From all of the team we would like to wish you and your pets a safe and Happy Christmas and New Year!

During the holiday period we will be open as follows:
Saturday 23rd December - 8am-4pm
Sunday 24th December - CLOSED
Monday 25th December - CLOSED
Tuesday 26th December - CLOSED
Wednesday 27th December - 8am-7pm
Thursday 28th December - 8am-7pm
Friday 29th December - 8am-7pm
Saturday 30th December - 8am-4pm
Sunday 31st December - CLOSED
Monday 1st January - CLOSED
Tuesday 2nd January - 8am-7pm

For emergencies outside these hours contact the Animal Emergency Centre on 8362 1722, 102 Magill Road, Norwood.

VACCINATIONS - ASK US FOR THE RIGHT ADVICE

Vaccination is a hot topic in the media at the moment. There's plenty of information and scare tactics floating around on social media and so when it comes to vaccinating your pet, we want you to get the right advice.

The take home message is that vaccination is one of the most important tools we have available to help keep your pet healthy. Vaccinations are safe, have minimal (if any) side effects and the reason we recommend vaccinations is because they work.

These are the top reasons vaccinations are so vital:

• They protect against deadly diseases: many dangerous diseases are completely preventable with the correct vaccinations.
• Vaccinations save money: vaccinations are substantially less expensive than the cost of treatment for the diseases they prevent. 
• You can board your pet with other animals: if you ever plan to board your dog or cat he must be up to date with his vaccinations - what would happen if you had a family emergency and boarding was the only option?
• Visits to the vet hospital: if your pet has to stay in hospital he needs to be vaccinated. If your pet is sick, his immune system may be already be compromised so you want to know he is protected.

There are many diseases we are able to vaccinate against but your pet's health, lifestyle and where you live may affect which vaccinations are deemed necessary - we can help you make an informed decision and are always happy to discuss vaccinations with you.

When it comes to vaccinating your pet, we will give you the right advice.

Don't feed bread to Ducks!

Rotting bread pollutes the water and causes nasty surface algae, which kills the fish and gives ducks diseases. It also makes the water smell.

OK TO FEED:

• Cut seedless grapes
• Cooked rice
• Birdseed
• Peas & Corn
• Oats
• Chopped lettuce

Bread makes ducks ill as it does not contain the right nutrition or calories that they need to keep warm in the winter.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE FOR DENTAL CARE

It's not uncommon for us to see an older pet with dental disease but many people are worried about their senior pet having to undergo a dental procedure.

In fact, as our pets get older, their immune system becomes less effective at fighting off bacterial and viral diseases so good dental health is more important than ever!

Senior pets may be missing or have worn down teeth and this can affect their ability to chew and digest their food. They are also very good at hiding dental pain and soldiering on, so many owners put changes down to 'getting old.'