Q: I feed my dogs primarily dry food because it seems as this will  help with keeping their teeth clean and their gums healthier.

A: It is actually a myth that dry food saves dog’s mouths. Many dogs that eat exclusively dry food have horrific oral disease. Genetics and home care really are the biggest factors involved in how healthy their mouths stay. Some breeds are truly genetically predisposed to fast tartar buildup (greyhounds and daschunds, for example). Brushing the teeth daily helps, but just as humans still need professional cleanings despite at  least 2x daily brushing, so do most pets. There are some products shown to help  reduce plaque buildup – ask your DVM.

Q: I have an elder, and I have recently started buying food with  Glucosamine to help keep his joints healthy as he ages.

A: Foods with glucosamine rarely have enough to be truly useful for the animal, and the foods are not regulated as to quality or quantity of that glucosamine.

Q: I know it is best for my dog if I set specific meal times and  take his/her food up if s/he doesn’t eat it in a certain amount of time. However, I’ve always let my cat graze by leaving her food out and available to her 24/7.

A: Cats are *definitely* not  designed to graze!! They are genetically designed to have periods of fasting between big meals. Grazing allows for constant demands on their insulin production and can predispose them to diabetes as well as obesity. Canned food  in measured meals are ideal for cats. (This topic could be a whole newsletter  itself!)

Q: We are very careful to never give table scraps or “people food” to our dogs. They get only canned and/or dry dog food.

A: Table scraps are generally not  harmful to pets….depending on what’s on your table! If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t ask your pet to do so! Be especially careful with bones and high fat foods; otherwise, the occasional tidbit should be fine if your pet is in good  health and not prone to easy GI upset. Don’t make scraps the bulk of his diet,  just an occasional treat!

Diana Roberts, DVM, graduated from Michigan State’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994 and practiced in upstate New York for four years before moving to Colorado. Dr. Roberts enjoys working with small animals and over the years has incorporated acupuncture, herbal and homeopathic remedies, and nutritional guidance into her practice. She opened her own veterinary clinic, Harmony Animal Wellness, in September 2006.

For more information about animal nutrition, talk with your local holistic veterinarian.

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(August 6, 2011):  OK, you all know the background…Jack wouldn’t eat or drink for over a week. The vets couldn’t find anything wrong—lab results were perfect, teeth looked perfect, they couldn’t get him to whimper no matter where or how hard they poked. On day 6, I called animal communicator Kelly Krueger, who has talked with Jack before.

Kelly talked with Jack and me for about 30 minutes and felt strong pain in the left side of Jack’s face—somewhere between the sinuses and teeth. She asked him specifically about every other part of his body, and this was his only area of specific pain he acknowledged. She reiterated that it was not a tooth itself or the sinus cavity, but somewhere in between, like the root of a tooth.

The vets did not want to knock him out to do a full set of dental x-rays because of his condition, however, I convinced them to do a skull x-ray, which they could perform without anesthesia. They didn’t find anything with the skull x-ray, but they sent it to radiologists. Voila!  The radiologists said, “Mandibular root abscess is likely.” So Jack had exploratory dental surgery. Dr. Ruth called me with this news:

We anesthetized Jack and did a full set of dental x-rays. We found that he did have a very small abscess in his pre-molar and potential abscess in the molar next to it. So we decided to extract both of those teeth. But this is the amazing part. When I got the second tooth out, I realized that it was not complete. There was a tiny part of the root that had broken off, was detached from the rest of the root, and embedded in the bone. I have this tiny bit of bone along with the pieces of the two teeth!

Jack seemed to recover from the dental surgery and was eating well. About a week later, his human emailed:

After Jack’s dental surgery last week we soon realized that that was not the whole problem, as he continued to stumble and fall. And he finally had a big seizure on August 10. After 8 days in Critical Care they got his seizures under control with the right combination of meds. The conclusion is that he has had swelling of the lining of his brain (encephalitis) caused by his immune system which should be manageable with medications. 

