Sept 2014: Issue

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1 Sept 2014: Issue From the Editor s Desk 2. Pamper your pet special at Pet s of Westville Grooming Parlour 3. FREE Dental care assessments with our nurses 4. Bravecto 5. Spay your cat 6. Coffee & Chat mornings 7. Sad news 8. Obituary Editor: Dr Alan Isdale CLICK HERE to like our Facebook page Design and layout: Debra Müller Please ensure that we are in possession of your current address so that we may send you our newsletter, and any other important information should the need arise.

2 There is always something new in Africa they say. As always our staff are kept up to date with new drugs and modern trends and we thank our drug companies for hosting continuing education evenings at which they provide us with up to the minute information from highly competent lecturers and the launching of any new products they have at the same time. It s a pity that due to the nature of our work these have to take place in the evenings after we have all had a long days work. A revolutionary tick and flea control product was launched in August known as Bravecto. At this stage it is a dog only product and will last for three months! This will be covered fully elsewhere in the newsletter. Click on The star to register or for more information

3 Pets of Westville Grooming Parlour Pets of Westville is our in house grooming parlour which is situated on the bottom level of our building, accessed through Brendan Lane, the road that runs down the side of our building. Now that the cold weather is over ( but where is the rain?) certain breeds of dogs that need grooming may need a makeover for the summer. We work on appointment system so please make an appointment by telephoning [031] BOOK TODAY!

4 Go to the website

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6 in the spotlight Our dental care focus continues this month. Our nurses offer FREE dental assessments for your pet. Monday - Friday between 11am and 3pm by appointment. See our Facebook posts for more about the importance of proper dental care for your pet. Contact reception on [031] for more details or to book an appointment

7 FREE GIFT - offer only valid while stocks last

8 Bravecto This revolutionary product comes in a tablet form and one tablet will keep your dog free of ticks and fleas for THREE MONTHS. This safe tablet is very palatable and the dogs take them with ease. It comes in five different sizes, depending on the weight of the dog. This product is safe for puppies from eight weeks of age and for pregnant and lactating bitches. Bravecto starts killing fleas within two hours of being consumed. This product will be ideal for owners who never seem to remember to treat their pets on a monthly basis. This inability of owners to use flea and tick products regularly is the main reason for a break down in their overall flea control the fact that it also controls ticks is a massive bonus for owners with tick problems and the constant worry that their pets will get tick borne diseases such as Biliary Fever - fatal if left untreated. The launch of this product is very timely as this is the time of the year, as the weather warms up this heralds the start of the summer flea and tick activity. Obituary Dr Angus Pringle who died last month was a private practitioner in the Kloof area for many years. He was a very community minded colleague and played a significant role in not only in the SPCA, but in many aspects of the Veterinary profession over the years. He had battled with cancer for some time. Our sympathies go to his wife Hettie (whom he met when he was an Onderstepoort student) and their family. Coffee & Chat mornings These, usually held on a Saturday morning, have proved to be very popular with our clients. We have held two of these now, taking the form of a short lecture followed by coffee and questions. If you would like to attend these, look out for the next one advertised in the newsletter and make a booking, This will assist us with seating and catering arrangements. Sad news We have mentioned in previous newsletters that the Veterinary Profession has the highest suicide rate amongst all professions., not only in this country, but worldwide. In spite of the South African Veterinary Association setting up a help line and making assistance available to colleagues, two suicides, aged 29 and 45, were reported last week. A very sobering thought indeed. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to their loved ones.

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11 Spay your cat We have to remind cat owners every year that cats come into season once the daylight hours start to lengthen. (Cats are described as being seasonally polyestrous) Their hormone system is so designed that kittens will be born in the spring and summer. (This is the reason why there are no kittens to be had in the autumn and winter). As a result of this all female cats will be starting to come into season and soon there will be kittens being born in their hundreds by the day. If you have a young female unsprayed cat that you obtained at the end of 2013 or earlier this year. It is therefore is over six months of age you must make arrangements to have it spayed as soon as you can. We all must do what we can to prevent the annual flood of unwanted kittens as they cannot all be homed. If you have a male kitten (or cat!) that has not been neutered this too should be done as soon as possible. This will prevent them from wandering (possibly getting run over) and becoming involved in fights with the neighbourhood stray tom cat resulting in wounds, abscesses and more importantly exposing them to Feline Aids which is transmitted by cat bites. As a patrolman at night in our neighbourhood it is interesting to see that in the winter there are far fewer cats to be seen out and about than in the summer. With the warmer weather more and more cats can be seen in their sentry positions outside their homes. Incidentally have you thought of offering your services to keep Westville a safer place? The patrols are not onerous and in our area where we have regular patrols crime has certainly reduced. A move is afoot to cover the whole of Westville with patrols due to the drastic drop in crime in those three areas where patrols are presently taking place. Can you do your bit to help? The more people involved means the less patrolling you as an individual will have to do. The community spirit that this generates is an additional bonus.