Tips on the Fourth of July

With the Fourth of July around the corner, many pet owners are fearful for their pet's sake. Fireworks can stress animals enough to cause fear, disorientation and precipitate illness. The noise from the fireworks stimulates a "fright-flight reaction and panic causing many dogs and cats to run away from home seeking a safe place to hide. Unfortunately, they may become lost, hit by automobiles, or become injured by other animals. Here are some tips that may help you get through this holiday without a lot of stress.

1.) Keep all your pets indoors / even if you have fenced in yards

2.) Find a room in the house that has few windows and can be made comfortable for your cat or dog. A bathroom works well….fill it with toys, snacks, a radio with music playing, water, litter box, bed, etc.

3.) Make sure all pets have name tags with your address and phone number, and if possible, micro-chipped….just in case they do get lost.

4.) Cats and dogs can be calmed by petting and talking softly to them, reassuring them.

5.) Supplements that can take the "edge" off of their stress can be given safely and include vitamins, herbs, and minerals:

a. Magnesium: is a calming agent with no side-effects. You can find it in a health food store. Dosage: 100mg -200mg three times daily for cats and small dogs. It may cause a laxative effect, so don't be surprised if soft stools occur.

b. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is also calming to the nervous system. Dosage: 1-5 mg for small cats or dogs / 5-10mg medium sized dogs / 25-50 mg large dogs.

c. Tryptophan / 5-HTP ( although this essential animo acid is found in many foods we eat (turkey), some controversy occurred 10 years ago when it was mistakenly implicated in causing a few deaths in people. Later, it was found that a toxic contaminant was in the tryptophan product, and it was not the tryptophan that caused the problems but this toxin. In high amounts, this amino acid will make one sleepy and more relaxed. Dosage: 100-200mg for cats and small dogs twice daily / 250 -500mg for medium dogs twice daily 500-750mg for large dogs twice daily.

d. Calms Forte Homeopathic remedy that can be bought over the counter in health food stores and pharmacies….works well for small animals such as birds, bunnies, and kittens. Dosage: 1 tablet per 2 oz of water for small birds such as parakeets and canaries / 2 -5 tablets per 2 oz of water for larger birds such as parrots, bunnies, and kittens.

e. Melatonin: a brain hormone that is also an antioxidant can be used with magnesium and Vitamin B1, can be given safely. Dosage: 0.5 -1mg for cats and small dogs twice daily/ 1 -3 mg medium sized dogs/ 3-5 mg for large dogs twice daily.

f. RESOURCES/GENESIS: " Anxiety & Stress Formula" (www.genesispets.com / 1-877-P-E-T-S-4-L-I-F) contains 16 essential minerals, vitamins and herbs to promote brain health and relaxation.

All supplements should be started a few days before the Fourth of July. It takes more time to reach blood levels and produce an effect than drugs.

You can ask your veterinarian for tranquilizers, but most will lower blood pressure and can cause serious problems in geriatric and young animals. I do not recommend using drugs for most pets because they need to be supervised by someone at home that understands how to feel the pulse and monitor heart and respirations. It would be better and safer to just board your cat or dog at the veterinarians' or a reputable kennel that is sound-proofed.

This holiday is responsible for more lost pets than any other during the year!

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Whether or not you live in Hawaii, natural disasters across the nation have been increasing. Floods, storms, and tornados are very prevalent….alarmingly so. This article may help you prepare before you are caught in a disaster.

Hurricanes: To Be or Not To Be?

You may say, "What's the big deal, we haven't had a hurricane in over 10 years," or, "Why worry?" If that's what you are thinking, then, most likely you are new to Hawaii. You may experience some fear just considering the possibility of a hurricane occurring, but it does not really register in your physical being. It's just an imaginary "concept". All you've got to go on are disaster movie memories.

The "forces" of Nature beyond your imagination manifest in waves of strong winds not caring nor discriminating on what or whom they may blow away.

The hurricane cleans the board and starts a "new game" where every one, rich or poor, is at the same "level" and dependent upon the other for survival

The greatest challenges after a hurricane are to gain back your senses and clarity of mind. Later perhaps, you can gain the confidence to hope for a better future in the midst of devastation and disaster.

Judging from the many pet clients and friends I have talked to who arrived from the mainland after Hurricane Iniki, most have no understanding of the weather patterns of the Central Pacific, the eventuality of a hurricane, nor the impact it will have on the Island. It's just a matter of time. Hurricanes are natural phenomena that occur very commonly in the central Pacific.

