Canine Massage

Benefits of Canine Massage

Like humans, our pets can also experience physical and emotional strains and pains which, left untreated, can cause imbalance, leading to an unwell pet.

Canine Massage is a hands-on technique of manipulation of the soft tissues of the body that..

• Helps maintain balance and harmony.
• Improves circulation.
• Relaxes muscles.
• Balances muscle function and joint action.
• Helps to eliminate scar tissue, adhesions and knots.
• Helps with mobility.
• Increases range is movement.
• Increases flexibility.
• Decreases anxiety and tension.
• Decreases inflammation.
• Helps to eliminate waste and toxins in the body.
• Increases the amount of nutrients to the muscles.
• Helps to relieve the pain of arthritis.

Canine Massage is considered the best thing you can do to bond and build the trust level with your dog.  Massage therapy can help with behavioral problems and to help your dog feel better.

Massage can be as simple as just rubbing your pet gently all over his body.  EVERYWHERE .. From the ears, and teeth and gums to the paws and toes.  Have your dog lie down on the floor.  Start at the head and rub gently as you work your way down the back and sides, tail and feet.  Be gentle and talk quietly to let your dog know that this is OK.  If you have a pet that is high energy or not used to being touched, you may want to start with short sessions.  My mommy does simple massage on all of us dogs everyday.  If someone has had a therapy visit, they get some extra massages.   Mommy makes sure that we have lots of water available after a massage session.

There is a special massage called TTouch.  It uses small circles with your fingertips in a clockwise motion.  Here is a website to check it out .. http://www.tellingtonttouch.com

Laugh Out Loud with Miley!

Hi! Miley here! Today, I am dedicating this column to the funny cats and dogs! I won’t talk much, just a bunch of pictures! Enjoy!

Hey, look! A squirrel! That ought to get your attention!

He doesn't seem happy about Obedience School!

You've heard of teacup chihuahuas? Here's some teacup kitties!

The Use of Carbaryl in Pet Collars to Cease

The following article was written by author Helena Sung, and is courtesy of AOL.

As of September 2010, Carbaryl, a toxin currently being used in flea collars will be discontinued, reports the Portland Pet Health Examiner. Carbaryl, also known by its trade name, Sevin, “is a broad-spectrum insecticide used on lawns and gardens and agriculture crops that include apples, pecans, grapes, alfalfa, oranges, and corn.”

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an international nonprofit environmental organization, considers carbaryl “highly toxic”, and has pushed the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to get Wellmark International to discontinue using carbaryl in its pet flea collars, reports the Portland Pet Health Examiner.

While that may seem like good news, the NRDC published a startling and groundbreaking report in April 2009 that two pesticides — tetrachlorvinphos and propoxur — are still being used in flea collars, posing a significant danger to children, adults and animals. “High levels of pesticide residue can remain on a dog’s or cat’s fur for weeks after a flea collar is put on an animal,” the NRDC report states. “Some residue levels are so high that they pose a risk of cancer and damage to the neurological system of children up to 1,000 times higher than the EPA’s acceptable levels.”

And that’s not all. “Children are particularly at risk from these pesticides because their neurological and metabolic systems are still developing,” the report further states. “They are also more likely than adults to put their hands in their mouths after petting an animal, and so are more likely to ingest the hazardous residues.”

The NRDC is urging the EPA to ban the use of tetrachlorvinphos and propoxur in pet products. In the meanwhile, the organization suggests more natural methods of flea control, such as bathing your pet, combing its fur to find fleas, regular vaccuming and keeping grass and shrubbery clipped. The NRDC also recommends the use of pet products with Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) found in sprays, spot applications, collars and pills. For more information, visit www.greenpaws.o