The first rule of owning your own business is getting and retaining clients or customers.  This week I took on a client that I knew I would never see again.

Meet Raider, an 8 year old Lab/Border Collie Mix with Stage 4 Lymphoma . He was only expected to live for 6-8 weeks when diagnosed and it’s been 2 1/2 months.  The owners consider this a miracle and are showering him with love until he passes.

Raider

Due to his Lymph nodes being swollen, his eyes and back side are very red and bulgy and he’s lost 50 pounds in the last 2 months.  He lives on 5 acres and is used to controlling the wildlife on his property.  He can still do all that, but at a much slower pace.

Barring his appearance, you’d never know that he has a terminal illness.  He has a big appetite, still wags his tail all the time and follows me around the house.  He was even trying to get “frisky” with Libby when she came to stay with us.

Raider getting "frisky" with Libby

What really impresses me are the owners two young children and how they accept his illness with grace and love him unconditionally.

Fortunately for Raider, he doesn’t know that the end is near.  Some people may debate that dogs know when their time is coming and I do believe that, but at this stage, I don’t think he’s there yet.

Humans are a very different story.  If we find ourselves in the unfortunate situation to be diagnosed with a terminal illness, we are face with having to deal with that reality and what it would mean to our lives and how we conduct ourselves.

SHOWTIME has a new series called, “The Big C” starring Laura Linney and Oliver Platt in which she is a school teacher diagnosed with terminal Melanoma.  She’s healthy now, but knows that she doesn’t have long on this Earth.  So, she decides not to tell her family and lives life completely on her terms and does whatever she wants.  She kicks her needy husband out of the house and lives life to the fullest.  She does some crazy stuff, but it’s the subtleties of her life that take on new meaning such as the flowers in her garden and spending time with her cranky teenage son. She is joyous and willing to try new things that she dared not do before.  Wouldn’t it be great if we can live that all the time?

Why do we wait until something like a terminal illness wakes us up to live our lives the way we want to?  It’s like the Kris Allen’s song, “Live like you’re dying”. “We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to turn it all around or we throw it all away”.

Raider Relaxing

I believe that we are here to live our truth and to achieve pure joy and love and live in alignment with that truth.  There are many paths to reach this place, but they all are going to the same destination – Spirit, God, Source, Nirvana, Infinite Intelligence, The Universe and for you Star Wars fans, The Force.  Whatever you call it, to reach this destination you must live in accordance with your true and higher self – your divine self.

Think about it, are you living in alignment with your true self??

Are you with the person you truly want to be with?

Are you in the profession or job that you can’t wait to get up for everyday?

Do you treat people with kindness and can you forgive them?

Do you sweat the small stuff?

Do you argue when it just doesn’t matter?

Do you love your friends and family deeply and openly?

Have you put off someone or something waiting for the perfect time that never comes?

I’m still working on all this, but I know that the choices in front of me are limitless – we only have to make the decision to create our amazing life!

What’s the first thing you would do if you knew your time was limited??

Every year before my dog Nikki went deaf, she would freak out when the fireworks started popping on the 4th of July.  She’d shake, whimper and pant.  It sounds like a 1950’s dance, but to her, it was no dance or laughing matter.  Dogs can become extremely stressed and frightened when the fireworks start and may exhibit strange behaviors.   My brother in laws dog used to go into the garage and hide under the truck and just whimper until it was over.

Taking precautions can go a long way to help  calm your pets.  Here’s a few tips to help make the 4th of July a safe, fun day for you and your pets.

If at all possible, stay at home. Make them comfy with their favorite dog bed or blanket with plenty of water preferably in the quietest room in the house.  I’m fortunate to live in an area where they still allow us to buy fireworks.  Our neighborhood goes out to our cul-de-sac to light the fireworks which is great because I can go in and check on the dogs to make sure they’re OK.

If you can’t stay home, put them in their crate with a nice bone to chew on or favorite treat.  If you don’t use a crate, keep them inside the home and close the doggie door.  Dogs, when frightened, will chew through anything to escape.  If you have to leave them outside, make sure your fences and gates are secure and there’s no possibility of escape.  In the case that they do escape, please have their  microchip information updated and they have their collar on with all identification.

