Review: There Are No Sad Dogs in Heaven

If you've ever felt bereft and heartbroken after the death of a cherished animal companion, Sonya Fitzpatrick's latest book, There Are No Sad Dogs in Heaven, is for you.

Based on her actual consultations with people whose pets have passed into spirit, Sonya's stories are tinged more with compassion and hope than with sadness.  Like many communicators, she talks telepathically with animals in spirit, and because she recounts their thoughts with uncommon clarity and respect, we eagerly believe every word she says.

Many of her clients come to her wracked with guilt and regret, blaming themselves for what they perceive is their animal's untimely death.  We have all been in that tortured place.  To them, and to us, Sonya offers comfort:

"People think they need to apologize when they lose an animal.  But. . .animals love their humans no matter what, and there's never any need to apologize. . .Even when an animal's death seems premature, it has come for a reason, at the proper time for the soul that is leaving its body.  It's we who are left saying, 'He died too soon,' but for the one who is crossing over, it is never too soon."

On the subject of reincarnation, Sonya wisely counsels her clients that she can't always tell them whether their animals will come back, or when.  Sometimes, she can only say that "they will be with you in this lifetime."  Or not.

In Sonya's experience, there are many ways in which an animal can reincarnate; when they do, they don't always come to stay.  She describes a phenomenon whereby an animal's spirit appears to go in and out of another animal's body.  Or, it will inhabit the body of another animal it knew well in life:

"Many times, when there is a death of the physical form, animals will use one of the dogs they have lived with to experience living in the physical form again.  When that happens, you'll see many similarities between the dog that has passed over and the one that is still living."

In her work with grieving clients and callers to her weekly radio show, Sonya Fitzpatrick comes from a place of love and kindness.  She wants to soothe--not to shock--and she does so without sticky sentimentality.  She preaches a message that we all desperately want to hear:

"What I want everyone to know is that our animals are always happy in the spirit world.  It's a place where there is no sadness, no loneliness, no fear.  And they don't have to miss us because they remain with us even when they are no longer in their physical bodies."

Like Sonya Fitzpatrick, I have been privileged to connect with animals in their "energy bodies," and I can attest that what she speaks of is real and true.  Still, I felt a lot better after I read There Are No Sad Dogs in Heaven, and I think you will, too.

Review: A Healer in Every Home: Dog & Cat Edition

If you buy one book on animal health this season, let it be A Healer in Every Home:  Dog and Cat Edition.  You won't regret it.

This little volume on the wonders of homeopathy and natural remedies will open doors and possibilities to help you not only preserve the health of your animals, but to treat them safely and effectively when veterinary help isn't immediately available.  From their perspectives as a certified classical homeopath, holistic veterinarian, and shelter director, authors Begabati Lennihan, Dr. Margo Roman, and Shirley Moore have packed A Healer in Every Home with practical tips to help you manage dozens of common crises without resorting to drugs or despair.

I was midway through the book when my recently adopted dog, the rascally cocker spaniel, Bobby, got into a bag of cat food and unbeknownst to me, apparently ate about half of it.  Without going into too many graphic details, I'll just say that torrents of vomit and diarrhea ensued, and the over-the-counter treatments and probiotics I was administering seemed woefully inadequate to stem the tide.

But then I happened upon the section of the book that discusses what the remedy Arsenicum can do, referencing its ability to quell diarrhea.  As it happened, I'd gotten a basic homeopathy kit from Dr. Roman a few years ago, and fortunately for me and for Bobby, it contained a vial of Arsenicum pellets.  I mixed four of them in some spring water and gave the solution to Bobby, in two doses. As if by magic, the diarrhea disappeared and Bobby's gastrointestinal tract returned to a quiet, normal state with no further incidents.  It made me a believer.

And chances are, you will be, too.  Do you have a dog with itchy skin that nothing seems to soothe? The authors recommend the remedy Sulphur, at the 6c (low potency) dose.  For kennel cough, Save A Dog founder Shirley Moore uses grapefruit seed extract, which also prevents and cures giardia.  When her shelter dogs are whimpering from the loss of their former people, Shirley gives them a dose of the remedy Ignatia, with good results.  For puppies and kittens who are taken away from their mothers too soon, Pulsatilla (30c) is the remedy to try.

What makes this book so valuable is that it doesn't get overly bogged down in theory, but consistently presents actual case studies of real animals who were in physical or emotional pain, but who were then helped by homeopathics, supplements, and/or complementary therapies.  My only complaint is that A Healer in Every Home: Dog and Cat Edition doesn't have an index.  But that's just a small quibble. I'll say unequivocally that if you share your life with animals, it belongs on your bookshelf.

***

A Healer in Every Home: Dog and Cat Edition co-author Shirley Moore will be one of the featured speakers at the upcoming Conference on Complementary Animal Healing in November.  Her presentation, "Using Homeopathy to Heal Your Dog's Body and Spirit" will be on Sunday, November 11th.

Review: Reiki for Dogs

When one of our animals is hurting, be it due to a physical ailment or emotional pain, we want to help.  We want to heal.  We desperately want to do something to ease the distress.

In Kathleen Prasad's wonderfully insightful book, Reiki for Dogs:  Using Spiritual Energy to Heal and Vitalize Man's Best Friend, we are humbled to discover that in truth, though we can offer the gift of spiritual energy to our dogs, it is up to them to accept it. And hardest of all, perhaps, is to set aside our own egos, and honor each dog's decision to participate in healing, or not, even though we may anxiously wish to fix or cure his problem.  It's not up to us; it's up to him.

That can be a difficult message for us humans, who are so used to being in control.  When it comes to Reiki, or other forms of spiritual energy that can flow through us, we can best serve our dogs by allowing what will be, to be.  But that doesn't mean that we are powerless to help an animal in his hour of need, whether that is to support him through a health crisis, release fears from former trauma or abuse, relieve sadness and depression, or be fully present with him in the days or months or moments before his last breath.  If we know how to work with Reiki, we can be a conduit for this universal energy to flow to our animals where it's needed, creating a perfect sense of balance and peace and harmony.

