Paws to Heal

As much of central east Victoria fights for its life in the face of the worst bushfires the nation has seen in history, our hearts must go out to all involved this Summer 2009. This will include the masses of helpless wildlife falling victim to Australia’s greatest enemy.
As a dry and open country, Australia has always been prey to fire. It serves to renew and reawaken senescent bushland and plains but in its wake it also takes the lives of many caught in its path. Those who survive can need major assistance.
I was heartened to hear of the massive rescue efforts of countless hundreds of volunteers who try to help the animals who have no escape. It is a miracle that any of them survive but I long ago came to realise the indomitability of some of Australias native animals.
They are as tough and resilient as the nation they inhabit. They can climb and burrow and swim unlike many other species.
Whilst the majority of the animals injured will have been humanely destroyed or have died naturally, those who sustain lesser degree injuries can often be nursed.
Shock and smoke damage to eyes and lungs is a major threat.

Many native Australian animals have thick oily fur to assist heat repulsion but their feet and extremities can be badly burnt. Sheep are also less susceptible owing to their wool but with badly burnt feet they are unable to survive.

Remedies that are essential for burns victims are;

Rescue remedy: Bach flower essence to allay shock. Given as drops or spray to mucous membranes (mouth usually) half hourly then as required. Shock is the biggest threat to survival. Australian Bush Essence equivalent is Emergency Essence.

Mulla Mulla: Australian Bush Essence for distress in fires and heat.This can be used in conjunction with emergency essence.

Colloidal silver: Most burns preparations throughout history had silver in them. This is nature’s antibiotic and healing agent par excellence for burns. The koala rescue team are now bandaging the feet of koalas with wet sponges of colloidal silver to good effect. Used topically and preferably under a cover this will greatly increase survival.
Covering burns: Undoubtedly one of the most important first aid moves is to ensure that burns are covered and that body water is not lost through broken skin. Next to shock, dehydration is the biggest killer. We use glad wrap in people but any bandaging is effective if it is moist.
Homeopathically, the best first line of treatment if found early is to gradually cool the victim. Despite popular belief that this is best done with cold applications, by far a more successful technique is to use warm to very warm water to bath and soak burns. Whilst this may sound contrary it will enable the shocked system to adjust much more effectively and will preserve skin better than further shocking with cold. A gradual return to normality will enhance survival and minimise shock and scarring.
Remedies that will be very useful are Cantharis in high potency, up to 10M given frequently for the first few hours, Arnica orally for shock and infection control with Calendula topically, Apis and or Carbo veg if lung oedema is present. There are many other helpful remedies but if these ones are available they can certainly save lives.

I would like to thank all those who are toiling tirelessly to ensure that the devastation is minimised and send tribute to all those whose lives are touched by this recent disaster.

I find myself wondering sometimes what we have really done to our oldest and most loyal animal companions. Some dogs are now barely even recognisable as canine through our manipulation of their gene pool. We are so used to seeing them like this that we don’t even question their authenticity as ‘dog’ but I distinctly recall thinking not so long ago, as I pondered a Pug, how almost human looking and childlike in behaviour it seemed. In effect all that had happened to it was that its once long muzzle had been shortened to the extent that it ran the risk of almost suffocating on its elongated soft palate and its eyeballs barely had room to sit inside their sockets. Despite all that, however, I remember thinking how endearing it seemed and behaved and completely understood why a client of mine used to refer to his ‘Pug-Adonis’.
Modern dogs of this kind still mostly manage to retain their dogness enough to be endearing and convincing.

On the whole, they have fared reasonably well and have managed to maintain some dignity despite becoming child substitutes in many families

It is hard to believe, to look at, that nearly all dogs supposedly originated from the Asian grey wolf some 14,000 years ago. It is equally likely that isolated groups of canids in separate ancient civilisations evolved independently to give us the genetic variations to begin the game. The temple statue ‘Fu dogs’ or guardian stone lion dogs of ancient China, were modelled on one of the oldest known dogs, the Chow-Chow as real lions did not exist in China. Pugs and Pekes are clearly related to these and Lhasas are the Tibetan temple dog equivalent. In fact the Pekingese is still referred to as the Fu dog in China.

