ANIMAL WELLNESS
AnimalWELLNESS For a long, healthy life!
Attention
please!
Use acupressure to help him focus and learn
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ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO
monsterMILERS Runners and shelter dogs unite and everyone wins
Victoria Stillwell
Why Animal Planet’s positive trainer is so popular
Rx FOR ARTHRITIS
6 MYTHS ABOUT
Supplements that ease pain and improve mobility
Surgery
feline WELLNESS
A NOSE FOR
Hip, cool and healthy!
FUN
JUMPING AND CLAWING AND BITING,
OH MY!
Tips to discourage these common behavioral issues
Sniffing out a new sport for dogs
6 Steps to Litter
FREEDOM How to toilet train your cat!
URBAN CAT
Rescue
APRIL/MAY Display until May 28, 2012
Helping homeless and feral kitties
Lucy
I LOVE
$5.95 USA/Canada
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FELINEGARDENING
Lifestyle changes to relieve feline stress
VOLUME 14 ISSUE 2
AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
BONUS FELINE SECTION NOW INSIDE! FelineWellness.com
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Contents April / May 2012
features 18 5 ways to ease pain
Pain management doesn’t have to mean drugs. Here are some alternative therapies to help your dog feel better.
22 Partners in caring
It’s important to build a strong working relationship with your veterinarian. Check out the top 4 tips on being a good client.
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28 Let’s run!
This unique organization teams runners with shelter dogs in a win-win combination that increases adoption and promotes fitness and well being.
32 Victoria Stillwell – the gentle touch
Unlike a lot of TV trainers, the star of Animal Planet’s It’s Me or the Dog doesn’t use heavy-handed methods to encourage good behavior in her canine guests.
34 6 myths about surgery
Do you cringe at the thought of your companion going under the knife? De-bunking these common beliefs about surgery will help you feel more at ease.
38 Sign language
You might think training deaf dogs is difficult. But canines are experts at reading body language, so hand signals are just as effective as verbal cues.
43 A proud legacy
Founded by a doctor who was ahead of his time, this company has been making high quality pet foods for over 75 years.
48 Attention, please!
Training your dog can be tough if he’s easily distracted and finds it hard to concentrate. Stimulating these acupressure points can help him focus and learn.
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54 Follow your nose If you haven’t heard of nose work yet, you’re not alone. This new sport that combines training and fun with mental and physical stimulation is gaining in popularity.
57 Jerry Williams
How this entrepreneur’s Akita inspired a passion for animal nutrition -- and a company for holistic pet products.
61 Jumping and clawing and biting, oh my!
Here’s how to discourage and redirect three of the most common behavioral issues seen in cats.
64 I love Lucy
After learning stress was making my cat act out, I realized I had to make some lifestyle changes to accommodate her needs.
66 Feline-friendly gardening
Learn how to create a safe, attractive and stimulating outdoor haven for your cat.
68 6 steps to litter freedom
Is it truly possible to train your cat to use the toilet? Yes...as long as you use the right approach and have plenty of patience.
70 Dedication doubled
The merger of two cat rescue groups results in a strong organization of professionals who work tirelessly to help homeless and feral cats.
78 Focus on fitness
Helping people and their dogs get physically active was the inspiration behind this unique business.
80 Rx for arthritis
Medications aren’t only way to manage joint pain. From chondroitin to yucca, these nutraceuticals can work on many levels to relieve discomfort and improve mobility.
86 All in a day’s work
If you’ve ever wondered how service dogs do what they do, here’s a behind-thescenes look from a former assistance dog trainer.
92 Much ado about mulch Mulch looks great in the garden. Just skip the cocoa variety.
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Keeping your pets healthier, naturally
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Columns 14
Yakkity yak
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Warm & fuzzy
46
What’s your breed?
84
Communication
90
Passages
94
Book reviews
96
Case study
105
54 Departments
Tail end
61
8
Editorial
12
Mail bag
42
Amazing Animals Photo Contest Submit your shots for a chance to win!