Put on classical music or a CD especially made to calm dogs.  Animal Music Therapy CD’s are designed to relieve animal stress.

Try alternative holistic remedies such as our natural Spot Organics Chill Essential Oil that’s specifically made to calm dogs in all kinds of situations.  Also, the Lettuce Flower Essences from Spirit in Nature can be used as a calming effect.

Leave the radio or TV on.  If they fireworks are far away, the sound will help to drown out the noise.

Do you have any remedies that have helped to calm your pet when the fireworks start?  I’d love to hear your stories.

Wishing you all a safe, fun 4th of July celebration!

Yesterday I did my first telephone interview with Marilyn Tokach.  She’s an animal communicator and dog Trainer.  Marilyn has  been all around this country training other people how to communicate with their animals.  She comes with over 20+ years of experience and is very active with animal related issues and rescue shelters.

I’m always fascinated by alternative ways of doing things and believe that’s it’s all possible.  You need to keep an open mind and use your own intuitive powers to hone in on the messages you may be getting from your animals.

Marilyn can not only help with dogs, but with all your animals.  She also becomes another layer for Veterinarians and helps them put the pieces together for a more clear diagnosis.  She does not diagnose diseases herself and always recommends that you listen to the advice of your Veterinarian.

Helping with end of life issues is a very popular request from pet owners.  I just went through that last August and I wish I would have known about her then.  It would have made the transition so much easier.  As you will hear, Marilyn can also speak to your animals spirit after they are gone.  I think I’m going to take her up on that.  My dog was very special to me and I’d love to hear what she has to say.

So, if your having behavior problems, health problems or just want to know what your pet is thinking, please take a listen and hear how she got started communicating with animals and how she knows what they are feeling.

You can find Marilyn’s website at Pure-Spirit and from there, you can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Thanks for listening.  You can listen to my interview with Marilyn Tokach here.

I recently did a dog walk with Ty a sweet Border Collie/Queensland healer, and realized that the weather was changing.  I was sweating and could really feel the heat.  That reminded me of when I lived in Mesa, Arizona and had to walk my dog Nikki before 6:30 am or after it got dark due to the excessive heat.  It could be over 90 degrees by 7:00 am!  I’m glad I’m back in California.

Sweet Ty

It’s getting to be that time when we have to rearrange our walking schedule so we don’t over heat our dogs and cause them to have heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

What is Heat Stroke (Hyperthermia)?

Heat stroke is when a dogs body temperature is severely elevated over 104 degrees.  This usually occurs in the Spring and Summer months when the temperature is warmer and your dog isn’t used to the weather yet.  This condition can be fatal, so please take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible if they exhibit any of the follow symptoms.

What are the symptoms of Heat Stroke?

• Body Temperature is over 104 degrees

• Your pet collapses

• They are acting like they’re depressed or in a stupor

• They have bloody diarrhea or are vomiting

• Their capillary refill time is to quick.  When you press your finger on your pets gums they will turn white.  Take your finger off the gum and they should turn pink again.  This should take 1 to 2 seconds. If less than 1 second or over 3 seconds, it is deemed an emergency.

• Difficulty breathing or panting

• Increased Heart Rate – Puppies 1 year and younger should have a heat beat of 120-160 beats per minute – Small dogs, 30 pounds or less should have a heartbeat of 100-140 beats per minute and larger dogs, more than 30 pounds should have a heartbeat of 60-100 BPM.

• Increased Respiratory Rate – Normal breathing rates should be between 10 to 30 breaths per minute.  When panting heavily, it could go up to 200 breaths per minute.

• Check their gums and inner eyelids.  If they are redder than usual, or if you see blue, pale, yellow, dark red, white or brown, it’s an emergency.

• Heavy Salivation

Thanks Buddy, the water feels good!

What can you do?

• Take your dog’s temperature  – should be under 104 degrees

• Spray your dog with a garden hose for a minute or two, but make sure you run it for a while so that you’re not spraying him with hot water.  Take his temperature again.

• Soak towels in cool water and apply them to his head, neck, feet, chest and abdomen.

• Run 70% isopropyl alcohol on his paws, however do not use more than one pint as it might be toxic if they lick their paws and ingest the alcohol.

• Turn on a fan and let the breeze flow over your dog.

