Leaps and Bounds

KEEPING CANINE JUMPERS INJURY-FREE

by Karen Shaw Becker, DVM

Dogs are natural athletes that leap on and off things multiple times a day, usually without incident. That’s why many people don’t realize that, like humans, dogs can sustain injuries, including soft tissue trauma, such as cuts and bruises; back injuries or slipped vertebral discs; sprains; and broken legs.

Preventing Mishaps in a Jumper

Most active dogs that frolic outdoors will get the occasional scrape, cut or bruise. These common (usually minor) injuries can be prevented by ensuring that the areas they frequent are safe, contained and hazard-free. Broken legs, on the other hand, are more serious and typically do not result from normal, or even vigorous, high-intensity exercise. Bone fractures are generally caused by a sudden impact or great force to the body, such as being hit by a car or falling a long distance. They are most often seen in older pets and excitable risk-takers. The best way to prevent a dog from breaking a leg is to make sure it is under control at all times, especially outdoors.

Getting Dogs in Shape to Avoid Injuries

Back injuries, slipped discs and sprains, including canine cruciate ligament injuries, often occur in poorly conditioned dogs. For example, if a pup has been indoors most of the winter, its muscles have lost tone and atrophied. This also applies to “weekend warriors” that exercise and play at high intensity with their owners only on Saturdays and Sundays.

Studies show that well-conditioned muscles can begin to lose their tone and strength in a matter of days. This can set the stage for an injury if the activity level suddenly jumps significantly, so start by gradually improving a dog’s fitness level. The minimum amount of exercise needed to maintain muscle tone is 20 minutes three times weekly, and as pets age, this amount increases. Aim for 40 minutes of rigorous walking or running every day. Consistency is essential for a dog’s muscles and ligaments to stay strong and resilient. This will keep the dog fit and better able to avoid strains, sprains and other injuries. Warming up before exercise is very important. Walk and encourage the dog to stretch its limbs before engaging in more intense exercise, especially with aging dogs.

Since

Avoiding Cervical Disc and Neck Injuries

Cervical disc and neck injuries are often the result of collar strain. Dogs should be trained to walk beside their handler and heel on the leash. However, even the most well-trained dog will occasionally jump forward suddenly, causing the collar to pull tightly against their neck.

As dogs leap forward in excitement, they pull all the slack out of the leash and apply a great deal of pressure from the collar to their neck and cervical area, potentially resulting in an injury to the cervical disc or other neck problems. Symptoms can include a hesitance to move or lower the neck to eat or drink, and crying outbursts when the head or neck area are touched. Occasionally there can also be lameness in a front leg with this type of injury.

For dogs that habitually pull and whose leash behavior isn’t able to be improved, a harness, Gentle Leader-type head collar or other similar equipment can help distribute the dog’s body weight evenly across the restraint and alleviate the pressure on

All who come to NJ Natural Medicine benefit from our holistic approach to treatment. Regardless of the reason for the visit, the guiding principal remains constant: to observe and treat the whole person, not just his or her symptoms.

If a dog’s leg muscles aren’t toned, if its tendons and ligaments aren’t stretched and strong, and if its core muscles haven’t been worked and can’t do a good job holding the frame solidly in place, then a sudden burst of activity, even at home, can lead to injuries.

Depending on the geographical location, it is much easier to keep a dog fit during spring and summer months, but the goal should be to keep them exercised year-round. If harsh winters discourage outdoor activities, consider visiting an indoor dog park; exposing them to hydrotherapy or a warm-water dog pool; enrolling them in indoor agility, track training or nose work (a growing sport that encourages dogs to follow their natural hunting instincts); or taking them out on a

Veterinarian Karen Shaw Becker has spent her career empowering animal guardians to make knowledgeable decisions to extend the life and well-being of their animals. To learn

The Harmonic Egg® is a unique, patented chamber created to promote mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual healing and wellness. Positive signals through the body are amplified while negative signals are cancelled empowering cells to repair internal damage and promote healing from the inside out. The added light therapy works with your biological clock to help realign circadian rhythm, balance natural serotonin levels, increase alertness and contribute to improved sleep.

Natural Awakenings

is proudly distributed at:

Bound Brook (Bridgewater)

319 Chimney Rock Rd.

Clark

1255 Raritan Rd.

Unit 150

Madison (Rose City)

222 Main St.

Metuchen

645 Middlesex Ave.

Millburn-Union

2245 Springfield Ave.

Vauxhall

Montclair

701 Bloomfield Ave.

Morristown

110 Washington St. Newark

633 Broad St.

Parsippany

60 Waterview Blvd

Princeton

3495 US Rt 1 S

Ridgewood

44 Godwin Ave.

West Orange

235 Prospect Ave.

Men’s Wellness Series

Join Natural Awakenings and KnoWEwell for a life-changing series entitled The Healthy Man each Tuesday in June at 5 p.m. PDT/8 p.m. EDT.

