V19I4 (Aug/Sep 2017)

ANIMAL WELLNESS

For a long, healthy life!

WELLNESS

IS SHE SCARED OF

THUNDER?

3D PRINTED

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION CAN CALM HER FEARS

LASER THERAPY

PROSTHETICS FOR PETS

FOR YOUR DOG

HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND

PET FOOD LABELS

THE LATEST IN

NATURAL ARTHRITIS TREATMENTS

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Chloe

SAFE SPORTS FOR SENIORS

TAKE YOUR DOG TO

Kardoggian

THE BALLGAME!

THIS FAMOUS 13-YEAR-OLD CHIHUAHUA WITH THE LARGER-THAN-LIFE SENSE OF HUMOR IS ON A MISSION TO PROMOTE SENIOR DOG ADOPTION.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 Display until September 13, 2017

$6.95 USA/Canada

VOLUME 19 ISSUE 4

AnimalWellnessMagazine.com

BONUS INSIDE!

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August/September 2017

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Contents August/September 2017

Features

18 3 EFFECTIVE “FIXES” FOR CANINE JOINT PROBLEMS

Learn how gold bead implants, prolotherapy and CMO can help heal hip dysplasia, knee injuries, arthritis and other joint issues in dogs.

22 3-D PRINTING AND HOW IT CAN HELP PETS

Though still in its early stages when it comes to veterinary medicine, 3-D printing is being used for prosthetics as well as disease research.

26 CHRONIC INFLAMMATION AND YOUR PET – PART 1

A look at the connection between chronic inflammation and obesity, and how keeping your dog or cat at a healthy weight can reduce inflammation in his body.

30 UNDERSTANDING PET

FOOD LABELS

Make healthier and more informed pet food choices for your dog or cat by learning how to read and interpret pet food names and ingredient lists.

36 LASER THERAPY –

LIGHT ENERGY TO HEAL DOGS AND CATS

Separation anxiety can manifest in many ways.

How therapeutic laser can treat and manage multiple conditions in pets – from arthritis and joint injuries to skin wounds and nerve degeneration.

40 CHLOE KARDOGGIAN

50 SAFETY TIPS FOR NIGHTTIME DOG WALKING

If you take your dog for walks when it’s dark out, be sure to follow these steps to keep him – and yourself – safe.

60 IS YOUR DOG SCARED

OF STORMS?

Shaking, whining and pacing are signs of thunder phobia in dogs. Instead of dreading summer storms, see how behavior modification can help your pooch cope with his anxiety.

68 4 SAFE SPORTS FOR

SENIOR DOGS

Like people, dogs get more fragile as they age.

But this doesn’t mean they can’t participate in canine sports. Check out these safe options for your senior dog.

72 CAN CHIROPRACTIC

CARE MAKE YOUR PET HAPPIER?

This sweet 13-year-old Chihuahua has shared her life with many different people – but she still has endless love to give her devoted fans, and is a “spokesdog” for senior dog adoption.

Misalignments in your pet’s spine can cause nervous system changes that impact his emotional well-being. Chiropractic adjustments mean a calmer, happier animal.

46 COMMON LAB TESTS FOR PETS – PART 2

76 NATURAL HELP FOR CANINE SPINAL PROBLEMS

Take a close-up look at some of the most common lab and diagnostic tests, and what they can tell you about your dog or cat’s health.

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How TCVM, homeopathy and other approaches can help treat intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and spondylosis in dogs.

82 TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE BALLGAME!

Did you know most Major League Baseball teams allow you to take your pooch to the park to enjoy the game with you?

92 THE CAT NETWORK

This organization plays a huge role in reducing cat overpopulation in South Florida, and has so far helped over 100,000 felines.

94 SENIOR CATS – ACUPRESSURE SUPPORT

Older cats are prone to developing kidney disease and other age-related issues. Find out how acupressure can improve your senior kitty’s longevity and quality of life.

96 NATURAL REMEDIES FOR

ARTHRITIC CATS

From acupuncture and weight management to nutritional supplements and Reiki, there are many natural ways to help relieve the pain and stiffness of arthritis in cats.

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82 Columns

12 Yakkity yak 43 Business profile – Back on Track

54 Rewind 64 Passages 67 Business profile –

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Zuke's

80 To the rescue 88 Book reviews 89 Tail end 91 Cat chat

Departments 8

Editorial

49

Product picks

58

Animal Wellness resource guide

75

Social media

79

The scoop

86

Marketplace

Tips, pet photos, and more!

AnimalWellnessMagazine

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Events calendar

Crafts, laughs, and more!

AnimalWellness

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Classifieds

98 FW book reviews

Social media Tips, contests and more!

AnimalWellnessMagazine News, events, and tips! @ AW_magazine

August/September 2017

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VOLUME 19 ISSUE 4

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor-in-Chief: Dana Cox Managing Editor: Ann Brightman Staff Writer: Emily Watson Senior Graphic Designer: Dawn Cumby-Dallin Senior Graphic Designer: Sylvia Flegg Social Media Manager: Maddie Maillet Digital Media Manager: Theresa Gannon Web Design & Development: Brad Vader Tail End Illustration: Libby Sinden Cover Image Courtesy of: Dorie Herman Feline Cover Image Courtesy of: Max Norman Pet Photography

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF:

Dorie Herman She might be tiny, and she might be getting on in years, but Chloe Kardoggian is a ball of fire! This loving, energetic little dynamo is the most famous older Chihuahua in the world, and also a “spokesdog” for senior dog adoption. Read more on page 40.

ON THE FW COVER PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF:

Max Norman Pet Photography Kitten season is all year round in Florida, and homeless cats abound, especially in the southern part of the state. But thanks to The Cat Network, thousands of needy kitties are finding loving forever homes.

Turn to page 92 to learn more about this non-profit’s wonderful work.

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COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tamra Anne Bolles W. Jean Dodds, DVM Robin Downing, DVM, MS, DAAPM, DACVSMR, CVPP, CCPR Margie Garrett, DVM, CVA, CIVCA, CVTN Amy Hayek, DVM Tami Hendrix Rachel Jones, DVM Deva Khalsa, VMD Ingrid King Tom Lohr Shawn Messonnier, DVM Bill Ormston, DVM Nancy Scanlan, DVM Amy Snow Tonya Wilhelm Linda Young Nancy Zidonis ADMINISTRATION & SALES President/C.E.O.: Tim Hockley Accounting: Anne Sloggett Circulation & Office Manager: Libby Sinden SUBMISSIONS: Please email all editorial material to Ann Brightman, Managing Editor, at ann@redstonemediagroup.com. We welcome previously unpublished articles and color pictures either in jpeg, tif or disc form at 300 dpi. We cannot guarantee that either articles or pictures will be used or that they will be returned. We reserve the right to publish all letters received. You can also mail submissions to: Animal Wellness Magazine, 160 Charlotte St., Suite 202, Peterborough, ON, Canada K9J 2T8. Please direct other correspondence to info@redstonemediagroup.com.

AnimalWellnessMagazine.com

ADVERTISING SALES National Accounts Manager: Ann Beacom, (866) 764 -1212 ext. 222 annbeacom@redstonemediagroup.com Western Regional Manager: Becky Starr, (866) 764-1212 ext. 221 becky@redstonemediagroup.com Multimedia Specialist: Kat Shaw, (866) 764-1212 ext. 315 katshaw@redstonemediagroup.com Subscription Services Manager: Brittany Tufts, (866) 764-1212 ext. 115 brittany@redstonemediagroup.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Libby Sinden classifiedads@animalwellnessmagazine.com TO SUBSCRIBE: Subscription price at time of this issue is $24.00 in the U.S. and Canada, including taxes for six issues shipped via surface mail. Subscriptions can be processed by: Website: www.animalwellnessmagazine.com Phone: (866) 764-1212 ext 115 US MAIL: Animal Wellness Magazine, 6834 S University Blvd PMB 155 Centennial, CO 80122 CDN MAIL: Animal Wellness Magazine, 160 Charlotte St., Suite 202, Peterborough, ON, Canada K9J 2T8 Subscriptions are payable by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, check or money order. The material in this magazine is not intended to replace the care of veterinary practitioners. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor, and different views may appear in other issues. Redstone Media Group Inc., publisher of Animal Wellness, does not promote any of the products orservices advertised by a third party advertiser in this publication, nor does Redstone Media Group Inc. verify the accuracy of any claims made in connection with such advertisers.

Refund policy: call or write our customer service department and we will refund unmailed issues.

DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME: Animal Wellness Magazine is available at a discount for resale in retail shops and through various organizations. Call Libby at (866) 764-1212 ext 100 and ask for dealer magazine sales, fax us at (705) 742-4596 or e-mail at libby@animalwellnessmagazine.com

Animal Wellness Magazine (ISSN 1710-1190) is published six times a year by Redstone Media Group Inc. Publications Mail Agreement #40884047. Entire contents copyright© 2017. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher. Publication date: June 2017.

Improving the lives of animals... one reader at a time.

editorial

young

KEEPING THEM

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ur husky Sabrina always seemed to have springs on her feet. “Jaunty” is how I would describe her bouncy gait; it seemed her feet barely touched the ground. Though she was healthy until very close to the end of her 15½ years, she did slow down in her last 12 months or so. She dragged a little more on walks and seemed stiffer getting up and down. I’m sure those of you who have had a senior dog know what I’m talking about.

For Sabrina, I increased her supplements, and we used acupuncture and chiropractic to help make things a little easier for her. In this way, we were able to manage any discomfort until she passed from old age, and I’m grateful we had these modalities available.

Not surprisingly, joint problems are among the most common issues affecting our dogs today. This issue of Animal Wellness is packed with tips and suggestions that can help keep your best friend flexible and pain-free no matter what his age. Dr. Deva Khalsa introduces you to three innovative “fixes” for knee injuries, hip dysplasia, arthritis and more, while Dr. Robin Downing explains how laser therapy can be used not only for joint issues, but many other health problems as well. If your dog is a senior, check out our article on safe sports for older canines; or learn how chiropractic care can make your dog happier as well as healthier and more limber. On the topic of seniors, our

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cover story focuses on a famous elderly Chihuahua named Chloe Kardoggian, who refuses to let her advancing age get in the way of living a full life!

Since summer’s still with us, we also look at how behavior modification can be used to calm dogs with thunderstorm phobia. If you’re a baseball fan, you won’t want to miss our fun piece on the growing number of Major League teams that allow dogs to accompanying their owners to select games.

And as fall approaches and the days start to draw in, be sure to bookmark our article on safe nighttime dog walking.

Cats are prone to joint problems too, so our Feline Wellness section includes an article on natural remedies for kitties with arthritis. You’ll also find out how acupressure can help ease an aging cat, and even improve his kidney function. Finally, for a feel-good story about helping homeless felines, we feature The Cat Network, an organization that has rescued thousands of kitties in south Florida.

Naturally,

Dana Cox Editor-in-Chief

August/September 2017

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contributors

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1. Veterinarian Dr. Jean Dodds received her veterinary degree in 1964 from the Ontario Veterinary College. In 1986, she established Hemopet, the first non-profit national blood bank program for animals. Dr. Dodds has been a member of many committees on hematology, animal models of human disease and veterinary medicine. She received the Holistic Veterinarian of the Year Award from the AHVMA in 1994. Turn to page 26 for Part 1 of Dr. Dodds’ article on chronic inflammation and pets.

2. Veterinarian Dr. Robin Downing is Hospital Director of The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, LLC (DowningCenter.com).

She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, and was the third veterinarian in the world to earn the Diplomate credential in the American Academy of Pain Management. Dr. Downing is an international speaker and author on pain management, physical medicine, hospice care, and anesthesia-related topics. On page 36, she discusses the benefits of laser therapy.

3. Veterinarian Dr. Margie Garrett graduated from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1992. She attended the Chi Institute to study acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, herbal therapy, and Tuina. She is certified in animal chiropractic, and is attending the University of Tennessee program for animal rehabilitation. Dr. Garrett practices homotoxicology and is familiar with homeopathy, Bach and other flower remedies, and aromatherapy. She is an active member in the AVMA, AHVMA, AAVA, IVAS, AATCVM, IVCA and SWIVMA. For this issue (page 76), she writes on integrative treatments for spinal problems.

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4. Veterinarian Dr. Amy Hayek graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 1998. She opened her own practice in 2001 in Summerville, South Carolina. She teaches for Animal Chiropractic Education Source, has published in the Journal of the AVMA, and lectures for the AVCA and others. On page 72, Dr. Hayek co-authors an article about how chiropractic improves a pet’s emotional well-being.

5. Veterinarian Dr. Deva Khalsa authored Dr. Khalsa’s The Natural Dog and co-authored Healing Your Horse: Alternative Therapies. She lectures internationally and is a professor at the British Institute of Homeopathy. She has almost 30 years of experience in holistic modalities. See page 18 for her article on some unique joint health therapies.

6. Veterinarian Dr. Shawn Messonnier wrote The Natural Health Bible for Dogs and Cats, The Natural Vet’s Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs, and 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog. He’s the pet care expert for Martha Stewart Living’s “Dr. Shawn – The Natural Vet” on Sirius Satellite Radio, and creator of Dr. Shawn’s Pet Organics. His practice, Paws & Claws Animal Hospital (petcarenaturally.com), is in Plano, Texas. For Part 2 of his article on common diagnostic tests, turn to page 46.

7. Veterinarian Dr. William Ormston graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. He received certification from the AVCA and began using chiropractic to treat his animal patients. Jubilee Animal Health is a mobile practice in the Dallas Metroplex area where he cares for animals using mostly

alternative methods. On page 72, Dr. Ormston co-authors an article on how chiropractic can improve emotional well-being.

8. Dr. Nancy Scanlan is Executive Director for the AHVM Foundation, a board member of WATCVM (World Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine), and a consultant on VIN (Veterinary Information Network). She has been using complementary health therapies in her veterinary practice since 1970. She uses nutraceuticals, acupuncture (IVAS certified), nonclassical homeopathy, trigger point therapy, and Chinese and Western herbs. Dr. Scanlan was Executive Director of the AHVMA for three years, president of the VBMA for two years, and is a member of the VBMA, AVBM, AHVMA, WATCVM, AVMA, and CVMA. She offers advice on reading pet food labels on page 30.

9. Nancy Zidonis and Amy Snow are the authors of ACU-CAT: A Guide to Feline Acupressure and ACU-DOG: a Guide to Canine Acupressure. They founded Tallgrass, offering books, manuals, DVDs, apps, and meridian charts. Tallgrass also provides hands-on and online training courses worldwide including a 300-hour Practitioner Program. It is an approved school for the Dept. of Higher Education through the State of Colorado and an approved provider of NCBTMB and NCCAOM CE’s. Contact 888-841-7211, animalacupressure.com or Tallgrass@animalacupressure.com. See page 94 for Amy and Nancy’s article on acupressure for aging cats.

10. Ingrid King is a former veterinary hospital manager and author of five cat books, including Buckley’s Story: Lessons from a Feline Master

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Teacher and Tortitude: The BIG Book of Cats with a BIG Attitude. Her blog, The Conscious Cat, is an award-winning resource for conscious living, health and happiness for cats and their humans (ConsciousCat.com). Ingrid writes for magazines and websites around the world. She looks at natural remedies for feline arthritis on page 96.

US, she has helped thousands build happy relationships with their dogs using humane, positive training methods. She wrote Proactive Puppy Care; offers group and private dog training classes; provides training and behavior services, and does workshops at pet expos (raisingyourpetsnaturally.com). Turn to page 60 for tips on helping thunder-phobic dogs.

11. Tonya Wilhelm is a dog training and cat care specialist who has traveled the US promoting positive ways of preventing and managing behavior issues with a holistic approach.

Named one of the top ten dog trainers in the

12. Tamra Bolles usually writes under the pen name of Anabelle Lee Macri. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor's degree in journalism, and is a freelance writer. For this

contributors

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issue, Tamra explores the world of 3D printing and how it’s helping pets – see page 22.

13. Tom Lohr is a lifetime baseball fan and dog lover who lives in Santa Fe with his two rescues, Fern and Ella. Fern is a blue heeler mix and Ella a certified “brown couch hound”.

When not at the ballpark, the trio can be found exploring the dog-friendly wilderness of northern New Mexico. On page 82, Tom brings other dog lovers and baseball fans together in his article on ballpark “dog days”.

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yakkity yak

FEWER DOGS BEING EUTHANIZED Back in the 1970s, around 20 million unwanted dogs were euthanized every year. That number has been dropping significantly, according to a recent study conducted by the College of Veterinary Medicine for Mississippi State University (MSU).

The study found that: • Shelters take in 5.5 million dogs each year • 2.6 million are adopted • 969 thousand are returned to their owners • 778 thousand are transferred • 776 thousand are euthanized Although that final number is still unacceptably large, it’s a huge improvement from 40 years ago, and bodes well for the future.

“This new data from MSU will be especially helpful for shelters to design more specific strategies to continue reducing the homeless dog population,” says Ed Sayres, former ASPCA president. petleadershipcouncil.org

UPDATE ON DOG MEAT INDUSTRY You’ve probably read reports indicating that South Korea’s Moran Market – one of the largest sellers of dog meat in Korea – would be closing its doors. Unfortunately, this claim has since been withdrawn. However, Lee Jae Myeong, the mayor of Seongnam, has stated that he wants to clean up the market’s image by forbidding the slaughter and sale of live dogs on site.

While this means the sale of dog meat in general will continue at the market, there’s room for optimism.

Tick populations have exploded in many regions of the US and Canada. Use

“It’s clear that years of campaigning by animal lovers has had an effect,” states Animals Asia (animalsasia.org), an organization devoted to ending the dog and cat meat industry. “So far, no slaughter has been seen on site, but we are staying vigilant and will continue to monitor the situation through our associates.”

natural repellents

For more about South Korea’s dog meat industry, and what’s being done about it, see our AW V18I5 cover story, “Replacing cruelty with compassion”.

long grasses, and

on yourself and your dog, avoid carefully check yourself and your dog over after every walk.

Dogs being held at the Moran Market in South Korea, infamous for the reported inhumane slaughter of 10,000 dogs per year.

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THE PROBLEM WITH BPA An industrial chemical used to make plastics and resins, bisphenol A (more commonly seen as BPA) is used to line many metal-based food cans. Though it’s meant to prevent the food from coming into contact with the metal, BPA presents its own health hazards.

Researchers at the University of Missouri recently discovered that feeding commercial canned food, even over a short period of a couple of weeks, can increase

TWO PIT BULLS JOIN NARCOTICS DETECTION TEAM

concentrations of BPA in dogs by three times. While very little research exists on BPA’s effects on companion animals, and no safe limit for daily consumption has been established, what is known is that the chemical is endocrine-disrupting, and can also negatively affect metabolism and gut microbiomes.

More research is needed, but in the meantime, the best way to protect your dog or cat is to contact the manufacturer of your pet’s food and ask whether or not their cans are lined with BPA. munews.missouri.edu

CAMPUS ANIMALS FOR MENTAL HEALTH Stress and anxiety are endemic among college-aged students. To help improve mental and emotional well-being on campus, Johnson State College in Vermont now allows students to keep emotional support animals (ESAs) in their dorm rooms. To date, 27 dogs and other animals (including cats, fish and hamsters) have been introduced around the campus.

Interacting with an animal increases oxytocin levels – the hormone responsible for feelings of joy, especially in relation to bonding. The ESAs at Johnson are expected to increase overall student happiness, decrease stress, and act as a conversation starter for those who are selfconscious in social situations. usaservicedogregistration.com

Phantom (pictured here) and Sarah are doing well in their new roles, and have both successfully discovered narcotics leading to arrests.

Earlier this year, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina welcomed two new deputies. Their names are Sarah and Phantom, and they’re pit bulls.

Formerly homeless, the dogs were specifically chosen from two different rescue organizations, UniversalK9 and the Animal Farm Foundation, to join the county’s Narcotics Detection team.

By choosing rescued pit bulls, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office is helping break down breed discrimination, while demonstrating that it isn’t necessary to spend upwards of $20,000 on a dog to search for illegal drugs.

