Ark Veterinary Hospital | Complete Pet Care

We hope you enjoy the newsletter.

Kind Regards

Joe and Staff

On the 29^th August we will be officially opening our new veterinary hospital. Following the ribbon cutting by Barry O'Farrell at 10 am there will be hospital tours,wildlife and reptile talks and an open training forum hosted by Steve Austin,a well known animal trainer who is our MC on the day. Later events include special competitions for your pets including cutest dog, owner and dog look alike and fancy dress along with activities for the children including an Animal Farm ,jumping castle and face painting.

Throughout the day there will be a sausage sizzle and exhibits from pet suppliers.

We look forward to seeing you and your pet

Foul smelling breath or red gums is not normal for your pet and may be caused by a buildup of food and saliva leading to gum disease and loose teeth. Wild animals ,like lions ,tear the meat and gristle of the carcass which keeps the teeth and gums healthy.

Much of the food we give our pets does not have the effect of the normal chewing action of animals in the wild.

The signs of dental disease include:

• bad breath
• discolouration of teeth
• red gums
• loose or missing teeth
• drooling
• change in eating habits

What happens when your pet has it's teeth cleaned?

In the morning we check your pet over to ensure the anaesthetic is as safe as possible. Blood tests may be run. A sedative and pain relief is given and local anaesthetic administered if teeth need to be removed. Under a closely monitored anaesthetic the teeth are scaled with an ultrasonic scaler and polished. Afterwards a course of antibiotics may be given.

Cider , a 3 month old Australian Bulldog was fed a pigs tail, which he tried to swallow without chewing. Cider was taken into surgery and the bone removed under anaesthetic. Cider recovered and is now back enjoying life as a pup.

Our pets get dental problems just like us, and because they are unable to brush their teeth they are counting on you for dental care to stay happy and healthy. In most cases, dental disease is preventable. Feeding dogs bones such as large beef thigh bones regularly through their life is one of the best ways of preventing the accumulation of plaque and tartar on the teeth. Most dogs don't have problems with eating bones, but it is important to feed them an appropriately sized bone (ie one that is far too big for them to swallow).

Cats can be fed chicken necks or chicken wings, however some cats can be fussy and unwilling to eat these foods. For fussy cats another option worth trying is rabbit meat.

There are special diets for preventing dental disease, the best of which is Hills Prescription Diet t/d which has a mechanical action to scrub the tooth like a toothbrush.

Another option is to manually brush your pets teeth daily with a special toothbrush and toothpaste.

Call in for a complimentary nurse dental health check during August which is pet dental month.