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Product picks
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Animal Wellness resource guide
76
The scoop
98
Marketplace
102
Classifieds
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Events calendar
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5 Ways to Ease Pain by Jennifer Kachnic, CCMT, CRP Massage is one of the many modalities that help alleviate pain in dogs.
Chronic pain can be debilitating, whether it comes from arthritis, an injury or illness. The good news is that pain management doesn’t have to mean drugs. Here are some alternative therapies that can help your dog feel better.
U
nlike humans, dogs can’t always let us know when or if they’re in pain. Because of this, some people assume that canines don’t experience pain the same way we do. But that’s not the case. Arthritis and muscle or joint injuries are just as uncomfortable for dogs as they are for us, and many illnesses also generate pain. While conventional medications can ease the discomfort, they’re not the only options. The following alternative therapies can be very helpful for pain management. Just remember to consult with an integrative or holistic veterinarian before starting any new treatments with your dog. Some of these modalities may be contraindicated in some situations – for example, massage should never be done on or near a tumor. These therapies work best as part of a whole body wellness program designed for your dog’s individual needs, with the assistance of a veterinarian.
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Canine massage Touch. Dogs love it and crave it. Physical contact from another provides a calming effect and brings comfort. Massage is considered instinctive; in fact, the wonders of massage were probably first discovered when primitive man
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bumped his head and reached up to rub his aching noggin! The skin is the largest sense organ in the body and is chock full of sensory receptors and nerve endings that register touch, temperature and pain, and send information to the brain. Massage therapy not only relaxes muscles but also stimulates endorphins, increases circulation, elevates oxygen levels, flushes toxins, helps with inflammation, strengthens the immune system and accelerates healing – and all of these can contribute to effective pain management.
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Acupuncture and acupressure These modalities are based on the concept of energy flow within the body, and seek to stimulate certain points along the energy meridians that run beneath the skin. Acupuncture involves the insertion of small needles at these points, while acupressure involves using the fingers to apply pressure to the same points. Acupuncture must be done by a trained and licensed veterinarian. Acupressure should be done by a professional for the best results, but may also be learned by animal guardians and done at home. Both modalities can really help with pain management and anxiety. The most common
use is for back problems. Some breeds (such as Dachshunds) are more susceptible to back injury than others, and sometimes it’s hard to tell from an x-ray whether or not the dog might be experiencing pain. Often, medications do not help because of the nerve pressure and trigger points on muscles that cause the pain in the first place. This is when acupuncture and/or acupressure can help.
Often, medications do not help because of the nerve pressure and trigger points on muscles that cause the pain in the first place. This is when acupuncture and/or acupressure can help. Energy healing The term “energy healing” refers to therapies in which the practitioner improves the flow of energy in an animal’s body. These are gentle and powerful therapies during which the healer sends subtle energy through his/her hands to promote physical as well as emotional balance and healing. Energy healing works in a nonphysical way through the interconnectedness of body, mind and spirit. It is the most natural form of healing available. While conventional medicine operates on the belief that treatments for disease or injury should be strictly biological, energy medicine involves restoring the patient’s health by treating the mind, body and spirit. Studies are proving that treating all three of these elements provides the best results, which means that energy healing has gone from an obscure curiosity to an integral part of leading edge therapy in traditional medicine. The idea that a universal energy field encompasses us all is becoming more widely accepted.
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Energy healing modalities available for dogs include Reiki, QiGong, Healing Touch and Tellington Touch. Some of these have been performed around the world for centuries. While modern science has somewhat overshadowed them, researchers have begun to discover the measurable therapeutic values of these healing traditions. These values include flushing toxins, releasing endorphins, relaxing muscles, increasing circulation and elevating oxygen levels, all of which also help promote pain relief. Energy work helps regulate the immune system as well, balancing the body and supporting self-healing. Energy work is also beneficial for the end-of-life transition as it helps calm and relax dogs, while healing emotional trauma and pain. animal wellness
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