Jack shared all the symptoms he was experiencing at the time. Some made sense to us immediately and some of his symptoms became obvious over time. Animals share what they know in that moment, and we humans take that information and work with it the best we can. Jack is slowly getting better, and his human assures him that she will continue to listen to him and his doctors as his journey continues.

Thank you to Jack’s human who co-wrote this article.

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Animal Communication: Katy’s Story
• Are Veterinarians Open To Animal Communication?
• Belief and Trust in Animal Communication

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There are several examples of clients receiving information from their pet that doesn’t directly align with their observations: a very finicky cat asks for a food that seems extremely inconsistent with her previous desires; a dog asks for a new animal companion but all his encounters with dogs on walks or in the park are less than friendly; a fearful animal suddenly requests an activity that has previously been unpleasant.

Happy Family

I had this exact experience recently with my own companion and I found myself needing to practice what I ask my clients to do – trust their pet and believe in their communication. My girl pug dog is not the friendliest when it comes to other dogs entering our home. I observe either pouting and isolation or flat-out aggression, and sometimes she decides to make her point very clear by exhibiting both behaviors.

When I heard her ask over and over again for a new dog companion I had this same “hear one thing, but observe the opposite” phenomenon. It took a lot of belief in the animal communication process and a lot of trust that she was sincerely asking for a companion to share our home.

I agreed to “practice what I preach” and put my trust and belief in animal communication and in my girl-dog’s sincerity when voicing her desires for a new companion. I agreed to turn it over to her, and in less than a week she identified and orchestrated the perfect new dog coming to live with us. And it worked! From the moment the boy Husky arrived, she welcomed him with open paws. Trusting in animal communication  brought us a new animal companion. My girl pug is happy, and she’s been a rock star at welcoming the new guy and sharing her space. I’m so glad I believed!

For more of our story, see the July issue of the Articulate Animals newsletter at http://www.articulateanimals.com./

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Animal Communication and Body Language
• Animal Communication: Katy’s Story
• Take the 24-hour Pet Communication Challenge

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Kelly Krueger Provides a Voice for Your Pet’s Needs and Emotions (click to see full article)

By Sarah Schraad

Are you or your family heading on vacation this summer? And if so, have you told your pets what is in store for them while you are away? Kelly Krueger, owner of Articulate Animals, can help you pass along the message. A professional animal communicator, Krueger says that it is important your pet understands when and why you are going away…and that you’re coming back.

Kelly Krueger, Animal Communicator

“More and more people are utilizing animal communication for a variety of situations like vacation preparation, as well as behavioral problems and health concerns,” says Krueger. “By enlisting an animal communicator, individuals can deepen their relationship and understanding of their pets, as well as obtain information about a particular issue that can then be used to benefit both the family and the animal.”

Born and raised on a Wyoming cattle ranch, animals have always been part of Krueger’s life. Based in Evergreen, she launched Articulate Animals in 2007 and has worked with clients in nearly every US state as well as around the world in places like India, Australia, and Ireland.

While the majority of her consultations are with dogs, cats, and horses, Krueger has also worked with birds, rabbits, iguanas, and more.  She connects telepathically with the animal in an effort to better understand a variety of issues, for example, why the pet behaves a specific way around strangers. In the event of a health concern, Krueger can help identify where an animal’s physical discomfort exists, which can then be shared with the family’s veterinarian. She also helps animals prepare for upcoming household changes such as a new baby, loss of a loved one, or moving to a new home.

“Most pet owners speak with their pets daily, usually to accomplish a specific task or correct a behavior,” Krueger says. “While we know our animals listen to us, it may not be as clear that our animals are also speaking to us with the same purpose and intent. I help individuals better understand what their pets are saying and feeling, because once those details are uncovered, harmony and balance can be restored.”

While there will always be skeptics, Krueger says that once an individual actually experiences the benefits and sees the results – such as a strange behavior that abruptly stops following a consultation – they recognize that animal communication does work and can improve the health and happiness of an animal.

