The Carlton Veterinary Surgery invites you to our 'Pet First Aid' information night. Our team will educate you on how to handle common emergency situations.

Date: Wednesday 22nd September 2010
Time: 7pm
Venue: Carlton Vet Surgery, 603 Rathdowne St, Carlton North

It is with great sadness that we say adieu to Emma Sutton. Originally from Perth, Emma moved over to Melbourne in 2008. She started working at Brunswick Veterinary Clinic and then transferred to Carlton Veterinary Surgery. At Carlton Veterinary Surgery, Emma embraced our customer service programs such as Puppy Pre-School, Petpep and Kitten Adoptions. In surgery, Emma often graced us with interesting and different music.

The Procter & Gamble Pet Care Company is voluntarily recalling some of the Eukanuba Veterinary Diets dry formulas and a limited number of Eukanuba specialised formulas as a precautionary measure.  Select this link to download the official product safety recall message.   Please note, not all Eukanuba and Iams pet foods are affected.  If you have any concerns about the recall please contact the Eukanuba hotline on 1800 033 608 for a full refund and information about product disposal.  As always we are also happy to provide any further information we have on hand, so do not hesitate to contact us.

Working in the veterinary industry is a rewarding and enjoyable experience. One of the more enjoyable things we get to do is to visit schools and teach children about pets. We teach students about how to care for pets and what a Veterinarian and Veterinary Nurse do. This is called Petpep. On Wednesday 16th June, Nurses Melissa Horwood and Emma Sutton, along with Charlotte the Cavalier King Charles, had the privilege of visiting the Lee Street Primary School to speak to the students.

Did you know looking after your pets' teeth is as important as looking after your own? Cats and dogs both require regular dental care to ensure their teeth and gums stay healthy. If they are not looked after, they could develop periodontal disease and gingivitis. When these problems develop, it compromises the structure of the teeth and their roots, possibly requiring extraction of the tooth. Another reason it is important to prevent periodontal disease is because the bacteria associated with the disease can damage their kidneys, liver and even their heart.

We are proud to be supporting Melboune Zoo in one of their latest campagin 'They're Calling on You' mobile phone recycling program. The program aims to raise awareness of the issue of coltan mining. Coltan is a metal substance found in mobile phones and the illegal mining in the Congo River Basin in West Africa is threatening the survival of the mountain Gorilla and other primates through loss of habitat and violent unrest. By recycling your old or unused mobile phones you can help reduce the mining of coltan. Each time you recycle a mobile phone, a new phone will be made from your old phone.

It is such an exciting time when we add a new pet to our family. However there is also a lot involved with the transition and it can be a bit daunting. We recommend bringing your new pet into the clinic within 2 to 3 days after bringing him or her home. Even if they are not due for vaccination it is important to do a full health check to make sure you have a healthy pet for your family.

The Carlton Veterinary Surgery team is sad to announce the departure of Nurse Natalie Aitken. Natalie's last day was Friday 21st May and she already is sadly missed. She had been with the clinic for nearly two years, and previously as a locum nurse within our sister clinics for two years. Natalie is hoping to expand her career and move into the Emergency and Critical Care area of Veterinary Nursing.

Around this time of year pet owners often tell us their older pets are slowing down. Snoozing more, hesitant to jump up, walk or exercise as usual, trouble sitting or standing and general stiffness are just some of the things they mention. So is this common in older dogs and cats and is there something you can do to help?