Almost certainly our own home grown Kelpie has dingo ancestry even though the dingo itself is regarded as a domestic dog returned to the wild. We need to be careful to avoid assumptions however as, despite popular belief that the Pharaoh hound originated in Ancient Egypt, it really should be named the Maltese dog as it is the original indigenous hound of Malta from only 500 years ago. Ancient Egyptian canids were most likely jackals and not wolves or dogs, more related to the coyote than to ‘mans best friend’ Suffice to say, the dog has a very large family tree these days with over four hundred registered breeds and continually expanding.

I would actually be quite intimidated by dogs if they all looked like wolves nowadays, as I have become so accustomed to our new age, user friendly range. Nevertheless, when we consider the massive differences now in physical appearance, ability and behaviour of the range of dog breeds the world over, it seems a bit overwhelming that we could have ‘created’ such diversity albeit through much time and selective breeding processes.
In retrospect, we ourselves seem to have changed in appearance, ability and behaviour perhaps to even an equal degree over the same period of time.

Perhaps the most difficult thing to accept, nonetheless, is the infliction of dysfunction and disease susceptibility that has arisen in a large number of pure breeds in more recent times. I remember as a vet student having to learn a list of breed predispositions for my clinical exams. I can see that the list has grown considerably longer over the last twenty years to an alarming extent. To be fair, some of the genetic tendencies have also reduced as a result of responsible action on the part of dedicated breeders but it seems that inbred traits can be hard to shift. The term ‘hybrid vigour’ possibly came into common usage as an observation of the resilience of crossbred dogs to many genetic diseases of their purebred counterparts. Enter the good old ‘mongrel’ or ‘Heinz variety’ with equal charm and functionality but added vitality and fewer vet bills.

It is not my intention to challenge those who make the decisions about how to genetically manipulate dog breeds. I confess, however, to being very pleased that the practice of tail docking is largely outdated and outlawed in most breeds nowadays, at least in this country. It gives me such joy to see a Rotti with its tail held high and proud or a Boxer still learning to have a tail again. The littlest dogs are the waggiest usually and the Jack Russells have converted their new tails into veritable propellers that almost get them airborne.

Despite some controversy over the origins and purpose of many breeds of dogs, it is safe to say that a host of canine variety now exists to augment our domestic bliss the world over. Most breeds of dogs are now found in most countries around the world and a very large number of households have canine inhabitants.

It is impossible for me to imagine human life without dogs. Such is their place in our lives for as long as I can remember.

see also Working dogs

and A dogs life in Adelaide

Whilst it is not always possible to get immediate Veterinary attention, it is possible to administer some basic first aid or principles to an animal in distress.
There have been innumerable books written on this subject but the ‘take home message’ should always be the same.
Trust in your own capacity to act always in the best interests of your pet and your family in times of stress. In short, take a minute to stop, look and process the information. We all have different ways of dealing with problems and we need to be comfortable with our own decisions. I am, therefore, often asked by my clients to give them an idea of what they can do in certain circumstances since many of my clients have some knowledge of natural healing and have remedies on hand.

In extreme emergencies which, fortunately, also do not occur very often; the road traumas and serious injuries with bleeding or tissue damage, the standard first principles apply. Firm pressure on bleeding wound, immobilisation of injuries and trying to stay calm until veterinary attention can be sought. Rescue remedy and Arnica are well indicated in these cases and maybe Aconite for fear. In these situations, first aid remedies can be given two or three times an hour for the first few hours. Both the owner and the animal can benefit from the remedies in these circumstances. Caution must also be exercised in approaching a terrified or injured animal even if they are your own as they will bite. Placing a cover gently over them first will calm them and assist you to assess the situation and handle them more safely.

Many enquiries, however, come from those niggling cases of annoying illnesses like itchy skin and ear infections where the advice will be to be patient and not overmedicate. It is all too tempting to think that doing more will be helpful when, in fact, the tenet of good practice is often that less is best. A dog or cat driven to distraction with skin disease requires calming in their system. This can often be achieved through such things as cool or warm bathing, feeding flax oil, massage or Bowen, giving them raw meaty bones to chew or adding Vitamin C to their diet as a supplement or as a raw green vegie slurry. All or any of these simple practices can assist the immune system to calm itself and reduce anxiety in the animal and owner.

