Natural Care For Your Pets

Animal training, bonding, breeds, animal rescue and adoption, Caring for An Aging or Disabled Pet

The following articles are 
by Holly R.Frisby, DVM
Drs. Foster and Smith Veterinary Department

Physical and Medical 
Health Benefits of Pets

Although many pet owners will say their pets make them feel better, there are still some skeptics. Now, research studies have shown that pets do have a very positive impact on various aspects of our health.

Dog ownership increases the odds for survival in persons who have had a heart attack from 1 in 15 to 1 in 87. Pet ownership also has increased the percent of people who survived at least one year after hospitalization for heart problems. Only 6% of nonpet owners survived versus 28% of persons with pets. Pet ownership may be only one of several variables that influenced this improved survival, but even a 2-3% difference is significant. In addition, pets may actually lessen the risk of heart attacks.

Persons with pets have been found to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels when compared to people who did not have pets, even when matched for weight, diet and smoking habits.

Dogs have been shown to reduce blood pressure in a number of populations. Studies in women undergoing stress tests, have demonstrated the presence of a dog had more effect on lowering blood pressure than the presence of friends. Similarly, children who had a dog present during their physical examination showed lower heart rate, blood pressure and behavioral distress than when the dog was not present.

Stockbrokers who had dogs or cats in their offices when they had to carry out stressful tasks had smaller increases in blood pressure than those who did not have a pet present.

People who own pets often have better physical health due to the need to exercise and care for their pets.

The use of prescription drugs and the overall cost of caring for patients in nursing homes dropped in those facilities where companion animals became part of the therapy. A study also found that for persons living at home, those with pets had fewer medical appointments and minor health problems.

Some persons who have periodic seizures have reported that their dogs can sense the onset of a seizure before they can. Now it has been found that dogs can be specially trained to recognize some type of change prior to a seizure, and signal the owner of the imminent seizure. This gives the owner sufficient time to prepare, such as moving away from a hot stove. These dogs are called "seizure-alert" or “seizure-response” dogs, and can be trained to signal their owners from 15 to 45 minutes prior to a seizure.

In addition to the tremors and stiffness that Parkinson's patients experience, they also face a problem called "freezing". Their feet freeze in place while the rest of their body keeps moving, causing the person to fall. As a result, some people with Parkinson’s may tend to become sedentary, reluctant to move and reclusive.

Parkinson’s helper dogs have been trained to identify when a person with Parkinson’s is “freezing”. If the dog touches the person’s foot, it breaks the freeze and the person can continue walking. Medical experts really do not know how or why this works. In addition to breaking the "freeze", the dogs are taught to prevent their partners from falling by counterbalancing and helping them regain their footing. If the person would fall, the dog can help the person up.

It may sound stranger than fiction, but a dog in Florida, named George, has been reported to be able to detect a particular smell given off by certain skin tumors called malignant melanomas. George can sniff out this cancer with close to 100% accuracy. This is not an ideal way to diagnose cancer, and I don’t think Howard Young is going to go out and hire a dog, but it is interesting and demonstrates the dog’s incredible sense of smell.

Psychological and Emotional Benefits of Animals

In addition to medical benefits, assisting with daily activities and working with us, animals can help us emotionally, psychologically, and socially. They help us:

Adjust to serious illness and death

Children often turn to their pet for comfort if a friend or family member dies or leaves the family. Grieving adults who did not have a close source of human support were also found to have less depression if they had a pet.

Be less anxious and feel more safe

Pet owners tend to feel less afraid of being a victim of crime when walking with a dog or having a dog in the home.

Relax and reduce everyday stress

Pets can help us relax and focus our attention away from our problems and worries. We don’t even need physical contact to appreciate this. Watching fish in an aquarium, or the activity of birds can be very soothing. Of course many of us with dogs and cats find ourselves absent-mindedly petting them, which is relaxing for both us and the pet.

