While on the subject of pets.
I would like to say that diet really makes a difference.
People tend to feed their cats and dogs like people.
Their digestive tract is much shorter.
I've read many books about nutrition and cats n dogs.
My Maine Coon cat was diagnosed with asthma when he was a year old. Took him to a specialist who gave me Prednisone and inhalers. There is a special mask you have to use to give them an inhaler. All of this made me start reading about health and diet. I switched my cats and dogs to a BARF diet.
Bones and raw food. If they were wild, what would they eat?
Wheat, grains, fruit, veggies? Don't think so.
All of the books convinced me to try and feed them like they would if they were wild.
My Maine Coon was instantly better. My first dog (German Shephard) lived 10 years and never had to have his teeth cleaned, never lost a tooth.
My cat is now 10 years old. I never had to give him any of those meds in 9 years since I switched his food.
My Bengal cat used to always throw her food up.
Tried tons of brands. Found a holistic pet food store and switched all cats to Radcat raw food. All are doing great and symptoms are all gone.
Just as humans need a proper diet, so do our pets.
What we eat isn't necessarily good for our pets.
A dog will eat just about anything. Doesn't mean it's good for them.

I spend more money on their food, but less trips to the vet makes it worth it in the long run.
This is where I started reading and read many more books as well. Some people even have videos on YouTube to show how they prepare the food .

Dr. Ian Billinghurst

Thank you, its crazy how animals in the zoo could feel that. Makes me wonder.

Vicki can you tell me more about the Barf diet?

If you click on the name of the dr in my post, it will take you to his website.

I posted pictures of my furry friends (and me) for anyone interested. Click on my name, they are in my albums.

Some of you may have seen this already, but it honors the angels in our lives. The people and pets that provide support and love to patients all around the world, we salute you and the love you give!
_____________________________________________

Lucky Dog....

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and you may even decide you need one!

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named Lucky.

Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box..

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease....in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.

She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky?

Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him! The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom.. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap..

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned!

While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.
He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky, he still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure..

Remember......live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing. And never forget....the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care for us.

Live simply.. Love seriously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to the dog.

Or the cat :)

Agreed on all Fronts
 

Vicki, right on. I was just making the point that our support system is composed of all different creatures; human, animal and spiritual.

These pictures reference one of the points I was making in my earlier posts -- it's really wonderful how animals just know.

One day, a giant turkey wandered into our yard. He was big enough for me to ride. We live in the burbs, so I thought that was good entertainment. Apparently, Harrison did too. He made friends with the big feathered guy, in an interesting non verbal way. It still blows my mind...but taught me so many lessons.

They just know.

Since the introduction, two of the feathered cousins visit most nights and sleep in the trees. Harrison is gone, but his new friends remain.

Special Healing on 9-11
 

Dog Therapy at Ground Zero

For eight months, a golden retriever named Nikie gave comfort to workers amid the ruins

By FRANK SHANE

Frank Shane, a professional dog therapist and CEO of the K-9 Disaster Relief Foundation, had to improvise when he brought his golden retriever, Nikie, down to Ground Zero. There was no protocol for anything—from the kind of footwear Nikie should wear to how Frank should deal with the unfathomable grief of 9/11. Yet from the moment Frank and his dog stepped onto the site, they both knew they had a job to do. As it turned out, a pair of soft ears and a wagging tail offered one of the best ways to connect to the people on the ground.

Full story in the WSJ here.

Skimming another book on the subject of animals and there wonderful way with humans:

The Healing Power of Pets

Harnessing the Amazing Ability of Pets to make and keep people happy and healthy

Dr. Marty Becker with Danelle Morton

Well written, enjoyable read. :)

I borrowed it from the local library, but here's a link for reference.