Now that Summer is upon us in Australia, many farmers have taken to carrying bottles of vitamin C injection in their work vehicles in the event of unforeseeable but possible snakebites.

There is much controversy about this practice and I am not about to enter into a debate about the efficacy of Vitamin C in these cases, except to say that vitamin C is far more and greater than just a dietary supplement! I would add that it needs to be given in high doses and preferably intravenously or at least intramuscularly to be an extremely effective protectant against toxic insult to cells. It can save lives and can be applicable for any envenomations from ticks, spiders, snakes and the like.

For those of you who dabble in homeopathics I would recommend that, if veterinary advice is unavailable, you administer one well selected remedy and try to be patient. When we set a healing action in place we have to be kind to the system and trust the process. If you are in doubt about what to give then you shouldn’t give anything. There are first aid homeopathic remedies available for home use for a variety of problems.

In the sad case where your beloved pet is nearing the end of their days the kindest thing you can do for them is to make them as comfortable as possible and allow them the freedom to assist themselves. This may involve placing feed and water dishes closer to their resting place, elevating their bedding in cases of incontinence or moving it to a more sheltered or quieter location. They may also appreciate more time patting and grooming as this will calm them in many circumstances. It will also assist you to make the adjustment and enable you to feel that you are really helping them.

Many of us become alarmed or frightened when sudden changes occur in the health or behaviour of our pets. This is quite normal and inevitable at times. In these cases the administration of rescue remedy ( a Bach Flower remedy) can be of enormous benefit both to the owner and the animal and can give you some thinking and breathing space to see more clearly what needs to be done.

Never underestimate your or your pet’s innate knowledge. With practice, it can be rediscovered and trusted to serve you both very well in these times of need.

December 26th 2004 is a tragic day etched into history and memory alike.

As this anniversary is fast approaching, I am prompted to pay tribute to my recollections of the tragic event.

Whilst I was visiting China with Sri Chinmoy and fellow students on a peaceful cultural exchange, in the Indian Ocean thousands of miles away and closer to my home, the worlds most devastating Tsunami was striking South East Asia.

In a another related clash of extremes, whilst I was contemplating my life away from Veterinary medicine, my friend and colleague Dr Elaine (Eu Ai) Ong was getting ready to go into action in the wake of the Tsunami in Sri Lanka as a field volunteer.

Perhaps one of the lesser known aftermaths of this tragic event was the unleashing of thousands of semidomesticated and wild dogs through these devastated countries. They survived in areas where the majority of people did not. As a result, the incidence of dog attacks from these terrified animals and the rate of rabies infestations rose dramatically, adding a deeper burden of suffering and danger to these torn nations.

Whilst Sri Chinmoy was soulfully praying and meditating with us in China and putting to music a most beautiful, immortal poem written by the President of China to the suffering people of South East Asia, unbeknownst to me, my friend was getting ready to fly directly to the battlefield.

I remember the feelings of shock starting to spread amongst our group as we realised the horror wrought upon the people in the Tsunami afflicted countries; the grief and the feelings of disbelief that Mother Nature could wreak such havoc upon countless innocent lives. It was quite some time before the extent of the devastation could be registered and even longer before it would begin to be reconciled.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too much longer before many of us were launching into practical solutions. The Oneness-Heart Tears and Smiles was instrumental in bringing much needed relief to the stricken region of Banda Ache with the provision of building materials and boats. The Art from the Heart program, another initiative of Sri Chinmoys, saw school children in Australia and from around the world creating pieces of art with messages of love and hope to be distributed to the orphaned children of Banda Ache. During these early months of adjustment, as I was helping with these projects at home, my vet colleagues were vaccinating and desexing dogs in Sri Lanka.

Whilst the majority of the Western world was seeking ways to assist the rebuilding of lives, a group of animal welfare workers from UK, USA, Australia and Asia were developing Tsunami Animal-People Alliance (TAPA). My colleague, Dr Eu Ai Ong, amongst them.

