diabetes and pets

These 3 Common Pet Diseases are ABSOLUTELY Preventable...





Banfield Pet Hospital has released the results of a survey of over 2 million dogs and 450,000 cats that shows increases in certain health problems among U.S. pets, including:



Diabetes

Dental disease

Flea infestations

The rates of diabetes in pets are rising faster than for humans. From 2006 to 2010, diabetes rates in U.S. dogs increased by over 30 percent, and by 16 percent in cats. In humans, the rate rose 10 percent over the same four year period.



According to Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, DVM and chief medical officer for Banfield:



"We have increasing obesity in dogs and cats, just like in humans. It's no mystery how that occurs: overfeeding and lack of exercise."



Sources:



PetfoodIndustry.com April 21, 2011

dvm360 April 21, 2011





Dr. Becker's Comments:



The conditions listed above are entirely preventable in the vast majority of dogs and cats.



It’s heartbreaking to know so many animals are suffering needlessly with these easily avoidable health problems, all of which can dramatically impact your pet’s quality of life.



Diabetes: Preventable!



According to the Banfield survey, obesity ranked in the top five health problems of young adult, mature adult and senior dogs in 2010. It was in the top three for cats of the same age. As almost everyone knows, obesity is the biggest risk factor for diabetes.



Other risk factors include:



Over-vaccination. Re-immunizing your pet for diseases he’s already protected against thanks to puppy or kitten shots, can over-stimulate his immune system. This can result in an immune-mediated disorder. There appears to be an autoimmune component in the development of diabetes mellitus, particularly in dogs. The number of pets with autoimmune disease has been on the increase for several years. Over-vaccinating is likely one of the primary causes of this unfortunate trend.

Lack of exercise. Your pet needs physical exertion, every day if possible, to keep her frame strong, her muscles toned, and to ward off obesity. If your dog isn’t getting from 20 to 40 minutes of aerobic activity on a regular basis, she’s just not getting enough exercise. If your companion is a kitty, work with her natural instincts and get her involved in games that encourage her instincts as a hunter.

Biologically inappropriate diet. Most U.S. pets are fed a high calorie, high carb diet. That’s despite the fact grains are a biologically inappropriate food for dogs and cats. Carbohydrates, which can add up to as much as 80 percent of the contents of many commercial pet formulas, break down into sugar. Excess sugar can result in diabetes. Your carnivorous pet should eat like a carnivore to maintain an optimum state of health.

Don’t let your precious dog or cat become another statistic of the diabetes epidemic spreading through the U.S. pet population. Avoid unnecessary vaccinations, make sure your furry pal gets plenty of exercise to maintain a fit body condition, and feed a moisture rich, species-appropriate diet containing few if any carbohydrates and no grains.



Dental Disease: Preventable!



According to the Banfield survey, dental disease is the most common medical problem for both dogs and cats.



An astonishing 78 percent of dogs and 68 percent of cats over the age of three have some form of dental disease.



This represents a 12 percent increase for dogs from 2006 to 2010, and periodontal (gum) disease is a particular problem for small breed dogs, including the Maltese, Pomeranian, Shetland Sheepdog, Toy Poodle and Yorkshire Terrier.



You can help your pet with oral hygiene by:



Feeding a species-appropriate diet, preferably raw. The right food builds a healthy foundation for all your pet’s tissues and organs, including those in the mouth. Also, when your pet gnaws on raw meat, it acts as both toothbrush and floss.

Brushing your pet’s teeth every day or several times a week.

Taking your dog or cat for regular wellness checkups with your veterinarian. This allows you to stay on top of any changes or problems in your pet’s mouth, and schedule professional teeth cleaning if necessary.

Offer your dog a safe, fully digestible, high quality dental chew like Mercola Healthy Pets Dog Dental Bones or the Mercola Gentle Dental Bone to help control plaque and tartar on his teeth.

Flea Infestations: Preventable!



According to the Banfield survey, flea infestations are up 16 percent. This is interesting, considering how many advertising dollars are spent by manufacturers of potentially toxic flea and tick preventives.



However, while I recommend reducing chemicals applied to pets whenever possible, it is certainly troubling news that flea infestations are on the rise.



How to prevent an infestation:



Once again, feeding a balanced, species-appropriate diet is key. Pests are attracted to weak hosts. So feeding your dog or cat what she’s designed to eat will help her build optimal health and resilience to opportunistic diseases and critters.

