Archive for February, 2019
The Importance of Your Pet’s Kidneys
The kidneys remove excess water and waste from the blood. Kidney functions diminishes slowly with age. In older dogs and cats, kidney failure is a leading cause of illness. Damaged kidneys are less able to concentrate urine so the body needs more fluid. Increased thirst and urination are often the first signs of kidney disease. As the disease progresses, pets lose weight and their appetite. They play less, sleep more and may exhibit constipation and nausea. By the time most owners notice these changes, most kidney function is already lost. There is no cure for chronic kidney failure,but your veterinarian can help slow it’s progression and improve it’s quality of life. My beloved cat Molly had advanced Kidney disease and even though the disease is eventually fatal, I was able to keep Molly alive about five years with it and she had a pretty decent quality of life until the very end.
Remember, your pets count!
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Is your Dog A Food Gulper?
You put your dog’s dinner out and within one second it’s gone! I’m sure your dog isn’t savoring every bite. There are some tools that can slow him down a bit although I don’t agree with the use of all of these tools, some may be helpful. Here are tips published by The Honest kitchen. Make your own decision but I tell you I like the last suggestion best.
Tools to Slow Food Gulpers
If, when given his food, your dog eats as if it’s his last meal, you’ll want to slow him down a bit. Not only is the dog who gulps his meal unsatisfied (his stomach hasn’t yet told his brain that he’s full) but many gulpers will vomit after eating because they’ve shocked their stomach by taking in too much food too quickly.
Some dog owners will place some smooth stones that are too large for the dog to swallow in with the dog’s food so that as he’s eating, the dog will have to move the stones around in the bowl to get to the food. There are also commercially available bowls with pillars that come up from the bottom of the bowl that serve the same purpose.
There are many food dispensing toys on the market now that can be loaded with your dog’s meal (or treats) and with these, he has to move or otherwise manipulate the toy to get his food. These range from simple (for puppies) to more advanced.
You can also slow down a gulper by feeding him half or more of his meal by hand. When you’ve fed him at least half of his food, asking him to sit while he eats and asking him to take it gently, then give him the rest of his food.
Remember, your pets count!
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Your Dog is Ready to Deliver Her Litter
We spoke of knowing when your dog is pregnant. Now you should know what to expect at the time of delivery. Within twenty four hours of giving birth, your dog may become restless and reject food. Walk her often during this time. This will give her a chance to urinate and defecate before the delivery. When her water is broken, you may notice her licking her vulva. Soon contractions will begin and you will know that the puppies are on their way. Usually they’ll appear head first, belly down, covered by a membrane. Your dog will lick them to remove the sac and the umbilical cord. Giving birth is no easy task, so after each puppy, your dog will rest. Stay with her and if more than a few hours go by without a puppy appearing, call your veterinarian. After the delivery, let her rest and maybe throw in a dog treat for all of the hard work that she’s done.
The weekend is here time to turn on the oldies. Edgewater Gold Radio plays the greatest variety of oldies from the 50 through the 80’s. Join us this weekend for our 60s and 70s weekend! Ask Alexa to “Play Edgewater Gold Radio or listen from our website, Edgewater Gold Radio .com.
Do Pets Go To Heaven?
Since I have lost my beloved cat Molly, I have pondered this question many times. Some Christians say that the bible doesn’t mention pets getting into the kingdom of God and this really disturbs me. Personally I believe that Heaven supposed to be a perfect, happy place. Pets are a huge part of human life. Would God eliminate our furry friends from entering his kingdom? I think not. I believe that everything we know and love will be included in the kingdom of Heaven. Guideposts says this on the subject.
The Bible does indeed have an answer about whether we will see our furry loved ones again.
Consider the story in Genesis of the very first covenant established between God and his people, made with Noah right after the flood.
The clouds part and the world’s first rainbow appears. God tells Noah that he is creating a covenant “with you, and with your descendants after you; and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth.”
God goes on to say that his covenant with “all flesh” shall never be “cut off”—a strong suggestion that animals will not be excluded from his dealings with the world.
(This passage was an inspiration for “Rainbow Bridge,” an anonymous poem that has become very popular on the internet. It describes how when people arrive at the gates of heaven, the first thing they will encounter is their deceased pets.)
Then there’s Luke 3:6. “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.” Or Mark 16:15—a passage well-loved by that great friend of animals, Saint Francis of Assisi. The risen Jesus tells the Apostles to go into the world and “preach the Gospel to every creature.”