“The Tsunami Animal-People Alliance operates a field sterilisation clinic that moves within the tsunami disaster zone and refugee settlements, providing rabies vaccinations, sterilisations, and general vet treatment to animals who are individually owned, community owned, or true strays. The Sri Lankan people have been very receptive to our Sri Lankan teams’ helping their communities and their animals. Our goal is to vaccinate and sterilise five to six thousand animals per year, educate regarding responsible pet ownership, and raise awareness of the link between the welfare of the animals in a community and the welfare of the people.”

It has been almost four years now since the Great Tsunami and since countless lives were irrevocably altered. It seems strange to contemplate that whether we were personally afflicted or not, we all carry some of the torment wrought upon our earth on that fateful day. As a timely reminder of the connectedness of all life and all our lives it also serves as a catalyst to bring out our humanity and drive us to act with our hearts capacity to serve our fellow man.

It is very comforting to feel that we have the capacity to overcome the impediments that often prevent us from being better citizens of the world and from helping each other in such times of need. Hopefully we can continue to demonstrate these good qualities now without requiring such another tragic catalyst.

I know that people like Dr Ong and her colleagues have discovered new ways to serve humanity through these initiatives and long may they continue to inspire the rest of us to continue to think and behave a little differently for the ongoing betterment of our world.

I visit Adelaide, South Australia, regularly to conduct clinics at the Holistic Veterinary Clinic. I really enjoy meeting new clients and patients and seeing regulars alike. It brings me joy to see how the animals are making progress with their healing and many of them are just seeing me now for maintenance rather than for new problems. Such is the beauty of natural practices. They bring benefit to both the patient and the practitioner. In fact, most of my regulars can’t wait to get their Bowen and hands on healing sessions and in turn they give me their gratitude after off loading any problems they happen to be still carrying.
It was on my last trip that I received the inspiration for this post.

Over lunchtime I spied a book review in the local paper that caught my eye and my imagination.
It is entitled ‘A dogs view of death’ and I think it should read ‘A dogs view of life’.
It is about a new work by author Garth Stein entitled ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’ which was apparently inspired by a documentary he saw on Mongolia, detailing the belief that a dog’s next incarnation is to become human.
There follows a transcript from the opening pages that describes the main character, a dog, waiting for his master to come home and reflecting upon his limitations of being ‘stuffed into a dog’s body ‘ when he really feels that he has a human soul. His is influenced in his convictions by the the best thing he’d ever seen on TV since the 1993 Grand Prix when Ayrton Senna proved himself to be a genius in the rain, a documentary that explained everything to him. It made it all clear, told the whole truth; when a dog is finished living his lifetimes as a dog, his next incarnation will be as a man. The dog is old and decides he is ready to be a man now and to adopt human form even if it means leaving behind all he has learned and all he has been. All of his experiences and memories. He tries to force an imprint of his life into the fabric of his soul so that when he looks at his new hands with their thumbs that are able to close tightly around his fingers, he will already know, already see. It’s what’s inside that’s important.

The dog reflects that he has a man’s soul, but the flipside of this is what he can bring to his human life as he forces himself to remember all he has been.
On the notice board at the Holistic Vet Clinic is the following:

CANINE LIFE RULES

If dogs could teach us we would learn things such as

~ when loved ones come home always run to greet them
~ never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride
~ allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure
ecstasy
~ when it’s in your best interest, practice obedience
~ let others know when they have invaded your territory
~ take naps and stretch before rising
~ run, romp and play daily
~ thrive on attention and let people touch you
~ avoid biting when a simple growl will do
~ on warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass
~ on hot days, drink lots of water and lay on your back under a shady
tree
~ when you are happy, dance and wag your entire body
~ no matter how often you are scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing
and pout…run back and make friends
~ delight in the simple joy of a long walk
~ eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough
~ be loyal
~ never pretend to be something you are not
~ if what you want lies buried, dig until you find it
~ when someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle
them gently

So man or dog, if opposable thumbs is the only difference between us, we have much to learn from each other it seems!

Annual vaccination of dogs and cats has been an established norm within the veterinary profession for decades. There is no doubt that widespread and regular vaccination of pets has had significant benefits in the control of major infectious diseases. We have seen the practical eradication of canine distemper from some urban dog populations and a significant impact on the severity and extent of parvoviral infection due to widespread use of vaccination.