But as Kathleen explains, Reiki "is not something you give to someone else."  Rather:

    "Those of us who use the system of Reiki are called 'practitioners,' not 'healers,' since we do not manipulate the energy or healing of others.  Through our compassionate intention, we simply open more deeply to the universal flow of energy, creating an 'energetic space of healing,' and in so doing, facilitate the healing process of others.  Reiki can do no harm and is supportive of all other healing modalities and therapies, both allopathic and holistic."

While Reiki practitioners who work with people usually do so by putting their hands in prescribed positions on their client's body, those techniques may not always be effective or appropriate with dogs.  After offering thousands of treatments to dogs and other animals over a period of many years, Kathleen has learned that they may not always welcome such direct, hands-on contact, and may even shun it by literally walking away.

Dogs, in particular, "are more 'tuned in' to the energetic realm," she says, and are so sensitive that they may find hands-on Reiki to be overpowering.  Her advice to Reiki practitioners who want to work with dogs is to be quiet, calm, and nonthreatening.  "It's our job," Kathleen explains, "to hold a space of lightness and peace in our minds.  In this space, the dog is more likely to relax and open to an energetic connection."

Reiki for Dogs is about much more than Reiki.  Based on her own experiences, Kathleen writes movingly about how we can open our hearts and minds to connect with our dogs on a level we may never have imagined.  She offers a series of meditations and exercises to enhance our ability to do so, and to release our attachment to a particular outcome.  If we can learn to do that, Kathleen says, "we also find it easier to be open to the possibility that our dogs may be helping us just as much as we are helping them."

###

Animal Reiki expert Kathleen Prasad is making a rare visit from California to the Boston area to be one of the featured speakers at the upcoming Conference on Complementary Animal Healing in November.

Review: The Animal Healer

Elizabeth Whiter didn't know she was a healer until her beloved Danish-bred gelding, Wow, was critically injured, in danger of losing his life.  He'd broken his neck in three places after leaping into a swimming pool, and the best advice vets could offer was:  euthanize him.

But instead of doing that, the heartbroken Ms. Whiter went to the barn and caringly put her hands on Wow, gently but deliberately stroking him, yet not really understanding why.

     "Instinctively, I was drawn to the areas of his body that needed my touch.  I felt incredibly relaxed, yet my attention was solely on Wow. . .My feet were like magnets, pulling me into the ground, and I felt a sense of calmness and strength throughout the whole of my body. . .I noticed that Wow was breathing to my rhythm; it was as if we were synchronized.  It was an extraordinary, harmonious moment.  A silence enveloped the stable and a feeling far greater than happiness swept over my body.

     "Wow seemed to be getting comfort from me, and, as I whispered to him, he began to relax and sigh.  I had never done anything like this before with him.  It just felt right.  I knew nothing about healing--in fact, at that time, I didn't even know what the term meant--but I loved my horse so much that I couldn't bear the thought of having to put him down.  I would have done anything to help him."

That experience was the epiphany that launched Whiter into a career in which she has offered healing to thousands of animals, and taught hundreds of other people how to do it, too.  Her horse, Wow, recovered, and lived happily and fully for many more years.

In The Animal Healer, Elizabeth Whiter, who is based in the UK, tells the story of her personal evolution as an animal healer, one who uses not only hands-on techniques but also, essential and macerated oils, to restore her patients to health.  What she discovered is that healing flows from the healer's "conscious intention," and from her heart.  Whiter stresses that meditation is the key to cultivating the focus necessary to effectively direct energy healing to others, be they animal or human.

But she goes a step further, offering stricken animals the opportunity to self-select essential oils and natural remedies that will bring them back into physical and emotional balance, a technique pioneered by Caroline Ingraham, and known as "zoopharmacognosy."

Whiter's devotion to her animal patients is palpable, and they respond in ways that are often both unimaginable and unpredictable, sometimes defying logical expectations.  The miracles come both from her energy work, as she consciously creates an "ocean of peace" for her healing sessions, and from her detailed knowledge of which oils and macerates are likely to soothe her clients.  She sees hundreds of animals each year, both in her private practice and as a "spiritual warrior" who tends to the needs of scarred dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys in rescue sanctuaries throughout the world, treating them not with sympathy or sadness, but with pure love.

Ultimately, The Animal Healer is the story of Elizabeth Whiter's voyage of the heart, one which has sent ripples out into the world.  I felt privileged to be able to tag along on her journey.

Review: Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die

If ever there was a book that deals with the subject of animal death in an unsentimental way, Going Home:  Finding Peace When Pets Die is it.

That's not to say that author Jon Katz doesn't care about the animals he has had to euthanize:  he does, deeply.  But unlike so many preachy books on this subject, Katz writes with dispassion, clarity, and even wisdom.  Though he agonized over his decision to end the life of his iconic dog, Orson, Katz was completely unprepared for the way the border collie's death would subsequently affect him:

"I did not want to be one of those silly people who lost themselves in the lives of their dogs and cats.  I didn't want people to see how I felt.  I told myself that Orson was just a dog, an animal.  It wasn't like he was human.  Yet my grief could hardly have been worse.  I admitted to myself that I had lost members of my family for whom I had not felt that much sorrow.  It was a shocking thing to consider."

I've long admired Katz's writings about the wonderful dogs with whom he shares his days at Bedlam Farm, but have mistrusted him since he first wrote about sending an adopted steer, Elvis, to slaughter.  And to be honest, those feelings rose up anew while I was reading Going Home, in which Katz recounts Elvis's sad fate yet again.

Katz freely admits that he "adopted Elvis, a three-thousand-pound Swiss steer, to spare him from the slaughterhouse."  In spite of having made that commitment, Katz started to feel "uneasy" about the gentle giant when he had to change his own routine to accommodate Elvis's.  though Katz says, "Killing Elvis was not the ending I wanted," he rationalized it by finding a slaughterhouse that "used sedatives so that the animals did not feel pain."  Katz dispatched Elvis in a neighboring farmer's trailer, feeding him "one last chocolate donut from Dunkin' Donuts, his favorite treat," perhaps as a way of assuaging his guilt, perhaps not.

