Atlantic Veterinary Hospital (AVH) of Marblehead MA is now offering acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for dogs and cats by Jeanie Mossa Kraft L.Ac of Four Paws Acupuncture Combining the best of western veterinary medicine with oriental medicine at Atlantic’s new state of the art facility.

Oriental Medicine Services for Animals include:
Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Chinese Herbal therapy
Nutritional Therapy
Laser Treatment
Tui Na
Bach Flower Remedies

For more information on rates, services or to schedule an acupuncture session at AVH click here

For the best of Western Veterinary Medicine:
Atlantic Veterinary Hospital provides a broad spectrum of diagnostic procedures at their in-house lab and the use of external laboratories. They work closely with all referral hospitals when special diagnostic procedures are required.

The AVH facility includes a well-stocked pharmacy, in-hospital surgery suite, state-of-the-art digital imaging x-ray equipment, in-house ultrasound equipment and ultrasound expertise.

The fully trained staff at AVH closely supervises the hospitalization area for optimal care and attention to your beloved pet. Their commitment is to keep your best friend happy and healthy.

Atlantic Veterinary Hospital is located at
10 Ocean Avenue
Marblehead MA 01945
781.631.8881
For directions click here

Plenty of parking! Handicap ramp for your convenience.

One of the stranger finds amid the tsunami debris bobbing off Japan’s coast also happens to be one of the more welcome ones. Japanese Coast Guard helicopter crews buzzing the sea for unlikely survivors – the disaster’s toll now stands at 27,600 dead or missing – spotted this dog pulling a Huck Finn on a floating roof a mile off of Kesennuma, near the badly hit northeast part of Honshu.

From TBD Blog Directory

The earthquake happened on March 11 and the animal was found on Friday – that’s three weeks adrift, which is the upper limits of a dog’s starvation tolerance and seemingly impossible without a source of fresh water. It’s an utter joy to see the pup, named Ban, reunited with its owner a couple days later… until you remember all the people who will never have such reunions, canine or human. Still, look at that tail go.”

For info on acupuncture for your dog on the North Shore of MA please visit Cities include Salem, Marblehead, Swampscott, Peabody, Beverly and more.

So many people ask about what they can do for their pets who have emotional issues, aggression, fear and other issues. Acupuncture may be helpful for certain emotional problems however I have found that using the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy combined with specific Bach Flower essences can make the most difference. Using 2-3 drops of Rescue Remedy in your pet’s water is safe and effective. Add 2-3 drops of the flower essence along with the Rescue Remedy if needed.

From the Bach Flower Website http://www.bachflower.com/Pets.htm

Animals have emotions too. They feel fear, anger, jealousy, and depression just like us.

The Bach Flower Remedies® are able to help our Animals when they have negative emotions just as they help us when we are emotionally out of balance. Unfortunately, we are not able to ask our pet why it acts depressed, but we do know if it misses a friend or gets overly excited around new people.

Here are just a few of the single flower essences and their uses. For more info visit the web link listed above.

Rescue Remedy® Immediate calming effect
Use for stressful situations: visits to the vet, being left alone, adapting to new surrounding. Fear of loud noises, such as firework and thunder. Excessive barking or hissing

Mimulus: For fears; afraid of lightening, visits to the vet. May shake or shiver when confronted. Shy and timid animals
Animals become more confident and courageous, can enjoy life without fear

Rock Rose: Terror, panic-stricken: body trembling, cowers or runs away. Restores courage and calmness

Holly: Jealousy of other animals or a new baby in the home. Angry growling, hissing, barking, snapping or unprovoked attacks.
Will become an animal that is more compassionate and willing to share with other animals.

Happy March,

I am happy to have the honor of posting this information to help the woman who rescued me, Mz Shelia Duncan, founder of the Trouble Says Be Tough program. Shelia was very helpful in finding a forever home for me in MA when i was abandoned in Tennessee during the floods last year. Please take a moment to read about the good work her organization is doing now.

