nutrition, supervised by Dr. Pottenger and Dr. Alvin Foord who
was the professor of Pathology at the University of Southern
Carolina and also worked in pathology at Huntingdon Memorial
Hospital,Passadena.
]]>Delf Lepidosiren
Delf Lepidosiren
Delf Lepidosiren
There are complementary therapies which can be of great help to bereaved owners and other pets when a loved one passes over which I can help with.
If it be I grow frail and weak,
And pain should wake me from my sleep,
Then you must do, what must be done -
For this last battle can't be won.
You will be sad, I understand.
Don't let grief then stay your hand.
For this day; more than all the rest,
Your love and friendship will stand the test.
We've had some happy years,
What is to come, holds no fears,
You'll not want me to suffer, so
When the time comes, please let me go.
I know in time you too will see,
It is a kindness you do for me,
Although my tail, its last, has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Do not grieve that it should be you
Who has to decide this thing to do
We've been so close, we two, these years,
Please, don't let your heart hold any tears.
***********
You're giving me a special gift,
So sorrowfully endowed,
And through these last few cherished days,
Your courage makes me proud.
But really, love is knowing when
your best friend is in pain,
And understanding earthly acts
Will only be in vain.
So looking deep into your eyes,
Beyond, into your soul,
I see in you the magic that will
Once more make me whole.
The strength that you possess,
Is why I look to you today,
To do this thing that must be done,
For it's the only way.
That strength is why I've followed you,
And chose you as my friend,
And why I've loved you all these years...
My partner till the end.
Please, understand just what this gift
You're giving, means to me,
It gives me back the strength I've lost,
And all my dignity.
You take a stand on my behalf,
For that is what friends do.
And know that what you do is right,
For I believe it, too.
So one last time, I breathe your scent,
And through your hand I feel,
The courage that's within you,
To grant me this appeal.
Cut the leash that holds me here,
Dear friend, and let me run,
Once more a strong and steady dog,
My pain and struggle done.
And don't despair my passing,
For I won't be far away,
Forever here, within your heart,
And memory I'll stay.
I'll be there watching over you,
Your ever-faithful friend,
And in your memories I'll run,
... a young dog once again
************
Last Night
I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying. You found it hard to sleep. I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear.
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here"
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today, Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today, You tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I am not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "it's me".
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me, to be so near you every day.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away".
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew ......
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over ...... I smile and watch you yawning and say,
"good night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning".
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out ...... then come home to be with me.
Author Unknown
*************
His Journey's Just Begun
By Ellen Brenneman
Don't think of him as gone away--
his journey's just begun
life holds so many facets
this earth is only one.
Just think of him as resting
from the sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years.
Think how he must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.
And think of him as living
in the hearts of those he touched...
for nothing loved is ever lost--
and he was loved so much.
************
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
I am in the flowers that bloom.
I am in a quiet room.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there. I did not die.
- M.E. Frye
Whenever we get a puppy, the first thing which happens once they’ve had a little quiet time in their new home, is that they get a chicken wing to play with, we play with them with it for a while, to raise their interest in it, then they play with it themselves, until they pierce the skin and realise it is food, and eat it, then they get another [there’s no playing now, they’re eaten straight-away], and another, until they’ve had a meals-worth.
I believe this is an excellent time to change over dogs to a natural raw diet for the following reasons:
*growth is slower and more balanced on a raw diet,
*you don’t end up [unless you over-feed them] with fat, podgy puppies, which, although they may look cuddly and cute, are carrying extra, unnecessary weight which is putting undue stress on growing, forming bones and joints, which is very important for all dogs, especially large breeds,
*they get a good workout and often don’t then chew things they shouldn’t,
*they learn from a very young age to eat bones nicely so once older, even though a large breed, you can still give smaller bones like chicken wings to them and so have more variety in the diet and make use of whatever is available, and
*they are getting good, sound nutrition from a very young age
– oh, and they love it and are very happy puppies !
We recommend the same diet ratios for adults and puppies:
10-15% bone
10% organ meat [liver,kidney, lung, spleen, brains, testicles, heart]
75-80% musclemeat
+ an extra 5% of suitablely prepared fruit/veg added.
- of course, once old enough, pups can also be given whole 'prey' like rabbits and here all the ratios are already as they should be, meaning no working out is needed by you - thanks to mother nature.
Because puppies are still growing, they have more frequent meals and require a higher percentage of food than an adult dog who has finished growing, and this can seem tricky to work out as they may not be a specific breed, and parent breeds [if they are full breeds] may be unknown, so an easy way which works well, is to start your pup on 10% of their own weight at 7-8wks of age [the age most pups are when brought home], and just reduce by about 1% every 4wks from then on, so 12wks = 9%, 16wks = 8% etc. slowing down once they hit the 6mth mark and spacing out the increments then until at around 18mths of age they are then onto the normal 2-3% that is normal for an adult dog.
Now, they are no different to human babies in that some will be ‘hungry babies’ and others will want less, but this basic guide works well alongside you keeping an eye on your pup and gauging the amounts so they don’t become overweight.
I remember my GSD [Holly] as a pup start her own change-over, as she walked past my older girls dish [Jess] and quite matter-of-factly just took out a whole lambs heart and munched it !
They love it and take to it so readily, so there are no problems with dogs not liking specific tastes or textures.
It can be daunting, but part of our business is to offer our clients help and support so hold our hand and dive right in !