I couldn't help but compare the image of Elvis being led away to his bloody demise with the deathbed scene of the steer, Samson, which was so lovingly described by Kathy Stevens in Where the Blind Horse Sings.  When it was his time to go, Samson wasn't sent away to face a brutal ending:  he quietly fell into unconsciousness at the farm where he had lived out his life in peace and dignity.

If the chapter on Elvis is Going Home's worst, the section on the way in which children can be helped to understand and mourn the death of a beloved pet is one of the best.  Katz says that we should respect children enough to tell them the truth about what is happening to their dog or cat, and be given the opportunity to say good-bye when the time comes.  I agree.  But so often, it is our own discomfort with the details of death that makes us fumble:  we simply don't know what to say, or do.  Katz counsels:

"For families dealing with the death of a pet, it's important for parents to share the experience of grief with their kids, rather than ignore it or simply wait for it to pass.  Acknowledging loss is important.  Children's grief ought not to be rushed or diminished any more than the pain adults feel when their animals die."

In the end, Going Home:  Finding Peace When Pets Die is a good read, even if you don't agree with Katz's life-and-death decisions and the way in which he's rationalized them.  The man has grieved greatly for his lost creature companions, and in that, we're all united.

Review: The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats, by Paul McCutcheon, DVM

Dr. Paul McCutcheon sees things differently. When a client makes an appointment for him to treat a dog because the dog is compulsively licking and chewing his skin, for example, the Ontario-based veterinarian doesn't immediately reach for a shot of prednisone. Instead, he starts asking questions.

After more than 35 years as a holistic small animal practitioner, his focus is to identify the early signs of "unwellness" before they explode into full-blown disease. And, as he explains in his important book, The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats: The Stress-Health Connection, "there are important differences between the way mainstream medicine and the holistic way attempt to find out what's wrong when a pet is not well."

Rather than rushing to eradicate the symptoms of an animal's illness, Dr. McCutcheon becomes a detective, seeking to identify what external forces may have tipped the balance in an animal's equilibrium and garbled the energy flowing through his "living terrain," compromising his immune system in the process. In this respect, he differs sharply from conventional veterinarians who reach for a quick fix--that shot of prednisone--to quell an animal's pain and discomfort, without worrying too much about how a steroid injection may simply further impair the animal's ability to heal.

In a life devoted to animal healing, Dr. McCutcheon has emphasized the power of prevention, and it's here that he empowers animal caretakers by helping us to become mindful of the insidious and often unrecognized sources of stress that affect our animals in ways we never intended or imagined. In Dr. McCutcheon's view, "stress is the sole cause of everything that happens to our pets' health."

It's when stress becomes chronic and unrelenting, and morphs into distress--from the high-pitched noise that never stops, the shock collar, the processed foods, the annual vaccinations, or the exposure to toxic household or lawn chemicals--that problems can ensue:

"Because it is prolonged and persistent, chronic stress can wear a pet down over time. Its effects manifest differently in each individual. One animal may show it through a behavioral issue; another, through a gastrointestinal disturbance; and a third, through unexplained weight loss. It may also produce problems with organs or glands, such as heart disease or diabetes. . .

Chronic stress can also compromise a pet's health indirectly. For example, she may become more susceptible to infections, and eventually to degenerative conditions such as cancer or allergies."

Dr. McCutcheon challenges his clients, and his readers, to become their animals' stress monitors and to ask themselves how their own habits and lifestyle choices may be putting their animals' health at risk. He urges us to watch for subtle signs of unwellness--such as changes in our animals' behavior, appearance, energy level, habits, appetite, weight, and even smell--and regard them as early warning signals that something may be wrong.

The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats offers a refreshing--and some would say, even radical--approach to protecting, preserving, and enhancing our animals' health. For those whose efforts to "cure" their animals from illness or chronic conditions have dead-ended, it offers options. And for those whose animals are facing daunting diagnoses, it offers hope. I highly recommend it.

Talk with Dr. Paul McCutcheon, Author of The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats during April 28th Teleconference

The next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference will feature Dr. Paul McCutcheon, DVM, who will discuss his recent book, The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats: The Stress-Health Connection, on Wednesday, April 28th at 8:00pm (EDT).

Dr. Paul McCutcheon is the founder of Toronto's East York Animal Clinic, and a former Director of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.  For more than 40 years, he has been helping small animals recover from the stress in their lives and the physical and emotional problems it causes them.

In Dr. McCutcheon's view, stress is the underlying cause of every health problem that affects our animals, initially weakening their immune systems, and, if not alleviated, leading them down the road to "unwellness" and ultimately, to serious disease and chronic health issues.   He looks at the underlying roots of an animal's affliction, and unlike mainstream veterinarians, seeks to treat not simply the symptoms but to understand and correct the dis-ease that is compromising the animal's health. 

In The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats, Dr. McCutcheon presents a revolutionary way of preserving, maintaining, and enhancing our animals' well-being, with the goal of leading them "toward a more vibrant state of wellness."  He discusses his personal protocol for immunization (which probably differs from anything you've heard before), the role of homeopathy, the stress that can be created by an improper diet, the role of stress in cancer, the natural process of dying, and so much more. You won't want to miss this call!

If you'd like to have an opportunity to chat with Dr. McCutcheon about your own animal, you can join the "Conversations with Animal Authors" call by dialing 712-432-0180 and entering PIN # 1063739 on Wednesday, April 28th at 8:00pm (EDT).  Long-distance charges may apply.  If you can't participate live but would like to hear the interview, it will be recorded and archived on this site within a few days after the event.

Review: Am I Boring My Dog?, by Edie Jarolim

Am I Boring My Dog? The question that Edie Jarolim asks is a good one, actually. We're so busy working and running around and doing what needs to be done that we don't spend enough time with our animals. For many hours each day, they are left to fend for themselves, often by themselves. And the time we do manage to spend with them tends to be devoted to the "must-do" activities, such as walking and feeding and grooming, rather than to more pleasureable--and even frivolous--pursuits. Are we really doing enough to keep them happy?