Hope to see all of you at the Salem Commons soon.. … the squirrels are back!
xoxoxo
Quan Yin Wu

Here’s Trouble the Dog!

James K. Donahue was one of the brave soldiers who served at Normandy in World War II and Korea. He is presently fighting his way back from a life threatening injury suffered this September and is now at a rehab facility in Maryland.

Evan Reichenthal served courageously in Afghanistan; and is presently working every day to overcome the multitude of severe injuries he suffered while on duty. He has just recently been transferred from Bethesda, MD to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. His rehab is expected to take at least two years.

Three wars, two soldiers and one determined daughter – enter Susan Donahue Cross.

After witnessing what her dad and Evan were simultaneously going through – although generations apart – Susan has chosen to spearhead a drive which will give these soldiers a coping mechanism to continue their struggle back to life. A gentle reminder that life is worth living.

Meet Trouble the Dog. Trouble was created by a child after suffering many cancer losses in her young life. Kendra Duncan wanted to help others going through adversity and drew a simple little grey dog who had been abandoned yet found hope and learned resilience. We now know that Trouble has a spirit that soothes, comforts and encourages all those that embrace him … we don’t know why … he just does.

With your help, Susan will be delivering “Trouble” the Dog to Walter Reed Army Hospital this April 2nd by the hundreds. The mission of Trouble is simple: he brings HOPE and resilience to those going through a difficult time. He reminds them that “Trouble Says Be Tough” … and “When Trouble Comes, You Are Never Alone”.

Please join Susan and her friends by donating towards a Trouble Dog or Medallion at: www.troublethedog.net today.

Here they are folks, the top 8 dog foods that are claiming to be holistic and oh so healthy for your dog. This info comes from Whole Dog Journal.
Don’t you wish David Letterman would do a top ten worse dog food list?

And the losers are:

Eukanuba Nautrally Wild Turkey & Multigrain

Iams Healthy Chicken Naturals

Nature’s Best Science Diet Chicken & Brown Rice

Rachel Ray Nutrish Beef & Brown Rice

Chef Michaels Purina Chicken

Purina ONE Smart Blend Chicken & Rice

Are you ready for this one?
Whole Foods 365 Performance
ingredients: chicken-by-product, rice, corn meal, corn GLUTEN, wheat, dried beet pulp, natural flavors, flaxseed and dried egg product
More proof that not everything you buy at Whole Foods is good for you or your pets!

And drum roll please.. the absolute worst dog food claiming to be holistic and nutritious is….
Beneful Purina Healthy Harvest
corn, corn gluten, whole wheat flour, animal fat, soy protein, soy flour, water, rice flour, pearled barley, and sugar
(Do you think you could add any more allergens or junk to this! No animal protein is in this food at all. Yet people buy this for their dogs because the healthy picture on the bag. I think the bag would be more nutritious for your dog than the ingredients.)

Please note that wheat, corn, and soy can be the cause of allergies in dogs. Wheat and all gluten exacerbates all pain and arthritis and auto-immune disorders. It has also been proven to bring on seizures in dogs.

We just received our last issue of the Whole Dog Journal. I am not sure if my pet human, Beta-chic will renew it. She has a love-hate relationship with the journal. But that is a blog post for another day. Right now i am very busy and important while chewing on my Lucky Antler Deer Horn so i will turn this blog post over to her. (Oh by the way- i ate her reading glasses so please excuse any html blips!)
xoxoox
Quan Yin

The Whole Dog Journal’s Dry Foods of 2011 in alphabetical order- not in order of best dog food. Some of these companies make several brands of dog food. Please check their websites for more info.
drum roll please…