I don't mean to be an alarmist, but it's time to take some action.
Making the proper preparations now will insure a successful survival later.

What can be expected in the aftermath of a hurricane?

-Loss of house and home
-Deaths of many animals due to injury, disease, and/ or lack of food & water.
-Injured and lost pets and livestock.
-Loss of income
-Loss of power / water / TV / radio / electronic communications/ telephone service
-Gas rationing
-Standing in long lines waiting to pick-up ice, and Army rations (or MRE's).
-Living under tarps….cooking out doors.
-No place to wash your clothes.
-Pharmacies, veterinary & medical clinics closed.

These are issues that are difficult to face, and easy to deny if you have not yet lived through a storm. Reality can be harsh in the wake of a hurricane. Being prepared ahead of time for the potential disaster, could save your family's life, and your animals from suffering and death.

What can we do to prevent a hurricane? I don't know for certain. I like to be optimistic and believe that prayer and a strong "intention" from our residents may work to sway the hurricane away. But let's talk about what IS in our power to do: preparations.

What do you do and where to begin?

In the process of making preparations you will discover the answer to, "What do I really need to survive?" And if you really meditate on this, you will see that survival depends upon: the availability of water & food, shelter from sun, wind & rain, the inner strength to adapt to change, knowing first aid, networking with your friends and neighbors, and a belief in a Higher Source.

Now let's look at what you need to prepare your animals for a hurricane.

I. Shelters

If you do not confine your pets inside the house during a hurricane, you have a strong chance of losing them. Many animals become disorientated, stressed, fearful, and lost after such a storm. It is best to keep them confined in carriers, such as the ones used to ship pets by the airlines.

When buying pet carriers, make sure they are roomy enough for your dogs and cats, but small enough to fit into your car or truck. Cat carriers that have enough room to hold two cats work the best; friendly cats will provide each other with comfort. Get your pets used to these carriers ahead of time by offering food and snacks inside them.

Simply stack your animal carriers with your pets in the safest part of your house; that is the most structurally sound part of your house. In some houses, that could be the lower bath room. Make room for bird cages, fish bowls, and put your prized koi in the bath tub.

If you are forced to evacuate your home because of the threat of flooding, tidal waves or storm surges, you will want to put all the animals into your car in carriers with plenty food and water and then seek higher ground or an emergency shelter. (Do you know where yours is?)

The Emergency shelters will not allow you to bring in your pets. But they can stay in your car or truck in the parking lot. Because most of these parking areas have no shade, bring bamboo poles, strong twine and tarps to construct a temporary shelter from the sun.

The Kauai Humane Society will have some room available for boarding. Please call and check with them on the specific details and parameters.

Horse Owners

Now is the time to repair your barn roofs. Make sure you have sufficient hurricane clips on the roofs of your animal barns and shelters.

Replace rusty metal roofs with fiber glass roof sheeting. You want to avoid pieces of your barn "going ballistic" after the barn collapses. Flying sheet metal could fatally injure horses and livestock.

Reinforce your barn structure by setting posts in concrete. All large tree limbs near barns and livestock should be trimmed to prevent damage to farm structures and animals.

It may be better to let horses out to pasture during a storm, than leave them confined to an unsafe structure.

Make sure you are up to date on Tetanus vaccine, worming schedules, and have a fully stocked emergency chest containing: antibiotics, wound dressings, bandage material, gauze, peroxide, tape, ace bandage, worm medicine, tourniquet, rescue remedy, etc. For more information on what you should have in your emergency kit, click here.

Organize your local equine community and network your resources. All stables should have a hurricane plan. All owners should know what their options are in the case of a hurricane. Neighborhoods that contain horses should get to know each other, join together and discuss their hurricane preparedness plan.

If you contain horses in pastures with barbed wire fencing, you are asking for trouble and injury to your horses during and after a hurricane. The strong winds will cause some horses to panic and run into barbed wire fences. The injuries that result can be serious and fatal. Replace barbed wire fences with straight wire, hog wire, or ideally with wood fencing material. Barbed wire is for confining cows, not horses.

Action Items: Install more hurricane clips, inspect and evaluate your building foundations, locate and purchase animal carriers, repair roof, dump or bury loose sheet metal, replace barbed wire fences, clean out junk from garage, and don't forget to create an emergency medical kit for family and pets, micro-chip your cats & dogs and / or have name & licenses tags on collars.