Ms. Jarolim answers that question, and 99 others, in a book that brilliantly spoon-feeds serious information in the guise of light-hearted fun. Her adorable terrier, Frankie, is her steadfast guide and fact checker, and the raison d'etre for this compilation.

When it comes to preventing boredom, for instance, the author has lots of creative suggestions, including audio-visual stimulation for stay-at-home-dogs, in the form of DVDs such as Bradley Joseph's While You Are Gone, featuring deer, ducks, geese, and wolves. But be sure to read the footnotes, in which Ms. Jarolim adds, "According to Wikipedia, performing with Yanni is one of Bradley Joseph's claims to fame. If you and/or your dog are allergic to New Age music, this may be irrelevant."

For more active canines, Edie offers a list of "organized activities," such as Canine ("Musical") Freestyle, and quips, "If Frankie was more coordinated, this is the competition I'd most want to try." But then she admits, "I can't afford to pay off everyone who knows the truth: Frankie has an adorable pranching gait, like a tiny Lippizzaner stallion, while I'm the big ol' klutz."

I like this woman's style.

Talk with Edie Jarolim, Author of Am I Boring My Dog? during March 31st Teleconference

The next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference will feature Edie Jarolim, who will discuss her recent book, Am I Boring My Dog? and her blog, Will My Dog Hate Me?, on Wednesday, March 31st at 9:00pm (EDT).

Edie Jarolim is a seasoned writer, having authored three travel guides and numerous travel articles.  She holds a Ph.D. in English literature from New York University, but she was admittedly clueless about dogs until she adopted an adorable terrier mix named "Frankie," who inspired her to learn everything she could.  She has shared her new passion for all things canine in her book, Am I Boring My Dog? and in her blog, Will My Dog Hate Me?

As a relative newcomer to the world of dogs, Edie Jarolim brings a refreshing perspective to the topic.  She is an intrepid and tireless researcher, and even though her approach is often humorous, she also tackles serious subjects, such as aging and tuahanasia, with compassion and sensitivity, and always from the point of view of someone who loves dogs and wants the best for them.

If you'd like to have an opportunity to chat with Edie Jarolim about your own dog, you can join the "Conversations with Animal Authors" call by dialing 712-432-0180 and entering PIN #1063739 at 9:00pm (EDT) on Wednesday, March 31st.  Long-distance charges may apply.  If you can't make the call but want to hear the interview, a recording of the call will be archived here within a few days after the event.

Review: The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, by Celeste Yarnall and Jean Hofve

Celeste Yarnall and Jean Hofve want to change your mind. In their bold new book, The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, they challenge our notions about the appropriate care and feeding of our cats, and make a persuasive argument that most of us are doing it wrong.

Is there a cat person among us who has not lost a cherished feline friend to cancer, chronic renal failure, diabetes, leukemia, thyroid problems, or other ravaging diseases? When bad things happen to our cats, we fight the good fight and support them with drugs, prescription diets, surgical procedures, and love, but we may not have dared to ask the question: how could we have prevented this?

In The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, authors Yarnall and Hofve affirm not only that most chronic diseases can be prevented, they also tell us how. And they offer health-affirming prescriptions which, if we follow them, will enhance our cats' daily happiness quotient, and add many years to their lives.

It all begins with feeding. With a Ph.D. in Nutrition, Ms. Yarnall is an ardent advocate of a carefully formulated raw food diet, but, as she takes care to emphasize, it's not enough just to feed your cat raw meat and think you're giving him all he needs:

"It's vital to remember that cats cannot live on meat alone. There are many case histories of unfortunate cats who suffered and died from being fed only meat (or fish or liver). As an example, there is virtually no calcium in meat. A cat fed on a meat-only diet must satisfy its calcium requirement by stealing from its own bones, and ultimately can fracture a leg just walking across a room."

One of the things I didn't know until I read The Complete Guide is that, contrary to what we've been led to believe, most fish is bad for cats. Yarnall and Hofve posit that "the fish used in canned pet foods usually includes bones and are high in phosphorus and magnesium, which can be an issue in cats with a history of urinary tract disorders or kidney disease." And, even more alarmingly, "there is a known link between the feeding of fish-based canned cat foods and the development of hyperthyroidism in older cats."

The book has an excellent guide to "anti-aging supplements," and, equally important, a list of commonly used foods, ingredients, and other substances that are highly toxic to cats. Ms. Yarnall and Dr. Hofve recommend that you look for products that carry the National Animal Supplement Council seal.

And that's just the beginning. It's not just what a cat ingests in the form of food that will shape his future, it's how he copes with stress. It's here that Yarnall and Hofve are at their best, with innovative tools and techniques to ease anxiety and boost our cats' immune systems. They advocate incorporating play therapy, massage, TTouch, Reiki, the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), flower essences, and even telepathy into your cat's routine. If you're thinking that you can't do any of those things because you don't know how, don't worry. The authors will show you.

While The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care breaks with many commonly held assumptions of conventional veterinarians, it does invite the reader to have a reasoned conversation with her own practitioner, armed with facts, rather than rhetoric. Perhaps the most controversial section of the book deals with the topic of vaccinations. Citing studies by researchers Ron Schultz and Tom R. Phillips, the authors contend that not only is there no solid evidence justifying annual vaccinations, but that they actually do more harm than good. Indeed, there are studies that suggest "a causal relationship between the panleukopenia vaccine and the development of CRF (chronic renal failure)." And there is little debate about the causative role of the rabies and feline leukemia vaccines in the development of "malignant, fatal tumors called fibrosarcomas."