• Take your dog to the nearest veterinarian even if you get your dogs temperature down.  The effects can lead to sever medical conditions such as kidney failure and neurological problems to name a couple.

Other Tips for keeping your dog cool in the Summer months

• Make sure you have plenty of fresh water on hand.  Dogs can only get rid of heat by panting and through the pads of their feet as they do not have sweat glands.

• Never leave your dog in a car even with the windows cracked.  In Summer months, the car can reach temperature of over 120 degrees and can be fatal to dogs and people alike.

• Short snouted dogs such as Bulldogs, Boxers and Pugs can get heat stroke at much lower temperatures.  Always walk them in the early morning or later at night.
  

  Man, it's hot out here!

• Make sure your dog gets acclimated to warmer weather.  Running and exercise that you used to do in the Winter may not be a good idea with higher temperatures.

• Make sure your dog has ample shade and/or shelter if left outside with plenty of water.

• If appropriate, shave thick coated dogs in the Summer months.

• Dogs with a history of seizures, upper airway, heart or lung disease may be more susceptible to heat stroke.

• Consider getting dog booties if you have to walk on concrete.

• Don’t forget your sunscreen for dogs.  They can burn just like people do especially if they have short coats with exposed skin.

Dogs, fun and Summer go hand in hand, but adding a little caution into the mix is a can’t hurt.

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Smart Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

In my recent travels through social media, especially in the LinkedIn groups, I have become aware of alternative treatments for animals.  I was familiar with Canine Massage, but not some of the other natural therapies.

We were having a discussion in one of my groups about whether or not they actually work.  Many of the practitioners have seen firsthand the wonderful healings of their companion pets.  Some were not so convinced.  I think that if it works for your pet, then it works!  It doesn’t matter how you heal your pet, it just matters that your pet gets healed.

OOOMMMM

I believe that preventative medicine is the first course of action and of course that means feeding your pet a nutrient rich holistic pet food.  So many allergies and other illnesses come from what you put in your dog.  Read my post on What you don’t want in your dog food.  That can get you started in the right direction.  Learn to read the labels and know exactly what they mean.

There are too many alternative treatments to put in one post. Please go to the Full directory of alternative treatments for animals.  I do not condone or condemn any of these practices.  This is just to let you know what’s out there to help your pet in need.  Please consult your Veterinarian before trying any of these therapies.

Here’s a brief description some of the alternative treatments for your pets.

Canine/Equine Massage:  This is the manipulation of the soft tissue of your pet.  Can be used as a preventative or for injuries.  Also, helps agility or sports dogs.

That feels soooo good!

Reiki: Reiki is Japanese for ‘universal life force energy’, the word can be split into 2 parts – ‘Rei’ meaning universal and ‘Ki’ meaning energy.  The practitioner uses energy transference and touches the animal in different parts of his body.

Acupuncture: Practiced for thousands of years in China and now has become more mainstream here in America, is used for both humans and animals.  The acupuncture needles, used along meridian lines, are meant to unblock the bodies energy lines to redirect the energy and rebalance your body.  Shiatsu is a kin to acupuncture, but using the hands along the meridian lines instead of needles.

Animal Communication:  is the ability of the practitioner to use telepathy to interpret the animals thoughts, feeling, words and mental images.  Telepathy means “feeling across a distance”. This can be used to find out why your pet is doing a certain unwanted behavior, or to get a better understanding of their feelings.

This is supposed to help me!!

Aromatherapy, Flower Essences and Herbal Remedies:   Taking their cue from nature, practitioners use herbs, oils from plants and flower essences to treat ailments or alter moods such as anxiety.  These therapies are nothing new and have been around since the dawn of time.  Animals in the wild learned how to self-medicate and early humans have been using plants and flowers for injuries and sickness since the beginning.  Read my prior post about Essential Oils for Pets.

Magnotherapy: uses magnetic energy fields to speed up the blood supply allowing more oxygen to flow providing more absorption of nutrients.

There are many others and if you would like to investigate these natural therapies more or find a school in your area, here are some links that can help you:   Natural Healers, Alternative Medicine, Natural Animal Health, Naturally Complementary.

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover To Another

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog

Waggy’s Holistic Pet Food