Addiction Foods New Zealand addictionfoods.com

Annamaet petfoods Sellersville PA USAwww.accamaet.com”>

Artemis Pet Foods N. Hollywood CA www.artemiscompany.com

Back to Basics Meadville PA www.backtobasics.com

Bench & Field Pet Foods Grand Rapids Mi www.benchandfield.com

Blue Buffalo Company Wilton CT www.bluebuff.com

Blue Seal Feeds (By Nature )Londonery NH www.bynaturepetfoods.com

Breeders Choice (AvoDerm) Irwindale CA www.apdselectchoice.com

Burns Pet Health Val. IN www.burnshealthpet.com

Canidae Corp San Luis Obispo CA www.canidae.com

Canine Caviar Pet Foods (Organix) Costa Mesa CA www.caninecaviar.com

Castor & Pollux Pet Works www.castorpolluxpet.com

Champion Petfoods (Acana & Orijen) Alberta Canada www.championpetfoods.com

Della Natural Commodities (Wenawe) Bayside NY www.dellanaturalpet.com

Diamond Pet Products (Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover Soul, Taste of the Wild) Meta MO chickensoupforthepetloversoul.com

Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Pacoima CA www.naturalbalance.net

Dogswell LA CA www.dogswell.com

Dr G’s Pet Food Company Sedona AZ www.drgsfreshpetfood.com

Dr Tim’s Pet Food Company Marquette MI www.drtims.com

Drs Foster & Smith WI www.drsfostersmith.com

Earthborn Holistic Evansville IN
www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com

Since this list is very long i will not be posting the html for the rest of the websites. So sorry!

Evangers Dog & Cat Food www.evangersdogfood.com

FirstMate Pet Foods BC Canada www.firstmate.com

Fromm Family Foods Mequon WI www.frommfamily.com

Horizon Pet Nutrition Canada www.horizonpetnutrition.com

Laughing Dog INC Lodi CA www.laughingdogorganic.com

Linocoln Biotech East Bend NC www.lincolnbiotech.com

Lotus Natural Food Torrance CA www.lotuspetfoods.com

Merrick Pet Care (Before Grain, Whole Earth Farms) Armarillo TX www.merrickpetcare.com

Mulligan Stew Pet Food Jackson Wy www.mulliganstewpetfood.com

Natura Pet Products (California Naturals, Innova, Evo, Karma, Healthwise) Davis Ca www.naturalpet.com
From Four Paws Acupuncture : Please note that this company has been bought out by Proctor and Gamble which tests on animals. There is no guarantee that the quality will remain the same in the future.

Nature’s Variety (Instinct & Prairie )Lincoln N.E. wwwnaturesvariety.com

Omnipro Pet Foods Madison MS www.omnipropet.net

Perfect Health Diet Products Elmsford NY www.phdproducts.com

Pet Chef Express New Westminister Canada www.petchefexpress.com

Petcurean Pet Nutrition BC Canada www.petcurean.com

Pet Valu Ontario CA

Precise Pet Products TX USA www.precisepet.com

Smartpak Canine Plymouth MA www.smartpakcanine.com

Solid Gold Health Products. El Cajon CA www.solidgoldhealth.com

Tuffy’s Pet Foods Inc Perham MN www.nutrisourcedogfood.com

Verus Pet Foods Abingdon MD www.veruspetfoods.com

WellPet Tewsbury MA (Wellness) www.wellpet.com

Next post we will tell you the foods they did NOT recommend!

Nina Ballerina mother of Merlin and Merlin Bird Mossa

February 1st is the day i forever more celebrate the birth of the dog love of my life, Merlin Bird Mossa. There is always that one dog who is the One. The one you fall in madly in love and form an unbreakable bond forever. This is true love.

Some dogs should be canonized as saints. There is a reason that Dog is God spelled backwards. Merlin was such a dog. I was there the night he was born. His mother, Nina pictured above gave birth the evening of February 1, 1983. A magical day known as Imbolc or St Brigid’s. He was the largest of the litter and it was love at first sight. A small furry little dark hamster with puppy breath. (Oh if we could bottle that.) I had just finished reading The Mists of Avalon and was inspired to name him after Merlin the magician.

