Tribute to Nero--K9 Iraq War Hero

Our hearts go out to the Jackson family, whose beloved dog Nero has succumbed to hemangiosarcoma. Dear Nero, a beautiful German Shepherd, served all of us in Iraq for two tours of duty as a bomb squad dog. After he finished serving our country, dear Nero was adopted by the kind Jackson family in Texas who gave him a loving home.

According to his military records, Nero led an active life as a bomb dog in Iraq, helping to save many lives with his intelligence and training, as well as “training” new airmen in the canine program at Lackland Air Force Base. Nero was deployed in 2007 and was spending a wonderful retirement with the Jacksons who cherished him.

The Jacksons, being in the Air Force, had heard Nero was to be released from service and spoke with his handlers about adoption. Nero served his new family with the same loyalty, protection and comfort that he provided all of us as Americans during his tour of duty. He was a great friend and comfort to Grace while Nero's dad was serving in Iraq. He even managed to get along with the cats!

We are so sorry to hear of Nero's passing. Hemangiosarcoma is a very aggressive form of cancer and can be a silent killer. All of us at Ask Ariel extend our heartfelt sentiments during this very difficult time.

Pet Nutrition Seminar February 21st VCA Arroyo Lake Forest, CA

Come join us for a fantastic seminar where you can learn how to help your pet and help homeless animals at the same time! Ariel Rescue is hosting this Pet Nutrition Seminar on Saturday February 21st, 2009 10:30 am - 12:00 noon at VCA Arroyo Animal Hospital in Lake Forest, California.

Is your pet endlessly scratching and itching? Does your pet suffer from arthritis? Learn how to heal your pets using nutrition, supplements and holistic care. The course will cover the best foods to feed your pet, nutritional supplements for common pet health issues and the latest innovations in “alternative veterinary care” such as acupuncture, stem cell therapy and chiropractic for arthritis.

Instructor: Susan Blake Davis, CCN

Date of Class: Saturday 10:30-12 noon Feb. 21st

Location: VCA Arroyo Animal Hospital
1 South Pointe Dr. Lake Forest, CA 92630 (off Bake Parkway)
Class Fee: $15 per person
100% of proceeds donated to Ariel Rescue

Response to Mask's Mommy

Mask's Mommy wrote:

How do you know what medications are ok to crush, mix with water and give in a syringe? We have struggled giving our cat named Mask his medication. We tried hiding it in all kinds of food, but he is too smart and would eat everything but the pill. I finally gave up and started using a pill popper which was commic at best. This link is dead on: http://www.ahajokes.com/ani051.html. Then I used the pill popper followed by a syringe of water to make sure it goes down and that has been working pretty good. We have to give him Prednisone and Leukeran (chemo). Is it ok to crush these meds, mix in water and give via syringe? Thank you,Mask's Mommy

Most supplements can be crushed and mixed with water or broth and placed into a syringe. One exception is SAMe. The effectiveness of SAMe is compromised when it is crushed and/or exposed to air or moisture. As far as medications, that is a different situation. You need to use caution when combining medications and/or crushing them. Some medications may have a protective coating and crushing them may reduce their effectiveness. It is best to consult your veterinarian's office regarding the use and administration of medications.

Worrying About Our Pets Over the Holidays

I just wanted to thank all of the kind people who have sent such beautiful, compassionate messages about the passing of my dear Tessie. Thank you all so much for your support. It has meant so much to me--more than you can imagine. Pictured above is my new dog Bleu who I rescued from http://www.huskyhavenofla.org/. This kind rescuer took him in after his owners brought him to the shelter to euthanize him because he has irritable bowel disease and pancreatic insufficiency. I will write more about him later, but he has been a tremendous source of comfort to me. I feel Tessie's presence many times with him and I know she sent him to me because she didn't want me to be so lonely. I miss her so much and am so sad that she didn't get the long life I had hoped for. But, she had 3 beautiful years filled with love and happiness which I hope made up for the terrible life she known before (see prior posts).

In any case, I wanted to take a moment to send compassion to those of you who have sick pets right now over the holidays. I know how you must be worrying and want you to know that there is always hope. Even if you have never used supplements and eat a terrible diet yourself, it is never too late to start anew. Please try to read some of the pages on AskAriel.com about diet and nutrition. Many of the same principles that apply to people, apply to pets and vice versa. I know it is tempting when you are worrying about your pet to eat poorly for yourself and giving your pet anything he or she wants. This is NOT a good strategy. Try to remember that everything you eat and everything your pets eat can affect change--good or bad, depending upon what is consumed. For example, giving your pet freshly steamed vegetables such as green beans can usually give them not only nourishment, but vitality and life force. When you are feeling down, knowledge is power. Dr. Gordon and I spent years writing the pages for you to read so try to look up the different health conditions and review our comments about them. We also have many commentaries about how to use holistic and conventional veterinary care that are new and full of information.

My thoughts are with you during this difficult time as not only is it a rough economy and the busy holiday season, but having a sick pet can be so emotionally stressful. Do the best you can and read as much as you can. Thanks to you all again for the kind and compassionate messages---your personal messages have been much appreciated.

How To Give Your Pet A Pill

Oh no, this page has meow-ved!

Visit the new page here: https://www.askariel.com/Articles.asp?ID=269.

Beautiful Tessie--We Will Miss You So Much

On October 11, 2008, we lost our beautiful Tessie. She was so sick and was having trouble breathing. That day was a beautiful day. We took Tessie for a lovely walk on the beach and then she came home and ate a few treats. We brought her to the veterinarian's office thinking it would just be a routine draining of the fluid that accumulated on her chest and abdomen. Tessie had responded so well to prednisone which we had started just a few days before, we were mistakingly hoping we would have a few more months. Tessie collapsed following the procedure and she went into congestive heart failure. We let our Tessie cross the rainbow bridge so she wouldn't suffer. We miss her terribly. The last few days have been filled with sorrow and grief. It is hard to believe that the dog we rescued from such a difficult life, only 3 1/2 years ago, is no longer with us. Darling Tessie--you were such a joy and we will miss you so much. You will always be in our heart. Mom and Dad

Update on Tessie's cancer progression

The past 10 days have been so incredibly painful that I haven't been even able to write. Tessie showed initial tremendous improvement but her body is so taken over by the cancer, there is no hope left. We are now in the "waiting" stage to find just the right time to put her to rest. We have been filled with so much grief and sorrow and anger too. One thing we have learned is that crying and sobbing in front of the pet is not good for anyone. We sobbed all weekend because we know the end is near and by Monday morning, our poor Tessie was shaking. This helped us realize that we will have to keep our emotions in check and be strong for her until it is all over. I can't believe what a difference it made!

I told Tessie I would be ok without her and that she was safe and if she needed to leave us, it would be ok. I took her to the park, even though I knew she could only walk a few steps and told her that I loved her and everything would be ok. She has perked up quite a bit and my taking the emotional pressure off my poor girl, it helped her feel better. We know we only have a few days left but are going to try to act cheerful in front of her so that it doesn't make her feel worse. This is probably the most important message I can provide to you--if your pet is very sick--please try to control your emotions and negative discussions. If you have to go outside or go somewhere else, please do that---it upsets them terribly. They love you and need you to be strong for them.

Think about yourself and if you were dying--would you want your loved ones to be falling apart? Just watching my husband cry broke me up terribly. It takes all of their energy away and whatever energy they have left to stay with you a little longer. Save your tears until after they are gone as much as you can. It is so difficult but do it for your beloved pet.