Whilst vaccination has unquestionable benefits, the subject of annual revaccination is being increasingly examined. Although annual boosters may have been required in the past with the use of older types of vaccines, there is increasing evidence that modern vaccines provide long term effective immunity from infection. Recently published studies have shown that vaccinations in dogs and cats may provide significant serological titres lasting for at least 3 years and longer in some cases.

In companion animal practice there is an increasing awareness that automatic annual revaccination may not be necessary despite the recommendations of the vaccine manufacturers. Therefore the decision whether to revaccinate or not should be based on a sound assessment of:

• The risk of infection
• The risks associated with adverse responses
• Duration of response to specific vaccines
• Assessment of the serological titre where this is possible and appropriate

In the poultry and pig industries assessment of the serological titres of animals is well established as a valuable management tool. Analysis of the titres provides a quantifiable assessment of the vaccination status of the animals and thereby a measure of their susceptibility to disease and a rational indication for any requirement for revaccination.

From June 2008, Paws to heal will be offering two alternatives to yearly vaccinations for cats and dogs. The first of these is the above mentioned antibody titre test. This is a simple blood test that demonstrates levels of protective antibodies to canine distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus and feline rhinotracheitis and enteritis (C3 and F3 respectively). The second is homeopathic nosodes that are safe and effective alternatives for the majority of animals. I would stress that nosodes are not sufficient enough alone for young puppies to protect against parvo and distemper and, as such, recommend a single vaccination for young dogs ten to twelve weeks of age or later.  Nosodes seem very good alone for kennel cough and ‘cat flu’. It has been proven now that cats generally are immune for life with a single feline leukaemia vaccination at about 4 months of age for those who wish to vaccinate against this disease. This would reduce the risks of vaccination sarcoma (cancer) at injection sites with this vaccine. Vaccinating cats for chlamydia, bordatella and FIV is not proven to be effective so cannot currently be recommended.

Titre testing (antibody test) is accessible to all Veterinarians in Australia through Vetpath in Perth WA. For those of you wanting to use homeopathic methods please check the nearest veterinary homeopath to you either through Australian holistic veterinarians or a similar directory in your own country.

It has long been acknowledged that yearly vaccination of animals is probably not necessary and possibly, in some cases, harmful.

There has been much debate about yearly vaccinations both within and without the profession in Australia over the past few years and it is becoming generally accepted that vaccination every 3-5 years will be a likely recommendation. Registered triennial vaccinations for dogs are available at your local vet clinic but in actual fact all vaccines on the Australian market will provide years of protection.

Unfortunately, many boarding kennels and dog clubs have not kept pace with the current trends and still require current yearly vaccination certificates before animals can participate in activities. This is the result of a delay in information dissemination and also a lack of appreciation that vaccines are not always harmless and therefore not advised for some animals.

Paws to Heal, believes that many animals’ health is compromised by repeated yearly vaccination. These animals include ones with chronic illnesses like inflammatory bowel diseases, atopic or allergic skin diseases, severe arthritis, history of prolonged antibiotic or cortisone usage and animals on medications for kidney, liver or heart disease. Animals who have had vaccine reactions or ‘inexplicable illnesses’ post vaccination like immune mediated haemolytic anaemia, polyarthritis or haemorrhagic diseases are also advised against repeated vaccination.

Dr Richard Pitcairn, Holistic Veterinarian, explains vaccinosis very clearly.

Paws to heal can arrange to collect blood samples during a routine health check of your pet, as can all veterinarians. Most animals that have had vaccines within the past six years still demonstrate protective levels of antibodies. This makes the antibody or titre test a viable and safe alternative to yearly vaccination for the purposes of satisfying kennel or club requirements.

The success of your endeavours obviously depend largely on the acceptance of these alternatives by the clubs and kennels so please speak to your kennels and clubs to ascertain their willingness to accept testing and/or nosodes.

Most of these establishments are just trying to do the right thing and it is up to us to let them know what that is. If you are looking for help to address the concerns of your kennel staff then I recommend checking the information available from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) of which Australia is a member.

I have a theory that the process of chewing is far more important than has been generally realised. As an holistic Veterinarian I am, of course, always going to recommend the chewing of a raw meaty bone diet to my carnivorous patients but my interest in chewing goes a bit further and deeper than that.

