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Volume
II, Issue II February
2006 IN THIS ISSUE •
Research Shows
Dogs Improve Self Esteem and Empathy in Children •
The Importance of
Senior Wellness Screenings •
Greenies® Company
Responds to Healing Springs •
Sheep Health
Meeting at Galax Farm Supply (February
28) |
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Research Shows Dog Ownership Improves Self Esteem
and Empathy in Children
Bierer
took a psychological profile of 126 school aged children at three different
schools. He found a strong correlation
between higher levels of self-esteem and dog ownership. He also found that children who owned dogs
showed higher levels of empathy toward fellow children. The correlation was
strongest in children aged 10 to 12. Bierer commented “. . . this is when it really makes a
big difference. A dog doesn’t judge whether you’re right or wrong. When you’re on your way into adolescence –
which is a challenging time – having that secure base, that unconditional,
nonjudgmental relationship with a dog is very helpful.” The higher ratings in
empathy and self-esteem hold true whether the dog is
considered the child’s dog or the family’s dog. Other variables such as number of parents
in the household and the presence of siblings also did not affect the
positive effects attributed to dog ownership. (Bierer,
Robert E. “The Relationship Between Pet Bonding, Self-Esteem, and Empathy in
Preadolescents.” Pub# 9993506, While children are often
attracted to puppies and kittens,
The Galax-Carroll-Grayson
Animal Shelter near Felt’s Park has many eager to please dogs and cats up for
adoption everyday. They are open
Tuesday through Saturday. Call them at
(276) 236-8501 |
Buy at Low Costs
from Friendly Veterinarians |
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The Importance of Senior Wellness Screenings |
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The rationale for senior wellness screenings for dogs and cats is the same as the rationale for regular check-ups for older humans. Early detection and treatment of common geriatric diseases can prevent permanent damage and organ failure. |
Cats and dogs do not show outward signs of
kidney problems until more than 2/3 of the kidney function is lost! Get Senior Wellness Exams for more timely detection
and treatment. |
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Early detection can prolong
the life and improve the well-being of your pet. Many of the common geriatric problems in
dogs and cats cause damage for a long time before they become evident to the
owners. Often times, only lab tests or
professional examination can detect problems such as diabetes, kidney
failure, and mammary cancer in a timely fashion. For instance, kidney
dysfunction, if left untreated, can result in permanent damage or kidney
failure. Unfortunately, dogs and cats
do not display outward signs of kidney dysfunction until more than 2/3 of the
total kidney function is lost! Any
health management that works to prevent the disease, delays the age of onset,
or slows the progression of the disease will help the animal live longer and
enjoy a better life. The leading geriatric
conditions for dogs and cats include diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel
disease, constipation (cats only), prostate problems (dogs only), dental
problems, thyroid dysfunction, cataracts, deafness, renal disease, urinary
tract infections, hypertension, and tumors.
Vets recommend that senior wellness screenings begin at 7 to 8 years
of age for cats and dogs and that screenings continue every six months. This corresponds to late middle-ages
in humans and to the ages when many problems start developing in pets. Large breed dogs live shorter lives, so
their annual screenings should begin at 5 to 7 years of age. As a general guideline, cats and dogs will
benefit most from senior wellness screening when they have reached the last
25% of their life expectancy. Because cats and dogs age so
much faster than humans, veterinarians recommend
senior wellness screenings twice per year.
Healing Springs’ senior wellness screening involves more testing than
the typical focused exam and lab testing.
The broader range of testing will help ensure that you know about
developing problems before they become clinical conditions. The physical will include orthopedic
testing, central nervous system evaluation, vital signs, pain assessment, dental
assessment, skin evaluation, organ palpation, cardiopulmonary evaluation,
rectal palpation (in dogs) and more.
An optional urinalysis including sediment examination will help
identify developing kidney problems or a pre-diabetic state. Blood testing will evaluate 13 different
measures in dogs and 14 measures in cats.