Jesus filled his teachings with references to animals. His promise in Matthew and Luke that not even a sparrow falls to earth without God’s knowing it subtly but powerfully suggests what every grieving pet owner feels: God refuses to forget a single one of his creatures, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
What about the argument that runs: “Animals can’t go to heaven because the Bible says they don’t have souls”? Norm Phelps points out in his book, The Dominion of Love that the Hebrew term repeatedly used to describe animals in the Old Testament is nephesh chayah.
Chayah means “living,” while nephesh is the Hebrew term for the force that animates the body—what Phelps describes as “the whatever-it-is that makes a person or an animal a conscious, sentient individual.”
A funny thing happened when this term was translated into English. In most English versions of the Bible, different words are used to translate nephesh chayah depending on whether animals or people are being discussed.
In Genesis 1:21 and 24, for example, Phelps points out that nephesh chayah is translated as “living creature.” But in Genesis 2:7, where the term refers to people, not animals, it’s translated as “living soul.”
The use of two different terms in the English translation completely blurs the fact that in the original Hebrew, no such distinction exists.
Why did the Bible’s english translators take such pains to use different terms for the souls of animals and people, when the Hebrew of the Old Testament repeatedly uses just one? Probably because they were concerned not to contradict Genesis teaching that humans alone are created in God’s image.
But to acknowledge that animals have souls isn’t to usurp the unique place of humans in God’s creation—as the original Hebrew makes clear enough.
Of all the biblical passages that I ultimately discovered I could turn to for consolation, the most moving and compelling is the Old Testament’s single greatest passage prefiguring the Christian heaven—Isaiah’s vision of the Peaceable Kingdom:
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”
Why, when Isaiah wanted to paint the ultimate picture of heavenly fulfillment, did he choose to make such rich use of animals? Because he knew what every pet owner knows: A world without animals is a barren one. And clearly, a heaven without our pets would be less heavenly.
So expect to see your departed. loved furry friends when you cross over that bridge into the kingdom of God!
Remember, your pets count!
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Changes In Your Dog’s Nose Color? Plastic Could Be The Cause
If notice any changes in your dog’s nose color, there’s probably no need for alarm. A nose that’s normally dark can change color for several reasons. It may look pink or brown. Sometimes, the season is the reason for the change. The change can occur in the colder months. This is due to pigment loss because of the temperature. Sunburn can also cause a problem. Applying sunscreen can help. Some noses are sensitive to plastic food and water bowls. This can cause contact dermatitis. Normal color may return if you change the food and water bowl to steel or ceramic. If your dog seems healthy, in every other way, nose color changes are probably not a problem. If there are other symptoms such as a loss of appetite or listlessness, see your veterinarian.
Remember, your pets count!
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A Pet Adoption Checklist
Many of us are excited to give a homeless pet a good home. That’s great since so many of these animals are abandoned or mistreated. My cat, Millie was abandoned and left in an apartment alone when it’s cruel, heartless owners moved out on her. She was only about 2 months old. A neighbor heard her cries and found her and took her to a shelter where I couldn’t help but adopt her and give her a good home.
An estimated 8 to 12 million pets wind up in shelters each year.
When you adopt a pet, there are some basic things that you should know.
- If you live in an apartment, do they allow pets (they all should but don’t!)
- Do you have enough room in your home for a homeless pet?
- Make sure there is enough in your budget to care for a pet.
- How will the new pet get along with other pets that you may have?
- Research the type of pet you want. If you are adopting a certain breed dog, know the characteristics of that breed before adopting it.
- Be ready before the pet arrives. Have that nice soft, dog or cat bed ready along with all of the necessary accessories like food, litter, dog leash, dog collar etc.
- Give your new pet time to adapt.
- Give yourself time to adjust to your new arrival.
I hear so many stories of people adopting a pet and then returning it to a shelter for one reason or another. This in my opinion is cruel. Know what you’re getting into. It’s not fair to that poor animal who thinks it has a good home only to be returned to the cage in the shelter a few days later!
The greatest oldies are playing right now on Edgewater Gold Radio! The 50s through the 80’s all the time. Turn on your memories today! Ask Alexa to “Play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our Website: Edgewatergoldradio.com.
Remembering Molly
It was one year ago today that we lost our beloved cat Molly. Molly was a special cat to me. I found her in 1999 under a car at our condo complex in New Jersey. It was a damp, foggy October evening. I put my hand our and she came right over. She was barely five weeks old! As she grew, the bond between Molly and myself got stronger. She was particularly attached to me. Although she was not friendly to other people, she provided me with constant companionship. She would follow me around, sit on my lap in the evening, snuggle next to me at night, sprawl out on the deck with me during the summer months. She was with us through three moves. Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, Edgewater, New Jersey and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. For almost nineteen years Molly provided me with unconditional love and comfort.
