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VET Alert! – Be careful with your pets this Christmas Christmas is a time of celebration, family get togethers, fabulous food, BBQ’s, presents and good times in the sun.

However, Christmas time can expose pets to toxic items that can cause great harm and potentially ruin the festivities for the family.

“Pets metabolise things differently to humans and as pet owners we should be cautious on what they are exposed to” says Dr David Toomey from Abbotts Way Vets. So what do we need to look out for?

Christmas Lilies and Cats Christmas Lilies are highly toxic to Cats. These are beautiful white, pink or yellow lilies, fragrant with dark orange stamens. But ingested, they are highly toxic to cats. Even rubbing against the flowers can cause tiny particles of pollen to embed in their fur and later while ‘bathing’ these particles can be ingested causing problems including kidney failure.

Although these lilies are gorgeous to have around the house we strongly recommend keeping them away from cats.

The immediate symptom of lily poisoning is sudden vomiting. Ongoing, cats experiencing lily poisoning will often exhibit signs of depression, diarrhea, dehydration, and lack of appetite (anorexia).

Christmas Chocolates and Dogs Although not as highly toxic as lilies are to cats, we still see our fair share of chocolate poisoning in dogs at Abbotts Way Vets. Different breeds are affected in different ways but the rule of thumb is “do not feed chocolate to dogs” said Dr Rachael Williams.

Common signs of chocolate poisoning in dogs are vomiting (may include blood), diarrhoea, restlessness and hyperactivity, rapid breathing, muscle tension, incoordination, Increased heart rate and seizures. If your pet shows any of the above signs please get them to Abbotts Way Vets immediately, as chocolate poisoning can be life threatening.

We wish you and your family a festive season and a very prosperous New Year from the team at Abbotts Way Vets.

Call us on (09) 524 8361 to book your pet in and you’ll also get a FREE* cat or dog flea treatment.

*New Clients Only

Merry Christmas from The Team at Abbotts Way Vets At Abbotts Way Veterinary Clinic, we’re more than just a team of highly skilled and experienced vets and nurses.

With a complete range of services and pet wellness plans, you can feel confident your loved one will be in capable hands and given the highest quality of care at our specially designed clinic.

To Celebrate Xmas all new clients get a free flea treatment!

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Ho Ho Ho!

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We have a drop off service We do house calls We won’t ever turn you away You’re welcome to visit any time We have separate cat and dog waiting areas

MEGAN’S RECIPE

Eye Fillet with Roasted Garlic Aioli (Serves 6) During the festive season its handy to have a quick easy entertaining recipe on hand. This is my go to recipe as its simple, can be prepared ahead and most important of all delicious.

Don’t be put off by making the aioli, I often buy a pre-made one, just make sure its a fresh good quality version as this is what elevates it to a special dish. Although eye fillet is an expensive cut - when cooked well and sliced thinly it can go a long way – you need much less per person than larger steaks. You can also make this with a cut such as scotch or sirloin and its great done on the BBQ too. Plus feel free to change out the greens to those you prefer and for hungry people serve with roasted potatoes or bread.

It makes fantastic canapes or pre dinner nibbles too - simply roast the beef and some cherry tomatoes, place on top of some toasted baguette with a piece of baby spinach on the bottom. Drizzle with aioli to finish. Alternatively serve beef, tomatoes, aioli and bread on a platter for guests to serve themselves.

1 kg eye fillet of beef, trimmed 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp sea salt 2 bunches asparagus 400 g baby spinach 18 small vine ripened tomatoes 1 small red onion, optional 3 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar Roasted garlic aioli: 2 heads garlic 1 cup olive oil, use a mild version 1 pinch salt & freshly ground pepper 1 egg 1 lemon • Firstly marinate the beef, 12 - 24 hours ahead preferably but even an hour or so is ok. Add the olive oil, chopped garlic and salt to a large zip lock bag and squeeze about to combine. Add the beef and leave to marinate in the fridge.

• Remove the beef from the fridge one hour before you wish to cook. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the beef in an oven dish and roast for 25 - 30 minutes or until cooked to your liking. I find the easiest way to manage this is with a meat thermometer, a piece of equipment I wouldn’t be without. My preference is for 55°C in the center, giving medium rare meat. It will continue to cook once removed and resting.

Alternatively cook on the BBQ. When the meat is cooked remove from the roasting dish and wrap tightly in foil, leave to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.

• Once beef is removed from the oven, place the tomatoes and asparagus in a roasting dish. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 20 - 30

minutes until browned and cooked through (the asparagus might be cooked sooner depending on thickness).

• Wash and dry the baby spinach and place in the serving dish. Top with roasted vegetables, very thinly sliced red onion (if using) and then the sliced beef fillet. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Serve with roasted aioli, with extra on the table and some fresh crusty bread to wipe up the delicious juices.

To make the aioli: Trim the tops off the heads of garlic and

drizzle with a little oil. Wrap in tin foil and roast at 200°C for 40 minutes. When cooled squeeze cloves of garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Add egg, juice of lemon and salt and pepper and process until smooth. With the motor running pour the olive oil in using a slow and steady stream until all incorporated and the mayonnaise has thickened. The garlic can be roasted in the oven a few days prior and the aioli can also be made in advance. This is also delicious with most roasted vegies or in a burger or sandwich.

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