I would like to share some ‘food for thought’ with you.

There are many stories and comments we hear over our lifetimes about certain things that can sometimes all come together down the track as a sort of epiphany. For quite a while now I have been thinking about chewing because it forms a large part of the advice I give to my clients on a daily basis. I decided some time ago that it is more significant than just providing animals with nutrition and set about to check up on some of the things I was starting to piece together in my own mind.

As a child I was always being told to chew my food. Apart from the etiquette attending good table manners, I didn’t realise the health benefits for many years later. My Aunt, at the age of 78, once confided that her good health was largely due to the fact that she chewed each mouthful of food at least 100 times and I thought she was a little loopy and had too much time on her hands.

A number of things have contrived to change my mind since that time. Recently, I learnt about the Buddhists ‘eating meditation’ through an article on a day spent with a humble, elderly, Tibetan peasant who meticulously chewed each single grain of rice in his dinner bowl. Reading this, I myself, was humbled. At first I thought he was so poor that he needed to make the meal last, but then as I read further my amazement grew. With each grain of rice he would offer gratitude to the Creator of the food and provider of rain and land, the farmer who sowed and reaped the grain and the person who cooked and prepared his meal. With each mouthful of food his enjoyment of life and satisfaction and gratitude increased.

I know that my Aunt was not practicing the meditation described so there must be other reasons why chewing is beneficial. There are almost 18 million entries in a ‘Google’ on chewing and most of the ones I looked at were about two things; chewing gum and the problem of dogs that chew. Well, personally I can’t stand gum chewing but dogs that chew things are right in my line of fire. There are thousands of entries of advice on how to stop dogs from chewing whilst acknowledging that it is a normal behaviour for them. By far the majority of research on the topic of chewing is mundane and unhelpful but a couple of interesting things pop up that reaffirm my belief that there is much more to this exercise than we realise.

‘New Scientist’ reports that chewing gum can improve short and long term memory. In test conditions it was shown that those given gum to chew performed significantly better on memory tests than those who didn’t chew. It is accepted that chewing stimulates saliva production that, in turn, raises insulin levels and whilst preparing the body for a meal also raises heart rate and sends glucose and oxygen to the brain. This increases mental alertness and improves learning. I don’t believe that the chewing gum stuck under all the desks at school was necessarily being used to aid learning but who knows?

Another report shows that chewing gum assists people recovering from bowel surgery to recover faster by stimulating the gut and improving motility following the physiology described above.

So it seems chewing is in. Unless of course, you are one of the dog owners who gets everything chewed!

From a Veterinary perspective, dogs that chew things around the house probably need to be fed a diet of raw meaty bones on a regular basis. I started to realise some time ago that the reasons for this are far deeper than just providing nutrition and I postulated ‘Dr Pearson’s chewing energy theory’. It goes a bit like this.

Given that chewing is normal behaviour for dogs it needs to be encouraged in a way that is beneficial for them and their owners. Instead of the plethora of advice about how to provide all sorts of options and training for animals that chew, we probably should just be giving them the best things to chew, raw meaty bones. This also maintains the flow of ‘good dog energy’. Healthy canine energy that is conducive to well being at all levels.
The chewing and grinding of raw meaty bones releases energy into the dogs system by the breaking of chemical bonds in the food substrate. Fresher, better quality foods therefore will have more vibrant life energy to release.
Further still is the activation of one of the most important ‘pumps’ in the body, that of the temporomandibular joint or (TMJ).

Osteopaths and Craniosacral practitioners will be well aware of the crucial nature of this joint in the jaw. My theory is not unique but perhaps not always seen in the context described. It seems that the TMJ is an extremely important energy centre in the body and that healthy chewing stimulates processes that maintain the health of the immune and endocrine systems partly via a pump effect to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We also know this joint is the seat of anger, resentment and frustration in the diseased state in humans. As the sacroiliac joint maintains CSF health via nutation, its normal motion during walking, so too does the TMJ maintain at the higher end of the animal by chewing.