Brush and bathe your pet. Regular brushing and combing (use a flea comb if you suspect a problem) will help you spot pests on your pet, as will frequent baths. Most cats don’t like baths, but if yours happens to, all the better. If kitty spends any time outdoors, this is especially important. Whether your companion is canine or feline, regular grooming sessions and baths will not only help you spot fleas on skin or fur, they will also keep loose hair under control and make your pet look and feel great.

Tidy up indoors and out. Frequent vacuuming of floors, furniture and window coverings will help rid your home of any fleas that have made their way inside. Outdoors, keep your grass mowed and do regular inspections of your property for places where pests are apt to hide and multiply.

Instead of a potentially toxic chemical pest preventive, use a safe, all-natural pet pest repellent like Natural Flea and Tick Defense.

A new leader Obama and my dogs view

because this is a blog it doesnt have to be brilliant. no one is going to stop
buying my paper or magazine if it doesnt meet expectations. Life is as simple or difficult as we make it (with exceptions)we are in false realities if we think we can ever change anything but ourselves and how we view life. we make reality-if we view everything glum-it will take a miracle to change the landscape. if we make it
glowing with expectations of wonderful and marvelous things on the horizon-it is contagious and we see posibilities. Positive people appear in our life-a rain shower is only a chance to dance in the rain like a child. great things are not hidden from our eyes. My little dog watched the election with me last night. Her main concern was if her tummy was rubbed or not. her life was right in the moment and she was happy. i have no political views other than the old motto-treat others as you would like to be treated. both politicians have the same ability. They are political and by that its hard to expect anything but saying whatever it takes to be elected. my dog knows i will feed her and protect her-we have a agreement with each other. hopefully one day we will have that same agreement with our politicians- not expecting miracles and for them to change the world over night, but simple honesty.
simple human factors of treating every one -regardless of money- the way they would want their family treated. One America one Nation under God with his endless mercy.
Let us spread our hands across the world and take each others hand in unity and a unity of love and a aim toward peace for all. have more tummy rubs and more smiles.

Past Presidents and their choice of Pets-dogs-cats-goats-birds and their names

President Term President's Pets
George W. Bush

2001-2008
Mss Beazley, Scottish Terrier

Spot, dog

Barney, Scottish Terrier

India, cat

Ofelia, Longhorn

Bill Clinton
1993-2001
Socks the cat who did not get along with Buddy, the chocolate Labrador Retriever .

George Bush

1989-1993
Millie, Springer Spaniel and Ranger, one of Millie's puppies


Ronald Reagan
1981-1989
Lucky, Bouvier des Flandres who had natural ears and was sent to the ranch as she grew too big, and who was replaced by Rex, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel

Also: dogs and horses at ranch

Jimmy Carter


1977-1981
Grits, dog given to Amy by her teacher that was later returned and Misty Malarky Ying Yang, Amy Carter's Siamese cat

Gerald Ford


1974-1977
Liberty, Golden Retriever who had a litter of pups while at the White House, and there was also Shan, Susan Ford's Siamese cat.

Richard Nixon


1969-1974
Checkers, Richard Nixon's dog while vice president, and while he was at the White House there were Vicky, the Poodle,Pasha, Terrier and King Timahoe, an Irish Setter

Lyndon B. Johnson


1963-1969
Beagle and Little Beagle and Him and Her, also beagles. Blanco, a white Collie and the famous Yuki, mongrel dog.

There were also Hamsters and lovebirds

John F. Kennedy

1961-1963
Charlie, Caroline Kennedy's Welsh terrier Tom Kitten, a cat and Robin, a canary. Bluebell and Marybelle, parakeets and Macaroni, Caroline Kennedy's pony. Tex and Leprechaun, ponies, and Debbie and Billie, hamsters. Pushinka, Shannon, Wolf, and Clipper– dogs Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie and Streaker– Pushinka and Charlie's pups. Also Zsa Zsa, a rabbit, and Sardar, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy's horse

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Heidi, Weimaraner dog
Harry S. Truman

Best books about Harry S. Truman
1945-1953
Feller, the unwanted dog

Mike,Margaret Truman's Irish Setter

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

1933-1945
Major, German Shepherd, Meggie, Scotch Terrier, Winks, Llewellyn Setter, Tiny, English Sheepdog, President, Great Dane, and his faithful and loyal famous companion, Fa la, the Scottish Terrier. There was also Blaze, Elliot Roosevelt's Mastiff

Herbert Hoover

1929-1933
King Tut, police dog, Big Ben and Sonnie, Fox Terriers.Glen, Scotch Collie, Yukon, Eskimo dog, Patrick, Wolfhound, Eaglehurst Gillette, Setter Weejie, an Elkhound, and Pat, police dog.

