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Archived Articles for Animal Wellness Magazine
From
Animal Wellness Magazine, an article entitled “Why Learning
First-aid & CPR For Your Animal is a Smart Move" -
Reprinted with permission of Animal Wellness Magazine, © 2006,
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com.
One morning in February of 1997, Sunny, our yellow Labrador
retriever, woke up unable to move and in agonizing pain. We sat on
the floor by her bed trying to comfort her as she began to
tremble, hoping against hope that someone would come into the
veterinarian’s office extra early to tell us what to do. For this
most easy-going of dogs who never complained about
anything, every movement, no matter how slight, now caused her
great distress.
All of a sudden she frantically dashed for the outdoors, letting
out a cry that echoed through the house. Sunny answered nature’s
call and then collapsed on the ground.
Emergencies similar to this can occur suddenly and without
warning. Has an outdoor cookout ever been so inviting that your
pooch couldn’t resist reaching up for a sizzling treat? Has your
cat’s tail ever been accidentally closed in a door? Have you found
a dog left in a car and suffering from heat stroke? Have you ever
feared your cat would get bitten by a bee and suffer an allergic
reaction? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions,
you’ll realize that being prepared applies not just to the Boy
Scouts, but to you as well.
Statistics show that preventable accidents are the leading cause
of death among companion animals. According to the American Animal
Hospital Association (AAHA), one out of four additional animals
could be saved if just one pet first aid technique was applied.
In an emergency, first-aid is the initial and often most critical
step. Knowing what to do in those first few moments can save your
animal’s life. The most accomplished veterinary surgeon will not
be able to bring your dog or cat back once his heart and lungs
have stopped, but by knowing the life-saving skills of first-aid
and CPR, you can keep your animal’s organs working until
professional medical help is available.
Also included in this article:
- Why this training is essential
- What all pet-sitters and caretakers must know
- Resources to find training in your area
- For the complete article and to subscribe to Animal Wellness
Magazine, click on
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com.
From Animal Wellness Magazine, an
article entitled “Is Fido STRESSED OUT? Here's how to help him
relax” -
Reprinted with permission of Animal Wellness Magazine, © 2006,
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com.
Oh, those wild and crazy dogs and puppies! How we love their
energy, but regret the repercussions of all that arousal! Tugging
on clothes, biting the leash, chewing everything in sight, and
good old-fashioned body-slamming akin to WWF Wrestling are some of
the more common complaints brought to behaviorists and trainers.
Many other dogs end up being surrendered to shelters because their
guardians can’t cope with their “unmanageable” behaviors.
These wild antics are often labeled “impulse control” issues or
even impulse aggression, but are they really as simple as that?
Are these dogs so “out of control” that they can’t calm down and
relax? Why is it that when good-intentioned dog parents exercise
their antsy canines more, they seem even more impulsive? What’s
going on?
The answer is often stress. Although many dogs seem to “have it
made” with their comfy homes and fancy beds, not to mention being
fed, walked, fluffed, and pampered beyond the dreams of many
humans, they can still suffer from stress.
Thankfully, animal stress is now being studied in greater depth.
Science is learning more about how stress (good and bad) can
affect animals, while behaviorists and trainers are beginning to
understand that many impulse control behaviors might actually be
stress-related.
What is stress?
Stress comes in two forms: good stress, such as when you are newly
in love or starting an exciting new job, and bad stress, which is
brought on by fear, worry or anger. Either way, the sympathetic
nervous system releases adrenaline and other chemicals into the
bloodstream, causing the heart, lungs and blood pressure to “stand
on the gas” and get ready to take action. When this happens, other
things start to shut down. Digestion is slowed or inhibited, the
immune system is depressed, and even growth, as in a puppy, can be
stymied to conserve energy in case he needs to flee or fight. This
same process also happens during aroused play.
Of course, the stress response was never intended to keep running
for days on end. It evolved to help animals protect themselves or
to flee from danger. This is not always an option when dogs are
confined by leashes, doors and fences, or when the same stressors
keep presenting themselves day after day, perhaps in the form of
the mailman or visits to the dog park.
Constant adrenaline rushes can deplete the body of natural
chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins, that help dogs calm
down and relax. This depletion eventually generates physical and
mental fatigue, which further stresses the body and mind and can
even lead to muscle and brain atrophy if allowed to continue.
Mounting evidence indicates that the continual states of stress
seen in dogs in kennels and shelters causes such an upsurge of
chemicals from the sympathetic nervous system, that even once the
stressors are removed, it can take days and sometimes weeks for
the good chemicals to return to normal. This is also true of pain,
fear, aggression, excess exercise and states of high-arousal play.