“Even though pit bulls get a bad rap in the media, they aren't all bad dogs and can do great things for the communities they serve,” writes the sheriff’s office. claycountyso.org August/September 2017

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yakkity yak PILOT PROJECT HELPS SHELTER ANIMALS Animal shelters often struggle to pay for diagnostic testing, making it difficult to determine the right course of treatment for their charges. Many illnesses may go undiagnosed or untreated, or treatment may be delayed while funds are raised.

Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine aims to ease that financial burden with the recent launch of a pilot program to provide diagnostic services for animal shelters.

Maddie's® Shelter Lab offers a 50% discount on diagnostic services and supplies, as well as free shipping, to non-profit humane organizations in New York State.

Holly Putnam, Program Clinician with Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program (right), works with a graduate student and animals at the Ithaca SPCA.

Photos courtesy of Cornell University

“This service will allow for assistance in diagnosing outbreaks in animal shelters – from canine influenza to gastrointestinal conditions such as parasites, parvovirus and panleukopenia,” says Elizabeth Berliner, DVM, the Janet L. Swanson Director of Shelter Medicine at Cornell. sheltermedicine.vet.cornell.edu

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT POWASSAN VIRUS? Along with Lyme disease, we now have another reason to learn about the many natural ways of preventing ticks on our dogs and cats. The number of cases of Powassan virus reported in humans, though still low, is increasing, especially in the Northeast and Midwest US. The virus is now being transmitted by deer ticks and has severe, sometimes fatal, neurological health consequences in people. Powassan can be transmitted in just 15 minutes and there is currently no treatment.

To date, there isn’t a lot of information about the virus’s impact on dogs and cats, but building a healthy immune system in your pets (and yourself) is more important than ever. cdc.gov/powassan

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yakkity yak ANIMAL THERAPY HELPS PEOPLE WITH EATING DISORDERS Overcoming eating disorders like bulimia is extremely difficult. But Shannon Kopp of San Diego found a way out of her own illness by spending time in the healing, non-judgmental company of shelter dogs, particularly pit bulls.

Not only was Shannon inspired to write a book about how dogs helped her heal (Pound for Pound), but she has started a non-profit called the SoulPaws Recovery Project, to assist others struggling with eating disorders.

Shannon 's n help those on-profit uses anim a st eating dis ruggling with bulim l therapy to orders. ia and oth er

The project offers free animal-assisted therapy workshops that utilize a variety of service animals, including dogs, puppies, miniature horses and others. Journaling, meditation, and one-on-one time with animals are part of the experience. soulpawsrecovery.org

PET LOVERS SPENDING MORE THAN EVER When it comes to our animal companions, we pull out all the stops! According to the American Pet Products Association, we spent over $6 billion more on our pets last year than we did the year before. Total spending for 2016 was $66.75 billion – up from $60.28 billion in 2015.

Pet food and treats continue to be the primary source of expenditure, bringing in nearly $29 billion, followed by veterinary care at $15.95 billion. “Industry spending is higher than ever,” says Bob Vetere, president and CEO of the APPA. “It’s a promising sign that our country’s pets are in good hands.” goodnewsforpets.com/pet-industry-spendingtime-high-6-billion/

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By Deva Khalsa, VMD

EFFECTIVE “FIXES” FOR COMMON CANINE JOINT PROBLEMS

LEARN HOW GOLD BEAD IMPLANTS, PROLOTHERAPY AND CMO CAN HELP HEAL HIP DYSPLASIA, KNEE INJURIES, ARTHRITIS AND OTHER JOINT ISSUES IN DOGS.

Dogs of all ages can suffer from musculoskeletal problems.

The pain, stiffness and lack of mobility these problems cause can severely affect a dog’s quality of life. I’d like to share three unique “fixes” for some common joint problems afflicting dogs, including arthritis, hip dysplasia and knee injuries. Gold bead implants, prolotherapy and CMO often provide permanent help for these conditions, working quickly to heal your dog and saving you both time and money.

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GOLD BEAD IMPLANTS FOR DYSPLASIA AND ARTHRITIS OF THE HIPS Let’s begin with the hips. Hip dysplasia is a genetic trait resulting in abnormal formation of the hip socket. It can cause lameness and painful arthritis. Older dogs without hip dysplasia can also get arthritis in their hips. Conventional treatment involves placing the dog on NSAIDS for long periods of time.

Yet, there’s a jewel of a therapy that usually fixes the problem for good and can even prevent future degeneration. Gold bead implants provide reliable, dependable relief that often lasts the rest of the dog’s life.

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Gold bead implants can be likened to a permanent form of acupuncture.

Tiny gold beads and/or small pieces of gold wire are permanently and precisely placed in certain acupuncture points.

Gold bead implants for use in people were pioneered by Dr. Grady Young in the early 1970s.

In 1975, Dr. Terry Durkes began doing clinical research on gold bead implants in pets, and found that they dependably provide significant improvement in all the symptoms of hip dysplasia and hip arthritis while stopping or greatly slowing progression of the condition. He saw a 98% success rate using gold bead implants for dogs under seven years of age with hip dysplasia, and a 75% success rate with dogs between seven and 12 years old. That’s pretty impressive.

Dr. Durkes feels that gold beads stop excess movement within the hip joint, which in turn stops the pain. What follows is a gradual

reabsorption of the arthritis and excess boney formations in the treated joints. He found that after about six months, he could actually see improvement on films of the affected joints. The tiny gold beads also exert a positive charge on the surrounding tissues, which in turn helps relieve discomfort and prevents future arthritic deposits.

Today, many veterinary acupuncturists are trained in this technique. The tiny gold beads or wires are inserted through a needle while the patient is under light anesthesia or sedation.

The implants stay in place permanently and provide constant stimulation that promotes healing. The procedure is not expensive and when compared to the expense and the dangers of years of anti-inflammatory drugs is a very valid option.

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PROLOTHERAPY FOR KNEE INJURIES Knee injuries are another all-too-common problem in our canine companions. The knee is a complex joint. Two of its four ligaments are attached in a crosswise fashion and are called the cranial and caudal cruciate ligaments. These ligaments act together with the lateral collateral ligament to maintain stability of the stifle joint through its full range of motion.

Recent research has found that cruciate injuries are not as simple and straightforward as was once thought. It has been found that

spayed or neutered dogs over four years of age are considerably more likely to suffer cruciate tears than dogs that remain sexually intact. Cruciate ligament damage is also seen much more frequently in overweight, neutered middle-aged dogs.

It’s important to understand that ligaments heal very, very slowly.

A fresh ligament is pure white because it has very little blood supply; yet it’s the blood flowing through a tissue that brings it the nutrients it needs to heal. When ligaments finally do heal, they often retain only 20% of their original strength, making them more prone to re-injury.

The jewel treatment for knee injuries is prolotherapy.

It has been practiced for well over 50 years, and is inexpensive and very effective. Research back in the 1950s showed that damaged ligaments treated with prolotherapy increased almost four times in size.

Prolotherapy is defined as “the rehabilitation of an incompetent structure, such as ligaments or tendons, by the induced proliferation of new cells”. The treatment is simple and straightforward.

Injections of a specific mixture of proliferative substances are placed into the ligaments around the

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steroids and NSAIDs have been irrefutably proven to retard healing because the damaged knee is continuously reinjured.

Owners may try to limit exercise and keep their dogs on a leash, but invariably, something happens that brings it all back to square one. The consequence is that expensive knee surgery may become the only remaining option.

TWO CASE REPORTS 1. Tara brought her two-year-old Newfoundland, Lily, to me for evaluation. Lily had been diagnosed with very severe hip dysplasia. Her shallow bone sockets had a crippling effect, making even the effort of getting up a painful experience for her.

Lily received a chiropractic adjustment and an acupuncture treatment during her first visit. “Within three days, she was running to the barn and could jump into the car,” Tara recalls. The following week, Lily received gold bead implants. After the procedure, she was able to easily outrun other dogs and has since led a normal life without any need for oral joint products.

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2. Betty, a chubby eight-year-old chocolate Lab, had been spayed at a young age. No one who knew her would ever consider her an athlete. She liked slow rambling walks. Betty arrived at our clinic walking on three legs – after a prolotherapy procedure that took about ten minutes, she walked out on four.

joint, stimulating them to regenerate. The fluid also stimulates new cartilage growth. Prolotherapy is effective in the repair of collagen, ligaments and connective tissue.

Prolotherapy is my treatment of choice for cruciate injuries.

Before I started using it, we treated cruciate injuries with multiple acupuncture sessions, various holistic supplements and restricted exercise. With prolotherapy, the effects are often seen immediately because healing is vastly accelerated. In many cases, only one treatment is needed, though two or three may sometimes be required. Some veterinarians do the procedure without anesthesia; I decide on a case-to-case basis whether light anesthesia should be used by evaluating the individual patient, his personality and pain tolerance. It’s also important to know if the ligament has been torn from the attachment, since prolotherapy won’t work in these cases. If the dog is using his leg, albeit tiptoeing on it, the ligament is most likely still intact.

I never condone giving NSAIDS to dogs with cruciate injuries.

When a dog injures his knee, the pain forces him to rest it. If a person hurts her knee and takes a drug to kill the pain, she knows she has to continue protecting the injured joint – but a dog will run on his knee and further injure the damaged ligaments. Both

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Animal Wellness

CETYL MYRISTOLEATE (CMO) FOR ARTHRITIS AND OTHER JOINT PROBLEMS Cetyl myristoleate is an oral substance that works great for arthritis and other joint problems. CMO was discovered by Harry W. Diehl. He was working with Dr. Jonas Salk as a researcher at the National Institutes of Health when he found that CMO occurs naturally in the body of certain animals, and is responsible for joint protection.

CMO is the common name for cis-9-cetyl myristoleate, a relative of the Omega-9 fatty acid found in olive oil. It is a natural medium-chain fatty acid found in certain animals, including beavers, whales and mice – but not in people, dogs and cats. CMO has multiple biological properties; it’s an antiinflammatory and pain reliever, as well as an immune system modulator. Because people and pets don’t have CMO in their bodies, they need to take it orally.

I began using a human CMO product about 30 years ago for extreme cases where nothing else would work. Dogs who were on NSAIDs, doing very poorly and not good candidates for gold bead implants were sent home on CMO. The results were truly remarkable. Owners called me crying with happiness and their dogs danced into my office for their follow-up appointments just two weeks later.

Years later, I met Jill Nazimek and she told me a very interesting story. She had an 11-year-old, 130-pound Alaskan malamute who couldn’t walk at all. She was going to let him go to doggy heaven when someone told her about human CMO. In short order, her dog became well again and lived happily for two more years. Jill was so impressed she created a chewable pet version of CMO, working in conjunction with the original formulator (Myristin).

Prolotherapy has saved many a dog from knee surgery. Gold bead implants often provide permanent relief from hip dysplasia. (You can find veterinarians who do both at ahvma.org.)

CMO, meanwhile, helps restore joint integrity while alleviating inflammation and pain. Dogs with chronic joint problems do not have to suffer!

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August/September 2017

21

Derby's 3-D printed prosthetics enable him to play and run like other dogs.

D gs Cats

By Tamra Anne Bolles and Ann Brightman

THOUGH STILL IN ITS EARLY STAGES WHEN IT COMES TO VETERINARY MEDICINE, 3-D PRINTING IS BEING USED FOR PROSTHETICS AS WELL AS DISEASE RESEARCH.

One of the most fascinating technological advances in recent years, 3-D printing has a wide range of applications, from medical to industrial to artistic. It’s also making waves in the veterinary world and is being used in several ways to help dogs and cats.

Take Derby, for example (“Yakkity Yak”, AW V17I2). A dog born with deformed front legs, he once used a cart to get around. But his foster “mom”, who works for a 3-D technology company, developed 3-D printed prosthetics customized to meet Derby’s needs. Since then, he has been able to move and run like any other dog.

In another very different example, Alexis Noel, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering, made an enlarged 3-D mimic of a cat’s tongue in order to more closely study the

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Animal Wellness

mechanics of the Velcro-like “spines” that characterize the feline tongue (“Cat chat”, FW V19I1).

3-D PRINTING NOT YET COMMON FOR PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS Veterinarian Dr. Samuel P. Franklin, assistant professor for Small Animal Orthopedics at the University of Georgia, says that prosthetics and orthotics are used with increasing frequency to treat dogs and cats that have suffered amputations, or musculoskeletal or neurologic disorders. So far, though, with a few exceptions, 3-D printed prosthetics aren’t often used in pets.

“3-D printing is done, although it is less common for prosthetic or orthotic cases,” says Dr. Franklin. The technology is not readily available in most clinics so relatively few dogs have been fitted with 3-D prosthetics.

Photo courtesy of 3D Systems, Inc.

3-D printing and how it can help dogs and cats

Photo courtesy of 3D Systems, Inc.

3-D printing allowed Derby's prosthetics to be customized to his body's shape and needs.

Aside from Derby, another example of a dog given a 3-D printed leg is Romina, a whippet who lost her front leg in an accident. Her articulated leg was fitted by specialists at Mexico City’s Universidad del Valle de Mexico's Veterinary Hospital in early 2016. And then there’s Tiny, a young golden retriever who was born with only half her right front leg; she received a 3-D prosthetic leg from the Xavier MakerBot Innovation Center at Xavier University.

The advantage of 3-D printing is that it provides greater flexibility in manufacturing unique prosthetics for unusual cases where traditional prosthetics are not a good option. For example, Derby’s prosthetics were customized to his morphology and featured organic shapes and smooth curves suited to his body.

3-D IMPLANTS Along with prosthetics and orthotics, 3-D printing technology also has applications when it comes to medical implants, although again, it’s not yet that common in veterinary medicine. One example reported on by National Geographic (news. nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/prosthetics-animals-rescued-3d-dogs-cats) involved a tenyear-old feline bone cancer survivor whose illness caused a seriously weakened and painful knee joint. A team of veterinarians at North Carolina State University fitted the cat with a knee implant that was custom created for the animal using 3-D printing.

HELPING RESEARCHERS UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT DISEASE

Photo courtesy of Mark Deadrick, 3dyn LLC

Photos courtesy of Mark Deadrick, 3dyn LLC

Dr. Karen Burg, a colleague of Dr. Franklin’s, says that 3-D printing was introduced to human medicine over 20 years ago for pre-operative planning. It allows surgeons to view a model of an injured hip joint, for example, so the doctor can make preliminary decisions prior to operating. Because it takes highly specialized equipment to generate models, however, 3-D printing is not in high use for this type of surgical application in humans or in pets.

Continued on page 24.

Born without front legs, TurboRoo finds mobility with a 3-D printed cart custom designed by engineer Mark Deadrick.

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Currently, 3D printing in the veterinary field is mostly used for research purposes. Dr. Burg, who is in the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Georgia, specializes in 3-D printing as part of her biomedical engineering research on veterinary disease. Dr. Karen Burg focuses part of her research on understanding how the technology can be applied to studying disease; in some cases, this could hopefully eliminate the need for amputations in the first place.

“In the field of veterinary medicine, we are using 3-D printing to co-print animal cells and plastics,” says Dr. Burg. “Think of plastics with hair gel-like consistencies and cells from a patient (a dog, for example) co-printed into 3-D blocks of tissue.

The idea is to make replicas of tissue blocks, use them to test combinations of therapies, and pinpoint the most appropriate option for a patient. Or we can simply study cellular processes in diseased or normal conditions.

“We can use software as simple as Microsoft Word for printing,” she continues. “Picture your name printed in multiple colors in Word.

Now, instead of colored ink cartridges for printing text, we put bone cells in the green print cartridge, plastic in the black print cartridge, fat cells in the red one, and a medication in the purple one. Your name would be printed in those biological components rather than in ink.

We’ve customized the printer to build layer upon layer in this fashion.

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Animal Wellness

“We can also take clinical digital information from an x-ray, and print this with different components using the levels of gray in the x-ray to determine which cartridge dispenses at any given time. We could also use the same approach to print biological tissue replacements for a patient using cells taken from a dog, thereby personalizing that replacement.”

Dr. Burg said 3-D printing can be a relatively simple process, but it can become highly complex when you A rendering of consider the manufacturing aspects. another 3-D printed “We can create tissue in a research lab, prosthetic design. but creating a manufacturing process for clinical relevance and use is quite the undertaking.” While Dr. Burg cautions that there’s a great need for more technological development and education when it comes to the application of 3-D printing in veterinary medicine, she agrees that it’s an exciting field to be in.

Photo courtesy of Animal Ortho Care, LLC

Continued from page 23.

Advertorial

FIGHTING AGAINST AGING – at the cellular level

As with humans, dogs and cats begin experiencing the physical decline of aging as soon as they reach adulthood. Depending on breed, most dogs are considered fully grown adults between one and three years of age, while most cats are adults by their first birthday.

Although nothing can completely reverse the cellular process of aging, there is tremendous scientific data to show that some antioxidants, such as vitamin E, CoQ10, lutein and zeaxanthin, can improve function in aging pets. But many of these antioxidants are unable to penetrate the cells where they’re needed most.

This means that our fur babies are aging long before we see any overt signs of physical or mental decline. People show clear age-related changes in their physical appearance, but other than minor changes to coat color and sheen, even very elderly dogs and cats may not appear significantly different from their younger counterparts. However, significant decline and degradation does occur at a cellular level; assessing your pet more closely will reveal many symptoms of aging that can profoundly decrease his quality of life.

Fortunately, there’s a solution. A new supplement called RestoraPet® has been developed by the people who brought you FLAVORx®, the largest medication flavoring company in the world. RestoraPet is a once-daily liquid supplement offered in three flavors; it’s added to your pet’s preferred food and contains all the antioxidants listed above along with a ground-breaking, patent-pending new antioxidant, Vitalitrol®, which helps the ingredients get right into the cell where they’re needed most.

Hearing or vision loss are often apparent, skin becomes thinner, and joint and muscle function decrease, causing mobility issues and hip dysplasia, particularly in heavier animals. Additionally, decreases in heart, digestive system, immune system, lung and kidney function are all very common.

Dogs and cats on RestoraPet experience an increase in energy and flexibility, a reduction in discomfort, and improvements in organ and immune function. Every ingredient is organic and non-GMO. Thousands of pets have already used the product and experienced visible improvements in function and quality of life. See the company’s ad on page 24 for a “25% off” coupon on your first bottle.

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CHRONIC INFLAMMATION and your pet

By W. Jean Dodds, DVM

D gs Cats

– part 1

When free radicals are released from cells undergoing OXIDATIVE STRESS, the result is CHRONIC INFLAMMATION and a variety of health problems in dogs and cats. In the first part of this article, we’ll look at the connection between chronic inflammation and obesity, and how keeping your dog or cat at a healthy weight can reduce inflammation in his body.

Chronic inflammation in a dog or cat’s body can lead to a range of health conditions, including infections, arthritis, diabetes and cancer. But did you know that obesity is one of those conditions?

Obesity has several causes, of course, including diet and lifestyle, but many people don’t realize that a state of chronic cellular inflammation in a pet’s body can also contribute to obesity and its associated illnesses.

What causes chronic inflammation?

Chronic cellular inflammation results from the increased release of free radicals from cells in a state of oxidative stress, leading to a wide variety of diseases. It occurs when tissues receive signals that cause them to respond as though the “trigger” or causative agent was still present. Rather than repairing themselves, the cells remain in an ongoing state of inflammation that can wax and wane for an entire lifetime.

As a result, tissues become deficient in antioxidant mediators, such as malonedialdehyde, glutathione, cysteine, ascorbic acid and other antioxidant vitamins. This is associated with poor clinical outcomes – including obesity and susceptibility to infections and even cancers. In fact, more than 200 diseases have been linked to oxidative stress, and research on the topic is mounting.

The obesity epidemic Pet obesity is a national epidemic. A 2012 survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention revealed that 52.5% of dogs and 58.3% of cats are overweight or obese. Banfield Pet Hospital’s

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State of Pet Health Report 2012 provided startling insight into the link between obesity and illness. The report analyzed data from more than two million dogs and 430,000 cats and found that: • 42% of dogs and 40% of cats with diabetes are overweight.

• 40% of dogs and 37% of cats with arthritis are overweight.

• More than 40% of dogs with high blood pressure are overweight.

• 61% of hypothyroid dogs are overweight.

Banfield’s separate survey of pet caretakers found that 76% of dog guardians and 69% of cat guardians believed their pets were at a healthy weight, when in fact they were not.