“All of my clients have the same goal in mind, which is to gain a better understanding of their pet’s overall well-being and ensure the animal is content and feels loved. I can think of no better reward than helping my clients achieve a stronger relationship with their animal companion,” she adds.

More information is available on Kelly’s website, www.articulateanimals.com, including first-hand testimonials about her work and information on upcoming classes on animal communication. If you have questions or would like to schedule a consultation, contact Kelly at Kelly@ArticulateAnimals.com or by phone at 303-670-0292.

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Interview with Kelly about Animal Communication
• Practice Communicating with Your Animals
• Your Pet is Speaking; Are You Listening?

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One of the locals at CWWC

Living in the mountains of Colorado, I see a variety of wildlife regularly. I am always grateful for these sightings which are generally a bit of distance away, or at the least, on the other side of my living room windows.

This past weekend I was blessed to spend quality time with wildlife “up close and personal” at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide. It’s my second visit in five years, but no less thrilling the second time around.

Wakanda (timber wolf) introducing himself to Kelly

The founder and volunteers at this wildlife sanctuary do an amazing job rescuing, healing, and rehabilitating these amazing creatures of the wild. Because of their injuries, either physical or emotional, these rescued creatures would not survive if returned to the wild so the CWWC has created a natural habitat where the rescued wolves, fox, and coyotes can live out their days in safety. This also then offers a wonderful educational opportunity about our local wildlife. I know I gained a deeper appreciation and respect for these magnificent animals after this day trip.

Following the educational tour, some of us were allowed access directly in with the wolves. Yes, they are fairly friendly, but one peek at their flesh-ripping teeth and haunting eyes and there is no chance of confusing a wolf with a domesticated dog. Their distinctive howl (listen to the video) is unmistakable as well. While I felt relatively safe interacting with these wolves in this environment, this experience underscored for me that wildlife are meant to be wild. We can admire from afar but we must leave our precious wildlife where they belong – in the wild. These beautiful specimens who were unfairly plucked from nature to live in a domestic setting such as a fraternity house, junk yards, and neighborhood backyards now have physical and emotional scars for life. Thank you, CWWC, for saving these precious beings.

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When our beloved pets are still full of life even in the midst of a diagnosis or physical disablity, there are many resources and alternatives to keep them healthy and active for a while longer. It is amazing to me the resources available for our pets. Diabetes, degenerative myelopathy or similar, and cancer are all scary words to hear and difficult diagnoses to wrap our heads around.

These diagnoses don’t necessarily mean the end is near. Certainly, we don’t want our beloved pets to suffer if we can possibly help it.  In some cases the most loving, compassionate, and selfless act is to let (or assist) our companion pass. In many of these cases, however, there are ways we can help our pets to continue to live happy, fulfilling lives for as long as they wish to remain on earth with us.

Diet and nutritional supplements is a great place to start in supporting our pets living with a medical diagnosis. Talk with your holistic veterinarian about foods and supplements which support, and in some cases, help to counter-act elements of the disease.

I have known animals in my animal communication practice who lived many happy years with diabetes - receiving daily injections to keep their insulin levels in check. I also have several kitty-clients in various stages of renal failure, and they are living active lives with IV fluids administered by their loving humans a few times a week in the privacy of their own home.

Physical therapy, acupuncture therapy, chiropractic treatments, and energy work like Reiki can all help our pets with neuromuscular conditions to remain active on their own, and wheelchairs, slings, or leg braces can be appropriate for those whose spirit for living remains high as their condition progresses.

The resources available nowadays are many, and it is important that we consider all aspects of the diagnosis carefully. It is not a “one size fits all” proposition. The animal’s condition, demeanor, and spirit are paramount in our decision making process. Ask your pet how they are feeling and include them in the treatment strategy. If you and your pet agree that there are more weeks, months, or years of living left, know that there are resources out there that may work for you.
 

Other posts which may be of interest:

• The Benefit of Chiropractic for our Pets
• Pug on Wheels
• Resources to Assist when our Pet Passes On

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