Calvin Coolidge

1923-1929
Calvin and Grace Coolidge literally had a zoo at the White House. Most famous and beloved was the white collie, purchased from Thomas and Olive shover who owned "Shomont White Collies". They also entertained and cared for: Peter Pan, a Terrier, Paul Pry, an Airedale, that was originally named Laddie Buck. and Rob Roy, a white Collie, originally named Oshkosh. Also popular was Calamity Jane, a Shetland Sheepdog. Tiny Tim, a Chow, Blackberry, also a Chow, and Ruby Rough, a brown Collie. They also had Boston Beans, a bulldog, King Kole, a police dog, Bessie, a yellow collie, Palo Alto, a bird dog, and Nip and Tuck, canaries. Snowflake, was also a white canary and Old Bill was a thrush. Enoch, was a goose and they had a Mockingbird belonging to Mrs. Grace Coolidge. Finally there was Tiger, an alley cat, Blacky, another cat and Rebecca and Horace, raccoons. We must not forget Ebenezer, the donkey and Smokey, a bobcat. Given to them by dignitaries from other countries there was also: lion cubs, wallaby,a pigmy hippo, and a bear

Warren Harding

1921-1923
Laddie Boy, an Airedale was a famous pet of Warren Harding and he also had Old Boy, an English Bulldog and there were Canaries belonging to Mrs. Florence Harding.

Woodrow Wilson

1913-1921
Old Ike, the tobacco-chewing ram and Sheep that grazed on the White House lawn during Wilson's administration.

William Taft

1909-1913
Pauline Wayne, last cow at the White House

Theodore Roosevelt

1901-1909
Bleistein, Roosevelt's favorite horse: Renown, Roswell, Rusty, Jocko, Root, Grey, Dawn, Wyoming, and Yangenka, were all horses. General and Judge, were carriage horses, Algonquian, was Archie Roosevelt's calico pony and Pete, a bull terrier was a favorite pet. There was also Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake Retriever, Jack, Kermit Roosevelt's terrier, Skip, a mongrel, Manchu, Alice Roosevelt's spaniel, Emily Spinach, Alice Roosevelt's snake; snakes belonging to Quentin Roosevelt, Eli Yale a Macaw also belonging to Quentin Roosevelt, Tom Quartz, cat, Slippers, cat, Josiah, badger, Dewey Senior, Dewey Junior, Bob Evans, Bishop Doan, and Father O'Grady, all guinea pigs

Also: lion, hyena, wildcat, coyote, five bears, two parrots, zebra, barn owl, snakes, lizards, rats, roosters, raccoon

William McKinley

1897-1901
Mexican double-yellow-headed parrot

Benjamin Harrison

1889

Harry S. Truman

1945-1953
Feller, the unwanted dog

Mike,Margaret Truman's Irish Setter

Franklin Delano Roosevelt
1933-1945
Major, German Shepherd, Meggie, Scotch Terrier, Winks, Llewellyn Setter, Tiny, English Sheepdog, President, Great Dane, and his faithful and loyal famous companion, Fa la, the Scottish Terrier. There was also Blaze, Elliot Roosevelt's Mastiff

Herbert Hoover
1929-1933
King Tut, police dog, Big Ben and Sonnie, Fox Terriers.Glen, Scotch Collie, Yukon, Eskimo dog, Patrick, Wolfhound, Eaglehurst Gillette, Setter Weejie, an Elkhound, and Pat, police dog.