Essentially, obesity is a state of chronic inflammation, which leads to a host of chronic inflammatory diseases. Overweight dogs are at increased risk for numerous diseases such as cardiorespiratory, endocrine, metabolic, orthopedic and urogenital disorders, body dysfunction, and neoplasia (cancer), and live an average of two years less than their ideal weight counterparts.

Dietary factors that lead to inflammation and obesity • Poor diet: Feeding more highly processed and energy dense convenience foods rather than fresh wholesome foods contributes to obesity and inflammation. Studies show that

Other causes of obesity

• Decreased exercise: Even though there are so-called “obesity genes”, lifestyle remains a determining factor in obesity. Lack of exercise is a primary cause in both people and pets. One study of 200,000 people who carried a specific gene predisposing them to obesity found that physically active adults who carried this gene were nearly one-third less likely to become overweight or obese than those who didn’t exercise.

• Genetic predisposition: Certain breeds of dog have been identified as genetically predisposed to obesity, including Basset hounds, beagles, boxers, Cairn terriers, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, cocker spaniels, dachshunds, Doberman pinschers, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, Scottish terriers, Shetland sheepdogs and West highland white terriers. In contrast, sighthounds appear to be less susceptible, and German shepherds have the lowest incidence of obesity.

• Spaying/neutering: A recent study found that dogs who had undergone gonadectomy (gonad removal) were significantly more likely to become overweight within two years, as compared with sexually intact dogs.

There was no difference between males and females, and the increased risk was not influenced by each dog’s age at the time of the procedures.

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a poor diet doesn’t just lead to health problems by creating fat in the body; it actually changes the expression of obesityrelated genes. Feeding your dog foods that suppress the genomic expression for obesity may not only result in a loss of weight, but also reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases.

Once the body becomes “programmed” for fat, it’s a neverending cycle because fat cells lead to more fat cells. The more fat cells there are in the body, the more these cells secrete pro-inflammatory mediators and the more chronic systemic inflammation there is. The fat-regulating hormones are known as adiponectin and leptin.

• Food sensitivities: Food intolerances/sensitivities are a major cause of cellular inflammation, which creates small fissures between the cells lining the intestines, allowing foreign invaders such as bacteria and partially digested food molecules to cross from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream, creating a further reaction from the immune system. Food intolerances/sensitivities can lead to weight gain because food sensitivities lead to inflammation, and obesity is an inflammatory condition.

• Feeding “recommended” amounts: Manufacturers’ feeding recommendations can result in overfeeding, weight gain and inflammation. This is because they don’t take the specific age, health, lifestyle, activity level or other individual factors of the pet into account. They also tend to overestimate the amount of daily calories the pet needs to consume.

Fat-fighting functional foods Since inflammation generates obesity, a key step in helping a pet lose weight is to feed him lots of fat-fighting anti-inflammatory foods, while also removing pro-inflammatory foods.

Some of the most important anti-inflammatory foods include: 1. High quality, bioavailable novel proteins • Coconut oil (virgin, expeller-pressed, preferably organic) – a medium-chain saturated fat, also known as a mediumchain triglyceride (MCT), that’s packed with health benefits ranging from immune-boosting to heart-protective properties.

Coconut oil also digests differently than other fats, creating a higher thermogenic effect that boosts metabolic rate.

• Omega-3 fatty acids – another powerful canine functional superfood, Omega-3s exert a strong anti-inflammatory effect and thus play an important role in weight loss.

• L-Carnitine – an amino acid synthesized in the liver and kidneys, this nutrient improves protein nitrogen retention, which increases lean body mass and reduces fat body mass.

• White kidney bean extract (Phaseolus vulgaris) – this extract has been shown to act as a starch blocker that blocks the activity

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of amylase – a digestive enzyme found in the pancreas of all mammals and in the saliva of humans but not dogs and cats – that breaks down starch.

2. Antiangiogenic foods These foods interfere with or destroy the blood vessels needed for tumor growth and metastasis. Foods that prevent angiogenesis, the creation of new blood vessels, can actually shrink fat cells by cutting off their blood supply. They include: • Apples • Artichokes • Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries) • Bok choy • Cherries • Curcumin (turmeric) • Ginseng • Kale • Lavender • Maitake mushrooms • Olive oil • Parsley • Pumpkin • Sea cucumber Keep in mind that commercial weight-loss foods may not be the best choice. These products are typically high in unhealthy carbohydrates, contain pro-inflammatory ingredients, and often don’t contain enough high quality animal protein. Opt instead for fresh, wholesome ingredients that promote healthy expression of genes, minimize inflammation, and maintain a lean body mass and overall optimum health.

In Part 2 of this article (Oct-Nov 2017), we’ll look at the link between chronic inflammation and cancer.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS Antioxidant – substance that reduces damage due to oxygen, such as that caused by free radicals.

Free radicals – highly reactive, short-lived molecules that damage cells, proteins and DNA. Genomic – adjective referring to the complete set of genes in the body.

Mediator – inflammatory substance released from cells after an antigen-antibody reaction.

Oxidative stress – process in which reactive oxygen molecules disrupt cell metabolism and damage cells and DNA.

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Reading and

understanding

pet food labels

By Nancy Scanlan, DVM

Trying to decipher pet food labels is more than a little intimidating.

How do you make sense of all those fancy names and ingredients, let alone decide whether or not a particular product is good for your dog or cat? This article will give you some insight into reading pet food labels so you’re better able to make healthy and informed choices for your four-legged friend.

Start with the food’s name When buying food for your dog or cat, start by looking at the product’s name. The FDA and AAFCO have rules about how a product can be named, but these rules can mislead pet owners. There are many ways to imply a product contains primarily one type of protein and they don’t all mean the same thing.

For example, “Tuna Cat Food” does not mean the same as “Tuna Dinner for Cats” or “Cat Food With Tuna” or “Tuna Flavored Cat Food”. The quantity of tuna in each of these foods ranges from 95% in “Tuna Cat Food” to barely detectable in “Tuna Flavored Cat Food”.

The one thing that is consistent is that if two foods are listed in the name (like tuna and shrimp), the food will contain more of the first food than the second. But in something like “Salmon and Shrimp Dinner” there can be more of another ingredient (like tuna) than salmon or shrimp, even though it’s not on the label (see sidebar on opposite page).

The names “Beef Dinner” or “Chicken Platter” on a commercial pet food label may make it sound as if the diet contains only beef or chicken, but in actual fact it often contains a mix of proteins of which beef or chicken may comprise anywhere from 25% to 94% of the total.

D gs Cats Make healthier and more informed pet food choices for your dog or cat by learning how to read and interpret pet food names and ingredient lists.

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What if a pet food contains only 3% of a particular ingredient, yet it’s something very special that the company wants to point out, such as lobster? Companies are now allowed to say “with” in the product name, such as “Tuna Dinner with Lobster”. The tip-off here is to read the list of ingredients. If the lobster is listed towards the end of the ingredients, your pet will probably not even be able to detect it. To make things even more confusing, manufacturers can say something like “Dog Food with Chicken”, which does not mean the same thing as “Chicken Dog Food”. The first can contain as little as 3% chicken, whereas the second one contains 95% chicken.

The word “flavor” in a pet food name is even worse. All it means is that there’s something in the food that can be detected by the dog or cat, which is somehow related to the protein the flavor relates to. For example, “Beef Flavor” often refers to something like beef by-products or beef digest rather than beef itself. Digest is a protein that has been treated with heat, enzymes, and/or acid (often phosphoric acid) in a way that concentrates its flavor. Digest is a flavor that comes from meat, and the way it is made enables a manufacturer to say “No Artificial Flavor”.

But it is certainly not what I would consider a “Natural Flavor”.

What do pet food names really mean?

Note: We’re using chicken as an example in this table, but the same principles apply to any meat.

Name

What’s actually in it?

Tuna Food

95% tuna

Chicken and Liver Food

95% total chicken and liver; more chicken than liver, at least 25% of each.

Chicken Dinner Chicken Platter Chicken Entrée Chicken Nuggets Chicken Formula

From 25% to 94% chicken, mixed with other things, including fish, which may be listed second or third on the ingredients list.

Chicken and Liver Dinner (etc.)

At least 3% of each ingredient, totaling at least 25% of the food.

More chicken than liver.

Chicken with Lobster

3% of the “with” item (lobster).

Chicken Flavor Food

Detectable amounts of some kind of chicken product.

Digest

A protein that has been treated with heat, enzymes, and/or acid (often phosphoric acid) in a way to concentrate its flavor. Qualifies as “natural” and as “flavor”.

The ingredients list and guaranteed analysis The ingredients list shows all the ingredients in a pet food. They’re listed by weight, from the most to the least. This is another area that can be a little confusing, especially when it comes to dry food. If the food contains one source of protein, and one source

of carbohydrates, and the protein is listed first, then you can trust there is more protein than carbohydrate in the food. But if there is one source of protein (such as beef) along with several sources of carbohydrate (such as potatoes, oatmeal and quinoa), the amount of total carbs might add up to be more than the amount of beef.

Continued on page 32.

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CHEMICAL NAMES FOR COMMON VITAMINS AND MINERALS Vitamins Vitamin A Retinoic acid, retinol, carotenoids, retinyl ester, retinoids Vitamin B1 Thiamine Vitamin B2 Riboflavin Vitamin B3 Niacin, nicotinic acid Vitamin B5 Pantothenic acid Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine Vitamin B7 Biotin Vitamin B9 Folic acid Vitamin B12 Cobalamin Vitamin C Ascorbic acid, ascorbyl-2polyphosphate Vitamin D Ergocalciferol Vitamin K Menadione Minerals Calcium and phosphorus Calcium phosphate Potassium Potassium chloride Copper Copper sulfate Manganese Manganese sulfate Iodine Calcium iodate Selenium Sodium selenite A number of minerals are chelated, which makes them more absorbable. You’ll see this in the form of “X” amino acid chelate – for example, zinc amino acid chelate.

Continued from page 31.

One clue to what is going on is the guaranteed analysis. If you are comparing two bags of dry dog food, and want to know which has more protein, you just compare the percentage of protein in the guaranteed analysis on each bag. However, you can’t make a true comparison by comparing a dry food with a wet food. For that, you need to do a little math so you are comparing only the dry part of the food, and not the water it contains. Otherwise, the wet food will almost always appear as if it has less protein than the dry food, when it really doesn’t (see sidebar at right).

Watch out for artificial colors and preservatives You do not want any artificial colors or preservatives in your pet’s food. These ingredients will appear at the end of the ingredients list. Colors are easy to spot: they will say something like “Red #5” or “Yellow #40”. Put the product down and look for another brand. In commercial canned foods, sodium nitrate may be added to salmon products to make them look pinker.

Avoid these as well.

Preservatives that even AAFCO has recognized as problematic include propylene glycol and ethoxyquin.

• AAFCO no longer allows propylene glycol in cat food because it has been associated with red blood cell problems in felines.

In my opinion, it should also be removed from dog food.

• AAFCO has also lowered the allowable limit of ethoxyquin, so they are moving in the right direction. But since this artificial preservative is also associated with health problems, it is best to avoid anything with ethoxyquin added to it.

• Vitamin E and rosemary are often used as natural preservatives.

Because of their health benefits, along with their preservative properties, they are acceptable in pet foods.

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Advertorial

HOW TO COMPARE WET AND DRY FOODS – GUARANTEED ANALYSIS When comparing wet and dry foods, you do not want to measure the water content. What you need to do is compare the percentages of dry protein. Even though canned food looks like it has less protein, it often has more than dry food when you take the water out.

 Find the guaranteed analysis on the food labels.  Using the table below, fill in the percentage of guaranteed minimum protein.

 Fill in the percentage of guaranteed maximum moisture.  Figure out the percentage of dry matter

NO MORE PILLS

– just add to his water bowl!

(100 – maximum moisture).

 Divide the minimum crude protein by the dry matter percentage, then multiply by 100.

The example in the table below compares a canned and dry version of the same food brand: Factors

Food 1 (canned)

Food 2 (dry)

Minimum crude protein % 8.5 %

34 %

Maximum moisture %

78 %

10 %

Dry matter %

100-78 = 22

100-10 = 90

Protein level %

8.5/22 x 100 = 38.6% 34/90 = 37.8%

Vitamins and minerals Some people get confused because vitamins and minerals may be listed by their chemical names instead of well-known names like “B12” and “calcium”. They are therefore afraid that the product has a lot of chemicals in it, whereas the list is just using scientific names for healthy items. If you are worried, carry the list of chemical names (opposite page) with you, so you can double check.

By being a savvy shopper and understanding something about pet food names, ingredient lists, and the guaranteed analysis, you can help ensure that you’re feeding your dog or cat a safe and healthy food.

Dogs and cats of any age can develop colds, flu, joint issues, etc. You can help their general health by supporting their immune systems and avoiding unnecessary trips to the vet. Supporting tissue health while improving the animal’s quality of life by reducing pain and discomfort are very important. Hydropet Labs LLC, a company based in Bonita Springs, Florida, specializes in products for pet health and wellness. After nearly three years in research, development and formulation, their Cat & Dog Immunity/Longevity Vitamin Antioxidants have been launched.

Sourced and manufactured in the US, and produced in an FDA lab to human consumption standards, these supplements are formulated to help build up your pet’s system so it can resist many common ailments and low energy situations. They offer a range of benefits, including joint maintenance, healing, energy, cold and flu prevention, gastrointestinal health, digestive support, coat health and growth, and more.

Cat & Dog Immunity or Longevity Vitamin Antioxidants are flavored and designed to be stirred into your pet’s water bowl. Ingredients include: Glucosamine: for joint maintenance and relief; helps arthritis and cartilage health; helps with agility and performance.

L-glutamine: amino acid that minimizes muscle breakdown, improves metabolism and helps with better movement.

Beta glucans: immune system boosters crucial for good health and to fight off illness; help promote health to immune cells; very important for overall performance and health.

B12: vitamin for brain and nervous system health; essential to your dog’s performance, memory and cognitive processes.

Vitamin C: strong antioxidant that wards off infections, disease and cell damage; helps with general overall health.

Zinc: helps immune system to heal wounds.

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August/September 2017

35

LASER THERAPY D gs Cats

– using LIGHT ENERGY to heal dogs and cats

How therapeutic laser can treat and manage multiple conditions in pets – from arthritis and joint injuries to skin wounds and nerve degeneration.

By Robin Downing, DVM, MS, DAAPM, DACVSMR, CVPP, CCPR

Many veterinarians have been using laser therapy for quite a few years now. But it’s finally coming into its own as an essential part of mainstream, high quality veterinary medicine. Interest in therapeutic laser has grown dramatically and has stimulated many scientific studies exploring its benefits. In this article we’ll look at what therapeutic laser is, how it works, and how it can be used for healing your dog or cat.

LASER FUNDAMENTALS In order to better appreciate how therapeutic laser might benefit your pet, it’s helpful to understand a bit about laser technology basics.

The term “laser” stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. A therapeutic laser emits this radiation in the form of “packets” of light energy called “photons”. Laser light is emitted as a single wavelength, chosen for its ability to penetrate tissue to the desired depth, as well as its ability to modulate cellular function.

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Animal Wellness

Laser light photons all travel in the same direction in a beam with very little scatter or divergence. The biologic effects of laser on the tissue being treated is called “photobiomodulation” and includes a stimulation of increased activity within the mitochondria of cells – tiny structures sometimes referred to a cell’s “energy furnace”. Photobiomodulation provides a means of normalizing cell function through either the inhibition or stimulation of biochemical processes, without heating or damaging the tissue.

You may hear your veterinarian talk about the therapeutic laser’s wavelength. The wavelength influences the depth of penetration. Longer wavelengths penetrate deeper into the tissues while minimizing absorption by the pet’s hair and skin pigment. Superficial wounds and joint injuries can be treated with shorter wavelengths, while longer wavelengths are better suited for muscle injuries or for treating organs within the abdominal cavity.

Lasers are separated into classes based on their power. The most commonly used therapeutic lasers in veterinary medicine are Class III lasers (with an energy delivery of 1 milliwatt to 500 milliwatts) and Class IV lasers (with an energy delivery greater than 500 milliwatts).

• A lower watt laser provides less energy delivery to deeper tissues, so the time needed to deliver a treatment is longer. A lower powered laser is better suited for treating superficial structures.

Cricket wears eye protection in preparation for his laser treatment.

• A higher watt laser allows treatment to be delivered over a shorter period. The laser energy is delivered with a “painting” motion over the affected area. The beam may be set to pulse in order to minimize the amount of energy absorbed by the pet’s coat and diverted from targeted tissues.

BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC LASER To date, the majority of therapeutic laser research has been done in laboratories using cell cultures, but recently published studies have explored therapeutic laser effects in animals.

Therapeutic laser can treat many diverse conditions, including: • Pain • Skin wounds • Tendon and ligament injuries • Edema (tissue swelling) • Muscle injuries • Osteoarthritis • Nervous system injury/surgery • Post-operative incisions and tissues Therapeutic laser has been demonstrated to relieve both chronic and acute pain by affecting the involved nerves.

Laser energy increases the speed of tissue repair by increasing local circulation, stimulating the immune system, and reducing inflammation.

Continued on page 38.

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TWO CASE REPORTS

Hope Hope had a heavy piece

of pottery fall on the back of her head when she was only a few weeks old. She bled into her brain, leaving her blind, unable to eat on her own, and with great pain in her head. When she presented to us, she was pressing her head against the wall of her carrier to try to get relief.

Therapeutic laser was an important part of Hope’s overall treatment. Within two weeks, she was able to eat without assistance and her vision had returned. She has made a full recovery.

Payton Payton experienced escalating

lower back pain from osteoarthritis as she aged.

Therapeutic laser increased her comfort levels, enabled a reduction in her pain medications, and helped her become more active.

Continued from page 37.

Laser energy also enhances muscle healing. When creating a treatment protocol for your pet using therapeutic laser, your veterinarian will consider laser effects on the various tissues in order to maximize the outcome.

Optimal wavelengths, intensities, and dosages for laser therapy in pets have not yet been definitively determined, but this is changing as studies are published and as more case-based information is reported.

LASER SAFETY Your veterinarian will focus on safety as well as treatment outcomes when incorporating therapeutic laser into your dog or cat’s treatment protocol. Protective glasses with lenses rated to the specific wavelength of the treatment laser are important for both humans and animals in order to protect the retina of the eye. Laser energy should not be applied over a pregnant uterus, over tumors, over an open fontanel, over the growth plates of immature animals, or over the thyroid gland. A tattoo, black fur

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or black skin can result in light absorption and tissue heating – your veterinarian will adapt the treatment as needed.

THE FUTURE OF LASER THERAPY Therapeutic laser is of special interest in the area of nerve regeneration, particularly in human medicine. Dogs and cats also experience nerve issues as they age; as osteoarthritis develops and progresses; in the wake of intervertebral disk disease; and when they develop nervous system decline in cases of degenerative neuropathy/myelopathy.

Photobiomodulation has been demonstrated to support nerve regeneration, reinnervation of denervated muscle, and functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury. This is an area of active research that promises to have a significant impact on both human and animal patients.

Therapeutic laser clearly has a role in the treatment and management of multiple conditions in dogs and cats.

Evidence strongly suggests that light energy at the appropriate wavelength and power density has the ability to modulate tissues at the cellular level to enhance healing. In fact, therapeutic laser may be one of the most underutilized treatment modalities in veterinary medicine; as more formal studies are completed, there’s no doubt the use of therapeutic lasers will continue to expand.

While it’s not a panacea, therapeutic laser can certainly make a positive difference in the lives of many dog and cat patients.

LASER – A VERSATILE TOOL “We call laser the most versatile therapy tool in the toolbox because it can treat so many conditions, including wounds, skin conditions, lick granulomas, post-surgical incisions, tendon and ligament injuries, arthritis, CCL tears, IVDD and ulcers,” says Lisa Miksis, VP and Director of Marketing for Respond Systems, which specializes in Class 3b and Class 4 laser systems.

“Our laser products are designed for contact mode with the skin,” she adds. “This allows the therapist or vet to target the exact tissues they are treating, leading to consistent energy delivery and decreased treatment times.”

Lisa agrees with Dr. Downing that laser therapy has a very promising future. “New research papers are published monthly, investigating laser for conditions like renal failure, pneumonia, brain injuries and others,” Lisa says.

