Parcels being sent by registered post  gives everyone many benefits - you know where the parcel is in its journey to you, you know we have sent your order out and we can trace if there are problems with the delivery.

 The down side is the parcel as to be signed for on delivery. This can be a problem for some people , as not everyone is at home when delivery is attempted. We are finding sometimes that the USPS card left, notifying you of the attempted delivery is not being found, thus you are not aware delivery was attempted.A solution may be, if possible, use your work address for delivery, as most deliveries occur during working hours.

If signing for your delivery is a big problem we can send without registered post. All you have to do is during the check out, place in the section for messages to us that you don't what your parcel to go by registered post and we will send out without this service.

Comfortis is a very effective flea control product becoming increasingly popular.

The two countries where you can purchase Comfortis on the net are Australia and the UK.

Please be aware the UK product as different weight ranges that it covers compared to the USA and Australian Comfortis (which cover the same weight ranges). This means you may be purchasing the incorrect size for your pet.

The Australian Comfortis is better value as it covers a higher weight range. As a example the UK Brown packet only covers up to 79lbs while the Australian/ USA packet covers up to 120 lbs.

We commonly receive emails asking if  a prescription is required for some of the products we offer - the answer is no. All the products we offer are sold over the counter , so no prescription is required. The USA is the only country where there is this requirement. The reason given is that is is dangerous to start heartworm prevention if your pet already as heartworm - there is a very small possibility of a reaction that can lead to death. Your vet will need to test for heartworm before starting prevention. 

 That is fair enough but if you have been using the prevention routinely and diligently why should you have to get a prescription every single time?This makes the product very expensive to obtain in the USA and in the long run cause more people not to continue the prevention program, resulting in pets suffering.I suggest that this whole system set up in the USA, is simply a way for vets to generate income and more profits - it doesn't occur in any other country. 

Dry Eye is a common condition in dogs were there is not enough tears produced to keep the eye moist- the result is a build up of thick yellow discharge from the eye , crusty muck around the eye, red inflamed eyes and if left untreated a dull, cloudy cornea which can lead to blindness.

The cause is due to the dog’s immune system mistaking the tear glands as foreign, attacking and destroying them. The progressive loss of these glands results in tear production being reduced. It is not known why this occurs. 

The treatment most commonly prescribed by your vet is applying a product called Optimmune. This contains cyclosporine which can with continuous use control the problem. The problem is it needs to be applied twice daily and is very expensive. Another treatment is to apply artificial tears but these needs to be done at least every 2 hours - very impractical for most people.

A simple treatment which works and is cost effective is to once a day apply a small drop of a product called Panolog. This will control the problem and the tube will last a good 3 months if used correctly. The condition is not curable and treatment will need to continue whatever treatment is used. If your dog as this problem discuss with your vet the possibility of trying Panolog, if you are finding the cost of Optimmune difficult to keep up.  

This is also a common problem in dogs, it can occur in cats but far less often. Pets do this because there is an irritation/itch around the anal area - they will rub there bum along the ground or lick at excessively. There are three common reasons pets will do this.

1. Fleas running around the area can cause this reaction - ensure you have a good continuous flea control program for all the pets in the household. 

2. Segments of the common tapeworm can crawl around the area causing irritation. These look like a small cucumber seed; they are actually a sack of eggs that can move. They want to get ingested by a flea, the pet then ingests the flea and their life cycle continues. So you must control fleas and worm your pets when you see evidence of the tapeworm. The problem is you can worm your pet and kill the tapeworm but then they ingest a flea carrying the tapeworm and they get it back again. 

3. Anal glands are two sacs at the side of your pet’s anus - their position can be seen in the image shown. They are there as part of your pets communication /marking behaviour. The secretion is very smelly,- dogs sniff each other’s bums to get a whiff, it is thought it is a recognition system when dogs were part of packs. They also can be used to mark their territory back in the day when dogs were wild. 

These glands can become impacted - meaning the secretion is not being discharged (which usually happens when they defecate) the secretion builds up causing pressure which your pet trys to relieve by rubbing it bum along the ground - scooting. 

The glands don't discharge in a normal fashion due to our pet’s domestication. Wild dogs have a raw food diet, so their faeces are hard which push against the area when doing number twos, which causes the secretion to discharge. These wild dogs also did heaps more running around so were thinner and more muscular - this also helped in the natural process of the glands discharging. You can help by giving your pet raw bones so the faeces are firmer creating a situation where the glands will discharge naturally.

You may need to have your pets anal glands squeezed .so the pressure is relieved.  Your vet will do this for you. You can do it yourself with a bit of practice. Use a glove - this stuff is really smelly! Use some paper towel ,hold up the tail, grasp behind them and squeeze inwards and out at the same time. It is uncomfortable for your pet so best to have someone holding the front end and putting them on a table is best so you can do in an elevated position. Don't squeeze too forcefully as you can rarely rupture the gland. If you aren't comfortable doing this yourself always take your pet to the vet.

So if your pet is scooting ensure there are no fleas, worm them and if still scooting it is most likely blocked anal glands causing the problem.