ANIMAL WELLNESS
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012
AnimalWELLNESS For a long, healthy life!
SPECIAL ISSUE:
Living pawsitive!
Complementary
Care
TRADITIONAL
CHINESE MEDICINE EXPLAINED
ANIMAL WELLNESS MAGAZINE
Holistic help for
PTSD
Healing Powers THE
OF CANINE MASSAGE
ALLERGIES OR
Yeast Infecti o n? Learn to tell the difference
HE’S GOING
Bald!
When hair loss becomes a problem
feline WELLNESS Hip, cool and healthy!
PEACE in the PACK Acupressure for multi-dog households
TLC FOR HIS WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FATTY LIVER DISEASE
Tabby’sPlace
AN IDYLLIC SANCTUARY FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KITTIES
VOLUME 14 ISSUE 4
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER Display until September 24, 2012
MEET NYMBUS,
THE
Crystal Healing
$5.95 USA/Canada
bicycle riding
Cat
BONUS FELINE SECTION NOW INSIDE! FOR CATS
animal wellness
VOLUME 14 ISSUE 4
AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
63
Contents August / September 2012
FEATURES
56 16 PTSD IN DOGS
It’s a well known syndrome in people, but did you know our canine companions can also develop it? Retraining and holistic remedies can help them feel better.
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20 A NEW LIFE OF LOVE
Puppy mill rescue dogs know nothing of love or compassion, and are unsocialized and untrained. But they can be wonderful companions when given lots of TLC, patience and understanding.
24 FOR THE LOVE OF IT
Veterinarians and other animal health professionals with World Vets donate their time and skills to help care for animals in developing countries.
26 ALLERGIES OR YEAST INFECTION?
They’re related, but not the same. In order to effectively get to the root of your dog’s skin problem, you need to know the difference.
31 PROUD TO BE NATURAL
Owned and run by a farming family, this pet food company goes the extra mile to ensure quality raw diets for dogs and cats.
32 PEACE IN THE PACK
Friction and conflict can arise in multidog households. Acupressure helps calm canines and sets the stage for a harmonious environment.
40 FROM LOSS TO LEGACY
How the passing of two beloved dogs to cancer sparked an organization that provides support and educational resources to those dealing with a similar diagnosis in their own companions.
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animal wellness
44 TCM EXPLAINED
70 BIG WHEEL
You’ve heard about Traditional Chinese Medicine and its benefits, but what exactly is it, and how does it work? Here’s a comprehensive overview of this effective healing approach.
Meet Nymbus, the bicycle-riding cat. Learn how I trained him to safely enjoy bike rides, and how you can do the same with your own kitty.
51 POTCAKES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Cats seem especially sensitive to the subtle energies of crystal therapy. Here’s what these beautiful healing tools can do for your feline friend.
These unique island dogs are finding loving new homes throughout the US and Canada, thanks to a dedicated rescue network.
56 TOUCH IS ALL IT TAKES
It’s not just an offbeat trend. Canine massage is gaining recognition as a beneficial healing modality.
65 COMPASSION AND CARE
There’s a place in Ringoes, New Jersey where hope and love have no boundaries. When a cat is in need, superheroes and angels throw open the doors to help. Welcome to Tabby’s Place.
68 TLC FOR HIS LIVER
Cats are famous for being finicky, but if they stop eating altogether, they can develop feline hepatic lipidosis. Here’s what’s you need to know about this serious condition.
73 CRYSTAL CLEAR
78 WHY’S HE GOING BALD?
Some shedding is natural and normal, but if your dog’s skin starts to show where it never did before, he’s got a problem.
81 NUTRITION BY DESIGN
Treating diet-related health problems in his patients prompted this veterinarian to develop a product that fills the nutritional gap generated by commercial pet foods.
82 HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT
Veterinary care can be expensive, and many people struggle to pay the bills. If you ever find yourself in this position, consider one of many the charitable organizations that help animal lovers afford surgery or treatment.
36 COLUMNS
40
12
Yakkity yak
36
Whats your breed?
60
Warm & fuzzy
84
Book reviews
86
Case Study
90
Passages
97
Tail end
DEPARTMENTS 8
73
Editorial
34
Product picks
58
Animal Wellness resource guide
76
The scoop
88
Classifieds
92
Animal Wellness Marketplace
96
Events calendar animal wellness
5
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
in Dogs
By Janice Huntingford, DVM
It’s a well known syndrome in people, but did you know our canine companions can also develop it? Retraining and holistic remedies can help these dogs feel better.
isa and her husband were out when a tornado struck their town and partially destroyed their home. But their dog Pete was alone in the house at the time. The horrified couple fully expected to learn their companion had died in the disaster, but he was found alive in the basement, cowering in terror behind a sofa. Pete just wasn’t the same after his experience. “He’d always been a happy-go-lucky dog, but now he seemed depressed and withdrawn,” says Lisa. “He was afraid to go outside, and every time we had a thunderstorm or a windy day he’d start whining and try to hide someplace.” A visit to the vet revealed that Pete was most likely suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a well-recognized condition in many military personnel, firemen and policemen who have undergone traumatic experiences. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the condition has been defined as “an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.” Recently, it has been found that dogs as well as people
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can suffer from PTSD. In fact, it’s estimated that about 5% of military dogs develop the disorder. It’s easy to understand why bomb detection dogs, or search and rescue dogs used to find bodies after disasters, might be subject to PTSD. However, what many people don’t realize is that civilian dogs can also fall victim to it. If a dog goes through a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, or is abused, neglected, abandoned, or loses his human caretaker, he could develop PTSD. Many rescue dogs fall into this category.
Treatment hinges on retraining Treatment for any dog suffering from PTSD includes retraining, which revolves around convincing him that the world is not a bad place.
The diet should be supplemented with Omega 3 fatty acids, as these nutrients naturally boost the “feel good” hormones that fight depression. • Provide the dog with a safe place of his own, whether it’s a room or a crate. This safe place needs to be quiet and away from everything. It needs to contain the dog’s favorite, familiar
toys, food bowl and a piece of your clothing, so he realizes he is not truly alone. Chew toys are also a good idea. • Routine is important for these dogs. They need to realize the world is an ordered place. If you have a dog that suffers from PTSD, he needs to be fed and walked at the same times every day. Introduce new things very gradually so he has a chance to become used to them. This process requires a lot of love and patience.
• Exercise and play are other important facets of therapy. If dogs with PTSD are given the opportunity to run and chase other dogs, play with their people, retrieve, swim, or run an agility course, they recover much more quickly. If the dog can relearn how to have fun, treatment is much more successful. • Along with retraining, many holistic approaches and treatm e n t s c a n h e l p . S t a r t with a high quality diet containing all the vitamins and minerals canines require. A holistic or integrative veterinarian can help you develop the right diet for your own dog. The diet should be supplemented with Omega 3 fatty acids, as these nutrients naturally boost the “feel good” hormones that fight depression. • Herbs and nutraceuticals can also help dogs with PTSD. L-theanine and melatonin can be especially useful. Both are readily available and safe for most dogs. Specific canine forms of L-theanine can be purchased. Chinese herbs have also been used for anxiety and aggressive disorders in canines. Combining herbs and acupuncture is an effective treatment for anxiety and PTSD. • Dog pheromone collars or infusers have proven effective for anxiety problems, while flower essences such as Bach’s Rescue Remedy can be used along with training and other modalities. • In conventional medicine, retraining is often combined with drug therapy. Many of the drugs used to treat separation anxiety are also used for PTSD. Clomipramine, fluoxetine and amitriptyline are the most commonly used pharmaceuticals for this condition. Continued on page 18 animal wellness
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