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Chloe

Kardoggian

Photo courtesy of Dorie Herman

By Emily Watson

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Animal Wellness

This sweet 13-year-old Chihuahua has shared her long life with many different people – but she still has endless love to give her devoted fans, and is a “spokesdog” for senior dog adoption. hloe Kardoggian is living proof that you’re only as old as you feel. At 13, she’s no stranger to senior life, but her loving personality and energetic attitude have transformed her into the most famous senior Chihuahua in the world. As her many fans know, this four-legged sweetie weighs three pounds, has two teeth, and one adorable oversized tongue – but her zest for life is incalculable. She wears tiaras and tutus, attends charity events, and is full of fun and energy despite her age.

Yet Chloe didn’t always have the ideal life. Originally purchased to be bred, she was given away after she was deemed “too small”.

She spent most of her life with her subsequent adopters being passed from house to house within the family. In December 2013, at the age of nine, Chloe was listed for adoption on Facebook when her primary caregiver became too frail to keep her and no one else in the family was prepared to give her a permanent home.

Finding a home for a senior dog is rarely easy, but timing was on Chloe’s side. New York City resident Dorie Herman was on the lookout for a new furry family member after the loss of her previous senior dog. Unlike most people, Dorie has always loved adopting older dogs, so Chloe seemed the perfect fit for her. “We met a few weeks later and the rest is history,” says Dorie.

“As Chloe is such a visible senior rescue dog, it is our honor and duty to raise awareness for other older dogs in need.”

Photo courtesy of © Shaina Fishman, shainafishman.com

Shortly after Dorie adopted Chloe, she started an Instagram account for her new companion. “I wanted to keep her previous family up to date,” says Dorie. “It wasn’t long before I noticed that Chloe literally poses for the camera whenever it comes out.”

Dorie began having fun with the Instagram account, giving Chloe costumes and coming up with photo captions to convey what the little Chihuahua might be thinking. As for the clever account name she chose – “Chloe Kardoggian” – it just seemed to fit and Dorie simply couldn’t resist. Not surprisingly, their following began to explode.

Continued on page 42.

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chloekardoggian.com instagram.com/ chloekardoggian facebook.com/ chloekardoggian

Photo courtesy of © Shaina Fishman, shainafishman.com

Photos courtesy of Dorie Herman

Find Chloe Kardoggian online

Continued from page 41.

Chloe’s popularity inspired Dorie to use their social media influence for more than entertainment. What began as a way to share photos and updates quickly gained a much bigger purpose, and a mission began to take shape. Today, Chloe and Dorie strive to raise awareness for senior adoption and pet rescue in general.

“As Chloe is such a visible senior rescue dog, it is our honor and duty to raise awareness for other older dogs in need,” says Dorie, adding that she wants people to know what wonderful pets senior animals make.

Aside from spreading awareness (and plenty of smiles), Chloe participates in charity events in collaboration with organizations boasting similar missions and values. “The charity most near and dear to me is the Foster Dogs Inc. Fospice program,” says Dorie. “They find permanent foster homes for senior homeless and/or terminally ill dogs.” Fospice has been helping these dogs since 2013, and typically focuses on those with fewer than six months to live. “When Chloe hit 100,000 followers, we teamed up with PetSmart to host a virtual kissing booth,” Dorie adds.

“For every kiss emoji left in the comments, PetSmart donated to Fospice. We raised $5,000!”

Helping other senior dogs is Chloe’s ultimate goal, but her accomplishments don’t end there. Breaking the stigma surrounding white muzzles, she leads a full life of excitement and glamor. She was recently nominated for a 2017 Webby award, and was a 2016

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Honoree. According to Dorie, Chloe has appeared numerous times on the Today Show, and has been featured in articles by Refinery29, Buzzfeed, PopSugar and People.com. She has even had one of her photos reposted by Lady Gaga!

Chloe also has her own Facebook page and website, along with a full line of popular merchandise ranging from pillows and iPhone cases to art prints, clothing, tote bags and even a shower curtain.

With lots of experience in senior dog care, Dorie ensures she takes time from their busy schedule to focus on Chloe’s physical well-being. Health problems are inevitable as dogs age. “Chloe was recently diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension,” says Dorie. This disease is common in small dogs, especially later in life. Along with Chloe’s medication, Dorie gives the chic Chihuahua natural supplements on a daily basis. “She also gets acupuncture when she has any back problems.”

History, age and health issues aside, Chloe is living proof that happiness and well-being are achievable at any stage of life. She’ll be spending the rest of her days with Dorie and her new mixed breed brother, another senior rescue who enjoys posing for photos with his sister. “Chloe has every right to be shy of people, but she walks into every room like she owns it,” says Dorie. “For all the homes and changes she has experienced in her life, she is the most welcoming, loving animal I have ever owned.”

Business Profile

Back on Track

By Matthew Berk

Drawing on the health benefits of infrared heat to ease joint and muscle problems in animals and people.

Dogs are often diagnosed with painful joint problems such as arthritis. One effective solution is infrared heat, which has been shown to reduce swelling, ease muscle tension, increase circulation and hasten healing processes. When Swedish doctor Erland Besslin was looking for a way to improve circulation in his patients, he developed a line of products that use infrared heat to ease muscle and joint problems. The result was Back on Track, a company he founded in 2000.

Three years later, Swedish-born Bo Lofvander brought Back on Track to North America. The Pennsylvania-based company offers products for both people and animals – for dogs, the line includes beds, crate liners, blankets and leg/hock wraps, all made using Welltex fabric. “Dr. Besslin found Welltex to be incredibly effective and saw the potential to help people and animals alike,” says Bo. Welltex is a ceramic textile made of polyester and polypropylene fibers infused with ceramic powder. The ceramic particles are specially chosen so that when they absorb the body's heat radiation, they expel heat of a specific wavelength. This wavelength is absorbed by the cells, the brain recognizes that heat energy has increased, and a signal is sent for the veins to open. In other words, says Bo, “It works naturally to reflect the body’s own warmth, creating a soothing infrared wave. This has been shown to increase circulation, which in turn can decrease swelling and pain, improve recovery, and help keep muscles

and ligaments supple and flexible.” Back on Track’s products are designed to work in the deeper tissues of a dog’s body, increasing circulation in the muscles and joints, and ultimately reducing tension and inflammation.

Back on Track’s products have multiple uses. The blankets and wraps reduce the risk of strains and injury, so they’re useful for warming up a dog’s muscles before exercise. In addition, they improve performance by increasing mobility, reduce recovery time from existing injuries, and work wonders when it comes to easing the pain associated with arthritis. Since the fabric works by reflecting heat, active dogs reap the greatest benefits. But the company’s products are designed to work on all dogs regardless of activity level – they even work during sleep.

Back on Track is dedicated to function and quality, so each batch of fabric is checked by a university laboratory to ensure it generates the proper levels of reflected heat. Their website shows multiple clinical studies and positive product reviews. But above and beyond their commitment to excellence, Back on Track has one primary goal. “Our mission is to help people, dogs and horses feel better, be less stiff, and lead lives that are as comfortable as possible,” says Bo. The company goes a step further by donating product to rescues, and sponsors many different canine-related events and competitions. “It’s a great feeling to know we are doing something that helps improve lives.”

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Achieving

“mobility for all ages” – it’s a joint effort

By Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc It was once thought that joint disease was an inevitable “old dog” or “big dog” disease. But all dogs are at risk for joint disease, regardless of age, gender or breed. Fortunately, you can take steps from the first day you adopt your dog to help decrease the chances he’ll suffer from this debilitating condition.

WHAT EXACTLY IS JOINT DISEASE? The term “joint disease” generally refers to osteoarthritis (OA) – a chronic, painful degeneration of the cartilage that lines the ends of bones inside the joints. Classic signs include: • Heat in the joint • Stiffness or cautiousness when rising after sleep • Decreased range of motion of affected limbs and joints • Difficulty climbing stairs • Slowing down on walks While you may be familiar with these signs, recall that many dogs are quite stoic. They are still able and willing to run and play, frequently ignoring their discomfort in the midst of their enjoyment. Small “lap dogs” are also masters of disguise, only showing their discomfort in subtle ways: less eagerness to jump up to a comfy spot, sleeping more often, decreased grooming activity, etc.

DON’T WAIT FOR THE INEVITABLE Approximately one in five dogs are ultimately diagnosed with OA, although many veterinarians believe the number is actually much higher. Prime candidates are large breeds such as Labrador and golden retrievers and German shepherds; athletic dogs; dogs that sustain musculoskeletal injuries such as ruptured cranial cruciate ligaments; and dogs with underlying musculoskeletal conditions (e.g. hip or elbow dysplasia). Still, even general wear and tear on joints from daily exercise, especially in overweight or obese dogs, can culminate in OA.

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Knowing there is no cure for OA and that prescription medications such as NSAIDs only control symptoms, consider: • Supplementing right from the start with an oral joint health supplement containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, with or without avocado-soybean unsaponifiables. Studies show these three ingredients work in concert to decrease degradation of the articular cartilage and protect healthy joints that sustain injury. Offering a joint supplement to young dogs before any damage occurs to joints (prophylactically) helps protect the sensitive joint tissues.

• Dietary supplementation with Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil containing EPA and DHA; its natural anti-inflammatory properties help protect joints.

• Regular, controlled exercise to build and maintain muscle mass in joint areas, such as the hips.

• Regular physical therapy (e.g. swimming, a non-weightbearing activity) and massage therapy.

• Maintaining an appropriate body weight to avoid putting extra stress/strain on joints.

• Protecting his joints by avoiding injury. For example, avoid “weekend warrior” events and don’t allow your dog to jump from great heights.

It’s never too early or late to start protecting your dog’s joints.

These strategies can be instituted at any point in your dog’s life, even if signs of OA are already present. Carefully select quality nutritional supplements supported by sound science and manufactured like human products, rather than relying on testimonials and word of mouth.

Dr. Stacey Oke is a practicing veterinarian and freelance medical writer and editor. Since 2005, she has been a research consultant for nutritional supplement companies, assists physicians and veterinarians publish research articles and textbooks, and writes for educational magazines and websites.

By Shawn Messonnier, DVM

D gs Cats

Lab tests are an important part of your dog or cat’s routine checkups.

Take a CLOSE-UP look at some of the most common tests, and what they can tell you about your best friend’s health.

Whenever you take your dog or cat to the vet for a routine checkup, the veterinarian does various lab tests to look for potential health problems. It’s regular procedure, but have you ever wondered precisely what the vet is looking for, and what the results actually mean? In the first part of this article (see V19I3), we talked about some common blood tests for dogs and cats. Now we’ll focus on some additional testing that should be done, including urinalysis, fecal testing, radiography and ultrasonography.

should be analyzed at least once every six months. A urine culture should also be done (see sidebar on opposite page).

2

1

FECAL TESTING

Healthy dogs and cats should be given a fecal test at least twice yearly, since they can harbor intestinal parasites, some of which may be transmitted to other animals and even people. Positive test results usually indicate the need for a de-worming, with follow-up testing to ensure all the parasites are killed.

URINALYSIS

A urinalysis is typically done when you visit your own doctor, but most veterinarians do not routinely perform this important test. It may be because it’s harder to collect urine from animals, or because the doctors don’t appreciate the value of urine testing. Regardless, a urinalysis is an important adjunct to blood testing.

Fecal testing is also done on animals with any illness, but especially GI illness that includes vomiting and diarrhea. Several tests can help diagnose the cause of GI signs:

The urinalysis can complement results noted in blood tests, as well as give us additional information blood testing may not provide.

For example, urine testing shows if glucose or ketones are present (indicating diabetes mellitus). A urinalysis can also detect early protein (albumin) loss through the kidneys, again not something a blood profile can do. Examining the urine microscopically also tells us about the possible presence of inflammation, infection, bleeding, cancer, and bladder stones. Whenever possible, your animal’s urine

 I also like to do a fecal Gram’s stain to check for overgrowth

 A microscopic fecal examination checks for intestinal parasites.

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Animal Wellness

of abnormal bacteria and yeasts.

 Occasionally, I will also do an ELISA test to look for the protozoan parasite Giardia.

 If these tests are normal but clinical signs are still present, I will send a fecal sample to one of my outside labs for a fecal PCR test. This newer test looks for the DNA of various parasites, bacteria and bacterial toxins.

Most causes of diarrhea and other GI problems can be diagnosed with repeated fecal testing.

3

RADIOGRAPHY

Radiography involves using tiny amounts of X-ray radiation, allowing the doctor to look inside your dog or cat’s body. It is useful for any animal with any type of illness, but is typically used for orthopedic problems (fractures, dislocations) and soft tissue problems (bladder stones, GI obstructions, heart/lung disorders).

Radiography is excellent for the early diagnosis of animals who do not appear to have any specific problems; for example, puppies can be screened for possible hip dysplasia. In my practice, we do radiographs (at a discount) as a screening procedure when the animal is sedated or anesthetized for another procedure such as spaying, neutering and dental cleaning. We often find problems when radiography is done on these “normal” animals, allowing us to present treatment options before they develop serious problems.

One note I want to make deals with two problems I routinely see when clients come in for a second opinion, and bring radiographs with them. First, with very rare exceptions, animals must be sedated in order to get proper positioning

A urine culture should also be done Along with a urinalysis, a urine culture tells us two important things:

1 if the animal has an infection of the kidneys or bladder; 2 and which bacterium is causing the infection.

If bacteria are seen, they’re cultured and examined for susceptibility to antibiotic responsiveness.

I often see animals with “bladder infections/UTIs” diagnosed by other doctors, but who don’t actually have infections. The (mis)diagnosis occurred because it was based on a urinalysis without a culture. While a urinalysis may indicate a possible infection, only a culture can determine if an infection is present and if antibiotics are needed. In order to reduce the need for antibiotics and prevent further antibiotic resistance (many bladder issues are easily treated without them), a culture is a must before antibiotics are routinely used to treat possible UTIs. (Exceptions would include a animal that has heavy bleeding in his urine, or a urinary blockage in which an underlying infection is a likely cause.)

Another important note: if a dog or cat is treated with antibiotics for a UTI based on a culture, a follow-up culture should be done one to two weeks after finishing the antibiotics to make sure the bacteria are killed, thereby preventing a worse infection due to incorrect treatment.

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I’ll use ultrasonography any time I see an unexplained illness that isn’t diagnosed with other tests. for a high-quality radiograph (sedation also minimizes exposure to radiation since fewer pictures are needed). Second, the proper number of radiographs must be taken in order to avoid misdiagnosis. In my practice, I typically take at least three views of the body part and/or the corresponding “normal” anatomy.

Poor quality radiographs, or incorrect views or number of views, often mean I have to take even more radiographs.

4

ULTRASONOGRAPHY

I use ultrasonography for several reasons: • Whenever I hear a heart murmur during a physical exam, I need to do an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) to determine the extent of heart disease.

• If I suspect an internal tumor, I do an ultrasound to screen for cancer.

• I’ll use ultrasonography any time I see an unexplained illness that isn’t diagnosed with the other tests I’ve discussed in both parts of this article, or if my screening test results for inflammation and cancer (TK, CRP, CRA) are elevated.

Ultrasound exams are safe as they use sound waves rather than radiation. They can usually be done without the need for sedation unless the animal is fractious. Because ultrasound technology images body tissue differently from radiographs, both tests are typically needed (usually starting with radiographs since they are easier and less expensive).

Ultrasound exams are also useful as screening tests. For example, Scottish terriers have a high incidence of bladder cancer, while larger dogs (especially retrievers) have a high incidence of cancer in the spleen and liver. I recommend these dogs have twice-yearly screening ultrasounds, beginning around five years of age, to screen for these serious and often fatal diseases.

I hope this two-part article has helped you understand the importance of common lab tests performed on both healthy and sick dogs and cats. By intelligently using these tests, you and your vet can extend your dog or cat’s life with an early diagnosis of health problems, allowing for a quick resolution of illness.

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Animal Wellness

pic product picks Maintain

Improve

immunity

A strong immune system is a key weapon in the fight against cancer and other diseases. I’M-YUNITY® for Dogs is a proprietary medicinal mushroom extract that helps boost immunity, reduce pain and fatigue, and improve energy levels, mobility and appetite. Read the promising results from clinical trials and real life situations on the company website, and use the “wellness” code for a 5% discount.

his mobility

Whether your dog is an active youngster or a senior, he’d probably benefit from a joint supplement. Grizzly Joint Aid is a proprietary formula that contains four key building blocks for joint support – glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and hyaluronic acid – all of which work synergistically to help support cartilage, collagen and other cell structures responsible for movement. Blended with turmeric and krill oil, Grizzly Joint Aid can be added to your dog’s regular meals.

20 oz: $29.95 grizzlypetproducts.com

60 caps: $95 imyunityfordogs.com

A healthier

clean

Shampoos formulated for people can unbalance a dog’s pH levels, while commercial pet shampoos contain harmful chemicals that are damaging to his skin. Vetericyn FoamCare Shampoo makes bath time healthier by focusing on your pet’s unique coat type. It sprays on for quick coverage, foams up instantly, conditions the skin as it cleans, and rinses easily. Available in one medicated and three coat-specific formulas that are safe, non-toxic and paraben-free.

16 oz: $14.99 - $19.99 vetericyn.com

Safety

in each step

If your dog is struggling with traction on slippery floors, or feeling the effects of rough outdoor terrain, Woodrow Wear has a simple solution. Power Paws are available in 11 designs and three levels of durability for a wide variety of indoor and outdoor uses. Great for dogs with allergies, mobility issues, and to defend against heat in summer and ice, snow and salt in winter. Comes in 13 sizes across two foot shapes.

Set of 4 socks: $14 - $29.99 woodrowwear.com

August/September 2017

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By Ann Brightman

If you take your dog for walks when it’s dark out, be sure to follow these steps to keep him – and yourself – safe.

If you’re like a lot of people, your busy lifestyle means you sometimes end up walking your dog very early in the morning or late in the evening, when it’s dark or dusky out. This may be especially the case now that the days are starting to shorten again as we head toward autumn. When visibility is low, you have to take your dog’s safety, and your own, into a little more consideration.

Here are some suggestions to ensure your nocturnal outings remain safe and enjoyable for you and your dog.

ON REFLECTION One of the most important things is to make sure you and your dog are going to be visible to passing traffic. Keep in mind that, depending on weather conditions, it can be almost as hard to see during the half-light of pre-dawn or dusk as when it’s completely dark. Wear lighter-colored clothes that will show up better (black or gray aren’t good choices), ideally with reflective fabrics or trim. Fit your dog out with a jacket, sweater, collar or leash that also incorporates easy-to-see reflective features.

LIGHT THE WAY A flashlight or headlamp will make you even more visible. A handheld flashlight may not be the best option when you’re also holding your dog’s leash, but you can buy lights that clip to your belt. Lights that flash will increase your visibility.

For your dog, purchase an LED collar, harness and leash made specifically for nighttime walking.

DRESS ACCORDINGLY The night hours, especially those just before dawn, are the coolest. This can make nighttime walking a welcome relief during the summer, when daytime temps are often too hot for much outdoor exercise. Once we get into the fall, though, it can get quite chilly when the sun is down, so be sure to dress accordingly and fit your dog out with a jacket or sweater.

Continued on page 52.

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Continued from page 50.

PROTECT AGAINST MOSQUITOES Depending on where you live, dawn and dusk are when mosquitoes are most active during the warm weather months. Make sure to use a safe and natural repellent to protect both you and your dog if you decide to walk him during these times.

You can buy natural sprays and lotions that are safe for pets, or make your own: a few drops of an essential oil such as lavender, eucalyptus or rosemary diluted in water in a spray bottle makes a simple and effective repellent that can be applied to your skin and your dog’s coat.

KEEP HIM LEASHED It’s very important to keep your dog on the leash when you’re walking at night. When visibility is limited, he can wander out of your sight in no time, which means you can’t keep track of where he is or what he’s doing – he could run into traffic, start chasing a rabbit, or get into someone’s garbage before you know it.

auditory cues in your environment, such as a cyclist whizzing up behind you or an animal rustling in the bushes.

TAKE YOUR PHONE Taking a cellphone with you on night walks means you can quickly call for help if you need it. Chances are, if you take the proper precautions, you won’t ever have to use it, but having a way to contact others if the need ever arises will give you (and your family back home) peace of mind.

