Maestro's Dog Arthritis Update & Pet Insurance Musings

Maestro enjoys his water therapy sessions at Canine Aquafitness. Photo by R-M Arca.

Where has the year gone? It’s been so long since I’ve had the time to blog. But we’re back with a little update on Maestro’s treatments for canine arthritis and Inter-vertebral Disc Disease.

Maestro’s condition has certainly stabilized with the combination of acupuncture, water and laser therapy. Take a look at this early video I took of his gait around the time he first started water therapy:

Now, look at this video I took of Maestro a couple of weeks ago after his acupuncture treatment. He was zipping along in his Bat Dog Halloween costume:

There is definitely a noticeable improvement in his arthritic gait, especially in his front.

Maestro has stabilized as far as the water therapy for dogs go. He averages around .30 miles per session. Tolerates the water treadmill and relishes in the swimming portion. He’s also quite vocal if the water temperature is a little too cold.

Now, this would not be possible for me without pet care insurance. There are several companies available in North America, including:

• CAA Pets

• Pet Care (24 Hour Pet Watch)

• Pet Secure

• Trupanion

Like health care insurance for us, the “trick” is to get coverage before your pet is diagnosed with a condition. Pre-existing conditions aren’t covered. Long story short, Maestro can never switch to another company, we can only change plans with the same company at this point.

What I did was take out a small plan for him as a pup and then upgraded as he got older. I switched him to the higher coverage plans before he was diagnosed with dog arthritis and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).

If you decide to go with Pet Care, please contact me and pass my name as having referred you. One word of advice: even if you see an option to fill out one claim form for ongoing treatments (you know, fill it out once and just submit receipts) - don't use it. You and your vet can save a lot of time and headache by filling out a fresh claim form for each and every appointment. That form was more trouble than it was worth.

Seeing how Maestro is shuffling along at a good pace, remains engaged in daily activities, I’d say that this is a good treatment plan for him. He even asks students and studio parents to give him a massage when they are sitting in the studio waiting area. What a cheeky guy!

Screen Cleaner Coolness at My Studio

I bought it because it looked small and cute. Then, I read the sign on the point-of-sale display at Staples. It stated that most cell phones are dirtier than a toilet seat in a public bathroom.

Let that sink in a moment. Eww!

Sold! I picked up one AM Mist Screen Cleaning Block. Even though my smartphone is waterproof (and gets regular washings), my other mobile gadgets, as well as my students’, aren’t.

Once you slide the canister out from the case, you wind up with one cute block containing a gentle cleaning solution. The outside of the cannister is made of microfiber to kill all the germs on any cell phone, tablet or iPod. The sticker on the case indicates that the spray bottle is refillable.

My students notice this small screen cleaner for cell phones, tablets and iPods right away because it’s colourful and cute. Then, I explain what it is to them and they promptly ask to clean their mobile device. It’s an undisputed hit at my studio this week.

For $12.99 CAD at Staples, it’s a pretty cheap way for us to keep the germs away. Other sizes are available on the AM website. If you want to check out a product review of the AM Mist + Spray, check out the one by Gadget Mac.

Gluten Free Food for Dogs

Last weekend, I attended the Calgary Gluten Free Expo. Although I don’t have celiac, I have noticed a significant improvement in my sinuses, general gastrointestinal health and energy level whenever I do go gluten free.

When Maestro was diagnosed with canine arthritis and Intervertebral Disk Disease, his vets told me that Maestro can’t eat wheat. When I attended the GF Expo last week, it was for both of us.

Gluten Free Food for Dogs and People

Maestro was very excited to try some of the samples from the Calgary Gluten Free Expo. We both liked the oatmeal and granola by Bakery on Main.

However, I didn't notice the yeast in the Ingredients Listing on the Breton crackers. Maestro is a dog with yeast sensitivities. It was a rough couple of days for us until the yeast worked its way out of his system.

One of the “new to me” finds was MILA. As some health-conscious folk know, chia seeds boast numerous health benefits, including weight loss, decreased joint pain, anti-aging, heart health, and sleep.

It was a pricey purchase, at $60 for a 16-oz. bag. At least, it’s something that both Maestro and I can use.

It’s too soon to tell, and we haven’t been consistent. We’ll report in about a month of regular use how Maestro is doing. I have also found that my favourite neighbourhood supermarkets do sell chia seeds at a more attractive price point.

The other find was camelina oil, which I tried at the Three Farmers’ booth. They had three versions for sale: natural and flavoured with herbs. When cooking for your pet, it’s safest to go with the natural version.