The late Tom Bowen of Geelong had a great reverence for his TMJ procedure along with his Coccyx procedure, both of which he considered the most powerful Bowen moves. This may affirm the importance of the possible effect on the flow of CSF via these procedures at either pole of the spinal axis. Interestingly too is that he recommended that these procedures not be conducted concurrently as they were equally powerful.

Chewing releases all sorts of natural opiates and endorphins that will achieve the ‘feel good’ effect as well as stimulating the gastrointestinal tract and providing mental stimulation. We know that the feeding of liquid diets alone will not maintain optimal health even whilst providing all necessary nutrients. The lack of opportunity to chew deprives us not only of satisfaction from our meal but also does not adequately prepare our bodies to receive and digest the food properly. This often results in stomach and intestinal disorders. Dogs and cats will naturally gulp down whole any food that they are not forced to chew including all processed wet or dry foods. They will mostly, on the other hand, chew meaty bones with relish. And if they don’t have raw meaty bones they will seek to chew other things perhaps.

People often say to me that feeding bones makes their dogs aggressive. It may seem that way. They are more likely to behave in a more canine manner. We probably have to learn to work with this as it is in dog nature to be stimulated by chewing. Aggression is definitely not to be encouraged but I suspect what is really happening is satisfaction at a dog level that we need to manage if it is being expressed inappropriately. Most enterprising dog owners can find ways around these difficulties once they realise the immeasurable benefits derived from chewing raw meaty bones.

Personally, I like nothing better than to sit down to a delicious meal of fresh and wholesome foods and I will be trying to remember from now on to take more time to chew thoroughly and enjoy equally.

It seems appropriate to launch a new site with a short tribute to the process that brought it about. Firstly there is gratitude and secondly and ongoingly, there is transformation.
These two processes not only brought this site into being but are also responsible for almost everything that happens to me.

Sri Chinmoy has taught me the value of gratitude and how it can be one of the most powerful influences in my life. Transformation is a natural process that follows on from then.
At present, I am particularly grateful to those who have encouraged me and assisted me to establish this forum, with special thanks to Sumangali from pure web designs.

When we start thinking about, or looking at things from a different angle, life can seem a little challenging. All the stuff that we have grown up believing as absolute becomes not much more than a shaky framework on which we need to rebuild ourselves with new thoughts and impressions.

Fortunately for me this has been a gradual process with some bursts of overload occasionally from inrushes of enthusiasm at having discovered something totally profound.
I am blessed with a naturally inquisitive mind and I like to see links in nature and things and connections between ideas and events. Life viewed this way can be a smorgasbord of opportunities. This is what I have learnt and this is what it was like for me when I discovered that I needed to practice Veterinary medicine differently for me to continue to be happy.

There is a lot of burnout in professions like mine and sadly there are many of us who do not survive the pressure of demands that life seems to impose on us. The most important thing I discovered was to trust my intuition and believe in myself. This sounds simplistic. In essence it is simple but in practice it is very very difficult to implement because in many instances it means going directly against what we have been taught to believe is the best way to do something.

I have learnt to be less dogmatic. Some people would say that I have just gotten older and with age comes wisdom, but I would like to say that it comes at a price. It often costs us our pride or our ego, occasionally our sense of status or importance and sometimes our relationships. Many of us are not willing to put these things on the line, so not all of us end up acquiring as much wisdom as age. But some of us do and hopefully that is what I am doing. Some of us, it seems, are also gifted with it earlier than others.
I remember back to my early days as a veterinarian, for example, working in a welfare organization where large numbers of animals were destroyed every day for various reasons. There were colleagues of mine even then who quietly rebelled and refused to conduct euthanasia at this rate. Interestingly and sadly perhaps, it took me many more years before I came to my own position on this issue. Ironically, I am now one of the only veterinarians in my country who does not perform euthanasia at all.

There are many such turnarounds or transformations that I am sure we all experience in our lives, some of which we are aware and many we are not. But it is these transformative moments that ultimately reshape our destiny. It seems it is not advisable to ever say ‘never’.

My continuing self-discovery shapes my life and the way I serve others. I hope that similarly, over time, this forum for reflections will bring many new beginnings and stories that may inspire you as readers to think more deeply about the responsibility we all have to ourselves and to all living things with whom we share our lives.

Happy reading, reflecting and beginning.