STICK TO KNOWN ROUTES Nighttime isn’t the right time for exploring new trails and streets. Leave it for the daylight hours, and stick to routes you know like the back of your hand. Being familiar with an area means you’re much less likely to run into unforeseen difficulties, or get lost.

WATCH FOR WILD ANIMALS Coyotes, raccoons, skunks and other critters are often most active at night, another good reason to keep your dog leashed. Stick to more built-up, well-lit areas – you’ll be less likely to encounter a wild animal there than in secluded or wooded spots. If you do happen to spot any wildlife while out for a walk, alter your route so your dog doesn’t come into contact with it.

CONSIDER PERSONAL SAFETY

NOW YOU CAN ENJOY!

Many people assume they’ll be safer if they have a dog with them when they walk at night. But not all potential human predators are put off by dogs, and not all dogs will protect their people if they’re threatened or attacked by someone. Play it safe, especially if you’re a woman, by avoiding dark paths and empty parks, and staying in busier, well-illuminated areas.

Once you’ve taken all the right precautions for your safety and your dog’s, it’s time to relax, step out, and enjoy your walk!

LEAVE THE TUNES AT HOME When it’s hard to see, you need to rely more on your hearing to know what’s going on around you. Don’t wear headphones when walking your dog at night, so that you can pick up on

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This column features comprehensive articles from our Animal Wellness library.

AnimalWellnessMagazine.com

Cranial sacral therapy

By Rachel Jones, DVM

for canines

CST IS A GENTLE HANDS-ON FORM OF ENERGY HEALING. IT’S VERY SUBTLE AND SIMPLE TO DO, YET IT CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON YOUR DOG’S WELL-BEING. Cranial sacral therapy (CST) is a form of energy medicine. It involves a very gentle and subtle application of hands-on healing.

By utilizing the electromagnetic points within the palms of your hands and your fingertips, it is possible to balance the pulse of a pet’s meningeal system (more on this below) and release constrictions. Cranial sacral therapy allows you to reset the central nervous system and promote autoregulation and self-healing.

Many cranial osteopaths have contributed to the development of CST, but it was Dr. John Upledger who discovered the “pulse” of the central nervous system (CNS). During a surgery involving the CNS, he was unable to stabilize a section of the spinal cord and palpated a pulse of about ten per minute that was independent of the heart and respiratory rates. It is this pulse that a CST practitioner seeks to detect.

The CSS is a unique organ system within itself. It consists of the cranium or skull bones, the sacrum (at the base of the spine) and all the membranes and fluids around the brain and spinal cord, including the nerves, vessels and organ systems.

Remember the old game of telephone children used to play with two tin cans connected to each other by a rope? You could talk into your tin can and the person on the other end would hear what was being said. This is the same type of communication that occurs within the body through the meningeal system, from the cranium down the spinal cord to the sacrum.

The meningeal system consists of three layers:

UNDERSTANDING THE CRANIAL SACRAL SYSTEM

 Pia  Arachnoid membrane  Dura mater

By understanding the cranial sacral system (CSS), you can better understand the foundation of cranial sacral therapy and get started with the basics.

The pia, the inner layer, is tightly attached to the brain and spinal cord and extends all the way down to the sacrum. It is covered by

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cerebral spinal fluid secured by the arachnoid layer with the dura mater closely adhered to that. The dura covers the spinal cord and the entire nervous system, has a tensile strength of 1,000 pounds per square inch, and extends out of the transverse vertebral processes. Once it leaves the CNS, it becomes the fascia system, which covers everything and interconnects the entire physical structure.

{

Aside from carrying waste, nutrients and serving as a lubricant, it is responsible for eliciting its own pulse or rate. Cerebral spinal fluid is produced by the choroid process in the ventricles and is filtered through the brain into the CSS, resulting in an increase in the pressures. In turn, when the CSS sends the cerebral spinal fluid back to the bloodstream, a decrease in pressure occurs. This is where the dura pulse comes from.

TWO CST CASES

1 My first CST patient was an aggressive tenyear-old female Chihuahua with congestive heart failure. Despite being on traditional

{

My hands lightly touched the dorsal surface and I felt a soft gelatinous flow of energy under my hand, like a glob in a lava lamp moving slowly and continuously under my palm.

cardiac drugs, she was going back into congestive heart failure and her family was told by the cardiologist that there was nothing more they could do.

With nothing to lose, I started CST at the sacrum while the dog’s owner was holding her. The owner felt the dog relaxing in her arms and commented that if she hadn’t been there to experience it, she would not have believed it. My hands lightly touched the dorsal surface and I felt a soft gelatinous flow of energy under my hand, like a glob in a lava lamp moving slowly and continuously under my palm.

Each time the dog released by taking a deep breath, I moved my hand up her body towards her head. Not once did she try to bite me. Once I got to her neck, she lost her tolerance for my touch, seemed startled out of her quiet state, and moved away.

I then knew she’d had enough CST. Continued on page 56.

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Continued from page 55.

GETTING STARTED

CST is simple, but it does come with a learning curve and its power shouldn’t be taken lightly. It can be very intense for some dogs and is not always the starting point for all of them. Often, at first, passive touch therapies are more appropriate for very jumpy and nervous dogs, and will allow them to become more grounded before starting CST. It comes down to knowing the needs of your dog and trusting your intuition.

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3 4 5 6

7

Find a quiet place where you can spend a minimum of 30 minutes uninterrupted. Just be still with the dog, without talking to him. The best advice I ever got was from Dr. Taylor: “Just be present, have no expectations and listen to the animal.” She told me that one part of the learning curve was knowing whether or not to start at the cranium or sacrum, but I have found the sacrum to be a pretty good starting point for most dogs. ith the dog lying down, place your hand W below and above the sacral area. I choose to place my left hand on the ventral aspect of the inguinal (groin) area coming out between the hind legs, and then put my right hand dorsally. My ventral hand is either flat or cupped. My placement is such that my dorsal hand has the palm over the dog’s tail and matched up to where the rectum would be, with the tail covering it.

I usually give the dog a few minutes to settle into this touch. Once he relaxes, I extend the dorsal hand, straightening out my fingers and trying to lighten my touch to a weight of 5g to 10g, which is about the weight of a nickel in your hand. I visualize placing my hand on the water of a still lake and just trying to touch the surface, like a bug walking on the water.

Once I have established this contact, I start to tune into the dura pulse.

I maintain this contact and breathe, while trying to think of nothing, only being present and keeping contact with the dog.

Usually within the first ten minutes, most dogs will take a very deep breath/sigh or experience a wide yawn. This is a signal of release to the limbic brain and an indication that the nervous system is resetting itself.

I then move my hands up to the second position, by advancing both my hands up the dog’s body. During CST, you will notice that the dog may lick excessively.

This is a sign of progress, but wait for a full release (deep breath or yawn) before advancing your hands. As you experience each release, continue to work your hands up the dog’s body till you have completed the therapy.

During the treatment, just try to work on picking up the pulse and watching for the unwinding effect of little twitches or tremors occurring in various parts of the body. In smaller dogs, the unwinding process is easier and quicker; you may need to take more time with bigger dogs.

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fter this single treatment, she went on to A live another six months, much to the surprise of her cardiologist.

2 Another

Chihuahua, this one seven years old, came to my clinic a few years ago. She had a long history of multiple surgeries for fracture repair, leading to the amputation of her right front leg. Over the years following her surgeries, monthly seizures developed along with a short, shallow, slightly labored respiratory rate, and a tense and distended abdomen.

R adiographs and abdominal ultrasounds showed nothing unremarkable. Lab tests revealed only a slight decrease in resting cortisol levels and a mildly low thyroid level. Nothing explained this dog’s clinical signs. A variety of alternative approaches was taken, including acupuncture, classical homeopathy, chiropractic and applied kinesiology, but she experienced only minimal and temporary relief.

Then a session of cranial sacral therapy

was done by Dr. Laura Taylor, a veterinary osteopath and seasoned veterinary cranial sacral therapist. After completing less than a 60-minute session, 75% of this dog’s symptoms were relieved. Since the initial treatment, she continued to improve and the gaps between her seizures became longer.

CST is a safe and non-invasive technique that brings with it many lasting and beneficial results. By partnering it with traditional and other alternative therapies, your dog’s innate healing abilities can be greatly enhanced.

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COMMUNICATORS

INTEGRATIVE VETS Affordable Holistic Animal Therapies West Hollywood, CA USA Phone: 323-304-2984 Ballantrae Animal Hospital Margaret Hacking, DVM Stouffville, ON Canada Phone: (905) 640-6809 Website: www.AnimalWellnessCentre.com Beechmount Animal Hospital Waterloo, ON Canada Phone: (519) 888-6590 Website: www.beechmountanhosp.ca Dr. Lisa Burgess Millgrove Veterinary Services Millgrove, ON Canada Phone: (905) 690-4557 Email: service@burgessvet.com Website: www.millgrovevet.com Sharon R. Doolittle, DVM, Inc. Smithfield, RI USA Phone: (401) 349-2668 Email: vetinfo@holisticanimalvet.com Website: www.holisticanimalvet.com

Janice DeFonda Can We Talk Fayetteville, NY USA Phone: (315) 329-0116 Email: angelwhispurr@gmail.com Website: www.angelwhispurr.com

Dr. Autumn Drouin, DVM, ND and Dr. Sasan Haghighat (Hyatt), DVM, CVA North-East Newmarket Veterinary Service Newmarket, ON Canada Phone: (905) 830-1030 Email: holisticveterinarian@gmail.com Website: www.holistic-vet.ca

Animal Wellness

• Acupuncture • Chiropractic •Conventional Medicine •Therapeutic Nutrition •Traditional Chinese Medicine Guelph, Ontario, Canada (519)836-2782 www.GuelphVet.com info@GuelphVet.com Harwood Oaks Animal Clinic Bedford, TX USA Phone: 817-354-7676 Website: www.harwoodoaksanimalclinic.com Hawks Prairie Veterinary Hospital Lacey, WA USA Phone: (360) 459-6556 Email: hawksprairievet@yahoo.com Website: www.hawksprairieveterinaryhospital.com Holistic Animal Care Stephanie Chalmers, DVM, CVH Santa Rosa, CA USA Phone: (707) 538-4643 Home Vet Weston, CT USA Phone: (203) 222-7979 Website: www.homevet.com

Carrie Hutchinson, VMD Rockledge Veterinary Clinic Rockledge, PA USA Phone: (215) 379-1677 Email: info@rockledgevet.com Website: www.rockledgevet.com

Essex Animal Hospital Essex, ON CAN Phone: (519) 776-7325 Email: info@essexanimalhospital.ca Website: www.essexanimalhospital.ca Family Veterinary Center Haydenville, MA USA Phone: (413) 268-8387 Website: www.famvets.com

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Individualized, Integrative Veterinary Care

Horizon Veterinary Services Susan Maier, DVM Simpsonville, KY USA Phone: (502) 722-8231 Email: horizonvetserv@yahoo.com Website: www.horizonvetserv.com

Lydia Hiby Mysticviz Burbank, CA USA Phone: (818)-244-0091 Website: www.lydiahiby.com Lynn McKenzie Animal Energy Sedona, AZ USA Phone: (512) 827-0505 x 8642 Email: lynn@animalenergy.com Website: www.animalenergy.com

Dr. Caroline Goulard, DVM, CCRT, CVA, CVPP Paws on the Go Laguna Woods, CA USA Phone: (949) 707-1696 Email: cgoulard@pawsonthego.net Website: www.pawsonthego.net

Integrated Veterinary Clinic Sacramento, CA USA Phone: 916-454-1825 Gail Jewell, DVM Kelowna, BC Canada Phone: (888) 622-8300 Website: www.holisticvet.ca

communicators • integrative vets • natural products • pet psychic Reiki therapy • schools & wellness education • shelters & rescues

Steven Marsden, DVM Edmonton Holistic Veterinary Clinic Edmonton, AB Canada Phone: 780-436-4944 Dr. Shawn Messonnier Paws and Claws Vet Clinic Plano, TX USA Phone: (972) 712-0893 Email: shawnvet@sbcglobal.net Website: www.pettogethers.net/healthypet

NATURAL PRODUCT RETAILERS DERMagic Skin Care for Animals, Inc. Kingston, WA USA Phone: (425) 637-4643 Email: info@DERMagic.com Website: www.DERMagic.net Dog Gone Dirt All Natural Dog & Horse Skin Care Products Crescent City, FL USA Phone: (386) 559-3454 Email: doggonedirt@yahoo.com Website: www.doggonedirt.com

SCHOOLS & WELLNESS EDUCATION PetMassage, Ltd. Toledo, OH USA Toll Free: (800) 779-1001 Phone: (419) 475-3539 Email: info@petmassage.com Website: www.petmassage.com Healing Touch for Animals Highlands Ranch, CO USA Phone: (303) 470-6572 Email: drea@healingtouchforanimals.com Website: www.healingtouchforanimals.co Treetops Rocklyn Limited Alliston, ON Canada Toll Free: (866) 919-8733 Phone: (705) 735-6174 Email: info@treetops.on.ca Website: www.treetopsweb.com

PET PSYCHIC

Well Animal Institute Brighton, CO USA Phone: (303) 514-0076 Email: info@wellanimalinstitute.com Website: www.wellanimalinstitute.com

SHELTERS & RESCUES Alaskan Malamute Mt. Gilead, OH USA Phone: (419) 512-2423 Email: shaman@brightnet.net

Mark Newkirk, VMD Newkirk Family Veterinarians gg Harbor Township, NJ USA Phone: (609) 645-2120 Email: mnewk@alternativevet.com Website: www.alternativevet.com

REIKI THERAPY Aileen D’Angelo, RMT, Cn. TPM Hoof, Paw & Claw Reiki Northboro, MA USA Phone: (508) 393-3684 Email: hoofpawclaw@verizon.net Website: www.reikiforcritters.com

Dr. Judy Stolz, DVM, ND Phoenix, AZ USA Phone: (480) 838-9724 Email: drstolz@gmail.com Website: www.drstolz.com

NATURAL PRODUCT

MANUFACTURERS & DISTRIBUTORS Azmira Holistic Animal Care Tuscon, AZ USA Phone: (800) 497-5665 Email: info@azmira.com Website: www.azmira.com

Amy Pikalek Hikari Natural Healing Madison, WI USA Phone: (608) 886-8778 Email: hikarihealing@yahoo.com Website: www.hikarihealing.com

Advertise your business in the Wellness Resource Guide

1-866-764-1212

American Brittany Rescue Sugar Grove, IL USA Phone: (866) BRIT-911 Email: rhonda@americanbrittanyrescue.org Website: www.americanbrittanyrescue.org Animal Avengers Los Angeles, CA USA Phone: (323) 655-4220 Email: admin@animalavengers.com Website: www.animalavengers.com Animal Rescue of the Rockies Breckenridge, CO USA Phone: (970) 389-8324 Email: arrcolorado@gmail.com Website: www.animalrescueoftherockies.org Boston Terrier Club of America PA USA Phone: (724) 883-4732 Email: btcaresc@greenepa.net California Coastal Horse Rescue Ojai, CA USA Phone: (805) 649-1090 Website: www.calcoastalhorserescue.com

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Is your dog

By Tonya Wilhelm

scared of

storms?

Shaking, whining, panting and pacing are all signs of THUNDER PHOBIA in dogs. Instead of dreading summer storms, find out how behavior modification can help your pooch cope with his anxiety.

Thunderstorms are a source of stress and anxiety in many dogs.

They can cause some dogs to pant, pace, whine, tremble, hide, or become clingy. Others may have full-blown panic attacks, digging at doors and windows, eliminating inside the house, or even chewing on their own paws or tails.

barometric pressure, along with the static electricity that occurs with a thunderstorm. They may also start hearing thunder from an approaching storm long before we can. And since thunder follows lightning, those bright flashes can trigger an anxiety response on their own.

HOW DOGS DEVELOP THUNDER PHOBIA

A 2001 online study of 69 dogs with thunderstorm phobia concluded that rescue dogs, herding breeds and hounds have higher rates of developing storm phobia. It’s estimated that 15% to 30% of dogs suffer from some type of storm anxiety.1 And 86% of dogs with thunder phobia develop separation anxiety.2

Although it’s hard to say for certain why dogs become scared of thunderstorms, we do know that many are stressed by loud noises they don’t understand, and thunder certainly fits into that category. In addition, because dogs are so much more sensitive than we are, they are more likely to be disturbed by changes in

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A dog's personality can also predict if he might become storm phobic. Fearful dogs who lack self-confidence and startle easily are more likely to develop behavioral problems such as storm phobia than confident, well-socialized dogs.

It’s also important to rule out medical conditions such as hypothyroid disease, arthritis, blindness, and Addison's disease when addressing any behavior problem, including thunder phobia. All these conditions can affect a dog's personality and stress levels.

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND THE THUNDER-PHOBIC DOG Left untreated, storm phobia escalates over time. Even dogs with mild thunder anxiety should undergo a behavior modification program to help alleviate their stress and hopefully prevent the behavior from getting worse.

A good behavior modification program is based on introducing a stimulus in such a way that the dog does not have any anxiety, then providing him with something pleasant such as a treat or favorite game. This counterconditioning teaches him that something positive will happen when presented with the stimulus. In other words, “Good things happen when ‘x’ is present.”

The problem is, because we can’t control the weather, we can’t control how or when we introduce the stimulus of thunder, or its intensity or duration, making this particular behavior problem difficult to treat. Depending on where you live, a thunderphobic dog will be beyond his comfort level on a regular basis during storm season. This means it’s easiest to start a behavior modification program during off-season, although implementing these steps at any time can help.

Step #1 The first step in teaching your dog that storms are okay, or at least bearable, is to make a list of any and all storm-related triggers that stress him. Think about what happens before or during a storm that elicits any kind of anxiety from your dog: thunder, barometric changes, lights flickering, dark skies, wind or rain.

Continued on page 62.

It’s estimated that

15% to 30% of dogs suffer from some type of storm anxiety.

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Continued from page 61.

Step #2

Calming aids

Thunder phobia can be difficult to treat, especially if you start behavior modification during the height of storm season. I've personally lived through it with my own dog, and my heart still breaks when I work with clients whose dogs are afraid of storms. The good news is that there are several additional calming aids you can use to help ease your dog's stress during a storm, although they must coincide with the behavior modification program.

Look into some natural anti-anxiety options.

For thunder phobia, I prefer remedies that address panic.

• I have had great success with flower essences, and they have no adverse side effects.

Mimulus, Aspen or Rock Rose may be good choices.

• Homeopathic remedies are also generally safe and easy to use. Remedies to consider include Aconitum, Argentum nitricum and Phosphorus.

• Other options include an anti-static jacket for your dog, white noise, pheromone therapy, and earmuffs.

Pair the triggers with something extra special. I mean really extra special, something your dog finds valuable and that you usually save for training sessions. Pick one trigger for each training session. For example, set one of your household lights on a timer, and when the light goes off, immediately toss your dog a high-value treat. Another example is to set your outdoor sprinkler on low, and aim it to hit a small area of your house while you and your dog play one of his favorite games. For noises, search the internet for thunderstorm sounds and play the recordings too softly to frighten your dog, while providing a great food treat or game; over time, gradually increase the volume. Play these noises through your Smartphone and move it around the house, so the noise isn't coming only from your computer area.

Step #3 Teach your dog how to relax when he's not stressed, so you can tap into that calm emotion when he starts to feel anxious. First, think about where you and your dog will go during a thunderstorm. Where would you like to calmly sit or lie down with your dog during this time? In bed? On the sofa or floor? Ideally, it will be an area of the house that is more soundproofed from storms than others.

Next, either during off-season or on clear days with no stormy weather in the forecast, teach your dog to lie down in your chosen spot and enjoy a nice body massage while listening to a calming music track. I prefer to use the same track at each session so I can condition my dog that this particular song means we are relaxing.

By practicing this at least three times a week, you will teach your dog how to be calm, not only during storms, but also his everyday life. Remember, dogs with thunder phobia tend to have stress-prone personalities to start with, so this relaxation is good for him.

When a storm does hit, help your dog by being there for him, both mentally and physically. A dog who is afraid of storms probably thinks the world is ending – he is not in his right mind.