Calvin Coolidge

1923-1929
Calvin and Grace Coolidge literally had a zoo at the White House. Most famous and beloved was the white collie, purchased from Thomas and Olive shover who owned "Shomont White Collies". They also entertained and cared for: Peter Pan, a Terrier, Paul Pry, an Airedale, that was originally named Laddie Buck. and Rob Roy, a white Collie, originally named Oshkosh. Also popular was Calamity Jane, a Shetland Sheepdog. Tiny Tim, a Chow, Blackberry, also a Chow, and Ruby Rough, a brown Collie. They also had Boston Beans, a bulldog, King Kole, a police dog, Bessie, a yellow collie, Palo Alto, a bird dog, and Nip and Tuck, canaries. Snowflake, was also a white canary and Old Bill was a thrush. Enoch, was a goose and they had a Mockingbird belonging to Mrs. Grace Coolidge. Finally there was Tiger, an alley cat, Blacky, another cat and Rebecca and Horace, raccoons. We must not forget Ebenezer, the donkey and Smokey, a bobcat. Given to them by dignitaries from other countries there was also: lion cubs, wallaby,a pigmy hippo, and a bear

Warren Harding


1921-1923
Laddie Boy, an Airedale was a famous pet of Warren Harding and he also had Old Boy, an English Bulldog and there were Canaries belonging to Mrs. Florence Harding.

Woodrow Wilson

1913-1921
Old Ike, the tobacco-chewing ram and Sheep that grazed on the White House lawn during Wilson's administration.

William Taft

1909-1913
Pauline Wayne, last cow at the White House

Theodore Roosevelt

1901-1909
Bleistein, Roosevelt's favorite horse: Renown, Roswell, Rusty, Jocko, Root, Grey, Dawn, Wyoming, and Yangenka, were all horses. General and Judge, were carriage horses, Algonquian, was Archie Roosevelt's calico pony and Pete, a bull terrier was a favorite pet. There was also Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake Retriever, Jack, Kermit Roosevelt's terrier, Skip, a mongrel, Manchu, Alice Roosevelt's spaniel, Emily Spinach, Alice Roosevelt's snake; snakes belonging to Quentin Roosevelt, Eli Yale a Macaw also belonging to Quentin Roosevelt, Tom Quartz, cat, Slippers, cat, Josiah, badger, Dewey Senior, Dewey Junior, Bob Evans, Bishop Doan, and Father O'Grady, all guinea pigs

Also: lion, hyena, wildcat, coyote, five bears, two parrots, zebra, barn owl, snakes, lizards, rats, roosters, raccoon

William McKinley

1897-1901
Mexican double-yellow-headed parrot

Benjamin Harrison
Dogs and billy goat belonging to grandchildren
Grover Cleveland

1885-1889

1893-1897
Canaries and mockingbirds belonging to Mrs. Frances Cleveland and her Japanese poodle.

Chester A. Arthur

1881-1885
No trace of any pets with Chester A. Arthur nor little information remains regarding his administration.

James Garfield

1881-1885
Kit, Molly Garfield's mare and a dog named Veto.

Rutherford Hayes

1877-1881
Pedigreed Jersey cows, the first Siamese Kitten to reach America, Hector and Nellie, Shepherd dogs, one goat, four canaries, two hunting pups, and one spaniel type dog named Duke. Also four kittens, one Mockingbird, and several Carriage horses.

Ulysses S. Grant

1869-1877
Jeff Davis, wartime mount, Cincinnatus, saddle horse, Egypt and St. Louis, carriage horses,Julia, a racing horse, Reb and Billy Button, Shetland ponies, Jennie and Mary, Nellie Grant's mares, Butcher Boy, a horse and a Parrot and Gamecocks belonging to Jesse Grant, and Faithful, Jesse Grant's Newfoundland.

Andrew Johnson

1865-1869
It is known that President Johnson left flour out at night for a family of mice playing in his room during his dark days of impeachment.

Abraham Lincoln

1861-1865
A Pig, Their beloved childhood pet, Fido, and Ponies belonging to Tad and Willy Lincoln. A white rabbit and Nanny and Nanko, Tad Lincoln's goats. Jack, Tad Lincoln's turkey, Jip, Lincoln's' dog and also cats and dogs.

James Buchanan
Zachary Taylor


1849-1850
Old Whitey, a wartime mount and Also a shortlived canary that they called Johnny Ty who died shortly after they tried to pair him with a mate only to discover it too was a male. Zachary Taylor provided a home on the White House grounds for Old Whitey. There was a serious problem for Whitey, however. Many of the visitors to the White House pulled a hair or two from Whitey’s tail for a souvenir.

