On Thursday Peggy's Thoroughbred had his second chiropractic evaluation and treatment. He had retained the improvements that he gained immediately after the last session. He was more flexible on both sides, and didn't drag his feet anymore. Peggy had ridden him a couple of times, but had noticed that his girth didn't seem to fit anymore, so she had gotten him a new one.
The second treatment was just as fascinating as the first. There was a lot less introductory time, as it was apparent that the horse remembered Dr. Stacy fondly. He knew what to expect this time, and was much less surprised by the neck adjustments. He evidently realized that this whole business led to feeling better, and he leaned into Stacy's treatments and helped her find just the right angle of thrust for the adjustments.
It's funny that we get used to our bodies being a certain way, holding ourselves up and moving ourselves around. We get more static and lose flexibility as we get older, both physically and mentally.And yet the underlying fluidity and grace are there all along, waiting to be allowed to express themselves.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Vaccine Sale
The other night I caught the tail end of a TV ad for a new vaccine: the adult pertussis vaccine. The part of the ad that I saw implied that children were getting pertussis from adults. You could be infecting and endangering your children! They could be getting whooping cough from you! Now wouldn't you feel bad if that happened? You should go get vaccinated for this horrible disease!
I wonder why in veterinary medicine the intranasal Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine is generally agreed to be more effective than the injectable version, but people are still vaccinated against Bordetella (whooping cough) by injection. The studies of incidence of pertussis in adult populations show a wide variety of results, anywhere from <1% to 8%. Several of the studies diagnosed people with whooping cough based on antibody titers....because they were unsuccessful at culturing the actual bacteria from these people.
I don't know much about humans, but I can tell you how effective the vaccine is in dogs....Not! I have seen some lousy side effects from this simple, supposedly harmless vaccine, and about half of the dogs get kennel cough from the vaccine itself.
It seems that we'd be better off shoring up our immune systems, rather than falling for another profit-driven fear campaign. The vaccine manufacturer must have a lot of extra product around that they need to dump. And well they know, nothing sells like emotion. Now go out there and quit making kids sick!
I wonder why in veterinary medicine the intranasal Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine is generally agreed to be more effective than the injectable version, but people are still vaccinated against Bordetella (whooping cough) by injection. The studies of incidence of pertussis in adult populations show a wide variety of results, anywhere from <1% to 8%. Several of the studies diagnosed people with whooping cough based on antibody titers....because they were unsuccessful at culturing the actual bacteria from these people.
I don't know much about humans, but I can tell you how effective the vaccine is in dogs....Not! I have seen some lousy side effects from this simple, supposedly harmless vaccine, and about half of the dogs get kennel cough from the vaccine itself.
It seems that we'd be better off shoring up our immune systems, rather than falling for another profit-driven fear campaign. The vaccine manufacturer must have a lot of extra product around that they need to dump. And well they know, nothing sells like emotion. Now go out there and quit making kids sick!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Dog Bite
Last week my little white terrier bit the heck out of me as I attempted to break up a fight between her and the little brown terrier - with my bare hands.
Yes, I know. Stupid is as stupid does.
At first I thought the wounds were fairly superficial and would be okay. Did I mention stupid?
By about noon my ring finger was swollen to gargantuan proportions, and my wedding/engagement rings - which I had refused to remove - I know, I know, stupid! - were cutting off all circulation. Troy had told me to take the rings off right away after the bite. He had to cut them off with wire cutters. Luckily gold is a soft metal. I hate it when he's right.
Of course, my finger stayed swollen once it had been made so unhappy. It throbbed. The back of my hand swelled. My finger looked like a bright red shiny painful balloon.
Just about everybody I spoke to asked me why I wasn't on antibiotics, and why I hadn't gone to a doctor. A couple of people mentioned rabies.
Well, I'm vaccinated for rabies. And my dad's a doctor. I called him. He didn't suggest antibiotics, but did mention that I might have gas gangrene. "I had a patient once with gas gangrene," he said. "He died."
But dad, I said, wouldn't my finger be turning black, and have that crackly feeling like when there's gas under the skin? "By then it's too late," he said. He recommended a tetanus toxoid booster, and told me to soak my finger in hot water several times a day. I soaked my finger.
It's been a week. My finger is healing well. It's only 1 and 1/2 times the size of my other fingers. I can move it a lot more, and it's straighter.
What would I have done if it hadn't healed? Would I have taken antibiotics, gotten the tetanus booster, pursued amputation before it got too late? Who knows? I knew it would heal.
Yes, I know. Stupid is as stupid does.
At first I thought the wounds were fairly superficial and would be okay. Did I mention stupid?
