Animals Unfolded

The five pillars of animal enrichment (and why they matter more than ever) Every pet has a  telos  — an essential nature, a "beingness" — and that idea shapes how I work with them and their families. Being able to express themselves in ways aligned with their species, their telos, is essential to their well-being. Their well-being has always mattered to me and the families I've worked with over the last two decades. But over the last several years, one piece of that puzzle has risen to sit right alongside their physical health:  enrichment . Enrichment is more than a game of fetch (or keep-away, if you know what I mean), a walk around the block, an occasional chew bone, or hanging out with trusted humans and other pets. It's a whole framework — five pillars, in fact — and the pet guardians I partner with have embraced it enthusiastically, especially during the times their pets need it most: recovering from illness or injury, or on crate rest after surgery. Enrichment ...

It’s not unusual for me to get a text or phone call any hour of the day from families-of-record if their pet is presenting with symptoms that are concerning, or behavior is at all unlike them. (Because we know that a change in behavior is in itself a symptom, right? Of course!) My families know they can get in touch anytime in these situations, and though I can’t diagnose their pet, I can definitely assess the situation and give good guidance on next steps and what to expect if and when their primary vet or an emergency vet needs to be involved. And if I’m able, I’m happy to come by to assess what’s happening and offer support.  And this weekend, one of those calls came in.  A very unnerved guardian detailed what they’d just witnessed in their very active and happy senior dog with a sound medical history: sudden onset of stumbling about/staggering/lack of coordination (ataxia), vomiting once, and a little confused. Definitely alarming , was my initial thought, though with my p...

Dog booties are used to protect a pet’s paws from the elements, mostly in winter. The products used to melt ice can wreak havoc on the pads, as well as the skin between, and for some dogs, the cold is just too much. Booties are ubiquitous in my day-to-day as a professional specializing in caring for senior and geriatric pets and those who are receiving animal hospice and palliative care. Aside from the reasons above, they’re used to protect the top and bottom of an an aging dog’s paws when degenerative myleopathy is present, or when they need more grip on bare surfaces, like when mobility is becoming less stable .  There are lots of brands and styles, but few really measure up to the outstanding protection, affordability and usefulness that the Pawz brand does. My lending library gets lots of donations from families-of-record that I’ve worked with as a Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner, and there’s an abundance of various other brands in it for good reason: they just don’t wo...

If you haven't heard by now, I moved into a new place a few weeks ago. I've spent the better part of April and May not only trying to figure out where I fit in to these four walls, but more importantly, "What's most comfortable for for Gretchen and Silver?" The overall the place is quite ideal for both of them, I've had to tweak a few things, and that's no surprise: they are 14 and 16, respectively. Life is very different than it was a year ago, even a month ago. Being extra mindful and flexible is a must at this stage of life. I spent some one-on-one time acclimating each of them into their new digs, and while that's important, if you've had a senior pet, you know it's about all the little details that make life easier. Mealtime is still quite manageable for Gretchen, and I want that to continue be as comfortable as possible. After all, she's been able to retain much of her mobility with the help of an anti-inflammatory,...