About five years ago, Molly was diagnosed with advanced Kidney disease. I closely monitored her, made sure she took her medicine and ate properly. I purchasing a special oil from Canada with improved Kidney function. She survived for five years but eventually Kidney disease always wins. Our Molly passed away on February 3, 2018. She is always in our hearts and I believe that someday we will be again over the Rainbow Bridge and spend eternity in perfection together!
Remember, your pets count!
Our 60’s and 70’s weekend continues on Edgewater Gold Radio! Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website: Edgewtergoldradio.com.
Sometimes We Have To Resist Temptation
My partner and I were scheduled to attend an event at a local brewery. The event included having a drink and interacting with dogs and puppies up for adoption. We were thinking about going to this event but later decided not to. The reason is because we would be too tempted to adopt a furry friend. Now don’t get me wrong we are planning to adopt a dog but at this time it’s not appropriate.
Our cat Millie, spent most of her life hiding from our cat Molly who past away last year. It wasn’t Molly’s fault. When we adopted Millie, we already had Molly so Molly was the dominant cat. At the time, we didn’t realize that if you have a female cat and add another female to the family, the two will never get along. So while we did our best to get Millie to feel more comfortable, Molly made it difficult so Millie, a skiddish cat anyway, spent most of her time hiding under the bed or in a space away from Molly.
Now Millie seems to be enjoying her freedom. She is more comfortable since Molly is gone and is enjoying her life. We just couldn’t introduce a dog at this time. We’re afraid that this would put her over the edge and send her back into hiding. So sometimes we just have to resist temptation!
Remember, your pets count.
Get the oldies playing today on Edgewater Gold Radio! It’s a 60s and 70s weekend! Great oldies and catch out classic disco show—Dance Fever 54 starting at 7pm EDT. Ask Alexa to “Play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website:Edgewatergoldradio.com.
Don’t Be Afraid to Push Back!
Many years ago, my roommate at the time had cat name Hitler because he had a white facte with a little black around his nose. It was Christmas time and Hitler became very lethargic and stopped eating or doing anything. My roommate and I were very concerned. We took Hitler to the vet who gave us the bad news. Hitler ate the tinsel on the tree and it was strangling his intestines. He advised us to euthanize Hitler. My roommate didn’t have the heart to do this so we took Hitler home. Since my roommate was headed to Minnesota for the Christmas holiday, I did everything I could to nurse Hitler back to health. I spend hours with an eyedropper giving him water. Hitler was apparently very dehydrated. I kept giving him water, then broke up some roasted turkey, put in on a napkin. To my amazement he began eating a little of the turkey. He began to take in more and more water and more and more turkey. After about three days, Hitler was up and around. When my roommate came home, he came through the door and found Hitler darting all over the apartment.
I posted this next segment yesterday and I strongly feel that it also applies to Veterinarians. Remember they work for you PUSH BACK!!!
Over the past couple of years, several people that I’m close to have been dealing with the “dreaded” cancer. The following is my opinion on this subject. First of all let me say that even though much progress has been made in dealing this this awful disease, I still think we should be much further along. There should be a more humane way to control and cure this monster. Being older, I pause and say “Is there anything on this good earth that can cure this? Is there anything that can effectively maintain a patients lifestyle while treating the “cloud of cancer?” I think there may be but I’m not going into any conspiracy theories or anything. I want to emphasize the importance of taking control. Remember, your doctor/doctors work for you. In the past it seems as if patients regularly accepted whatever the doctor said, no questions asked. In the case of cancer some received debilitating surgeries and Chemotherapy without even discussing any other options. My own mother feared treatments so much that when she received very concerning news about her condition, she chose to do absolutely nothing! This was very concerning for us but mom made her own decisions. I feel that every patient has the right to question their doctor. Question again and again until you receive answers that you’re satisfied with. If necessary, seek second or third opinions. There is someone very close to me who is going through this right now. My friend seems to have a good doctor but sometimes he changes the course of treatment. I’ve been helping my friend write down questions about the treatment prescribed. After we speak which is on a regular basis, I do some research, then come up with more questions. My friend writes them down and presents them to the doctor. The diagnosis of cancer can be so overwhelming that at the time, patients don’t know where to turn, or what to ask. Remember, you can PUSH BACK and PUSH BACK again until you are satisfied with the plan ahead. These are your rights as a patient! Remember PUSH BACK!!!!!!
Remember, your pets count!
The oldies are playing all the time on Edgewater Gold Radio! It’s a 60s and 70s weekend beginning tonight at midnight! Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio or listen from our website: Edgewatergoldradio.com.