By about noon my ring finger was swollen to gargantuan proportions, and my wedding/engagement rings - which I had refused to remove - I know, I know, stupid! - were cutting off all circulation. Troy had told me to take the rings off right away after the bite. He had to cut them off with wire cutters. Luckily gold is a soft metal. I hate it when he's right.
Of course, my finger stayed swollen once it had been made so unhappy. It throbbed. The back of my hand swelled. My finger looked like a bright red shiny painful balloon.
Just about everybody I spoke to asked me why I wasn't on antibiotics, and why I hadn't gone to a doctor. A couple of people mentioned rabies.
Well, I'm vaccinated for rabies. And my dad's a doctor. I called him. He didn't suggest antibiotics, but did mention that I might have gas gangrene. "I had a patient once with gas gangrene," he said. "He died."
But dad, I said, wouldn't my finger be turning black, and have that crackly feeling like when there's gas under the skin? "By then it's too late," he said. He recommended a tetanus toxoid booster, and told me to soak my finger in hot water several times a day. I soaked my finger.
It's been a week. My finger is healing well. It's only 1 and 1/2 times the size of my other fingers. I can move it a lot more, and it's straighter.
What would I have done if it hadn't healed? Would I have taken antibiotics, gotten the tetanus booster, pursued amputation before it got too late? Who knows? I knew it would heal.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Chiropractic + Massage = Happy Horse
Last Friday Stacy the animal chiropractor and Peggy the Reiki Master/animal massage therapist met at the barn where Peggy keeps her horse. Besides being stricken with Barn Envy, I got to observe the amazing effects of body work in action. I even got to help a little.
Peggy's horse is a Thoroughbred that she got from rescue. He was bred to race but wasn't fast enough, and was lucky enough to get funneled into rescue channels and picked up by the most dedicated horse owner imaginable. He's tall, dark, and handsome, and Peggy is learning dressage with him.
First, let me get the Barn Envy out of the way: Box stalls. Padded floors. Heated barn. Heated indoor arena. White never-fade post-and-rail-look vinyl fencing. Horse girls who come and bring the horses in, feed, clean the stalls, sweep the aisles. I used to be one of those girls. It's a wonderful life.
Peggy's horse dragged his feet a little when he walked, and seemed stiffer turning to one side than the other. Stacy also noticed a whole host of other little issues during her inspection and evaluation, which was thorough and painstaking. We watched him walk in straight lines and circles, trot in lines and circles, make tight turns, and she evaluated the range of motion of each of his legs.
Then came time for the adjustment. Using only her hands, and with 2 large foam blocks to stand on, Stacy adjusted the horse's pelvis, sacrum, and all the way up to and including his neck. Peggy's horse is a complete gentleman, and a willing, curious patient.
When he walked off after the chiropractic work he no longer dragged his feet. His strides were long and fluid and solid. Turning was immediately easier. His back looked different, even to my untrained eye.
After a rest and some hay, he got a massage from Peggy, who always includes acupressure in her work. By then the other horses were coming in to be fed, but our patient stood peacefully in the barn aisle, loving every minute of his treatment.
The instructions were to give him a couple of days off work afterwards, and in 2 weeks we'll do it all again, and see what progress has been made. I can't wait!
Peggy's horse is a Thoroughbred that she got from rescue. He was bred to race but wasn't fast enough, and was lucky enough to get funneled into rescue channels and picked up by the most dedicated horse owner imaginable. He's tall, dark, and handsome, and Peggy is learning dressage with him.
First, let me get the Barn Envy out of the way: Box stalls. Padded floors. Heated barn. Heated indoor arena. White never-fade post-and-rail-look vinyl fencing. Horse girls who come and bring the horses in, feed, clean the stalls, sweep the aisles. I used to be one of those girls. It's a wonderful life.
Peggy's horse dragged his feet a little when he walked, and seemed stiffer turning to one side than the other. Stacy also noticed a whole host of other little issues during her inspection and evaluation, which was thorough and painstaking. We watched him walk in straight lines and circles, trot in lines and circles, make tight turns, and she evaluated the range of motion of each of his legs.
Then came time for the adjustment. Using only her hands, and with 2 large foam blocks to stand on, Stacy adjusted the horse's pelvis, sacrum, and all the way up to and including his neck. Peggy's horse is a complete gentleman, and a willing, curious patient.
When he walked off after the chiropractic work he no longer dragged his feet. His strides were long and fluid and solid. Turning was immediately easier. His back looked different, even to my untrained eye.
After a rest and some hay, he got a massage from Peggy, who always includes acupressure in her work. By then the other horses were coming in to be fed, but our patient stood peacefully in the barn aisle, loving every minute of his treatment.
The instructions were to give him a couple of days off work afterwards, and in 2 weeks we'll do it all again, and see what progress has been made. I can't wait!
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