Topics

n Lifestyle choices that add years to a man’s life and life to his years n Tips to maintain youthful energy, a desired weight and a healthy libido n Strategies for optimal eye health n Good posture techniques for peak human performance and pain-free aging n Habits that create resilient kids and a lasting legacy

SPEAKERS n Ben Greenfield, human performance consultant and author of 17 books including Boundless Parenting n Dr. Eric Plasker, chiropractor and author of The 100 Year Lifestyle n Dr. Tracy Gapin, board-certified urologist and author of Male 2.0 and Codes of Longevity n Dr. Krista Burns, chiropractor, founder of the American Posture Institute and author of The Posture Principles n Christopher Smith, co-founder of Family Brand and the Campfire Effect, creating leaders at home and in business n Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, board-certified optometrist and pioneer in neuro-optometry n Dr. Tarin Forbes, board-certified integrative doctor specializing in anti-aging and metabolic medicine n Dr. Alan Christianson, naturopathic endocrinologist specializing in thyroid disease and author of The Metabolism Reset Diet and The Thyroid Reset Diet

Admission is $59, which includes all Tuesday evening sessions and a oneyear membership to KnoWEwell. To learn more and register, visit Tinyurl. com/NACNJMen2023 or scan the QR Code. See ad, page 37.

Up to 20% OFF Select Mattresse

We will also deliver to your beach home.

We offer an exclusive collection of ORGANIC AND CHEMICAL FREE mattresses and accessories, as well as traditional brands such as Sealy, Stearns & Foster, and Beautyrest, to name a few. We have something for everyone at all prices. ...a truly ONE OF A KIND store!

Over 30 Years Family Experience.

Once a Cus tomer Always a Customer. Education is our top priority.

From one of our satisfied customers.

Platform Beds Headboards

Adjus table Bases Toppers Pillows

Sheets, & Organic Crib Mattresses.

We spent months searching for a mattress and were so glad to have found Hibernate Bedding in Bernardsville, NJ. They are friendly, professional and helpful we learned a lot about organic mattresses. Mike and Pam were delightful to work with. They went out of their way to ensure that we had a great purchasing, delivery and set up experience. If you are in the marke t for a mattress and don’t want the typical sales experience that you receive from a big box store where they pressure you, then visit Hibernate Bedding. You ’ll be glad you did.

Free Deliver y (over $899)

Free Set Up

Free Removal

Microplastics Released by Tea Bags

Most mesh tea bags are made of 20 to 30 percent plastic, which can release microplastics and nanoplastics, causing harmful effects for both human health and the environment. In a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers found that one standard tea bag made with plastic released 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a cup of tea. The particles in the tea matched the nylon and polyethylene terephthalate in the original tea bag.

Open Letter to Pause AI Experiments

A group of leading technology executives, researchers, academics and others from around the world have signed an open letter prepared by the Future of Life Institute calling for a six-month pause on large, human-competitive artificial intelligence (AI) experiments. As of March 31, more than 1,800 CEOs and 1,500 professors had signed the letter.

“AI labs are locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one—not even their creators—can understand, predict or reliably control,” the letter contends. The authors are concerned that “AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at general tasks.”

While AI systems grow more powerful, there is no natural law or barrier to technical progress. The letter’s authors and signers are asking all AI labs to pause the training of powerful AI systems so that safety protocols can be implemented to ensure the effects of these systems will be positive and the risks manageable. According to the letter, “If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium.” jatupronAdobeStock.com

Individuals can view and sign the letter at Tinyurl.com/ AImoratorium.

Safer alternatives include steeping loose teas with a stainless steel or silicone tea strainer, or purchasing tea from brands that offer plastic-free teabags. Organic teas may still have plastic in the tea bag, as the packaging is not overseen by organic-certifying organizations.

Plastic Rocks Found on Remote Brazilian Island

Brazilian researchers have discovered rocks formed from plastic debris in the permanently preserved area of Trindade Island, approximately 680 miles off the coast of Brazil. The island is a remote refuge for green turtles, which come by the thousands every year to lay their eggs. The only human inhabitants of the island are members of the Brazilian navy.

The team of researchers ran chemical tests on the rocks, called plasticglomerates, and determined that they were formed when fishing nets were dragged by the current and accumulated on the beach. It is believed that the nets melt when the temperature rises and they become embedded with the sedimentary granules and other debris on the beach.

Dramatic Drop in Arctic Ice Levels

New research published in the journal Nature has found dramatic changes in the composition of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean since 2007 caused by climate change. Norwegian Polar Institute researchers have monitored sea ice thickness in the Fraim Strait (a sea channel connecting the Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas that runs between Greenland and the Norwegian archipelago) for the past three decades. In 2007, a “regime shift” was noted in Arctic sea ice composition, from thicker and deformed to thinner and more uniform ice cover. Researchers found that the amount of thick and deformed ice had dropped by half, and they believe the thinning may be irreversible. They link the ice thinning to a rise in Arctic surface temperatures, more energy absorption because of a reduction in reflected light off the sea ice and warmer ocean water. Younger, thinner ice could result in a loss of habitat for Arctic creatures, as thicker, ridged sea ice can be a haven to hide from predators. There are also consequences for humans. Thinner, more level ice is less challenging for ship navigation and, along with less ice and shorter ice seasons, may permit an increase in Arctic maritime traffic.