We are presenting a free information night on pet first aid. Learn how to respond to common first aid illnesses and injuries related to your pets. We will also discuss common injuries, toxins and poisons around the household, and prevention and first aid kit tips.

Date: Tuesday 6th March
Time: 7pm - 8.30pm
Venue: Blackburn Vet Centre

Come along with your four-legged friend and join us at our first Barks in the Park for 2012. Invite your two-legged friends too - the more the merrier! Dogs of all ages are welcome.

Date: Friday 10th February
Time: 6.30pm - 7.30pm
Venue: Sparks Reserve (opposite Blackburn Vet Centre)

If you are thinking about adding a new puppy, kitten, guinea pig or rabbit to your family or just curious to know the latest in dog and cat breeds, here are our most popular puppy and kitten breeds and cross breeds in Melbourne for 2011.

Thank you to all of our two-legged and four-legged friends for making our Christmas Barks in the Park a success! It was an enjoyable evening for all, and we look forward to continuing our Barks in the park in 2012 and seeing you all there!

December was a very exciting month for four puppies - they successfully graduated from our Puppy Pre-School program! What a wonderful Christmas gift to their owners and to themselves!

The Christmas and New Year holidays are fast approaching and many pet owners will be traveling away from home without their pets. If you are boarding your pet at a kennel or cattery during the upcoming holiday, it is essential that your pet's vaccination is up to date. If your pet's vaccination is overdue, they will need a vaccination now and then a booster shot 4 weeks later before boarding would be considered.

Pit Bull TerrierYou may have heard in the media lately that changes have been made to the restricted breed dog laws. These laws classed Pitbull Terriers and Pitbull crosses a restricted breed. Until this year, there has been an amnesty for these dogs in order for existing dogs to be registered and declared. The ending of this amnesty means that new registrations cannot be made and unregistered dogs may be seized by the council. As the owner of a restricted breed dog, there are specific rules regarding how they must be housed and regulations about them being walked in public places.

News headlines from across the world have reported on a new study where dogs were able to detect lung cancer in humans by sniffing human breath. The research was conducted in a German hospital and reported in the European Respiratory Journal. The test involved 110 healthy people, 60 patients with lung cancer and 50 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Each person was asked to breathe into a fleece filled tube which absorbed the smell of the person's breath.

There has been a number of cases of cats and dogs falling ill and vomiting roundworms. Roundworms look like long white worms and are the most common worms passed on to humans. Pets can become infected by eating soil contaminated with roundworm eggs or eating other hosts such as mice or birds.