What no one can question, though, is the recurring theme that runs throughout this revolutionary volume: it's critical that everything we do for, to, or with our cats, is done with love. At first blush, that sounds like a cliche, but there is actually scientific support for the idea that we shouldn't be feeding our cats (or ourselves) when we are unbalanced, upset, or in the wrong frame of mind:

"I recommend that you do not feed your cat (or eat your own meals) when he or you are stressed. Acute stress releases adrenaline, which shuts down the digestive system. When anxiety accompanies a meal, your food cannot be properly digested, so nutrients can't get into your cells and function properly. This can compromise the immune system, making you vulnerable to infection and degenerative disease. All of our digestive functions work best when conditions are pleasurable. It's a double-edged sword for you, the caretaker of your family and pets."

How many times have you ever rushed home from work and, still in a harried state from your commute, literally thrown down the food for your cat (or dog, for that matter!)? I know I have. But after reading The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, I won't do that anymore. My animals' lives might depend on it.

Talk with Celeste Yarnall, author of The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, during February 25th Teleconference

The next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference will feature Celeste Yarnall, who will discuss The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, which she co-wrote with Dr. Jean Hofve, during a free hour-long event on Thursday, February 25th 2010 at 8:00pm (EST).

With a Ph.D. in Nutrition and a passionate love of animals, Dr. Yarnall worked with holistic veterinarian Russell Swift to create a line of all-natural food supplements, herbs, and homeopathics for dogs and cats, which are now sold through her website, Celestial Pets.  She is the author of two previous books, Cat Care Naturally and Natural Dog Care.

Since 1993, Celeste has conducted an 11-generation holistic breeding program with Championship Tonkinese cats, who are fed a homemade raw food diet of naturally raised meats and organic vegetables, along with Celestial Cats excipient-free whole food supplements.  The vitality of these cats has improved with each generation, and almost all of the health issues usually observed in domestic cats have been eliminated. 

The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care will change, enhance, and extend your cat's life, if you implement its feeding, veterinary, and emotional support and healing protocols.  And you may learn here that much of what you thought you knew about caring for cats is just plain wrong.  You'll learn about how to use natural remedies, hands-on healing, aromatherapy, anti-aging supplements, and even feline "astromedicine," but most of all, you'll discover how to look at your cat in a completely different way.

If you'd like to have an opportunity to talk with Celeste Yarnall about what to feed your cat, whether to vaccinate, or how to prevent and treat common life-threatening conditions, you can join the call by dialing 712-432-0180 and entering PIN #1063739 at 8:00pm (EST) on Thursday, February 25th.  Long-distance charges may apply.  If you're unable to participate live, a recording of the interview will be posted on this site within a few days after the event.

Review: Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss, by Sid Korpi

Death. It's a subject we are loathe to contemplate. And even when we prepare for it, in the end, we're never ready. Inevitably, it comes too soon.

And when it's the death of a cherished animal companion, the mourner's pain can be cruelly exacerbated by friends and associates who don't understand or sympathize with the magnitude of the loss. A person can feel terribly alone, and sometimes even imagine that she's losing her mind. But as Sid Korpi demonstrates in Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss, those who suffer in silence after the deeply felt death of an animal companion are neither crazy nor alone. There are many of us, and in a very real sense, the stories that Ms. Korpi tells about people who have loved and lost their animals are our stories, too.

Having been inspired to tackle this daunting subject by the deaths of several of her own beloved dogs and cats, Sid brings a highly personal perspective to the process of caring for terminally ill pets, grieving after their deaths, feeling their presence after they've died, and making the choice to welcome a new animal. She also shares some interesting insights from other observers, such as the idea that "it is quite common for pets to pass away around the time of huge, family-life-altering events such as a death, birth, or divorce."

Sid makes it clear that she's among the believers in the idea that people and animals live on after they die. To those who seek proof that their dear animal friend is still with them after death, Sid's advice is down-to-earth and straightforward:

     "By simply being open to and actively/intuitively observant of the signs, one can receive amazing messages from the Other Side without the aid of a medium or possession of special psychic abilities of one's own. Conversely, if you are afraid, skeptical, or simply not willing or open to welcome such experiences, chances are you will never have them. What we believe shapes our experience of reality to a tremendous degree."

One of my favorite stories in Good Grief pertains to the way in which Sid, and her husband, Anthony, came to adopt their Westie, Mortimer, after the death of their precious Westie, Ludwig. Mindful that they could not, and would not, ever set about to replace Ludwig, Sid and Anthony decided to "ask" Ludwig, and another departed Westie, Tuppence, to find them the perfect new dog. "We knew there would be cause for celebration and gratitude when we found this dog, not guilt and anguish, as might have been the case." And sure enough, just two days after they had made the request, they found a stray Westie at a far-away humane society whom they immediately recognized as having been sent by Ludwig and Tuppence. When Mortimer arrived in their home, even their cats welcomed him as an old friend.

Sid includes a lengthy, practical section on the importance and therapeutic value of memorializing a departed animal in a way that will honor his life and his spirit and sometimes even help other animals. I remember that when I lost my first Springer Spaniel, Sarah, my sadness at her death propelled me to enlist as a volunteer for New England English Springer Spaniel Rescue. I soon recognized that in helping dogs who needed someone to love them, I was helping myself, too.

What I liked best about Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss, is that Sid Korpi approaches her subject with compassion, kindness, empathy, and even a sense of humor. She demystifies this taboo topic, and makes it a lot less scary. If you're mourning the death of a much-loved animal friend, you'll find comfort here.

Talk with Sid Korpi, author of Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss, during January 27th Teleconference

The next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference will feature Sid Korpi, who will discuss her recent book, Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss, during a free hour-long event on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 8:00pm (EST).

Sid Korpi is a Minneapolis-based writer, editor, actor and ordained minister who loves animals and understands the pain that ensues after the death of a beloved animal companion.  After experiencing the loss of her cherished Westie, Ludwig, Sid decided to channel her grief into the creation of a fact-filled resource that would gently help others cope with their own losses.  The result was her comprehensive collection of stories, personal accounts, and professional advice:  Good Grief:  Finding Peace After Pet Loss.

What's so wonderful about Sid's book is that she not only understands the searing emotional pangs of the often-lonely grieving process, but she also offers both consolation and coping techniques that can illuminate the tear-stained path to quiet acceptance and to an openness to love again.