Take him to your safe spot, play your relaxing CD, and give him a light massage.

Thunder phobia in dogs is a serious behavioral problem that will worsen if not addressed. But don't feel you have to tackle the issue alone. A good holistic vet and animal behaviorist can help your dog learn to be more relaxed during thunderstorm season.

Together with the suggestions presented in this article, along with lots of patience and persistence, you can calm and defuse your dog’s fear of storms.

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“Thunderstorm phobia in dogs: an Internet survey of 69 cases”. Journal of the American Association 37(4):pp. 319-324.

Animal Hospital Association,

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Association, August 15, 2001, Vol. 219, No. 4, pp 467-473, doi: 10.2460/javma.2001.219.467.

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passages

MURPHY’S

healing magic

By Tami Hendrix

Many different beings have been a part of my life, and have greatly impacted the person I am today. One of those beings came in the form of a dog named Murphy. He was the Dalai Lama of dogs – forever kind and gentle to all. His greatest gift was the unconditional love he offered anyone and everyone.

Wayne Dyer, a man I had admired and learned from over many years. He greeted me with a smile and a hug, then ushered me into a room where three people were lined up waiting to see me – my mother, sister and father. Each of them stepped forward to give me a hug and a smile.

Murphy came to me in 2004, just six months before something traumatic happened that forever changed my life. My sister had a car accident, crashing into a telephone pole and tragically passing at just 50 years of age. It was a terrible shock to me. Her death triggered a volcano of unresolved emotions from the past, and I took a downward spiral.

I wondered for days what the dream meant; it felt so significant.

Little did I know that my family had come to me as support for what was to happen next.

Murphy became my rock and lifesaver. He kept me from losing myself completely. He was a bright light in a time of darkness.

He was a healer. Over the years, he continued to shine his magical light on everyone. I grew to depend on the stability he offered and on his very presence in my life. Murphy and I had a very special relationship.

Last year, in early November, I had a vivid dream that profoundly affected me. I was met at the door of a building by the late

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One week after my dream, Murphy, who was only 12½ years old (a youngster in my book!), suddenly passed. I went reeling into despair. How could he be gone? Not Murph! He was bigger than life and certainly bigger than death! I wanted him back!

I spent the next few months in a fog, moving through life but not really participating in it. Several other significant losses occurred during those months, but none equalled my loss of Murphy. I had a really difficult time functioning. I tried to act as if everything was normal. People don’t expect you to grieve the loss of an animal for very long; they expect you to move on.

After all, it’s “just” an animal, not a person.

Continued on page 66.

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Continued from page 64.

One day, several months after Murphy’s death, I passed a closet in which I store old towels and blankets. I felt the urge to look inside. Peeking out from an untidy stack of blankets was something I didn’t recognize. I tugged on its corner and pulled it out. It fell open, and I gasped. It was a throw someone had given me as a gift years ago – a throw with Murphy’s photo on it. I was dumbfounded and ecstatic at the same time. And I started to cry. The surprise at seeing one of my favorite photos of him cracked my heart wide open again. I bunched up the throw around my face and slid sobbing to the floor.

Soon afterwards, I began posting some photos and quotes to Instagram. On St. Patrick’s Day of this year, I posted a picture of Murphy as a puppy with a four-leaf clover in his mouth. The photo brought a big smile to my face and heart. I felt no grief, just pure love and joy.

That night I had another dream. This time I was led into a room to find Murphy waiting for me. When he saw me, he jumped for joy and bounded around the room. He was so glad to see me!

And I was overjoyed to see him! I hugged his neck and held him close. We were both so happy to have connected in this way.

Our love for each other was as strong as ever. I studied every inch of his sweet face, holding his head gently in my hands.

Then I woke up. But this time, I woke up feeling fresh and new. I knew I had just spent real time with Murphy. I had not lost him, nor had he lost me (though I suspect he already knew that!). I felt as if a healing had occurred. And it had.

Today, I feel Murphy around a lot. I’ll be honest: I still put his bed out at night, and I still call his name when I walk the other dogs. I am not ashamed or embarrassed of these habits. I just feel he is still a part of things here, and I always want him to feel welcome in any form. This will always be home for him.

I have learned a lot about connection and love through the years, but have had no greater teacher than Murphy. I truly believe the reason he came to me in a dream that day was because I had been feeling happy and appreciative of the cute puppy I remembered. I hadn’t been focused on loss or sadness; I hadn’t blocked his presence with grief. My appreciation and joy were the conduit through which he could see me, and I could see him.

I will be forever grateful for his visit. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Murphy is still carrying on his magical healing work, and that we are never disconnected. Ever.

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Business Profile

Zuke’s

David Rizzo explores the wilderness with his own canine companion.

By Matthew Berk

This natural dog food and treat company prides itself on taking a sustainable, earth-friendly approach.

One day over 20 years ago, Patrick Meiering was hiking with his chocolate Lab, Zuke, when he noticed the dog was becoming exhausted. In an effort to give him a quick pick-me-up, Patrick tossed Zuke a piece of his own energy bar. Within moments, the dog had returned to his typical, energetic self. Patrick realized that pets need healthy, natural nourishment just like people do, and subsequently founded a pet food and treat company named after his canine companion.

From the start, Zuke’s has been dedicated to creating natural, high quality, nutritious products for pets. Built on the idea that nature can provide everything dogs need to thrive, the company takes a wholesome approach to everything they produce. “Zuke’s products are made with the same love, care and commitment to our pets that Patrick had for Zuke over two decades ago,” says David Rizzo, Director of Operations. “Our goal is to create food and treats that provide fuel for our dogs to live healthy, active lives and enjoy outdoor adventures.”

As part of this nature-oriented devotion to dogs (and cats), Zuke’s places a lot of emphasis on minimizing its carbon footprint. Back in the 1990s, when the company was founded, environmental concerns were less apparent than they are today.

But over the years, Zuke’s has developed in stride with these issues, making its commitment to sustainability equal to its mission of producing high quality foods and treats. “We’re strong believers in the importance of getting outside, enjoying nature, and protecting the land and planet that provides our dogs with the powerful nutrition they need,” says David.

Zuke’s steps to protect the environment are multi-faceted.

The company facility generates all its electricity from clean, renewable sources. Throughout the building, numerous energy-saving devices have been installed, and purified water systems limit the need for water bottles. And that’s only the beginning.

“We implemented a sustainable transportation initiative that encourages employees to choose alternative methods for traveling to and from work,” says David. “We offer a credit of up to $1 per day for walking, cycling, carpooling or riding mass transit.” This initiative helps the environment while encouraging employees to get closer to and appreciate nature – a vital part of Zuke’s mission.

The company is also a proud member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, a non-profit that improves business-minded sustainability within the pet industry. “Sustainability has always been one of Zuke’s core values, and we are proud to continue taking steps toward more sustainable business solutions, to help protect our planet and reduce our carbon footprint,” says David.

“Every day, I get to wake up and devote my time to a company that puts its heart and soul into creating quality products to support the health and well-being of the most devoted and selfless friends we have,” he adds. “There’s nothing like the companionship of a dog – and nothing better than striving to do good by them.”

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safe sports SENIOR DOGS for

By Emily Watson

Like people, dogs get more fragile as they age. But this doesn’t mean they can’t participate in canine sports. Check out these safe options for your senior dog.

A great way to keep your dog fit is to engage him in some form of canine sport. Although many people assume activities such as agility or freestyle are only for younger dogs, seniors can also enjoy some of these sports – as long as you keep their age and safety in mind. This article presents four ideal canine sports for your older dog, along with tips for keeping him safe and comfortable.

1

Modified agility – Dog agility organizations as such as the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA) offer modified agility courses for senior dogs. “The Veterans program allows older dogs to jump at a lower height than they would in the Championship or Performance Programs,” says Heather Smith, USDAA Event Planner.

“For instance, a dog that measures 20” at the withers would jump 22” in Championship, 16” in Performance, but just 12” in Veterans.” In some cases, agility courses for senior

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dogs cover shorter distances, and obstacles are modified to prevent strain.

2

Obedience – This activity encompasses a wide range of mental and physical intensities.

Obedience uses vocal commands and hand signals to guide dogs through a series of tests, including basic tricks such as sitting and heeling, or more complicated actions such as identifying and retrieving specific objects. Most obedience competitions place more emphasis on sportsmanship and mannerly conduct than on skill, making it the perfect choice for older dogs with physical limitations.

3

Freestyle – Ideal for seniors who love learning, freestyle requires dogs to dance to music alongside their handlers, or “to act out” certain scenarios, and is generally low impact. “WCFO Canine Freestyle works a dog on all sides and uses all his muscles, which helps develop the dog fully and evenly,” says Patie Ventre, Founder and CEO of the World Canine Freestyle Organization.

“Many veterinarians are members and dance with their dogs for purely health reasons. The sport also keeps a dog’s mind working and adds joy to his senior years, as dogs are social animals and love working with their owners.”

WARM UP AND COOL DOWN With any canine sport, a proper warm-up beforehand is extremely important. It will prepare his body and mind for improved safety, and reduce the risk of injury. Take your dog for a short walk, then spend a few minutes in a light jog to ensure his soft tissues – muscles, tendons and ligaments – are pliable and ready for increased intensity. When you’re finished with the sport for the day, cool your dog down by reversing the warm-up routine.

Continued on page 70.

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“My ten-year old miniature Schnauzer loves it – and I love seeing him learning and enjoying a new positivelyreinforced activity.”

Suspect sports aren’t for him

If your senior isn’t suited to canine sports, for whatever reason, there are many other ways to provide him with physical and mental stimulation.

Teach him simple tricks, invest in an interactive puzzle toy, or hide food around the house rather than putting it in a bowl. The latter two activities will engage his natural “hunting” instincts and keep his brain and body stimulated as he searches for his meals. Just be sure to place the food on one level of your home so he doesn’t strain himself climbing too many stairs.

Continued from page 69.

4

Nose work – Whether you enter your senior to compete or use it as a way to bond, nose work is an excellent way to challenge his mental faculties. “Dogs learn certain scents and are taught to exhibit a behavior once they’ve found a scent,” says Heather. “No jumps, just searching items to see if the scent has been hidden there. My ten-year old miniature Schnauzer loves it – and I love seeing him learning and enjoying a new positively-reinforced activity.”

While these are some of the most popular options for senior dogs, few sports are off the table as long as you play it safe.

Tips for safe sport participation • Before starting any canine sport with an older dog, check with his veterinarian to confirm he’s physically able to participate.

“The term ‘senior’ is relative,” says Heather. “A 12-yearold Papillion may still be able to handle full-scale activities, whereas an eight-year-old Irish setter may not. You have to

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look at the size and the individual dog and think about what he’s being asked to do within his abilities and conditioning.”

• Good nutrition is crucial, and this becomes even more important as your dog ages. For optimal health and energy levels, always opt for a high quality diet made from whole food ingredients, and free of artificial additives, fillers and by-products. Supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants may also be considered, but requirements and dosages vary depending on the dog, so be sure to consult with a holistic or integrative veterinarian.

• Obesity is common in dogs, especially as they get older. Enrolling your dog in a canine sport is a good way to help him shed some pounds, but keep in mind that overweight dogs are more prone to injury. Rather than throwing him into something that’s too rigorous for his weight, ease into the sport and prevent fatigue and injury by gradually increasing the level of activity.

• Mind the weather! Senior dogs are more sensitive to extreme temperatures, so for outdoor activities, use common sense to determine if it’s too hot or cold for him.

• Joints can become stiff and inflamed with age. The regular exercise offered by canine sports can help stave off arthritis, but avoid high jumping, and ensure the activity takes place on resilient surfaces such as grass, and not concrete or hard tile flooring. Joint health supplements can also help keep him flexible and comfortable – again, discuss your dog’s individual needs with your vet.

Engaging your senior dog in the right canine sport, while keeping his health and safety in mind, will help keep him fit and happy during his golden years.

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CAN CHIROPRACTIC CARE MAKE YOUR PET HAPPIER? Certain misalignments in your dog or cat’s spine cause nervous system changes that can impact his emotional well-being. By correcting the structural issues, chiropractic adjustments mean a calmer, happier animal.

By Bill Ormston, DVM and Amy Hayek, DVM

D gs Cats

Chiropractic care has many physical benefits for pets – but it also has emotional benefits that can make him happier as well as healthier. Certain misalignments in your dog or cat’s spine may have a negative impact on his mood and behavior. Chiropractic adjustments to those areas can correct these problems and get him back on an even keel, in more ways than one.

Let’s start by looking at the ways in which spinal misalignments affect the nervous system and subsequently your pet’s emotional well-being.

1. The spine and nervous system The nervous system controls and coordinates all organs and structures of the body. This system is protected by the spinal column, so misalignment or subluxations to the vertebrae can irritate particular nerves, affecting their function and that of the structures and organs they control.

Continued on page 74.

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Chiropractic and cortisol

Animals who are under constant stress are at higher risk for chronic health problems, including heart disease. In fact, studies show that when the body is stressed, it goes into survival mode and produces more cortisol. High levels of cortisol are linked to an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and poor sleeping habits.

Additionally, chronic stress results in muscle tension and contractions which in turn lead to uneven pressure on the skeleton. Achieving a balanced spine is a big part of reducing your pet’s stress levels.

Chiropractic care can help the body reduce cortisol levels, remove toxins from the body and leave your animal feeling less stressed. And since chiropractic adjustments focus on realigning the spine, they ease the stress placed on certain parts of the body, relieving muscle tension.

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Good heart nerve function =

happiness

The heart has recently been found to be important for emotional relationships – not just in a Valentine’s way, but in a chemical way as well. It produces as much, if not more, oxytocin than the centers of the brain do. Oxytocin is a hormone for attachment and comfort. Maintaining heart nerve function is essential for happiness, and can be achieved with routine chiropractic care.

Before

After - note even legs and feet

during pain, especially chronic pain, which means pain can mimic depression. And both can negatively your pet’s emotional wellness.

This chemical lookalike pattern can also be similar to the flighty behavior seen when the opioid receptors are agitated.

How chiropractic helps Animals under routine chiropractic care have more balanced nervous systems than those that aren’t. A healthy spine and nervous system keeps your pet’s energy flow balanced, his immune system strong and his resistance to disease high. An unhealthy, unbalanced spine can interfere with the natural flow of energy through the body, creating blockages and imbalances that may cause both physical and emotional fatigue.

Chiropractic care removes the interference to the nervous system by correcting the misalignment and allowing the body to heal itself. When the nervous system is able to better communicate with all the body parts, the opioid receptors are better served, and the pet is calmer, feels less pain, depression and stress and is consequently happier and better able to enjoy life.

Continued from page 72.

When subluxations occur to any of the top three vertebrae of the cervical spine, possible effects range from nervousness and restlessness to attitude changes and anxiety. In addition, the production of serotonin and dopamine (the “happy chemicals”) is jeopardized.

When subluxations occur to any of the top three vertebrae of the cervical spine, possible effects range from nervousness and restlessness to attitude changes and anxiety.

2. Effects on opioid receptors Happiness is a chemical reaction. Opioid receptors in the brain (named because they are easily stimulated by drugs called opioids) can become agitated when an animal’s nervous system is out of balance. This causes the body to become flighty because it is trying to figure out a way to quiet the receptors; the result can be behaviors that look like the “flight” part of the “fight or flight” mode.

3. Pain and depression Nervous system imbalance is also associated with pain and depression. The same nervous pathways that are stimulated during depression are also stimulated

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Natural help for your dog’s

spinal problems How TCVM, homeopathy and other approaches can help treat intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and spondylosis in dogs.

By Margie Garrett, DVM, CVA, CIVCA, CVTN

Spinal dysfunction in dogs is more common than you might think. I see it often in my practice. Someone brings in a dog that cannot use his hind legs; depending on which segment of the spinal cord is affected, he may also be unable to urinate or defecate with control. The primary causes of these problems are intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and spondylosis.

Conventionally, treatment for these conditions includes pain medications and anti-inflammatories, surgery and total rest.

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But an integrative approach also adds TCVM, homeopathy and other alternative approaches.

PINPOINTING THE PROBLEM In my integrative practice, I treat many pets with neurological conditions, including intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and spondylosis. In my experience, localization of the spinal lesion can best be done by combining a conventional neurological exam with multiple holistic diagnostic approaches.

Conventional exam The veterinarian will evaluate the dog’s nervous system from head to toe. He/she will: • Check for cranial nerve deficits.

• Palpate to test for painful areas along the vertebrae.

• Determine if the lesion is upper or lower motor neuron.

• Test the integrity of the proprioceptive pathways.

TCVM exam The TCVM practitioner will interview you, observe your dog, take his history and evaluate his tongue and pulse as part of the exam to determine: • Preferences for hot or cold.

• Pain behaviors – is the dog in pain or is there weakness without pain?

• Wet or Dry presentation.

• Which acupoints are sensitive and what portion of the nervous system to try and modulate by stimulating the nerves and local humoral response.

as young as three years of age). Quadrupeds have shear force along the spinal canal, versus compressive force in the human species; enough shear force can cause the nucleus pulposus to rupture up through the layers of annulus fibrosus lamina and into or around the spinal canal. Type I Hanson’s IVDD occurs acutely, most commonly in short-legged long-bodied dogs. Type II is more degenerative than explosive, often occurring in older dogs and larger breeds.

The conventional veterinarian will suggest surgery, antiinflammatories and cage rest for IVDD. However, the integrative veterinarian has many additional tools for treating IVDD, including TCVM, homeopathy and spinal manipulation.

TCVM Acupuncture point selection is based on a pattern diagnosis to improve and modulate the nervous system. TCVM practitioners also include Chinese herbal medical formulations for antiinflammatory and healing effects, as well as Tui-Na massage.

A prescription of physical rehabilitation therapeutic passive exercises during exercise restriction can improve proprioception, motor pattern generators and reduce pain.

From the above, the practitioner can differentiate between spondylosis and IVDD to select the most appropriate treatment.

Spinal manipulation and stretching

Homeopathic exam

Careful consideration is needed before using adjustments on a dog with IVDD. Is there movement in the intervertebral area, or is it

The homeopathic veterinarian looks for idiosyncratic reactions that indicate the best remedy. Signs he/she will consider include: • A fear of being touched.

• Temperature of the paws.

• Condition of the hair coat.

• Vaccination history.

• Reaction to stimuli.

• Past medical history.

After localizing the lesion area with a physical examination, an integrative veterinarian will move to the next phase of diagnostics – radiography. The newer digitized radiographs allow us to see late stage inflammatory changes, but not always all the pathology. If Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computed Tomography (CT) is going to be pursued, generally, surgery will be planned.

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR IVDD Before discussing treatment options for IVDD, let’s review its pathology. Spinal vertebrae surround the spinal cord. Between the vertebrae sit eight joints, including an intervertebral joint, which contains the nucleus pulposus. This acts like a malleable ball bearing to equalize stress on the disc. With IVDD, calcification of the nucleus pulposus occurs (this can happen August/September 2017

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too dangerous to gauge movement in the event of a possible nucleus pulposus rupture? Spinal manipulations can be used to add movement to other joints around the area, and stretching and trigger point massage can be used to relax spasmodic muscles.

One eight-year-old dachshund presented with a flaccid tail, fecal incontinence, urine retention and no deep pain. Five doses of Hypericum 12c over a two-week period were needed for full recovery.

Homeopathy When the homeopathic medicine matching the individual dog is administered, his body’s vital force begins a selfhealing. First the dog will have improved mentation, appetite and energy. Then, even with total paralysis, he will begin to show a return of normal neurological function. Several weeks may be needed if treatment is begun shortly after diagnosis; several months if paralysis has not responded to surgery and drugs.

Hypericum and Nux vomica are frequently indicated remedies.

TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF SPONDYLOSIS In spondylosis, the ligaments of the spine allow it to move within an acceptable range of motion. One of these ligaments – the ventral longitudinal ligament (VLL) – runs beneath the spinal cord and prevents hyperextension of the spine. The VLL can become stretched and unable to support the vertebral joints and spinal cord if the intervertebral joints move too far in any direction and/or the abdominal muscles are consistently weak.

