Welcome

Merry Christmas and welcome to the final edition of Chomping Chatter for 2007. It's been a great year and we are gearing up for a summer full of sunshine and fun. It's time to slap on the sunscreen and start enjoying the great outdoors with your four-legged friends!

This month you can read the second installment of a Day in the life of a country Vet, plus summer is Tick season, so we've got some advice on looking after your dog. We're also helping you to have a great time at the beach with your dog this summer and as usual, there are all our regular features like Star Gazing with Basil and Did You Know.

Thanks for reading our newsletter this year, we look forward to seeing you again in the new year with more news for you and your pooch!

Happy Holidays,
The 4egs Team

4Legs News

Great news, the 4Legs Fresh Choice Factory Outlet is now open on Saturdays from 10am to 12pm!

Head down to stock up on all your favourite 4Legs products including our regular Home Cooked and Gravy varieties, Kibble and Treats!

Our store is located at:
6 - 8 Strezlecki Ave, Sunshine, VIC 3020

Life of a Country Vet - Part Two

Carrying in on from our last installment, Dr Alan Clark, a vet from Castlemaine, Victoria, shares some of his daily experiences in his busy country practice.

Thomas, is a Persian whose owners can’t even bear to have him in the car with them his breath is so bad. Last week when they brought him to me I had to agree. I have a very poor sense of smell (sometimes an advantage in this job), but on opening his mouth even I took a step backwards.

The back teeth were covered with a thick layer of concrete-hard tartar and the gums sore and red. Some of the teeth were loose and were causing pain every time he tried to eat. He was losing weight, partly because he was having trouble eating, but a blood test also showed that the weight loss was partly due to liver damage which was probably from infection travelling from the tooth root abscesses.

A course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs has picked him up enough that he is now well enough to have an anaesthetic. Even so, I put him on an i/v drip at the same time. I have to extract seven teeth, and then use an ultrasound scaler on the others. After half an hour Thomas’s mouth is respectable again and I expect him to make a full recovery. Unfortunately I also expect him to be just as bad again in a year or two unless the owners can improve his eating habits. All his life Thomas has eaten only soft mushy food. He needs to start chewing on more solid food, and raw chicken wings, or commercial dental chews to avoid coming back to me for a repeat performance of today’s work. I’ll also give the owners a gel to paint onto his gums to help keep them healthier in future.

 

Stay tuned for Dr Clark's next installment in our following edition of Chomping Chatter.

Star Gazing with Basil

Capricorn
December 22 - January 19

Wise beyond his years, the Capricorn pooch is generally a well behaved and sensible dog who is also known for his playful streak and his entertaining antics.

The Capricorn loves to be at the centre of the action and can become moody when he doesn't get the attention he thinks he deserves! A bit of a flirt, the Capricorn loves to be chased and will often be found teasing the other dogs at the park.

Although they can be stubborn on the odd occasion, Capricorn dogs generally make a great 4-legged buddy.

Hit the Beach

Summer here and the weather is hot! Most dogs would love nothing better than to head down to the beach with you and cool off in the waves!

Did you know you can use the 4Legs Walkabout database to search for a dog friendly beach near you? You can search by location, postcode, distance, facilities. So whether you're searching for a trail or reserve, or a park with a bbq and play equipment for the kids, you'll be able to find it in our great database. Click here to try it for yourself.

Source:

PORT MELBOURNE BEACH
DOW ST, PORT MELBOURNE, VIC, 3207, Km(s) - Map Ref: MELWAY:57 H8

Grab your pooch and head down to the trendy suburb of Port Melbourne. Grab a coffee and let you dog run rampant on a stretch of beach that is off lead all year round.

Located between Lagoon Pier and South West to Dow Street. Don't forget plastic bags and water.

Source: www.4legs.com.au/walkabout