Have physical contact

This ability to have something to touch and pet is very important. More and more studies show how important touch is to our physical and emotional health.

Lift our mood

Pets decrease our feelings of loneliness and isolation by providing companionship to all generations. Certainly for residents of nursing homes this is true, but it is also true for the staff and volunteers there as well.Residents of nursing homes are more apt to smile, talk, reach out to people and objects, be attentive and alert, and experience a greater sense of well-being and less depression if animals are present in the facility.

Feel less lonely

Pets can help ease the sense of loneliness or isolation we feel.

Have something to care for

Everyone needs to feel needed and have something to care for. Many elderly citizens or persons living alone will tell you their pet gives them a reason for living.

Keep active

Having a pet can help us remain more active. We may not only get more exercise from walking a dog, but we also increase our activity through feeding, grooming and otherwise caring for our pet.

Have consistency

Pets provide some consistency to our lives. Caring for a pet can significantly affect our routine and gives us something to do and look forward to each day. People may come and go, but our pets are pretty much with us day in and day out.

Have more and better social interactions

Families surveyed before and after they got a pet reported feeling happier after adding a pet to the family. A study in a Veteran’s Hospital showed that the residents had more verbal interactions with each other when a dog was present in the room than when there was no dog present. Dogs were also shown to increase socialization among persons with Alzheimer’s disease in a Special Care Unit of a nursing home. Residents in long-term care facilities were more likely to attend activity sessions when an animal was going to be present.

Summary

Pets can greatly influence how we feel about ourselves and life in general. They are teachers and healers of extraordinary talent.

Visit Drs. Foster and Smith site and read more great articles about pets

I

Many pet poisonings are accidentally caused by pet owners. 
You'd be surprised at what's on the list of foods and substances 
that can hurt or kill your best friend click to learn more

Pet Friendly Lodging

A Well-Mannered Pet is a Happy Pet
Training and Stuff to Keep Your Pet Entertained and Happy

1.	Enroll your dog in a basic obedience class to learn the “Heel,” “Sit” and “Stay” commands.
2.	When your dog is learning a command, say “Good” the instant she exhibits proper behavior, and then follow up quickly with a reward of treats and more praise.
3.	Begin increasing your expectations very slowly. For example, lengthen by a few seconds the time your dog must sit before you shower praise.
4.	Reward even the slightest sign of effort your dog is making to meet your increasing expectations.
5.	Move on to other commands once your dog is comfortable with “Heel,” “Sit” and “Stay,” and with training in general.
6.	Train throughout the day, when you have free time, in a quiet area free from distractions. Limit each session to 5 to 10 minutes.
7.	Train in a busier environment only after your dog understands the command entirely, but realize that you may need to start from scratch — dogs are situational learners.
8.	Reduce food rewards gradually, but always give an abundance of praise.
	Tips:
	Check with your local humane society or community college to find out about obedience classes.
	Be consistent in training — always use the same words, body language and tone of voice for the same command. You will confuse your dog otherwise.
	Be patient. Your dog needs time to understand what you want from her. If she isn’t responding, reconsider your approach. Most of the time it’s the trainer’s fault that a dog doesn’t understand what’s wanted.
	Teach your dog a release command, such as “OK”  early on, so he/she will know when the task is over and it’s OK to relax.

these helpful training tips are courtesy of ehow.com

Helping Paw Society

Pets Missing in Action - helps lost dogs, cats and other pets find their way home. Includes free pet listing

Sherlock Bones - Providing professional help tracing lost or stolen dogs

Worldwide Online Pet Rescue Resources

Pet Loss Support Hotlines (Grief Counseling)

Pennsylvania Adopt-A-Greyhound - you can search for other states here, too

AWOLPET.com - online pet registration service that matches the rabies tag with its owner by searching a database of registered pets
Have A Heart For Animals
The Humane Society of the United States
Lost Paws - Lost and found database helping to reunite owners with their animals

National Breed Club Rescue Network - By Breed