What a busy time of year I hope everyone had a safe an enjoyable Christmas, now its back in to another fun filled year at the clinic.

Over the Christmas break Mandy's eldest son Joel was selected for the Men's National Netball Competition. Joel will be representing the Victorian Under 19 Men's team, we would like to congratulate Joel on his achievement and wish him all the best for the Nationals this year in April 2010.

January sees us saying goodbye to one of our nurses Tali who is now officially on maternity leave, eagerly awaiting the arrival of her second child. We wish Tali and Luke all the best and look forward to Tali's return in the future. It is also a sad farewell to Khaled one of our Veterinarians who has taken an intern position and we wish him all the best in for the future. But we also welcome back senior nurse Jo who is returning to work after giving birth to her second child. Her cheery face and experience will be a pleasure to have back.

Come into the clinic on Monday the 25^th for your chance to receive a 10% discount off your consult, vaccinations or routine desexing. All you need to do is answer a relative easy trivia question on Australia and its history, be patriotic and you could be a WINNER.

Feeding your pet correctly is one of the most important things you can do to ensure a long and healthy life. 'You are what you eat' applies to pets as much as it does to us. A great new year's resolution is to start the year off feeding your pet correctly.

Here are some tips:

1. Feed a premium quality food formulated for your pet's stage of life: ask us to recommend a specific diet for your pet, there are suitable diets for a senior pet and for pets prone to gaining weight

2: Get your pet's weight checked: a weigh in at the clinic and a discussion about the ideal weight for your pet is essential

3. Measure the quantity of food and feed according to recommendations: don't just guess the amount necessary, as it is easy to feed too much

4. Avoid continually topping up the bowl, this is an easy way to overfeed and increase the calories

5.  Avoid feeding your left overs and table scraps, it is an easy way to give your pet an upset stomach

An Australian company has been involved in the exciting development of a new anti-cancer drug. So far there have been some very promising results.

The drug, EBC-46 is derived from a Queensland rainforest plant and it works by recruiting the patient's own immune system to destroy the treated tumour. After the drug is injected into the tumour, the tumour shrinks in size very rapidly.

EBC-46 has been used to treat advanced tumours in cats, dogs and horses that have no other option for treatment and cannot be removed surgically. There are now more veterinary trials planned by the company in the coming months.

There is hope that the drug has the potential to become useful for a number of significant human and animal cancers where there is currently a very poor prognosis. Click here to read more.

Remember: if you notice a new lump or growth on your pet, the sooner we examine it the better. It is much easier to remove a lump when it is small and before it has had the chance to spread elsewhere.

Taking your dog to the beach on a hot summer's day is a great way to relax, socialise and cool off. Here's a few beach etiquette tips:

1. Remember that not all beaches are dog friendly. Check with your local council before you go. Find out if your dog is allowed off leash

2. Always make sure you are in control of your dog, never let your dog bound up to strangers or annoy others

3. Always pick up your dog's poo

4. Keep dogs off dunes and native vegetation areas where possible. Shore birds such as oystercatchers, plovers and terns nest in the dried seaweed band along the high tide mark and will not breed if disturbed. Signs are often posted on beaches to warn you of sensitive nesting areas

5. Take care near the water, dogs that swim in the surf can easily drown if they are swept under by a wave; consider placing a life jacket on your dog

6. Don't let your dog eat any dead fish or birds, these can be toxic if ingested

Visit http://www.petnet.com.au/parks-beaches to find a dog friendly beach near you.

If you've noticed your pet is drinking more water lately it might be more than just the warmer weather. Increased thirst can be a sign of chronic kidney disease.

The kidneys contain thousands of little factories called Nephrons and their job is to work out how much water should be conserved in the body. Once damaged or destroyed, Nephrons do not function properly and can't regenerate. As a result, the body doesn't conserve enough water and your pet needs to drink more to stay hydrated. This can become particularly evident during the warmer months.

Toxins, drugs, diseases or even just old age can damage the Nephrons and your pet may not appear unwell until 75% of these Nephrons are damaged. Early intervention is the key to managing the disease. Regular blood and urine tests, especially after the age of 7 years, allow us to monitor the trend of your pet's kidney function and initiate treatment early. Diet modification and in some cases medication are needed to help out the kidneys.

If you are concerned or have noticed a change in your pet's thirst, please call us to arrange an appointment.

The recently released book, poisonous2pets, is a great reference for all dog and cat owners. As we all know, our four legged friends often find the strangest things to investigate and eat but are oblivious to the consequences. This easy to use, full colour book provides fast access to information and photographs of the plants that are potentially poisonous to your pet.

A coloured strip on each page indicates the toxicity level of the plant. This allows you to quickly decide what action you should take and whether your pet needs veterinary attention immediately. There is also a handy boxed section indicating the signs and symptoms your pet may exhibit.

The book will give you some tips on how to 'poison proof' your garden and help you to choose pet friendly plants. It may surprise you to see just how many plants there are out there that can cause problems.

Of course, if you are ever concerned or you think that your pet has been poisoned remember to always call us immediately; we will advise you on what you should do next.

Click here to view the website for more information.