If you'd like to have an opportunity to talk with Sid Korpi about what you felt and experienced after your own pet's death, you can join the call by dialing 712-432-0180 and entering PIN #1063739 at 8:00pm (EST) on Wednesday, January 27th.  Long-distance charges may apply.  If you're unable to participate live, a recording of the interview will be posted here within a few days after the event.

Review: Beyond the Homestretch, by Lynn Reardon

In 2008, more than 134,000 hapless horses of every age and breed were crammed into overcrowded trucks from various points in the U.S. to take a one-way ride to oblivion, via slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico. The trend continued this year, though the final tally of equine lives lost in 2009 is not yet available.

The scope of the problem is daunting to anyone who loves horses and wants them to be treated with dignity, not put in harm's way. Yet what can one person do to make a dent in the carnage? In Beyond the Homestretch: What I've Learned from Saving Racehorses, Lynn Reardon has the answer. You do the only thing you can do: you save them one at a time.

Lynn experienced the horrors of the horse slaughter pipeline first-hand when she was living in the Washington, DC area, working as a finance manager and spending all of her free time learning how to become a proficient rider. It was during the early 2000s, when slaughter was still legal in the U.S. Attending an auction with Tina, a trainer seeking a horse for a client, Lynn happened upon an old paint mare, wedged into a pen with her son and several other horses:

     "Her face was incredibly sweet with large, dark eyes full of warmth and trusting cheerfulness. I halted, arrested by the humanity of her gaze. . .The mare took a couple steps closer to us, looking for attention, her gait clumsy. I looked at her ankles and a chill tightened my throat. Even my novice eyes could see the arthritis and large bony spurs around each joint. She could barely walk--a death sentence.

     Tina pulled me away, muttering, 'That mare's only heading one place and not for a lot of money. She's earned a better end than that.' I glanced at the mare again--her Da Vinci expression still haunts me today. A meat dealer bought her, a squat, sunburned man with eyes like concrete. That was the last auction I ever attended."

In chronicling her experiences as the fledgling founder of LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers), which helps to find new careers for thoroughbreds whose racing days are over, Lynn vividly describes the physical and emotional challenges she's had to overcome to ensure that at least some of the horses retiring from Texas racetracks don't meet the same fate as the gentle mare she met so many years ago. And it's her gut-wrenching skill with words that makes us care so passionately about what happens to the ones who have been lucky enough to reach the safety of her ranch.

Many of the thoroughbreds who arrive at LOPE come with gossipy backstretch "rap sheets," suggesting that they are mean, or stubborn, or high-strung, or even untrainable. Lynn quietly smashes these stereotypes, in sometimes surprising ways. Her gift is to listen only to what she hears from each horse's heart, and to compassionately and creatively give them the space they need to shine.

My favorite (and perhaps Lynn's, too) is the aptly named, "Sugarfoot," an angel of a filly blessed with a "mellow disposition and willing attitude," but questionable conformation. Because of her sweet demeanor, Lynn was sure she'd find a new home quickly. But each prospective adopter found some reason to reject her, and it looked like Sugarfoot might take up permanent residence in Lynn's backyard. Everything changed on the day that a developmentally disabled young woman named Desiree arrived to meet her. Without ever having been trained to do so, Sugarfoot immediately understood how to take care of Desiree, and make sure she wouldn't lose her balance:

     "It was clear that Sugarfoot was protecting Desiree, that this little red filly with the funny build had a true, deep vocation to be a therapeutic riding horse. Awed, we watched as Desiree and Sugarfoot walked together, with Sugarfoot always listening, always careful to keep her steps slow for her special rider."

Along the way, Lynn has found herself unexpectedly but earnestly assisting at tracheotomies, treating rattlesnake bites, and constructing tricky hock bandages. She confronts her own doubts and deficiencies with self-deprecating humor and honest introspection, often coming across as her own harshest critic, always wondering whether she is up to the task:

     "I had developed an interesting skill set, like how to feed fifteen horses from my truck and the proper technique for tracheotomy assisting--but these were the badges of an equine social worker, not a true professional equestrian."

But Lynn Reardon doesn't have anything to apologize for. The herculean dedication required to sustain an equine rescue cannot be overstated, yet Lynn has carried each horse to the finish line with grace and equanimity. She's been instrumental in saving the lives of more than 700 thoroughbreds, and in Beyond the Homestretch, she's written a compelling memoir of her own redemption. I eagerly await the next chapter.
    

Talk with Lynn Reardon, Author of Beyond the Homestretch, during December 29th Teleconference

The next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference will feature Lynn Reardon, who will discuss her recently published book, Beyond the Homestretch: What I've Learned from Saving Racehorses, on Tuesday, December 29th at 8:00pm EST.

Just six years ago, Lynn Reardon was working as a finance manager of a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC, but in 2004, she left her white collar job and moved to Texas, where she founded LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers), now a 26-acre haven for former thoroughbred runners.  In the intervening years, Lynn has successfully placed 145 thoroughbreds in adoptive homes, and, through the LOPE website, has helped almost 600 more find new careers.

Lynn's stories of the horses who found their way into her ranch, and into her heart, are honest, gutsy, and bubbling with the kinds of details that true horsemen will relish.  While her equine cameos are dramatic, they are never laced with sentimentality.  She paints a realistic--and compelling--picture of the challenges she's faced in transforming sometimes quirky racehorses who are often emotionally or physically battered and bruised.  At a time when 100,000 discarded horses are being shipped out of this country each year to be slaughtered in Canada and Mexico, Lynn shows us what can happen when someone cares enough to save even a few.

You can talk to Lynn (or just hear the interview) by dialing 712-432-0180 and entering PIN #1063739 at 8:00pm (EST) on December 29th.

Review: Buckley's Story, by Ingrid King

Just by being there, our cats exert a profound influence on our lives.  Yet so many of us fail to appreciate how much they care for and calm us, how necessary they are to our emotional equilibrium, and how integrally they contribute to our inner happiness. 