James K. Polk


1845-1849
It is said Polk learned to ride before he could walk and had a great love of horses, but no Presidential Pets are discovered to date.

John Tyler


1841-1845
The General, a horse, and a pair of Italian Wolfhounds that he imported for his wife, Julia. The grey hound named Le Beau came from the consul of Naples "to grace the White House lawn". When The General died, Tyler had a grave dug on his estate, Sherwood. Over the grave, he had a headstone placed with the following inscription: “Here lies the body of my good horse ‘The General.’ For twenty years he bore me around the circuit of my practice, and in all that time he never made a blunder. Would that his master could say the same! John Tyler.”

William Henry Harrison


1841
Billy goat and a new Durham cow for the White House.

Martin Van Buren

1837-1841
A pair of Tiger cubs given to him by the Sultan of Oman which Congress bade him to send to the zoo.

Andrew Jackson

1829-1837
Sam Patches, his wartime mount, and Emily, Lady Nashville and Bolivia, racing fillies. Truxton,a champion race horse and other ponies.


John Quincy Adams

1825-1829
An Alligator given to him by the Marquis de Lafayette and Silkworms belonging to Mrs. Louisa Adams

James Monroe

1817-1825
Spaniel belonging to Maria Monroe

James Madison

1809-1817
Green parrot belonging to Mrs. Dolley Madison

Thomas Jefferson

1801-1809
Mockingbird and two Briards, a gift from General Lafayette.

John Adams

1797-1801
Favorite Horse, Cleopatra. He built the first White House Stables and had Juno and Satan, Abigails two dogs.

George Washington

1789-1797
Samson, Steady, Leonidas, Traveller, Magnolia and other stallions. Nelson and Blueskin, horses used during the Revolution, and a Horse given to Washington by Gen. Braddock. Drunkard, Mopsey, Taster, Cloe, Tipsy, Tipler, Forester, Captain, Lady Rover, Vulcan, Sweetlips, and Searcher, all hounds; and five French hounds. Rozinante, Nellie Custis' horse, and a Parrot belonged to Mrs. Martha Washington


1857-1861
A herd of Elephants from the King of Siam and a pair of Bald Eagles, and a Newfoundland named Lara.

Franklin Pierce


1853-1857
No animals were known to have resided at the White house during his tenure.

Millard Fillmore

1850-1853

Fillmore was a founding member and president of the Buffalo chapter of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Grooming Equipment Brushes anad combs

1. Dog Brushes and Combs
Dogs can have so many hair. There are many dog brushes available. Choose a brush or comb that best suits your dog's hair. My dog needs more that one type of brush and a comb.
Bristle Brushes work well for most hair types but can break the coat of a little
or soft coated pet. Bristle types vary from softto firm and from long to short.
Wire Pin Brushes are best for dogs with medium to long hair,one reason is that it also removes dead hair.
Slicker Brushes can be used to un-do tangles and mats in medium to long-haired dogs.
Rakes and Matbreakers work best on more severe tangles and mats,these are great for those tough mats that many people just cut out. If you dont want to lose that fur
it is a good idea to try these. Be careful you dont Cut YOURSELF.
Shedding Tools have special teeth that remove excess hair from double-coated breeds and reduce shedding. Common varities - shedding blades and fur eliminators.
Flea Combs are used to detect fleas.
I prefer the teflon combs - they are great around the face of pets and give you much control. They also seem to help with static.

Chihuahua Hero

Chihuahua Hero-
By Ann Notare
Jackson, New Jersey
There are two kinds of dog lovers—little dog people and big dog people. I’ve always been one of the latter. Our family dog when our sons, Chip and Louis, were growing up was a stocky 140-pound Newfoundland. I felt so protected with him patrolling our acre lot and watching over the boys. Little dogs? They seemed more like accessories. Who could they protect?

So you can imagine my reaction when Chip came home from college cradling the smallest ball of fur I’d ever seen. “His name’s Hunter,” he said. “He’s half Chihuahua and half rat terrier. Isn’t he great?”

“He’s, well…little,” I replied. Sure, he was cute but he looked more like a mouse than a dog. Chip had gotten the puppy for himself for his college graduation.