This chronic instability of the joints leads to inflammation and, finally, calcification of the ligament. Calcification causes a decrease in nerve health due to:

 Fewer nutrients, resulting from impeded blood flow.  Decreased firing from lack of movement, a compensation to keep the spine from moving abnormally (from compromised muscle support, arthritis in the joints and ligaments, and tendons becoming stressed and then fibrotic).

Early fibrotic changes will appear on the radiograph as rounding, due to loss of calcification of the bone at those attachments.

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The conventional approach of using anti-inflammatories and joint modifiers (glucosamine, chondroitin, milk proteins, hyaluronic acid) may not be enough to avoid spondylosis.

However, an integrative veterinarian has a number of additional techniques to help reverse or stabilize the changes in the ligament that lead to this condition. Sometimes, even the entire mass of accumulated calcium can be dissolved.

Since inflammation triggers the production of calcium deposits, multiple modalities can both prevent and possibly resolve spondylosis, by ensuring movement and healthy blood flow to intrinsic muscles, tendons and ligaments. When the joints move freely, the nerves can fire adequately. Proper range of motion also keeps the intrinsic and paravertebral muscles healthy so they in turn can maintain postural input to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Successful approaches for spondylosis include:

 Regular chiropractic work.  Spinal manipulation and adjustments.  Stretching and flexion/extension exercises.  TCVM – Chinese herbs, acupuncture and Tui-na.  Homeopathy – individualized selection of remedies.

In conclusion, integrative care – including joint modification therapeutics, Chinese herbal formulas, and homeopathic remedies, combined with conventional medications in the acute phase – can improve the outcome of IVDD and spondylosis in dogs.

the scoop EMERGENCY PREPARATION

Are you prepared for a pet emergency? Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid is North America's longeststanding Pet First Aid Certification program. They offer classes across Canada and in Seattle, WA. Attend an in-class course to work directly with animals, or sign up for self-paced distance learning.

Instructor training also available.

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KEEP YOUR GRASS GREEN

Nutri-Vet Grass Guard Max chewables for dogs contain a unique blend of probiotics, digestive enzymes, amino acids and botanicals to help prevent lawn burn and yellow spots from dog urine. These delicious liver-flavored chewable tablets are very effective at maintaining a "spotless" lawn.

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HEALING WITH HEAT

Treat arthritis, neuropathy, and the pains of aging with this new Helthy Heat orthopedic bed by Floppy Disc. The NASA tech bed reflects 98% of the body’s infrared heat to help heal your pet while he’s sleeping. Infrared increases blood flow, cellular profusion and metabolism to boost natural healing and detoxifying processes.

HelthyHeat.com

STEWARDSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY

Petcurean Pet Nutrition was recently awarded the Stewardship Award from Food in Canada magazine thanks to their new pet food line, GATHER. It’s sustainably formulated from certified, organic, non-GMO ingredients, and demonstrates the company’s dedication to high quality foods that use the planet’s resources as responsibly as possible.

Petcurean.com

SUPPORT HIS SPINE

Does your dog suffer from back pain or need support for preventing back injury?

WiggleLess® is a vet-recommended and patented brace designed to stabilize the spinal column, curtail twisting, relieve stress, and provide comfortable, firm back support for dogs.

Wiggleless.com/aw

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Smoochy Poochy’s lifestyle leash features quick release handle, brass grommet system, convenient baggie pouch, traffic handle, and more. Clip lead around waist or across shoulders to allow hands free control, and length adjustment. Smoochy’s leather like collars are vegan friendly, won’t absorb water or odor. Canadian made since 2001, Smoochy Poochy fits your lifestyle.

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to the rescue Outcast Rescue

Photo courtesy of Valerie Bruder Photography

Photo courtesy of Valerie Bruder Photography

Rescue code: OUTCAST

Left to right: Singer/songwriter Erin Bowman proudly supports Outcast Rescue in their mission to advocate for and inform the public about one of America's most misjudged dog breeds – the pit bull; Outcast has helped many pit bulls, like Phoebe and Ivan, find loving adoptive families.

LOCATION: Lehigh Valley, PA YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2016 NUMBER OF STAFF/VOLUNTEERS/FOSTER HOMES: “We’re a foster-based rescue,” says Beth Hucke, one of the founding members and board director. “We have over 60 volunteers and approximately 20 foster homes.”

TYPES OF ANIMAL THEY WORK WITH: Outcast puts a lot of time and effort into rescuing pit bulls and Rottweilers, but will save any dog in need. They operate primarily within Pennsylvania.

FUNDRAISING PROJECTS: “There are times we have a severe medical case and have to raise money through YouCaring, an online fundraising tool,” says Beth. “But we have also held events like paint nights and online auctions.” Outcast sells clothing as well, with all proceeds going back to the rescue. Currently, they’re involved in a campaign with singer/songwriter Erin Bowman, who is helping them raise awareness for pit bull rescue and the organization’s overarching “adopt don’t shop” cause.

FAVORITE RESCUE STORY: “There are so many!” says Beth. “We rescued a senior ‘tripod’ pit bull named Ilene who was scheduled to be euthanized after being hit by a car.” Thanks to Outcast, this seven-year-old “pitty” found her “happily ever after” home with a human amputee.

Another of Beth’s favorites involves Forrest, who came to Outcast

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Follow on Faceb o

.com/outcastres ok cue

Rescue this past spring. Like Ilene, this stray pit bull mix had been put on a euthanasia list by a high-kill shelter after allegedly being hit by a car. “Sometimes we see dogs and just get this gut feeling that we have to help,” says Beth. “Everything aligned, and before we knew it we were rushing to get to the shelter before they closed.” Outcast took Forrest to the vet clinic, where staff found injuries that were not consistent with a car accident. “Forrest was a bait dog,” says Beth. “He had about 100 puncture wounds all over his body.” The injured pup also had a deep infection in his ear that required surgery. Although his survival wasn’t guaranteed, he underwent the operation, which lasted several hours and resulted in the amputation of his ear.

Thankfully, Forrest is now well on his way to recovery. “He is the happiest, friendliest dog ever,” says Beth.

outcastrescue.com

Bait dog Forrest will never have to live in fear again! He is off to his forever home where he will know nothing but love.

Animal Wellness has supported rescue efforts for almost 15 years and is a proud partner of Best Friends Animal Society. This column honors the work of shelters and rescues across North America.

For their full stories, visit www.AnimalWellnessMagazine.com

CANADA RESCUES

USA RESCUES

Boxer Rescue Ontario Burlington, Ontario Rescue Code: BOXER www.boxerrescueontario.com

A Different Breed Animal Rescue Organization Dallas, Texas Rescue Code: ADBRESCUE www.adifferentbreed.org

Dhana Metta Rescue Society Surrey, British Columbia Rescue Code: DHANA www.dhanamettarescuesociety.org

All Aboard Animal Rescue Fort Collins, California Rescue Code: AAAR www.aaanimalrescue.org

Grand River All Breed Rescue Cambridge, Ontario Rescue Code: GRAB www.grandriveallbreedrescue.ca

Anchors Up Rescue Group Las Vegas, Nevada Rescue Code: ANCHORSUP www.anchorsuprescuegroup.org

Home At Last Dog Rescue Surrey, British Columbia Rescue Code: HALDR www.homeatlastdogrescuebc.ca

Ark Animal Sanctuary Houlton, Maine Rescue Code: ARK www.arksanctuary.com

K9 Crusaders Cobourg, Ontario Rescue Code: K9C www.k9c.ca

Basset Rescue Of Old Dominion Charlottesville, Virginia Rescue Code: BROOD www.brood-va.org

Little Paws Rescue Society Vancouver, British Columbia Rescue Code: LPRS www.littlepawsrescue.ca

Big Fluffy Dog Rescue Nashville, Tennessee Rescue Code: BFDR www.bigfluffydogs.com

Marshall’s Dog Rescue Perth, Ontario Rescue Code: MARSHALL www.marshalldogrescue.com

Blind Dog Rescue Alliance Seymour, Connecticut Rescue Code: BDRA www.blinddogrescue.org

Precious Paws Rescue Barrie, Ontario Rescue Code: PPR www.preciouspawsrescue.ca

Blue Ridge Boxer Rescue Hickory, North Carolina Rescue Code: BRBR www.blueridgeboxerrescue.com

Ruff Start New Beginnings Colborne, Ontario Rescue Code: RSNB www.ruffstartnewbeginnings.com

Central Ohio Pomeranian Rescue Delaware, Ohio Rescue Code: COPR www.ohiopomrescue.com

Save Our Scruff Toronto, Ontario Rescue Code: SOS www.saveourscruff.org

DC Shiba Inu Rescue Washington, DC Rescue Code: DCSIR www.dcsir.org

Snookie’s Society Toronto, Ontario Rescue Code: SNOOKIE www.snookiessociety.com

Fetching Tails Foundation Itasca, Illinois Rescue Code: AWA283 www.fetchingtailsfoundation.com

TEAM Dog Rescue Toronto, Ontario Rescue Code: TEAM www.teamdogrescue.ca

Floyd Felines Rome, Georgia Rescue Code: FLOYD www.floydfelines.com

The Animal Guardian Society Oshawa, Ontario Rescue Code: TAGS www.animalguardian.org

Forever Loved Pets Sanctuary Scottsdale, Arizona Rescue Code: FLPS www.foreverlovedpets.org

Zoe’s Animal Rescue Society Edmonton, Alberta Rescue Code: ZOE www.zoesanimalrescue.org

Friends of Upland Animal Shelter Upland, California Rescue Code: FRIENDS www.friendsofuplandanimalshelter.org

All Paws Matter Stouffville, Ontario Rescue Code: APM1423 www.allpawsmatter.ca

GREY2K USA Arlington, Massachusetts Rescue Code: GREY2K www.grey2k.org

Adopt Me Rescue Studio City, California Rescue Code: ADOPTME www.adoptmerescue.org

Good Karma Dog Rescue River Vale, New Jersey Rescue Code: GKDR www.goodkarmadogrescue.com Higher Ground Animal Sanctuary Mead, Washington Rescue Code: AWA278 www.highergroundanimalsanctuary.org Mini Mighty Mutts Phoenix, Arizona Rescue Code: AWA287 www.minimightymutts.com Outcast Rescue Catasauqua, Pennsylvania Rescue Code: OUTCAST www.outcastrescue.com PAWS Project Middleton, New England Rescue Code: PAWS www.facebook.com/PAWSMitzvah The Cat Network Miami, Florida Rescue Code: THECATNETWORK www.thecatnetwork.org The Misfits Dogs Rescue Colorado Springs, Colorado Rescue Code: MISFIT www.misfitcrusaders.com The Sanctuary For Senior Dogs Cleveland, Ohio Rescue Code: AWA092 www.sanctuaryforseniordogs.org Wags 2 Wishes Animal Rescue Plainfield, Illinois Rescue Code: W2W www.w2wrescue.com

SUBSCRIBE & WE WILL DONATE

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1 Choose a rescue from this list Subscribe at 2 AnimalWellnessMagazine.com/ subscribe

3 Enter rescue code for chosen rescue 4 Enjoy your subscription!

August/September 2017

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Take your dog to the

By Tom Lohr

Did you know that most Major League Baseball teams allow you to take your pooch to the park to enjoy the game with you? Read on to find out more!

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Baseball season is in full swing and fans are filling the ballparks.

So are their dogs! Back in 1996, the Chicago White Sox launched an annual event called “Bark at the Park”, during which fans were invited to bring their dogs with them to the game. It was a huge success, and other teams started following suit with special dog days of their own. Now, 21 of the 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams allow fans to take their canine compatriots to at least one game, where they can let their pooches watch humans chase balls for a change.

fall for the most dogs to ever attend a sporting event – a total of 1,122 canines accompanied their humans to this landmark “Bark in the Park” game on September 13, 2016.

Teams go all out for their dog day events. Some bring in sod to construct a pet relief area, while others put attending pups and their owners up on the scoreboard video screen between innings.

Continued on page 84.

Most teams schedule one or two games per season that allow dogs, although the Pittsburgh Pirates have been hosting ten “Pups in the Park” games at PNC Park every season for several years now. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks engaged in some canine one-upmanship last year with the opening of their PetSmart Patio in Phoenix; every Sunday on which there’s a home game, fans and their pooches take over a section of seating that also include a dog park and canine concessions. (In case you’re worried about shade for the dogs on those hot Arizona days, the Diamondbacks Chase Field has a retractable roof.) And not to be outdone, the White Sox won a Guinness World Record last

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Continued from page 83.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND BRING If you’re planning to attend a dog-friendly ballgame with your best friend, it’s important to first visit your team’s website for any specific rules and regulations. Read over the following checklist as well:

✓If you have a choice of seating, know your ballpark’s

east-west seating orientation, and which area gets shade first. Pick a seat that will get the most shade.

The ticket booth can assist you. Also bring some dogfriendly natural sunscreen.

✓Your dog must be leashed the entire time. ✓Even if the park has a relief area for dogs, accidents happen. Be sure you clean up if your dog makes a mess.

✓Access to water is crucial, especially for your dog.

Bottles of water or a fountain will be readily available at the ballpark. Be sure to pack a drinking bowl.

✓A neighboring fan’s hotdog is a tempting target for a hungry

pooch. If your dog has begging or food filching issues, keep him close. Bring a few healthy treats to give him.

✓Be aware that you may be required to present proof of vaccination at the gate. Check with the park beforehand and ask if they will accept titer test results.

MLB TEAMS WITH DOG-FRIENDLY GAMES ON THEIR SCHEDULES Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Detroit Tigers Houston Astros Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins

New York Mets Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Seattle Mariners St Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Washington Nationals

✓Remember that there will be lots of other dogs at

the game. If your dog isn’t very sociable, or is easily overwhelmed by crowds and noise (some teams celebrate home runs or wins with a small fireworks display), it’s safer to leave him at home.

✓A typical ballgame lasts about three hours. Add the time it takes to get in and out of the stadium, and a full baseball outing can push the limits of anyone's patience, including your dog's. Be prepared to leave early if your dog starts getting restless, or is just plain tired.

Hanging out at a Rancho Cucamonga Quakes game in California.

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Once you’ve taken all the right precautions, and are sure your dog will enjoy the excitement of a major league baseball game, it’s time to jump in the car with him and head off to the stadium.

What better way to bond with your bestie?

Don’t live near an MLB ballpark? The dog day idea has caught on in the minor leagues as well, and with over 100 Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams strewn across the country, a day at the ballpark for you and your dog may only be a short road trip away. Check your local bush league team's promotional schedule for dates.

MARKETPLACE

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If you would like to advertise in Ad Spots, please call:1-866-764-1212

classifieds

Contact us to order your classified ad 1-866-764-1212 or classified@animalwellnessmagazine.com

Animal Communicators CAROL SCHULTZ – Animal Communicator/Intuitive Healing Support. Interactive, compassionate, practical, and insightful Consultations and Energy Balancing for all species. Assistance with emotional, behavioral, physical, end of life, in spirit, plus lost animals. Classes & mentoring available. (815) 531-2850 www.carolschultz.com SHIRLEY SCOTT – Internationally known Animal Communicator & Clairvoyant connects with your pets here or in spirit. She reads emotional/behavior/health problems, provides classes & workshops in animal communication & training. (541) 577-3051, sscott@shirley-scott.com, www.shirley-scott.com

Associations INTERNATIONAL ASS’N OF ANIMAL MASSAGE & BODYWORK/ASS’N OF CANINE WATER THERAPY – Welcome trained practitioners of Animal Massage and Bodywork. The IAAMB/ACWT supports and promotes the practitioners of complementary care for animals through networking, continuing education, website, online referrals, newsletters, insurance, annual educational conferences, lobbying and credentialing of schools. www.IAAMB.org

Books & Publications 1000’s OF DOG BOOKS, DVD’S AND TRAINING TOOLS IN STOCK – Ready to ship. Dogwise has what you want!

(800) 776-2665; www.dogwise.com

events

Windy City Pet Expo July 22 – 23, 2017 – Schaumburg, IL You will find tons of exhibitors and demonstrations as well as free nail trims. There will be prize giveaways and live entertainment. You can adopt from one of the many rescue groups and also learn about pet care, volunteerism, grooming, training and much more!

For Sale FOR SALE – Profitable/Positive Cash Flow Animal Health Company, proprietary products. 17 years in business: National/International Sales. Average annual sales for 2014 & 2015, $380,000 plus. Location: Anywhere. Owner Retiring. Contact Owner: (905) 684-2375; rjhoffman.rhgi@gmail.com; PO Box 771117, Memphis, TN 38177.

Holistic Veterinarians EAST YORK ANIMAL CLINIC HOLISTIC CENTRE – Dr. Paul McCutcheon, Dr. Cindy Kneebone & Dr. Candice Chiu. The first and oldest integrative veterinary clinic in Ontario with over fifty years of service to the community and our collective veterinarian experience of 95 years. We provide a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic methods utilizing the latest research in integrative medicine. Please visit our website to explore our services. www.eastyorkanimalclinic. com eyac@holisticpetvet.com (416) 757-3569, 805 O’Connor Drive, Toronto, ON, M4B 2S7 GUELPH ANIMAL HOSPITAL – Offers a full range of conventional veterinary services as well as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, herbal and nutritional. Dr. Rob Butler is certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and is also trained in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine. Dr. Smolkin is certified in Animal Chiropractic. By integrating conventional and complementary therapies, treatments can be tailored to the individual’s needs and preferences.

Contact Guelph Animal Hospital at (519) 836-2781 or www.quelphvet.com

For more information: (800) 999-729 info@wpamail.org www.superzoo.org Paws in the Park August 12, 2017 – Toronto, ON Please help The Toronto Humane Society® celebrate 130 years of second chances by walking with your furry four-legged friend.

For more information: (800) 977-3609 www.windycitypetexpo.com/

Raise important funds and help support the thousands of sick, injured and abandoned animals cared for by The Toronto Humane Society®.

SuperZoo is the pet industry’s leading place for business with a combination of fun and function. No wonder pet professionals love it!

Come out this year to network, expand your customer base and improve your sales.

Schools & Training PETMASSAGE (FOR DOGS) TRAINING AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE – “Remove Disease from Your Pet’s Body Using Only Your Hands.” Skype and written interview: Jonathan Rudinger with Dr. Karen Becker – Dr. Mercola’s August 2014 Healthy Pets Newsletter: Link on homepage of www.petmassage.com WALKS ‘N’ WAGS PET FIRST AID – National Leaders in Pet First Aid Certification Courses for dogs and cats. Learn preventative skills and practice emergency bandaging with live wiggly pets. Distance Learning also available. www. walksnwags.com or (800) 298-1152

Email your event to: info@animalwellnessmagazine.com

Be sure to check out other Amazing Pet Expo events all year round at www.amazingpetexpos.com.

SuperZoo 2017 July 24 – 26, 2017 – Las Vegas, NV

MAIN STREET VETERINARY SERVICES – Our mission is to help guide our animal companions to better health naturally. We provide a variety of veterinary medical services for pets from conventional services to holistic services such as chiropractic or acupuncture care. Our commitment to our patients, high quality customized medicine and customer service will be evident in all that we do. 2360 Main Street, London, ON N6P 1P9.

(519) 203-2000; www.mainstreetvetservices.ca/

We're proud to have The Toronto Humane Society® as one of our AW Ambassadors. Don't forget to purchase a subscription to AW magazine using code AWA035! 25% from each subscription will be donated directly to The Toronto Humane Society®.

For more information: (416) 392-2273 www.pawsinthepark.com

Austin Pet Expo August 19 – 20, 2017 – Austin, TX Fabulous prize giveaways and fun for both the two-legged AND four-legged!

Dozens of rescue groups and a mega-adoption event, discounted vaccinations, microchipping, heartworm and flea preventatives, free nail trims, agility demonstrations, live entertainment, obedience demonstrations, author readings/book signings and the latest and greatest pet products!

Learn about pet care, volunteerism, grooming, pet behavior and training, traveling with your pet, how you can make a difference and various types of pets/breeds. Plus a veterinarian FAQ, fun activities for you and your pet and MUCH MORE! For more information: (800) 977-3609 www.austinpetexpo.com/

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book reviews

Title: The Education of Will Author: Patricia B. McConnell Dogs teach us valuable lessons. In her new book, The Education of Will: A Mutual Memoir of a Woman and Her Dog, animal behaviorist Dr. Patricia McConnell writes of these teachings, drawing on her experiences with aggressive and fearful dogs along with heartwarming stories of her own canine companions.