Words cannot describe the unconditional love between a dog and their human caretaker. Merlin was with me during some of the most painful times in my life. Always a comfort, and a protector. A big snoring teddy bear who hogged the bed. Every Sunday we went to Dog Beach in Ocean Beach CA to watch the waves and other dogs. He was pretty lame by then but loved the ride and the view.

Merlin was the inspiration for Four Paws Acupuncture. While attending acupuncture college Merlin had hip dysplasia along with arthritis and a few other old dog ailments. I was fortunate to learn how to work on him, treating him with acupuncture, herbs, a change of diet and he lived to be 14.5 years. A very good age for a pure bred German Shepherd.

Merlin passed away in my arms on September 22, 1997 (Bruce Springsteen’s birthday) I am sure it was a sign he was born to run. It is one of those memories i relive anytime i am with a dog patient who passes on. There are no words that can express the sadness and grief of losing a beloved dog or cat. It is as powerful as losing a human friend. Some may say “Oh-it’s only a dog.” Those are the people i am tempted to bite on occasion!

Today Quan Yin will get a few extra treats in honor of this feast day. We will light a candle later for Merlin and leave him a cookie. I know his Spirit lives on and is with me.

Thank you dearest boy for your love and sense of humor. I will always miss you. Kiss your dog and give him or her an extra treat on this doggie feast day.

Oh… yes la de da… i am now famous. The puparazzi are following me around Salem MA now. Other dogs are running up to sniff and congratulate me. The tellers at my bank even gave me a cookie yesterday! All this because my pet human wrote an article in the Salem Gazette, and they used MY picture. I deserve an organic chicken and apple sausage for this! Maybe i will make the cover of Time magazine next…..

“Many pets love the snow, but it can still be dangerous for them. Pictured is the author’s pet, Quan Yin, playing in the snow at Derby Wharf. Quan Yin is a rescue dog who was abandoned after severe floods hit Tennessee last May. Fittingly, she is named after the Buddhist goddess of compassion. Now age 2, she is a border collie-Newfoundland mix.”

Columnist: Freezing temperatures may be hazardous to your pets

By Jeanie Marie Kraft/ Sitting In
Salem Gazette/ Wicked Local Salem
Posted Jan 27, 2011 @ 08:52 PM

There is no doubt here in New England that winter is here! Just like humans, animals need to be kept warm during these cold winter months.

Freezing weather can cause hypothermia and frostbite, which can be fatal to animals and humans. Please take a moment to read about the signs, symptoms and first aid for your pets.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is the drastic drop in body temperature which can result from prolonged exposure in extremely low temperatures. Leaving your pets out unprotected for several hours in freezing weather can be fatal. Hypothermia may cause heart problems, kidney failure and neurological problems.

Signs of hypothermia are:

* Shivering
* Dilated pupils
* Pale or blue mucous membranes
* Unconsciousness
* Coma

First aid for hypothermia:

* Immediately remove the animal from the cold
* Check for shock.
* Administer CPR if needed.
* Wrap animal in blanket.
* Place warm water bottles next to him.
* Go to the nearest veterinary hospital.

To read more of this article on the Salem Gazette and learn about frostbite click here

It’s January 21 … and that means it’s Squirrel Appreciation Day ! And i do so appreciate a good squirrel. Nothing makes me happier than walking through the Salem Commons aka Squirrel-andia and chasing those pesky creatures who taunt me up a tree.

It is snowing again today so i am not sure if i will be able to celebrate this holiday as i had hoped. The squirrels are hiding and the snow is too deep to walk around Squirrel-andia with the pet humans. So i am forced to look at these tempting pictures of squirrels instead.
click here to see some magnificent squirrels .

Wishing you a very happy Squirrel Appreciation Day!
until next post
Quan Yin Wu

“Set aside half an hour every day to do all your worrying; then take a nap during this period.”