Now he was about to enter the police academy. He’d need help taking care of Hunter. My husband, John, worked demanding hours running his own business, but my schedule as a high school special-ed teacher was pretty flexible. I knew I would be the one spending the most time with Hunter. Yet, I wasn’t sure what I would do with a dog that could fit into the palm of my hand. What if I accidentally stepped on him?

Of course, God gave puppies the power to melt your heart. And though Hunter may have been small, his personality was outsized. Soon my little buddy and I had our own routine. Our favorite thing to do? Take long, and I mean really long, walks around the yard. I loved watching Hunter in his element—and you couldn’t beat the exercise! He’d cover the entire acre, sniffing every tree, every leaf and bush, every blade of grass, really. I could never seem to get him to come inside. Freezing cold weather, even thunderstorms, didn’t faze him. (Our giant Newfy used to cower at even a distant rumbling of thunder.) Sometimes I wondered if he’d stay out there forever!

That Sunday afternoon two years ago was typical. Chip was at work—he’d gotten a job as a police officer by then—so I clipped on Hunter’s leash and led him out the front door. The January air was crisp, but not frigid. A perfect day for one of those extra-long walks.
Hunter seemed to have the same idea. He immediately put his nose to the ground and sniffed a trail from the front walkway to the side of the house around to the backyard. We got pretty far from the house.

All of a sudden I felt dizzy. Really dizzy. My knees buckled and I could hardly stand up straight. John was home but he wouldn’t hear me calling for him all the way out here. I need to get back to the house. I’d only gone a few steps when my vision went blurry. I was in trouble. Lord, I can’t get back there on my own, I prayed, trying not to panic. You’ve got to help me. Just then Hunter ran up and nudged me. I nearly toppled over. Not now, Hunter; it’s not playtime.

Then I felt a tug from his end of his leash. Strong enough that it pulled me forward a little.

“What is it, boy?” I managed to whisper.

Hunter started walking. Fast. Each of his quick little steps tugged me along. The house was a fuzzy shape in the distance. It felt a million miles away. But Hunter kept going. Step after determined step he pulled me, occasionally looking back as if to check on me. We made it around the side of the house. Across the driveway. Up the walkway. I blinked hard, trying to clear my vision. We were at the front door! It took all my strength to pull it open.

“John, I don’t feel so…” I mumbled. Hunter’s leash hit the floor and he darted inside. John scooped me up into his arms and laid me down on the couch. “I’m calling an ambulance,” he said.

That’s the last thing I remember.

When I came to, I was lying in a hospital bed. John leaned over me. “Annie, you had a ruptured brain aneurysm,” he said. The doctors performed a craniotomy and discovered three additional aneurysms—all on the verge of rupturing. They used a surgical clipping method to close off each leaking vessel.

“Most cerebral aneurysm patients have severe cognitive impairment,” the head neurosurgeon, Dr. Nosko, told me. “But the fact that you were able to get here right away made all the difference.”
I looked at my husband. “Thank God you called the ambulance,” I said.

“And thank God for Hunter,” John added quickly.

Hunter! If he hadn’t brought me back to the house so fast, I might not have even been at the hospital, I thought. The dog who never wants to come inside knew right when he needed to do just that.

I spent nearly three weeks in intensive care. Dr. Nosko sent me home with clear instructions: Take it easy. No strenuous activities for at least six months.

Still, I thought I’d be back to my old routine in no time. But taking it easy wasn’t, well, easy. Even simple tasks like getting dressed and fixing a sandwich required a Herculean effort. It was depressing. What if I become a burden to my family? I worried. What if this happens again?

Some days those dark feelings took over and I didn’t feel up to doing anything. Hunter seemed to sense my mood. He’d paw at my feet, scurry back and forth and jump up like a windup toy until I said, “You need to go out, boy?” Then his stubby black tail wagged till it vibrated and I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d take him for walks—not far, nothing like we used to—but just being in the fresh air lifted my spirits. Hunter seemed to understand when I needed to rest too. He’d crawl down under my blanket, make his way to my feet and fall asleep—his velvety ears sticking up like antennae.

Before long, we were spending less time resting and more time outside. I felt energized again, and hopeful. By summer we were back on our long strolls around the yard. That fall, just eight months after the aneurysm, I returned to teaching.

I still spend a lot of time with Hunter. Only now I don’t see him as just my son’s little dog. He’s my big hero.