But Ingrid King knows.  And as she movingly details in Buckley's Story: Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher, her poignant memoir of her relationship with a little torti cat with a deformed hind leg and very few teeth, cats can lift us up and make us better for having known them.

Buckley's Story chronicles Ingrid's three-year journey of the heart with her two tortoiseshell girls:  Amber, a steadfast--almost spiritual--cat, and Buckley, an ageless waif whom she initially rescued to be her office companion at the veterinary practice she managed.  Soon, Buckley was running the place herself.

Ingrid started to find it increasingly difficult to leave Buckley at the office on weekends, but she was torn, because though she intuitively understood that Buckley longed to live in a real home, she wasn't sure that Amber would welcome another cat into their close-knit family.  She made two failed attempts to commingle the two cats, but admitted that her own conflicted emotions were interfering with  Amber and Buckley's ability to form a feline friendship.  Finally, though, when Ingrid decided to relinquish her position as the manager of the veterinary hospital to devote herself to writing and to developing her Reiki practice, she realized she couldn't leave Buckley behind.  And sure enough, within a few days, Amber and Buckley worked out their own ground rules, and peacefully shared the same space:

"Cats are sensitive to human emotions.  They often feel our stresses and worries before we acknowledge them.  When I worried about whether Amber and Buckley would ever get along, there was hissing and posturing.  When I finally let go of the fear and worry and simply focused on the desired outcome--all three of us living happily together--the cats' behavior changed."

And, in the process, Ingrid found herself changing, too.  The petite cat who she thought she had rescued was actually saving her:

"The process of bringing Buckley home, with all the emotional ups and downs it brought for me, is ultimately a testament to how much this little cat opened my heart. . .I was set in my ways. . .Buckley's exuberant energy and big heart required me to open myself to change."

As Ingrid plunged into her new careers, Buckley happily settled into her own new roles as "official greeter" and assistant Reiki practitioner:

"She would get up on the Reiki table and often curl up next to or on top of the client.  I realized after a few sessions like this that she intuitively knew where extra energy was needed."

But Buckley's bright light would be extinguished all too soon.  She developed a series of physical problems, which not only challenged her health but also tested Ingrid's ability as a healer.  Her experience at the veterinary practice armed her with the knowledge she needed to get Buckley the best available treatment, but it didn't prepare her to be able to cultivate a sunny outlook.  Only Buckley could do that:

"Buckley taught me how to stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself with worry.  Despite being in considerable pain prior to having her teeth removed, she never spent any time worrying about the upcoming surgery, anesthesia, or recovery. . .I had learned that I could help her more by focusing on her well-being rather than worrying about whether she was going to get better.  It was a constant process of redirecting my thoughts to something positive, whenever the old pattern of worry reared its ugly head."

As Buckley's condition deteriorated, I found myself tiptoeing through the chapters with a sense of foreboding and dread, though Ingrid infuses them with introspection, wisdom, and an unexpected twinge of optimism about her beloved cat's fate:

"We can choose which story we tell from moment to moment.  We can focus on what we want and tell the story the way we want it to be, or we can focus on what we don't want or don't like and tell the story the way it is. . .So rather than telling the story the way it  was--she had been diagnosed with a serious heart condition and had been given a poor prognosis--I choose to tell the story the way I wanted it to be:  she was a happy little cat who was enjoying her life to the fullest."

I felt some of the same emotions as I faced the death of my own dear cat, Casey, whose life on earth ended just two days before Buckley's, in November of 2008.  But I wish I had shown the same grace Ingrid did, as she readied herself to finally let Buckley go.  A year later, as I came to the end of Buckley's Story, I cried for Buckley, for Casey, and for myself.  But not for Ingrid King, who has written a heartfelt gem of a story that will resonate with me, and with anyone who reads it, for a long time.

Review: Memoirs of the Bathtub Psychic, by Bethanne Elion

Call it intuition, psychic sensitivity, or just being "tuned in," Bethanne Elion had it. But, like so many of us, she renounced her innate ability to see more than meets the eye, to perceive what was going on energetically around her, and to heed forebodings when they arose, unbidden. The results were painful, and when it came to her beloved Newfoundland, Sophie, even tragic. Memoirs of the Bathtub Psychic is the saga of Bethanne's personal journey to find herself again, and in the process, become the person--the healer, the seer, the gifted empath--she was always meant to be.

As far back as she could remember, Bethanne had a magical connection with animals. "It seemed that the only time I felt at home with my gifts was when I was around animals," she admits. "I intuitively knew they had an understanding of my abilities. She could mentally hear what they were thinking, as clear as day. Fearing ridicule, however, she soon learned how to sabotage her psychic perceptions:

"By immersing myself in my classwork, with music on in the background,
having a few cocktails in the early evening, and leaving the television on
all night while I slept, I could keep the psychic side of me at bay. Noise
helped to stop the clairaudience. Drinking aided in suppressing clairvoyance.
Studying nonstop made it possible for me to avoid deep or meaningful contact
with others. That helped in keeping my soul from wandering off into other
people, animals, or lifetimes."

Bethanne's life changed forever on the day she drove from her home in California to a dog breeder in Oregon, to pick up a seven-week-old Newfoundland puppy, whom she named Sophie. When she brought her precious puppy to get her first shots, she intuitively sensed that something terrible was about to happen, but not trusting herself, she handed Sophie over for the injections. Her big black dog was never the same after that, and within two years, she was dead.

Bethanne subsequently adopted two more Newfies, Emma and Cubby, and when they, too, experienced a series of health problems, she went for help in a different direction. She implemented the nutritional recommendations offered in Wendy Volhard's The Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog, learned everything she could about homeopathy, and her dogs improved. But when it was time for Emma to have a rabies booster, Bethanne faced it with dread, instinctively understanding that it would be the beginning of the end of Emma. Within weeks after the vaccination, Emma had developed cancerous tumors at the site of the injection. Bethanne knew that in order to save her dogs, and herself, something had to shift. She decided to move to Vermont.

