresh raw bone that is big enough to chew on all day
• Cat dangler: cats love anything that dangles and flutters and will go nuts over a toy mouse
• Interactive toys: there are heaps available that require your pet to remove a treat providing hours of entertainment, ask us for information
• Slippery brick: a frozen ice block using beef or chicken stock can be a great treat and distraction on a hot day

Tips for a safe Christmas:

• Watch out for potential toxins with chocolate, nuts, garlic or onions
• Avoid cooked bones from the barbeque and watch out for left over meat on barbeque skewers, often the skewer is ingested too
• Be careful of left overs from your Christmas dinner, they can cause tummy upsets and diarrhoea

Merry Christmas to you and your pets!

Over summer, flies can cause as much grief for our pets as they do for us. Dogs are particularly prone to irritation around the ears and nose from the bites of these annoying insects. 

Flies carry bacteria and bites can lead to a nasty infection causing damage to the skin. Flies love to lay eggs in warm, damp fur and especially in an open wound. It sounds scary but if the wound goes undetected, the eggs can hatch into maggots in less than 24 hours. 

So how can you prevent flies from bothering your pet? Start by keeping your pet's area clean. Pick up any faeces as soon as possible and don't leave any food out during the day. This includes bones. Clean your pet's bedding at least weekly to reduce any smells.

If you notice any flecks of dried blood around the ears or nose you need to remove this with damp cotton wool. The blood will simply continue to attract flies. Check your pet's coat daily, concentrating on hidden areas and around the bottom. Call us if you are concerned.  

There are products available that are safe for your pet and will repel flies and mosquitoes so your pet can enjoy a stress free summer.  Ask us for more information.

Designed specifically for dogs, Advantix repels and kills mosquitoes and biting flies, as well as ticks and fleas. Go to www.advantix.com.au

Eddie, the hairy Labradoodle was having some terrible ear troubles. Both of his ears were red and sore and he was shaking his head and rubbing his ears on the furniture.

His ears were examined with an otoscope; an instrument that shines light into the ear canal. Both canals were swollen and full of dark, smelly wax. A sample was collected and examined under the microscope revealing a large amount of yeast.

Eddie suffers from allergies and when his ears become irritated, his constant itching makes them red and sore. Yeast love warm, dark and moist conditions, so Eddie's inflamed ear is the perfect environment for yeast to reproduce.

Medication is not very effective unless the horrible wax is removed, so Eddie had his ears cleaned under an anaesthetic. This involves flushing the ears with warm saline until they are clear of wax, allowing better penetration of medication.  

After his procedure, Eddie was sent home with an ointment to settle the inflammation and kill the yeast. Thankfully, he is now a much happier and more comfortable dog.

If your pet has itchy ears, call us for an appointment as the sooner we start treatment the better.

On a hot summer's day our pets cannot change their wardrobe or turn on the air conditioning to keep cool. Consider these points to avoid heatstroke in your pet.

• Is shade available all day?
• Is fresh, cool water always in reach? Provide more than one water source in case of spillage
• For indoor pets, is the house cool throughout the day?
• NEVER leave your pet in the car; even a quick errand can be dangerous
• NEVER exercise your pet in the heat of the day
• All animals are at risk but be extra careful of brachycephalic breeds (dogs with short noses such as Pugs and Bulldogs), heavy coated or overweight animals, and pets with heart or respiratory problems  

Signs of heatstroke:

• Excessive panting and drooling
• Blueish or bright red tongue and gums
• Staggering or seizures

First aid for heatstroke:

• Cool your pet immediately; immersing your pet's body in cool water is best or use a hose
• Provide airflow over your pet with a fan
• Seek veterinary attention right away, use your car's air conditioning when travelling to vet

Intensive care may be required to save your pet's life. Ask us for more information or if you are concerned.

Are you thinking of getting a new pet this Christmas? Have you considered adoption? Providing a pet with a happy home can be very rewarding and your new best friend will never let you forget how much they love you for giving them a second chance.

There are plenty of animal shelters and rescue organisations with healthy and well mannered animals for adoption. Some may have simply been put up for adoption as their owner has passed away or moved overseas.

When enquiring about an animal, get as much information as possible and always make sure a vet check has been performed. Not all health problems can be ruled out or foreseen but it is an essential start. You also need to work out if the animal has been well socialised and doesn't have any aggression problems, so spend some time together before you make any decisions.

Visit http://www.petnet.com.au/issues/adoption to find a shelter near you.