What are the signs of stress in dogs?
Common indicators of stress often include red eyes, panting,
diarrhea, dilated pupils, sweaty paws, muscle tightness, drooling,
shivering, vomiting, and drinking excess water, to name just a
few. Dogs will also display behaviors that express anxiety,
including biting the leash, jumping on people, reactivity towards
people or other dogs, pacing, digging, barking, and excessive tail
wagging.
It’s easy to mistake many of these signs for impulse control
issues, or even over-friendliness. Unchecked, however, they become
learned behaviors. Helping dogs learn how to “unwind” requires
behavior modification and training, together with a good stress
reduction plan that includes lifestyle and environmental changes.
Also included in this article:
- Stress reduction tips
- Learn canine body language
- The truth about exercise
- The soft touch
- For the complete article and to subscribe to Animal Wellness Magazine, click on www.animalwellnessmagazine.com.
From Animal Wellness Magazine, an
article entitled “Seven Ways to Save Money on Vet Bills” -
Reprinted with permission of Animal Wellness Magazine, © 2006,
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com
An excerpt is available here:
Seven Ways to Save Money on Vet Bills, from Volume 7 Issue 14
by Shawn Messonnier, DVM
Susie adopted her Shih-Tzu Neddy when he was just a year old and
suffering from a stubborn digestive complaint. “I took him to the
vet and was amazed by how streamlined everything was,” says Susie.
“It’s been a number of years since I last had an animal, and I
didn’t realize how much the veterinary field had expanded and
grown, and how many great procedures are now available for pets.”
As Susie discovered, many vets now offer almost the same quality
of treatment for pets as doctors do for people. Blood profiles,
complicated surgeries, hospitalization with round-the-clock
monitoring and care, and even specialized diagnostic tests such as
CT scans, MRI scans, ultrasound examinations, and endoscopic
biopsies are the norm at many contemporary clinics.
Yet all this care comes at a price, and vet bills can consequently
run into the hundreds and thousands of dollars. The good news is
that there are several ways you can decrease these costs without
sacrificing the quality of health care your animal needs.
1. Practice preventive care. It usually costs more to fix
something than to prevent the problem in the first place. Your car
mechanic will tell you that spending just a little each year on
tune-ups and oil changes will help avoid expensive repairs down
the road. Your pet isn’t a car, but the same philosophy applies.
Here are a few ways to prevent problems that might entail more
costly procedures later.
• Annual lab tests. Diagnosing problems such as diabetes
and thyroid disease with a simple, inexpensive yearly blood test
only adds about $50 to $60 to your bill, which translates to about
15 cents per day! It’s not much when you consider that to treat
diabetes, it can cost hundreds of dollars just for the
hospitalization to run glucose tests to regulate insulin levels
during the first week of treatment! Lab tests should be done
annually on younger pets, and at least twice yearly on pets seven
years and older.
• Nutritional supplementation. Healthy foods and quality
supplements minimize oxidation and inflammation (two major causes
of all chronic degenerative diseases) and boost the immune system.
Quality supplements and food cost more than low-cost “generics,”
but are healthier and more effective. Spending a little extra on
better nutrition is less expensive than paying for procedures when
your pet becomes ill.
• Surgical sterilization. Spayed and neutered dogs and cats
have a greatly reduced risk of developing breast cancer, and no
chance at all of developing cancer of the testicles or uterus.
2. Buy health insurance for your animal. Premiums range in
price depending on the age of the pet and any pre-existing
conditions. Many clients find that carrying insurance allows them
to go ahead with procedures that might otherwise have been cost
prohibitive.
3. Open a pet savings account. An alternative to insurance
is to open a savings account for your pet. By simply saving one
dollar a day, beginning when your animal is young, you can
accumulate several thousand dollars to help pay for any diseases
that show up later in life. While this won’t actually save you
money on vet bills, it does enable you to offer quality care for
your pet when needed, rather than being forced to opt for
euthanasia.
Other topics included in this article:
• Avoid low-cost veterinary care.
• Take advantage of cost reductions.
• Treat diseases early.
• Find a veterinarian you trust and stick with him/her.
- For the complete article and to subscribe to Animal Wellness
Magazine, click on
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com.