It was in the quiet of rural Vermont that Bethanne began to allow herself to hear again, and to feel again, and it was there that she began to honor her psychic self by making energetic connections with animals in need. She discovered that she could home in on lost dogs and cats, vividly and accurately describing their whereabouts, but sometimes having to tell bereaved owners that their pets were not coming back. She soon learned to dread such cases.

Bethanne learned to ask permission from an animal before initiating a "conversation," and she came to understand how to distinguish the difference between "that which is symbolic and that which is real" in a telepathic interaction. She learned that some animals simply do not want to be found, and that sometimes, there is nothing that can be done to retrieve them.

Bethanne calls herself an "energy translator," explaining that she is simply a conduit for "information funneling in from the universe." What comes through most of all in this honest and sometimes searingly painful Memoir of the Bathtub Psychic is the author's absolute integrity as a searcher, as a selfless caretaker of her creature companions, and as a bona fide intuitive whose ego never gets in the way of the truth. Hers has been a jagged road, but one truly worth following.

Talk with Bethanne Elion, author of Memoirs of the Bathtub Psychic, during November 30th Teleconference

The next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference will feature Intuitive Bethanne Elion, who will discuss her recently published book, Memoirs of the Bathtub Psychic: The True Story of a Clairvoyant and Her Dogs, on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 8:00pm (EDT).  The call is free and all are invited to participate.

Bethanne Elion has been deeply involved in animal communication and holistic healing for many years.  She works as a nutrition consultant for private clients and for Volhard Nutrition, makers of natural diet and other whole health balancing products for dogs.  Bethanne has lived in Vermont since 1999, sharing her life with her beloved Newfoundlands, her Yellow Lab, and many feline friends.  Memoirs of the Bathtub Psychic is her first book.

As a truly gifted animal intuitive with an indepth knowledge of homeopathy and nutrition, Bethanne brings an important and often unconventional perspective to the subject of how we can best care for our creature companions.  Whether you're an animal lover, a would-be animal communicator, or just interested in learning how to protect and enhance your dog's health and longevity, you won't want to miss this opportunity to talk with her. 

You can participate in this month's "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference by dialing 616-347-8100 and entering PIN #1063739.  Long-distance charges may apply.  If you can't join us live, a recording of the interview will be posted here within a few days after the event.

Review: Energy Healing for Dogs, by Nicole Wilde

Nicole Wilde wants to empower you, by helping you to discover the energy flowing through your own hands. It's not magic, but many of us may feel intimidated at the idea that we can actually send energy to another being--human or animal--falsely believing that the ability to do so is owned by a privileged few natural-born healers.

In Energy Healing for Dogs: Using Hands-On Healing to Improve Canine Health and Behavior, Nicole deftly and clearly demonstrates that we are all blessed with the ability to sense, clear, and affect another's energy field, simply by tapping into time-tested techniques that are easily accessible to anyone who wants to learn them. And in spite of the fact that the title of her book suggests that you have to be touching a dog in order for it to work, Nicole explains that you can send energy across a room or even across a continent, to help dogs who are out of sync with their emotions, their bodies, their companions, or their surroundings:


"When a dog experiences energetic blockages or imbalances, he may become
stressed, anxious, depressed, irritable, or even fearful or aggressive. . .Although
energy healing is not a substitute for training or medical care, it can serve as an
excellent adjunct. When a being achieves a state of homeostasis--balance--the
result is better health, a sense of well-being, and better behavior. That applies
to both dogs and people. When we are balanced energetically, we feel healthy,
happy, and content, and are therefore likely to interact in positive ways with
those around us."

All living beings are made up of energy, and are surrounded by an electromagnetic field--sometimes called an aura--which vibrates at a certain frequency. When we--or our animals--are sick, or frightened, or angry, our energy field can contract, or mutate, or become murky, and that's when problems can ensue. So when we adopt a shelter dog who has been displaced from the only family it ever knew, and then been caged and bombarded by the sounds and smells of other fearful, barking dogs, it's no wonder that he may display behavioral problems. Until his energy field has been cleared and calmed, he may come across as sullen or unpredictable or just downright depressed.

For anyone who has faced these situations, Nicole's book is a godsend. She shows us how we can affect our dogs' health and happiness in ways we may never have imagined possible. She coaches would-be canine healers to let go of their expectations, hold an intention of the highest good for their dogs, and then to just let energy flow. We don't have to push it or pull it or make it go. We just have to let it happen.

There are terrific chapters on clearing a dog's energy field, using a technique similar to one known as "Magnetic Clearing" in Healing Touch for Animals, and on drawing pain and inflammation out of a dog's body by visualizing your palm as a strong magnet. And there are some very cool "Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments" you can try if you remain skeptical.

I loved Nicole's way of presenting a potentially complex topic with ease and simplicity. If you share your life with dogs, you'll want to read Energy Healing for Dogs and incorporate its techniques into your personal toolkit.

Talk with Nicole Wilde, Author of Energy Healing for Dogs, during October 28th Teleconference

The next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference will feature Nicole Wilde, who will discuss her book, Energy Healing for Dogs: Using Hands-On Healing to Improve Canine Health and Behavior, on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 8:00pm (EDT).  The call is free and all are invited to participate.

Nicole Wilde is a natural healer and Reiki Master, as well as a Certified Pet Dog Trainer who specializes in behavior issues.  A prolific writer, she is the athor of seven earlier books, including Help for Your Fearful Dog.  Nicole runs Gentle Guidance Dog Training in southern California, offers energy healing for pets, and assists rescue groups, shelters, and dogs in need.

In Energy Healing for Dogs, Nicole demystifies and simplifies the process of channeling energy for the benefit of our canine companions, and so effortlessly describes how to do it that even readers with no prior healing experience will feel empowered to try it with their own animals.

If you would like to learn how to use energy to heal your dog, you can join the "Conversations with Animal Authors" call by dialing 616-347-8100 and entering PIN #1063739.  Long-distance charges may apply.  For those who would like to hear the interview, but cannot participate live, a recording of the call will be posted here within a few days after the event.