If you have a senior cat or dog, call to schedule your senior wellness
screening today: (276) 236-5103. |
Your
senior dogs need high quality food specially formulated for them. Your
senior cats need high quality food specially formulated for them. |
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Purrl Reedmore,
the library cat of Wythe-Grayson Regional
Library now has her own website. Check
her out at |
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Greenies® Company Responds to Healing Springs In February, Bradley Quest, a veterinarian with
S&M Nu Tec, the manufacturer of Greenies®, responded to questions from
the Animal Health Bulletin. To see last month’s article, “The Grievance
with Greenies®,” click here: http://www.healingspringsanimalhospital.com/2006_Jan.htm What is your response to claims that unmasticated pieces swell in the stomach rather than
digesting? What is your response to
claims that the product is a choking hazard? Digestibility
testing with Greenies® show them to be about
85% digestible when adequately chewed by dogs. This is similar to most premium dog foods. Obviously, if a dog swallows
a large piece without chewing and it is larger than the diameter of the dog’s
esophagus it could lodge in the esophagus. This would be no different than swallowing a large piece
of meat. The Greenies would not swell significantly either. As
far a large piece in the stomach, these would normally digest with no
problem. Again, it would take longer for a large piece to digest as
opposed to small chewed up pieces. It is simply a function of surface
area of treat to contact digestive fluids and stomach mucosa. The vast
majority of dogs have no problem even if they swallow a large piece. Is
it possible for a dog to have a digestive problem if
it swallows a whole treat without chewing? It is unlikely
but possible just like with the large piece of meat, vegetable, or even
fruit. Can you compare the safety record of
Greenies® to the safety record of other chewables
such as Nylabone and rawhide? I can not speak about safety issues with other
products but I can tell you that millions of Greenies®
are enjoyed every week by dogs with absolutely no problems.
Greenies® are the first dog treat in the world to have the Veterinary Oral
Health Council’s Seal of Acceptance for plaque and tartar reduction. No
other manufacturer can say this. Why should people give their pets chewable
treats? The
best thing that pet owners can do at home is to brush their pet’s
teeth. Unfortunately, compliance with this is very low. Professional
cleaning at the vet’s office is good, but at most pet owner’s do that once a
year if that often. Since periodontal disease in pets is the number one
underdiagnosed problem in veterinary medicine
today, we need to address daily oral health maintenance with our pets to help
them live long healthy lives. That is how we position Greenies.
We have the dental testing to show that when used as labeled they will help
reduce plaque and tartar buildup. We also have the Lil
Bits treats which are small bite sized pieces of the
same ingredients and texture as Greenies but in small pieces. We
recommend them for dogs less than 6 months old, toy breeds less than 5
pounds, and dogs with a tendency to gulp food or treats. We have
excellent dental tests that show they also help reduce plaque and tartar. Thank you to S&M Nu Tec /
Greenies® for a thoughtful, expert response
to the concerns of some of our clients. On February 26, Greenies® company notified
Healing Springs that S&M NuTec has launched a
website dedicated to health concerns surrounding the product: www.thetruthaboutgreenies.com |
See the dental chews
recommended by the vets of Healing Springs. Buy Treats and
Nutritional Supplements recommended by our veterinarians. |
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Sheep Health Meeting at Galax Farm Supply On Tuesday, February 28, at |
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The Animal Health Bulletin is a FREE service of Healing (276) 236-5103 Visit our website at www.HealingSpringsAnimalHospital.com |
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Administrative: Request an article topic. Click
Here. To ask questions about a
specific pet, call Healing Springs at (276) 236-5103. You have permission to forward this bulletin in its
entirety to a friend. If you did not receive the Animal Health Bulletin
directly and would like to begin receiving them, simply enter your
information for a free subscription: Click here to subscribe,
update your e-mail preferences or unsubscribe. The Animal Health Bulletin is developed and
distributed with the assistance of Brazzell Marketing Agency specializing in healthcare marketing. © BMA 2006 |
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