II. Food Preparations

I would recommend at least a two week supply of food for all your pets and animals, as well as yourselves. But, a one month supply of food would be better.

Livestock and horse owners need to have a supply of extra hay, grain, vitamins, minerals, and protein supplements. These must be stored in dry, clean, and cool areas of the barn, preferably in a concrete block structure.

Store extra dry dog & cat food in air-tight plastic garbage cans in a cool and secure place of the house. The damp weather and bugs on Kauai give most food products a short shelf-life. Dry dog or cat food can become moldy, rancid, and dangerous to eat. Vacuum packing your food is the best method for long term storage of human or animal food.

What happens when you run out of pet food?
Besides eating commercial food, dogs and cats can eat many of the foods you eat. You can safely substitute other foods to help your pets survive healthily. Here are your sources and choices:

Protein: canned tuna, spirulina, protein powder (egg or milk based)
human grade canned chicken, shrimp, mackerel, salmon, sardines, opihi, sea cucumber, canned milk, dry tofu, dried seaweed, dried fish, dried mushrooms (shiitake), peanut or almond butter (organic if possible).

Starches: cooked taro, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, pasta, bread fruit, cooked green papaya, baked bananas, rice, lentils, barley, noni fruit

Minerals: Hawaiian red clay salt, green vegetables, shell fish, boiled sea shells, seaweed, sea cucumber (soup)

Essential Fats & Fatty acids: vegetable oils: corn, olive, canola, also, lard canned coconut milk, avocados, cod liver oil, sardines. (These are especially important for geriatric dogs & cats, puppies, kittens, and pets with skin problems.)

III. Veterinary Care and Supplies

Here is a list of items you may want to stock up on:

-Heartworm pills (get an extra box during hurricane season)

-Worm pills (if your animals are prone to getting parasites) / the herbs noni fruit, ginger and garlic can also be used

-Flea & Tick shampoos and products

-Drugs for any ailment that your pet needs daily: insulin, antibiotics, and heart medications. If you live near streams, leptospirosis may be a threat so ask your veterinarian for a prescription for the antibiotics, doxycycline & amoxicillin….both are needed to kill this serious bacteria and could be used if driving to the veterinarian was impossible. Ask your veterinarian to give you more of what you need & store it in the fridge.

-Vitamins/ minerals/ supplements: Brewer's Yeast / Kelp Powder/ Spirulina/ Blue-Green algae, Chlorella, antioxidants, (when food is low, these supplements will be of great help

-Medicinal Plants: olena, noni, aloe, comfrey, catnip, chamomile, echinacea, ginger, awa root, and garlic

-Vaccinations

It is imperative that you vaccinate your dogs against leptospirosis if you live near rivers and streams, have a rat problem, or live adjacent to cows or wild pigs. Since there are 6 different strains of the disease, ask your veterinarian for the "4 sero-type" vaccine from Fort Dodge Co. This type of vaccine offers the best protection.

The aftermath of hurricane Iniki left many horses with serious injuries the result of puncture wounds from rusty nails, and debris. Horses that were never vaccinated against tetanus died from their wounds. Horses should be vaccinated at least every 2 years against tetanus.

I hope this article can be the stimulation you need to get prepared! Click here for more information about preparing for a hurricane or other disasters. Please share this information with your friends and family.

You may also wish to bookmark the following websites to help you track storms and hurricanes:

www.hurricanecenter.com
Central Pacific Hurricane Center

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This book review was originally written for the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association / Summer 2004

Book Review: What's Missing and What's Next?

When you have been practicing veterinary medicine for over 30 years like I have, you start looking for "what's next?" and "what's missing?" in your work and in your Life.

At this stage of your Life, it's been too long a road to just learn more "neat stuff", whether they be holistically orientated or scientific "breakthroughs". The learning Mind is insatiable in its hunger for more information. You can never learn enough to satisfy the mind and your ego, and you are always trying to be better at "it". Past the mind, what's missing in medicine is learning the heart and soul of healing.

On some of my Wholistic Veterinary Internet Lists, there has been much discussion about what is "healing" really about?

Curing vs Healing….what's the difference?
Is Intention a real thing?
Can you use prayer to affect your healing?
What is the mysticism in what we do?
Who or what really heals?"
How does "spirituality" fit into our practice of medicine?
Can everything be proved by double-blind studies?
What is energy?
What is our purpose as veterinarians?
What are your dreams?"…. and,
"What is your future"?