Inspired by a troubled border collie named Will, this powerful memoir also explores the author’s own journey of healing and selfdiscovery. As Dr. McConnell works to get to the root of Will’s aggressive behavior, and help him through his fears, she begins to uncover her own buried feelings of guilt and anxiety, caused by traumas in her youth. Along the way, she discovers that while suffering changes our brains, healing is possible with hard work and mutual companionship.

A beautiful story of the human-canine bond, The Education of Will reminds us that our relationships with our canine companions are vitally important, no matter what we or our dogs are working through.

Publisher: ATRIA Books

Title: Tuesday’s Promise Authors: Luis Carlos Montalván and Ellis Henican Six years ago, decorated former Army Captain Luis Carlos Montalván made an impact on readers with his New York Times bestselling memoir, Until Tuesday.

His disabilities and PTSD made adjusting to civilian life nearly impossible, until a service dog named Tuesday entered his life. This extraordinary canine helped Montalván overcome many of the challenges veterans face after returning from combat.

Now, in his recently-published follow-up memoir, Tuesday’s Promise: One Veteran, one Dog, and Their Bold Quest to Change Lives, Montalván sheds more light on the harsh realities of PTSD, with added insight from journalist Ellis Henican. This second book focuses on his nationwide travels to spread the message of how service dogs assist in the healing process, and how the program deserves more federal funding.

Sadly, in December of 2016, Luis Montalván took his own life. But Tuesday’s Promise lives on with its message of love and hope to soldiers, veterans, and

anyone else who suffers from PTSD. As for Tuesday, he’ll continue Montalván’s legacy with the help of Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities.

Publisher: Hachette Books

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of all he

tail end

King surveys

By Linda Young

“In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the Dudley sleeps tonight….”

That is, unless you wake him up from his favorite sleeping spot atop upon my husband’s stomach, and he starts barking at the whole world. Then it’s as if this fluffy little Havanese is boldly using “Dudley Mountain” to staunchly speak to all his subjects for miles around. The noise emanating from his mouth and through the windows is as deafening as a lion’s roar. Let it be known that Sir Dudley of Pasadena commands a high level of respect and reverence both in his home and in the community!

Later, as Dudley proudly struts down Lake Avenue with my husband, his presence, poise and “animal magnetism” continue to command that same respect and reverence. The shop vendors all anticipate his coming. Harnessed into one of his designer ensembles, he attracts waves, cheers and even shouts and honks from car horns as he proceeds along the street.

The pharmacy is usually the last stop. He seems to be the best medicine for everyone here; people can’t wait to get their dose of Dudley. He gets strategically positioned on the counter so all the pharmacists and technicians can stop and pet him. “How are you doing today, Dudley?” they ask. “Do you know we’ve missed you since your last visit, Dudley? Isn’t it almost time for your annual flu shot, Dudley?” It’s rumored that the pharmacy staff even has a picture of Dudley in their break room.

Finally, it’s time to go home, and Dudley and my husband head back up Lake Avenue with just as much fanfare as before.

Once home again, the ferocious lion is all tuckered out from interacting with his subjects, and is ready for another nap on “Dudley Mountain”.

Dudley’s red carpet journey begins at our dry cleaner. He walks inside and makes a beeline for the treats behind the counter. He doesn’t deign to wait until someone offers him a treat, and I’m sure he never utters a please or thank you. But the staff adore him and can’t wait to rant and rave about how cute he is looking.

Off Dudley goes to the post office, where he graciously waits while my husband takes care of business. Not every dog is allowed inside, but Dudley is, once the staff were assured he would never do anything so crass as to make a mess on the carpet or bark at customers.

Dudley’s next stop is the bank, where he spreads cheer among the employees and the customers waiting in line. He helps my husband make a “de paws it” while sidling up to the counter. If it’s been a while since his last visit, the tellers ask why he hasn’t been by lately; it always brightens up their day to see our little fur-ball. Dudley takes his gratuitous bow as people ooh and ahh, then it’s on to the next destination.

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feline WELLNESS Hip, cool and healthy!

Natural

REMEDIES FOR

ARTHRITIS

CAT

CHAT

• How far do outdoor cats roam at night?

• Declawing deemed unacceptable by vet association

WHAT

ACUPRESSURE

CAN DO FOR AGING KITTIES

The Cat Network

HELPING HOMELESS CATS IN SOUTH FLORIDA – OVER 100,000 SAVED SO FAR!

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CVMA DEEMS DECLAWING UNACCEPTABLE

The good news is that animal advocates are clawing their way toward change. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) recently announced a new position on the declawing of

IS SHE A NOCTURNAL ROAMER? If you think your indoor-outdoor cat sticks close to home if she goes out at night, think again. A recent study from the University of South Australia used GPS trackers to follow the paths of 400 indoor-outdoor cats for one week. It found that cats roam an average of 1.04 hectares (just over 2.5 acres) at night.

domestic cats, stating that it’s “unacceptable”, causes felines to needlessly suffer, and offers no advantages.

Ultimately, it’s up to veterinarians in each province to decide whether or not to abolish declawing.

But the CVMA is hoping to limit demands for the procedure by educating cat people about the pain the operation causes.

A more humane alternative to declawing is to invest in a scratching post and slipcovers for your chairs and sofas. The CVMA also recommends using doublesided tape to protect furniture, as well as catnip, treats and praise to help train cats not to scratch. cbc.ca/news/canada/cat-declawing-opposed-1.4046546

cat chat

Declawing is an inhumane procedure that causes medical complications in up to 83% of cats. It often results in bleeding, lameness, chronic pain and even long-term effects such as arthritis. Although declawing cats is illegal in many countries, the procedure is still commonly performed in the US and Canada.

The findings surprised many cat "parents", especially those who claimed their cats rarely left the house at night. In fact, researchers found that roughly 40% of the cats who were believed to stay indoors after dark actually had huge ranges.

One particular cat covered nearly 50 acres during his nocturnal wanderings! Not surprisingly, cats that wandered farther afield at night tended to get into more fights, cross more roads, and bring home more prey.

Surveys revealed widespread support for a cat curfew as well as for microchipping. It’s certainly wise to keep your cat indoors when you can, especially at night when wild animals and reduced driver visibility raise her risk of getting injured. data.unisa.edu.au/projects.aspx

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Photos courtesy of Max Norman Pet Photography

By Emily Watson

These three felines are a few of the lucky rescues who've been saved from the streets.

huge

This organization plays a role in reducing cat overpopulation in South Florida, and has so far helped over 100,000 felines.

Twenty-two years ago, a group of cat lovers in Miami Beach decided to do something to help the area’s exploding population of homeless cats. They began by approaching city officials and convincing them to enact a trap, neuter and return (TNR) program. This instrumental effort marked the launch of The Cat Network, a non-profit organization based in South Florida that’s dedicated to humanely reducing cat overpopulation.

Although The Cat Network began as a TNR organization, it soon evolved into an interactive community of veterinarians, foster homes, adopters and other cat lovers. While spaying and neutering cats is still a primary part of the group’s mission, they also created an Adoption Referral Program early in their development. “We have adopted out over 13,000 cats and kittens since our inception,” says Karen Ruendquist, President and Adoption Chair. “We have also spayed and neutered almost 100,000 cats.”

As the name indicates, The Cat Network is made up of a membership-based network of volunteer individuals, including over 100 foster “parents”, most of whom also work to find and rescue cats in need. Members sign up the rescued cats for the organization’s adoption program (after they are vetted), and are given the opportunity to take the cats to various venues for weekly adoption events. “We sell spay/neuter certificates to members to get the cats fixed through one of our participating vets,” says Karen. “About 45 participating vets accept our

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certificates.” These certificates are also sold to the public for $30 each, but can only be used for stray or feral cats.

Alternatively, members of The Cat Network can bring unsterilized felines they’ve rescued to The Cat Network’s Miami Meow Mobile, a mobile spay/neuter program that travels around Miami-Dade County for a week every month. “South Florida is unique in that kitten season is an almost year-round event, due to the hot climate,” says Karen. “The hotter it is, the more felines breed. A cat can get pregnant at two months of age, and can have up to four litters a year.”

On top of sterilizing, fostering and adopting out cats, The Cat Network’s mission includes education. They host regular educational programs for the public, spreading the word about the importance of sterilizing pets and strays, and advocating for non-lethal population control. Also an active presence on social media, The Cat Network’s Facebook page offers resources and information to nearly 900,000 followers.

Managing an organization of this scope is a large endeavor, and Karen says it wouldn’t be possible without volunteer help. “We are all volunteers with the exception of the vets and vet techs we hire,” she says. “We all have a passion for cat and kittens.” The volunteers – 400 in total – all help out in different ways. Some are fosters, while others operate adoption shows, participate

in TNR, assist with educational programs, plan fundraising activities, write grant proposals, manage social media, and man phone lines. Typically, the organization receives over 150 phone calls daily, so this role alone requires a great deal of manpower.

Thanks to their volunteers, The Cat Network is able to devote most of their raised funds to sterilizing cats, rather than spending them on administration costs. The organization relies strictly on donations and monetary grants, and hosts regular fundraising events, including silent auctions and galas.

Once fearful and hesitant, Cammy is now happily settled in her forever home.

While The Cat Network operates primarily in South Florida, volunteers have driven cats to adopters all over the state. “We have certain criteria for those who want to adopt,” says Karen.

“All applicants must fill out a questionnaire and the foster parent will contact them to discuss their application. The foster parent then makes the decision whether or not to adopt the cat out to the applicant.” The Cat Network doesn’t offer services outside the

state; for now, they continue to focus on the hundreds of thousands of Florida felines that still require rescuing.

Since their inception in 1995, The Cat Network has accumulated a lot of rescue stories. A few stand out in Karen’s mind. One involves Cammy, a one-eyed tabby who was abandoned as a tiny kitten in front of a pet store, four years ago. “Cammy was fostered back to health but because she only has one eye, she startled easily when people touched her at adoption events.” But Cammy’s charming and loveable personality won the day and it wasn’t long before she was adopted into her forever home.

Through partnerships with other animal organizations including the ASPCA, Miami-Dade Animal Services, and the Humane Society of Greater Miami, The Cat Network has become an influential voice in the cat world. “The best feeling I have is when a cat or kitten I’ve rescued from the street finds a forever loving home,” says Karen. “I get a feeling of joy and happiness when I know I have saved a kitty’s life.”

Find The Cat Network Online Website: thecatnetwork.org Facebook: facebook.com/thecatnetwork Twitter: twitter.com/thecatnetwork

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Senior cats

– acupressure support for kidney health and general aging

By Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis

Cats are living longer, but they’re still prone to developing kidney disease and other age-related issues. Find out how acupressure can improve your senior kitty’s longevity and quality of life.

Aging is rarely easy for anyone, including our cats. A variety of health issues can arise as cats get older, ranging from arthritis to kidney disease. Along with a nutritious diet, adequate exercise and regular veterinary care, acupressure can help make your cat’s golden years healthier and more comfortable.

Despite all this, the feline lifespan has increased over the decades thanks to improvements in veterinary medicine, access to higher quality food, and a growing interest in complementary therapies.

This begs the question of how to enhance an older cat’s comfort, contentment and quality of life so she can enjoy her senior years.

How can we make this time of life as affliction-free as possible?

THE SENIOR CAT Felines are considered elderly by the age of 11, and enter the geriatric phase at 15. The life expectancy of an individual cat depends on a number of factors, including general health, nutrition, genetics, plus mental and physical activity levels.

Indicators of feline aging include: • Difficulty grooming (lack of flexibility) • Avoidance of physical activity • Nails overgrowing • Tooth decay • Loss of hearing • Inability to curl into a tight ball to sleep • Difficulty walking and/or jumping • Obesity regardless of amount of food eaten • Appearing and feeling more skeletal (loss of muscle mass) Veterinarians list age-related illnesses commonly seen in senior cats as kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, thyroid problems, extensive dental disease, cancer, and feline dementia (or cognitive dysfunction syndrome). Currently, kidney disease is cited as the number-one cause of death.

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Taking an integrative approach to your cat’s health will bring the best benefits to her quality of life and longevity. This means taking

your cat for an annual (more frequently, if necessary) check-up with a holistic or integrative veterinarian; offering an appropriate diet; providing mentally and physically-engaging exercise – and balancing your cat’s internal functions with an acupressure session every third or fourth day.

FOCUS ON KIDNEY FUNCTION As your cat ages, her organ function in general declines, which means her body is not receiving adequate nourishment. When organ function declines, the entire body can fall prey to illness such as kidney disease and other aging issues. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we look to the Kidney organ system to support and sustain life because the Kidney is considered “The Root of Life”.

Simple acupressure TECHNIQUE

It may take one or two sessions before your cat understands that what you are offering him will help him feel better. Once they get the idea, most cats will make themselves available, and some can become very demanding!

Begin your acupressure session by taking three deep breaths to center yourself. Have your cat comfortably on your lap or next to you. Rest one hand on her while your other hand does the point work.

Place your middle finger on top of your index finger to create a little tent. Then lightly put the soft tip of your index finger on the acupoint, and either count slowly to ten, or remain on the point for as long as your cat seems comfortable. Move to the next point on the same side when you and your cat are ready.

Once you have completed the acupoints on one side, repeat them on the opposite side.

Because cats are so prone to kidney disease, an acupressure session that addresses kidney function specifically can be beneficial. Specific acupoints are known to help support the Kidney organ system, and can be used in healthy cats as well as those with kidney issues. When you stimulate the acupoints shown in the chart above, you will actually help enhance the harmonious flow of chi (life force energy) and blood within both the kidney itself, and the cat’s entire body (see sidebar at top right for instructions on stimulating acupoints).

ACUPRESSURE FOR GENERAL AGING To postpone some of the inevitable effects of aging, and possibly even extend your cat’s life, you can also stimulate the acupoints shown on the “General Aging Acupressure Session” chart (at left). The selected acupoints are intended to support respiratory function, digestion, and circulation of blood and chi.

When used in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle, along with regular veterinary care, both these acupressure sessions can help your senior cat stay healthy and happy for as long as possible.

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Natural remedies for arthritic cats

Arthritis affects as many as three in ten cats. A number of natural approaches can help mitigate the pain of feline arthritis, and a multi-modal approach will get the best results.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES Making the house more comfortable for your arthritic cat is a good place to start. For example, add steps or ramps to give him easy access to his favorite lounging and sleeping areas.

Make sure the litter box is in an easily-accessible spot, and use a model with a low entry point, along with high sides if he can no longer squat.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, SAM-e and Omega 3 fatty acids can all help control inflammation and reduce pain in cats with mild to moderate arthritis.

“Fish oil-based Omega fatty acids, which have a naturally antiinflammatory effect, and oral or injectable joint support products, help build the health of cartilage and other musculoskeletal tissues from the inside,” says veterinarian Dr. Patrick Mahaney.

DIET AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Excess weight puts additional stress on weight-bearing joints.

Help your cat lose weight by feeding her a high quality, whole meat-based and grain-free diet, and encourage gentle exercise on a daily basis. Remove dietary triggers of inflammation, particularly foods high in carbohydrates such as low end commercial dry kibbles.

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By Ingrid King

From acupuncture and weight management to nutritional supplements and Reiki, there are many natural ways to help relieve the pain and stiffness of arthritis in cats.

ACUPUNCTURE Dr. Mahaney became a certified veterinary acupuncturist because he wanted to find ways to manage feline pain while reducing reliance on pain medications. “Prescription pain medications can affect a cat’s kidneys, liver, digestive tract, and blood clotting capacity, or cause sedation that can compromise his mobility and overall quality of life,” he says.

He uses multiple acupuncture modalities when managing arthritis pain in his feline patients. In addition to needles inserted into points along the body’s meridians to incite energetic changes that release anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and calming or stimulating hormones, Dr. Mahaney also uses aquapuncture, electrostimulation, and laser acupuncture.

REIKI Reiki and other energy therapies are a gentle way to alleviate pain and stiffness. “A number of my cats have lived well into their teens, and several were pretty arthritic in their last few years,” says T. J. Banks, a Reiki Master Practitioner. “I used Reiki whenever one of them was experiencing discomfort. It gave them an energy boost, and they were definitely happier and more at ease afterwards.” With training from a Reiki Master, you can learn to do Reiki yourself.

HOMEOPATHY Homeopathic remedies, prescribed by a veterinarian trained in the modality, can help cats with aching joints. “Arthritis represents chronic disease, and it’s difficult for a laypeson to

Herbs FOR ARTHRITIS

Many herbs can help with your cat’s arthritis, but it’s very important to work with a holistic or integrative veterinarian before giving any herbal remedies to your cat. Curcuma, boswellia and tumeric are all useful anti-inflammatories. Other anti-inflammatory herbs include yucca and willow bark. Chinese herbs also can be beneficial for arthritic conditions, and are usually available in blended formulas.

take on a chronic disease,” says veterinarian Dr. Andrea Tasi.

“It requires assessing the whole patient. Prescribing on single symptoms rarely achieves anything curative; it will be palliative at best, and suppressive at worst, and it violates a golden rule of true, classical homeopathy: give only one remedy at a time.”

Rhus Toxicodendron is good for animals that have a hard time getting up, but are better after walking a while. Another remedy that can help is Ruta Graveolens, while Arnica Montana is useful if an animal is in severe pain and afraid of being touched. Again, be sure to work with an experienced homeopath when treating your animal.

TARGETED PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THERAPY Low-level pulses of electromagnetic energy stimulate the body’s healing mechanisms to help relieve pain and swelling. The Assisi Loop, created by Assisi Animal Health, is a non-pharmaceutical, non-invasive device that uses this technology. It is well tolerated even by sensitive cats. Veterinarian Dr. Katie Kangas considers the Loop a great match for any animal because of the convenience and ease of accomplishing frequent treatments. “This ultimately means better results and potential for faster healing,” she says.

CANNABIS Cannabis (medical marijuana) is gaining widespread use in the animal world. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties and proven ability to control pain, it fits well into a multi-modal approach to arthritis. “The endocannabinoid system (our natural cannabis receptor system) is considered an adaptogenic system that works well with both Chinese and Western medicine ideologies,” says veterinarian Dr. Sarah Brandon. “It ‘listens’ to the body's needs and shuttles cannabis compounds where they are needed, when they are needed.”

Even just two or three of the modalities mentioned in this article will go a long way to easing your arthritic kitty’s discomfort!

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book reviews

Title: A Cat-Lover’s Miscellany Author: Mike Darton When Ben Schott published his Schott’s Miscellanies in the early 2000s, they became instant hits. Selling millions of copies in more than 13 languages, this “publishing sensation” was missing only one thing…a feline twist!

Appealing to the larger and ever-expanding cat fan base, author Mike Darton has released a brilliant parody of Schott’s original masterpiece.

From “accessories” and “age of cats” to “zapaquilda” and “zodiacal signs”, A CatLover’s Miscellany is an enticing collection of feline-based facts that encompass everything from the mundane to the extraordinary; the book cleverly mimics Schott’s best-selling format while carving its own unique path in the world of feline literature.

A colorful addition to any coffee table, or the perfect gift for the cat-lover in your life, Dalton’s book will leave you with a smile on your face and more cat knowledge than you could ever expect to gain from a single volume.

Publisher: Ivy Press

Title: Adventure Cats Author: Laura J. Moss Do you have an indoor cat who spends his days gazing longingly out the window? Animal writer and avid hiker Laura Moss’ new book, Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives to the Fullest, explains how to turn your cat’s dreams of the great outdoors into reality.

When Laura was unable to find a resource for hitting the trail with her cat, she created her own.

This ultimate guide to taking your feline friend into the wild teaches you how to accomplish simple outdoor activities like walking your cat on a leash, as well as more complex endeavors like camping, kayaking and even surfing. Smart tips for winter safety and protection from wildlife give this colorful manual a practical foundation that can be applied to almost any kitty – as long as he’s willing. For cats less inclined to leave the safety of home, Laura includes a section on how to bring the outdoors into an indoor space.

If you’re looking for a new and exciting way to stimulate your cat’s mental and physical desires, and strengthen your mutual bond, Adventure Cats will help you take the next steps.

Publisher: Workman Publishing

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