From Animal Wellness Magazine, an
article entitled “When to Say 'No' to Steroids”
-Reprinted with permission of Animal Wellness Magazine, © 2006,
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com
An excerpt is available here:
When to Say "No" to Steroids, from Volume 7 Issue 15 by Shawn
Messonnier, DVM
Recently, a young cat almost crippled by immune-mediated
polyarthritis was brought to me by her guardian. She had been
given steroids to treat her condition, but they made her develop
diabetes, while stronger chemotherapy almost killed her. The
specialist treating her was out of options and told her guardian
to prepare for her death. After several months of intensive
natural therapies, including herbs and homeopathics, she is not
only doing better but is running and jumping! Her diabetes also
reversed when we lowered her medication. She still requires a tiny
dose of steroids or she goes into a relapse, but I expect her to
live a happy, normal life, a much better prognosis than she was
originally given.
Corticosteroids (“steroids”) are often used to help relieve pain,
inflammation and itching in animals with arthritis or allergies.
In fact, corticosteroids such as prednisone and prednisolone are
among the most frequently used and abused drugs in veterinary
medicine. It’s just too easy to reach for the “steroid shot” to
treat symptoms without really treating the disease. As a result,
animals are often incorrectly treated for months or years before
someone finally says: “Enough. There must be a better way!”
The Pros and Cons of Steroids
While chronic steroid use has many potential side effects that
can harm your animal, these medications can be used safely. For
some animals, short-term use of steroids can be life-saving,
particularly in patients with severe shock or certain immune
diseases. In my own practice, I often use low doses of steroids
for a very short period to help relieve itching, inflammation,
swelling or pain while other natural therapies are beginning to
work. However, please understand that while short term use of
steroids might be needed for your animal, more natural therapies
are preferred whenever possible for long term maintenance of
animals with chronic problems. Short-term side effects of
corticosteroids are the ones most commonly observed and that seem
to cause the most concern. They include an increase in appetite,
water intake and urine output. Even animals taking these
medications for a short period and at a very low dose can show
these effects. The higher the dose, the worse the problem. While
these side effects are not harmful, they upset many people. I
strive to use the lowest possible dose for the shortest length of
time.
Long-term side effects are a totally different story. They
include:
• Heart (cardiovascular system): hypertension, sodium/water
retention
• Skin: acne, infections, excessive bruising, atrophy
(degeneration or thinning) of the skin, hair loss
• Hormonal/reproductive: infertility, growth failure,
hyperadrenocorticism, hypoadrenocorticism, birth defects, abortion
• Gastrointestinal: ulcers, pancreatitis, perforation of the
stomach or intestines
• Immune system: suppression and decreased ability to resist
infections
• Metabolic: increased blood fat, fatty liver disease, obesity
• Musculoskeletal: osteoporosis, muscle weakness
• Nervous system: hyperactivity, lethargy
• Eye: glaucoma, cataracts.
• Respiratory: thromboembolism
Laboratory tests can also show artificial changes in liver
enzymes, white blood cell values, and the thyroid. The longer the
steroids are used, and the higher the dose prescribed, the greater
the chance of developing any of these side effects.
Other topics included in this article:
• Going the natural way
• Acupuncture
• Homeopathy
• Nutritional supplements
• Probiotics
• Chondroprotective agents
• Herbs
- For the complete article and to subscribe to Animal Wellness
Magazine:
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com.
- From Animal Wellness Magazine, an
article entitled “The Evolution of Pet Insurance” Reprinted
with permission of Animal Wellness Magazine, © 2006,
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com
An excerpt is available here:
The Evolution of Pet Insurance, from Volume 7 Issue 13 by Ann
Brightman
New products, including group insurance for animals and packages
specifically for renters, as well as streamlined payout approaches
and coverages for alternative therapies, are changing the face of
pet insurance.
When Amanda adopted a tabby kitten from her local shelter, the
thought of buying pet insurance for him never crossed her mind. “I
figured because Tyler was young, it would be years before I had to
worry about health problems anyhow,” she says. Unfortunately,
about six months later, Tyler swallowed a piece of plastic,
causing a serious blockage that required emergency surgery. The
vet bill was nearly two thousand dollars, and Amanda had to borrow
money from her mother to pay it. “It was a real wakeup call,” she
says. “What would I have done if Mom hadn’t been able to help me
out? I decided to look into insurance then and there.”
Why buy pet insurance?
Amanda’s experience isn’t unusual. Unable to afford treatments for
unexpected illnesses or accidents, which can easily run into the
hundreds or thousands of dollars, people are sometimes forced to
give up their beloved companions, or have them euthanized long
before their time. If you’re wondering why veterinary procedures
and treatments or even common ailments are so expensive, consider
how health care for companion animals has improved over the last
number of years.