Many of us have searched for the illusive "truth" in veterinary medicine, and this quest has led us to wholistic medicine. After all the time we have spent studying and experiencing, we still come to ask the questions…."what's missing" and where is the "Truth"?

"As we mature, we come to understand the content of these truths with ever more clarity and depth, and we are increasingly able to respond to their messages, to interpret their information symbolically and see their archetypal messages"

"As we shift our attention away from the external world into the internal one, we learn symbolic sight."
---Caroline Myss, Ph.D

I have been absorbed in the reading of this book; Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing by Caroline Myss, Ph.D. I was inspired to buy her book after hearing her interview on a radio show. Caroline is an intuitive diagnostician and healer who is now teaching naturopaths, physicians, and individuals how to use their "inner powers" to heal, how to channel energy from a higher source, how to conserve and receive energy, and how to become an intuitive healer through the use of symbols, feelings, and knowing yourself.

"When I analyze an illness in terms of energy medicine, I also evaluate the entire patient, including physical symptoms, and mental habits, relationships, and diet, spiritual practice and career."

"A complete energy evaluation has to include all seven charkas regardless of the location of a physical illness, as well as all aspects and patterns of the patient's Life."

She goes on to say, that before one can learn energy reading or energy healing, one must first work on oneself.

"Before you can become an intuitive healer and diagnostician, you must first be able to diagnose yourself."

"Make yourself the subject of your first intuitive evaluation. In the process, you will find yourself becoming more aware…."

So yes, I am looking at all these things and issues through a different set of lenses. I see more and more that this new work begins with me. "Healer Heal Thyself"…the theme we have had as the basis for our AHVMA Retreats hit home at a new level. I have to look at myself, and see the truth, the strengths and the weaknesses…and really know myself. The answers to questions about "mysticism in medicine" reside in our own bodies.

Caroline Myss hits a home run again by discussing the importance of learning to read energy and to interpret energy by observing yourself. You learn how to transmit energy by first experiencing it.

"Observe what causes you to lose power, and where you feel loss."

"Developing symbolic sight begins with Intention: consciously evaluate your interactions and their influence on your emotional and physical power."

Caroline Myss, combines the spiritual practices of Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Hinduism as sources of wisdom and power. With this blend of philosophies and spiritual practices, she opens the reader to their common sacred truths of guidance that can enhance our minds and bodies and show us how to manage our spirits in the world.

She explains the 7 Chakras in ways that have given me a deeper insight to the causes of diseases, and their outcomes. Currently, I have used this book as a primer, along with Yoga, Meditation, and Net Work Chiropractic to discover "what's draining" me in my life, and what are the sources of my energy and power….and how I can better use them to make a difference in my Life.

"The source of human consciousness, spirit, or power is considered Divine in most religious and cultural traditions…."

I highly recommend this book for those of you who are still looking for the answers to the questions: "What's Next?" and "What is my Purpose"?

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Recipe of the Month: Chicken Creme Chowder

You just finished having chicken for dinner and you have some left over meat and fat. Your dogs are drooling and won't leave the kitchen.

Ingredients:
a. Left over chicken, 1 cup
b. Cream of corn, 1 can
c. Eggs, ( 2 )
d. Minced veggies: broccoli, carrots, parsley, lima beans, left over salad veggies 2 cups
e. Chicken broth 3 cups ( =6 tablespoons of chicken drippings mixed with 3 cups of hot water…..stir well)
f. Cubed leftovers baked sweet potatoes or white potatoes, squash 2 cups
g. Garlic powder ½ teaspoon
h. Basil (1 sprig) of fresh leaves (what's the basil for? Prevents upset stomachs and gas)

Combine the following ingredients into a Wok or deep frying pan…and heat on medium heat
Chicken broth
Cream of corn
Veggies , sweet potatoes
Garlic powder & Basil
Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes

While this is going on you can prepare the chicken and the egg……….
Or is it the egg and the chicken?
Separate the chicken meat from as many of the bones as possible….especially the leg bones……….especially if this chicken has been roasted.

Scramble the eggs and mix in the chicken all together.

Turn up the heat on the chowder, take the lip off and add the chicken-egg mixture…….when the stew begins to boil…..reduce the heat to simmer…..cover, and cook for another 10 minutes.
wait till room temperature before you serve.

Give a little if your dogs are not used to eating freshly cooked food.
1/4 cup to cats and small dogs /½ cup to medium dogs / 1 cup to large dogs
Freeze the rest in one cup storage containers
Save it for those occasions when you really want to give your dog something special.

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