Dogs can help you cope during a crisis Okay, so loneliness and anxiety may be obvious factors to you. But this past year has been life destroying to some. A year of loss, pain, and instability that we’ve never seen before. How could a dog possibly contend with such a gigantic crisis of confidence and despair? Ah, you underestimate the power of the canine! In a 2018 psychiatric study of military veterans suffering from PTSD, the results were miraculous. Participants with a service dog as a companion had far less severity in their PTSD symptoms. They also felt less angry, anxious and sleep-deprived. After seeing such tragedy and crisis, their dogs made the veterans feel comforted and supported through their recovery.
A dog is not a therapist So science says that dogs are little guardian angels that transform our mere mortal mental health, right? Not quite. While dogs are incredibly perceptive, emotionally intelligent, gentle beings, they also take up a lot of time and care. A dog can help you to cope through difficult periods of your life, but never let that be your motivation for adopting or buying an unsuspecting pooch who was not built for human baggage. It is vital that you ensure you are mentally sound enough to properly care for and love your dog the way they deserve to be loved and cared for. A dog cannot fix you. A dog cannot heal you. Adopting a dog is very much like having a furry toddler. You don’t expect a toddler to be your therapist now, do you? By owning a dog, you’ll find that many moments of joy and levity come from just being around them. They will make you laugh, open up your social life, and even help you to exercise more consistently. Through their sense of fun and natural intuition, they can certainly make you feel less alone in this world. But they can only give what you are giving. If you are willing to show up for them as a warm, loving carer and companion, they will surely do the same for you. Reproduced with the kind permission of: gentledogtrainers.com.au
Mushroom Toxicity
After the warmth of sunny days and rain, a lot of you may have noticed the influx of mushrooms growing in backyards and parks. But did you know mushrooms can be fatal to our pets? Mushroom poisoning occurs as a result of ingesting toxic mushrooms and symptoms can greatly vary depending on the type eaten. Symptoms can be fatal causing acute liver and kidney destruction or effect the nervous or gastrointestinal system. Common Symptoms: • Vomiting • Diarrhoea • Abdominal pain • Weakness • Lethargy • Wobbly • Salivation • Seizures • Coma • Yellowing of skin (jaundice)
Pixabay
guess what? Those attributes are just as important to us in adulthood. Caring for our dog well makes us feel like proud fur-parents.
99% of mushrooms are safe, but that 1% can be fatal and one toxic mushroom is toxic enough to kill a grown man. Some good rules apply for avoiding poisonous mushrooms: 1. Avoid mushrooms with white gills (underside), a skirt or ring on the stem and a bulbous or sack like base called a volva. 2. Avoid mushrooms with red on the cap or stem. 3. Finally if any doubt, remove it immediately from your pets reach or yard! Liver toxic mushrooms in Queensland – Amanita phalloides (Death Cap Mushroom) – Amanita ocreata (Angel of Death) – Lepiota (False Parasol) – Galerina Typically, 10 to 12 hours pass between consumption and the onset of clinical signs. Please seek immediate veterinary attention if in doubt or your pet has ingested any form of mushroom. Republished with the kind permission of the Booval Vet Hospital (07) 3282 6722
DOG WORLD May 2021
21