Considering that two-thirds of all companion animals will
experience a major health problem during their lifetime, it makes
sense to do what you can now to make things easier for yourself
and your animal, when or if the time comes. Together with proper
preventative health care, pet insurance is the best way to
prepare.
How does it work?
Although pet insurance has been available in North America since
the early 1980s, it’s only been in recent years that its
popularity has really begun to increase. Today, there are several
providers selling health insurance for dogs, cats and other
animals, and each offers a range of programs designed to best suit
the needs of your companion.
Also included in this article:
-Different programs and their benefits
-Types of policies and what programs cover
-Programs for shelter pets
-Group pet insurance – a new corporate benefit
-Streamlining the process
-Making a wise investment
- For the complete article, click on
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com to subscribe to Animal
Wellness Magazine.
- From Animal Wellness Magazine, an article entitled “Ten tips to
keep your animal friend feeling young at heart”. Reprinted
with permission of Animal Wellness Magazine, © 2006,
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com
An excerpt is
available here:
Ten tips to keep your animal friend feeling young at heart
from Volume 6 Issue 5
You’re only as old as you feel. But what about our dogs and cats? “Whenever I walk my Bichon, Lacey, down the street,” says Jennifer George, “someone stops us for a pat and a chat. Inevitably, the person will ask how old Lacey is. When I say 14, they can’t believe their ears. They think she’s a puppy because of her bouncy step and happy attitude. I tell them that, ‘in addition to excellent genes, Lacey takes good care of herself’,” laughs Jennifer.
Just as people are living longer, so are our dogs and cats. Even large breed canines can live well into their teens, and it’s not unusual to hear of cats as old as Jennifer herself.
You don’t need a miracle elixir to add years to your beloved companion’s life. All it takes is a wholesome diet, a healthy lifestyle and lots of TLC. Follow these ten tips to help your four-footed friend enjoy his mature years to the fullest.
Also included in this article:
- A wholesome diet – what to include.
- Vitamins and wellness – a basic guide for supplements.
- Exercise and massage for older pets
- Good dental health
- Well-pet veterinary visits
- Pest control – the best options
- Grooming tips
- The health benefits of love and attention!
For the complete article, click on
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com to subscribe to Animal Wellness
Magazine.
An excerpt from an article in last month’s issue of Animal
Wellness Magazine is available here:
Animal Wellness Article V.614, Reprinted with permission
of Animal Wellness Magazine, © 2006,
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com
Is your animal being over-vaccinated?
By Dana Cox
Judy Wright had a gut feeling that her dog should not be
revaccinated, as the middle-aged golden retriever suffered from
periodic seizures. But at a recent trip to her veterinarian’s
office, she was assured that revaccination would make no
difference to her dog’s health. Going against her better judgment,
she agreed to the combination booster and rabies vaccine, which
was not even due for another month. Later that day, her dog
started seizuring uncontrollably.
Experts have known about the adverse effects of over-vaccination
for years. It’s a practice that, according to a recent report from
the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task
Force, is completely unnecessary. Challenge studies are showing
some vaccines protect animals for as many as seven years and
possibly for life. But this information is nothing new.
Recommendations for less frequent vaccination have been around
since as early as 1978. In that year, states the AAHA report, “an
ideal vaccination program was recommended where dogs and cats
would be vaccinated as puppies and kittens and then revaccinated
at 1 year of age and every third year thereafter.
“In 1998, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP)
debated and subsequently endorsed this same recommendation for
feline core vaccines; the AAFP recommendations were updated in
2000. Also in 1998, recommendations from a group of canine vaccine
experts were published. They recommended revaccination with canine
core vaccines no more than once very three years following initial
booster revaccination at one year of age. This proposed
vaccination program, and various iterations thereof, has been
adopted to varying degrees by a growing part of the profession,
but misunderstandings, misinformation, and the conservative nature
of the profession have slowed adoption of these protocols
advocating decreased frequency of revaccination.” And even though
vaccine labels clearly indicate that vaccines should not be
administered to animals with specific medical conditions, or those
who have experienced adverse reactions in the past, this practice
is still occurring in some cases.
Also included in the full article:
- Vaccinate but don’t over-vaccinate.
- Understanding how vaccination works.
- Vaccines 101
- What are some of the adverse reactions to vaccination?
- How can you protect your animal and minimize adverse reactions?
- How long does protection last?
- What the 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines and Recommendations
report says.
- Issues to discuss with your veterinarian.
For the complete article, click on
www.animalwellnessmagazine.com to subscribe to Animal Wellness
Magazine.