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How Pets Help Our Health

It’s something I grew up thinking, and I don’t even remember where I first heard the idea: pets improve your health. They’re especially good for the elderly or others living alone. Pets give you someone to care about and look after, bringing additional purpose and companionship to your life. Some recent medical studies, however, indicate that owning pets might have a more direct effect on our health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claim that pet ownership can decrease our blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride. Their studies also indicate that rates of stress, loneliness, and depression are lower among … Continue reading →

Are We as Therapeutic to Them as They Are to Us?

It’s been a week since Murph’s cast has come off, but he hasn’t quite been the same. In fact, I’d venture to say he’s been a little depressed. His appetite’s still okay, and his ears perk up at the offer of chewie sticks or Scooby Snacks, but he just hasn’t quite been himself. Even with the cast on, he’d been kind of rambunctious. Especially in the last couple of weeks before it came off. It was clear he was feeling better and getting his pep back. He’d go search out one of the many sympathy toys he’d been given, bring … Continue reading →

Rain or Shine, My Pets Are There

This hasn’t been a very easy year for me. In fact, of all my years on this Earth to date, this past one has been the most trying by far. And the most blues-filled. One After the Other It started last summer when we tried to move back to Jacksonville. Thankfully plans changed, but instead of life sailing along unencumbered as I’d hoped, I got sick in November –the same week Wayne moved home and we left to go to Denver for Thanksgiving. Then Wayne got sick, and I had a relapse and fell ill again. Come January and February … Continue reading →

Seven Years Later: Thoughts on the Pets of 9/11

Over in Marriage I wrote about what I think about on September 11 as it pertains to love and relationships. But another loving relationship I think about today is the one so many of us have with our animals. Last year I wrote about the pets of 9/11. I did a little research into finding out if all the pets belonging to people affected by the attacks were okay. They were. Today as I contemplate the events of September 11, 2001, I’m thinking about the pets and people who survived. (I guess I should be clear here. Only one pet, … Continue reading →

Tabby’s Special Powers

Right after my mom died my heart hurt, but not to the extent it’s been hurting the last few weeks. I think I was sort of numb the first several days following her passing. I was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and to be honest, a little relieved. Knowing something’s going to happen, but not knowing exactly when, then to see my mom tormented in the manner she was…I was just thankful she no longer had to go through any of that. That none of us did. But now the tears everyone said would spontaneously start to flow for seemingly … Continue reading →

Dogs, Unconditional Love and Mental Health

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I read in the recent weekend paper where our local animal shelter had registered an alarming increase in the number of dogs and other pets being handed in because the owners could no longer keep them. Skyrocketing pressures on the family budget appear to have claimed yet another victim: The family pet. A spokesperson for the animal shelter said that the people who were surrendering their animals claimed that the increased cost of living was making it impossible to pay for the costs involved in keeping a pet. As well as an increase in the number of animals being dumped, … Continue reading →