Vet practices across the UK are being urged to get involved with Pet Smile Month to increase practice footfall and attract new clients in the tough economic climate. 

Pet Smile Month, which runs during September 2009, is the world's largest veterinary-led pet health campaign and requires practices to offer a free dental check to pets by appointment during the month. The initiative aims to improve understanding of the importance of dental disease in dogs, cats and other pets and to encourage better dental care.

Over 1,500 UK practices have supported the campaign in recent years and some have reported increases of up to 10% in dental treatments in the months following the campaign. High profile sponsors; Pedigree, Whiskas, Petosan, Genitrix and Logic are supporting this year's Pet Smile Month. 

There is no cost for participating and those practices which do will receive supplies of goody bags containing samples of Pedigree® DentaStix^TM or Whiskas® DentaBits^TM, together with information leaflets, competitions and other special offers, to give to clients with their free dental health check.

Bob Partridge, the organiser of Pet Smile Month, is working with the sponsors on a major local radio publicity campaign at the end of August to raise awareness of Pet Smile Month and encourage pet owners to contact their local participating practice. The deadline to sign up is Monday 17 August 2009. Full details of how to get involved are available at www.petsmile.org or by calling 08714 24 25 26.

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