The representative said that unlike olive oil, you can cook camelina oil at high temperatures safely. It is high in Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s, which is fantastic for joint health. You can buy camelina oil at your nearest health food store, and online at Amazon.

So, far, I have used camelina oil on our quinoa salads. Sometimes, I just drizzle a little bit into Maestro’s food. He doesn’t shy away from it, so that’s a good sign!

Gluten Free Dog Treats and GF Dog Supplements in Maestro’s Cupboard

Maestro already has several gluten free dog food and dog treats in his cupboard. Right now, he has the following:

• think! Dog Louisiana Alligator Dog Biscuts: Available at Amazon.com and Canine Aquafitness Rehabiliation Clinic. They might be at Pet Valu and Pet Planet.

• Head to Tail Vitamin+ and Hip and Joint: There are cat versions as well. We buy ours at Pet Valu.

• Fruitables pet foods: Many stores carry these treats, including Pet Valu, Pet Planet and, Petland. Online, you can order them online:

Gluten Free Dog Food on Amazon

Maestro and I like to cook together (he has a fine sense for what smells good together). We’ll share some of our latest recipes in the coming weeks.

Further Reading:

Mila Chia Seeds: Nutritional Claims and Facts

Novel Food Information - Camelina Oil

The Truth About Chia

My First Lenten Mission

One of the spiritual goals I set for this year was to go on a spiritual retreat. In the past, I have attended silent weekend retreats at Mount St. Francis in Cochrane, AB.

These days, I have been too busy to go out of town to attend a retreat. I know, just looking at that in black and white looks like a lame excuse. However, I suppose that I can take comfort knowing that I am not alone. Lenten missions have emerged in recent years to appeal to the busy.

What is a Lenten Mission?

The purpose of a spiritual retreat is to get away from our daily distractions and reconnect with God. Without the noise, you can re-balance and re-prioritize as well.

As far as a Parish Mission goes, I will quote Deacon W. Gerard Gautrau from “Reinvigorate Your Faith at Lenten Missions” by Kyle Barrett: “I would say the Lenten mission is the retreat coming to the people rather than the people going to the retreat.” Deacon Gautrau serves at Sacred Heart of Jesus in Norco, LA. As to why it is a Lenten mission, that's because it takes place during Lent.

Over the course of several days, usually a weekend, a guest speaker comes to a parish and gives theme-based presentations and/or meditations. Sometimes, there is music. Whenever possible, free childcare is offered. Spiritual Directors are available for those seeking guidance, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered and Mass is celebrated.

My First Lenten Mission Experience

This was my first Lenten Mission. Entitled “Nothing More Beautiful,” it was offered by my hometown parish. Father Clair Watrin gave four sessions this past weekend. I attended the three for adults.

The first session really gripped me. Father Watrin spoke and presented several questions for us to reflect upon. At the heart of it was this: “What is most important?”

To help us, Father Clair asked us, “What do you spend the most time on?” and “What captures you?” What stood out to me is in the busyness of life, what is most important to us doesn't match what we spend the most time on.

Another point Father Clair brought up is that if we lead someone to sin, we are murdering their soul. By extension, you could say each time we sin, we murder our own soul. These were harsh words, but I think Father was trying to drive the importance of our spiritual well-being, and being mindful of the spiritual wellbeing of others.

The second session I attended focussed on love and practising “doing the right thing.” There are two parts to this.

With regards to love, Father Clair spoke of how we all love stories about “heroic love,” such as a complete stranger risking his or her life to save someone in danger. “True love,” he said, “is doing the right thing when you don’t feel like doing it.” Perhaps you are angry with your friend/significant other/spouse/co-worker/child. Doing something caring for that person, even when you don’t feel very loving at the moment is an example of this. “It takes courage to love when you don’t feel very loving,” he added.

On practising “doing the right thing,” Father Clair incorporated a bit of visualization to practise how to respond when faced with a crisis or temptation. The example I gave a friend was this: say you’re a teen and you’re going to a party where there is alcohol. You don’t want to drink, so you practise how to respond to people asking, cajoling or trying to force you to drink.

The final session was on prayer and truly living in the moment. This also spoke volumes to me.

“Every prayer makes a difference,” he said. “Prayer is the most powerful thing in the world.” The thing is, sometimes we just don’t see that our prayers are making a difference. Or sometimes, it takes time for us to see the results of our prayers.

“All there is to life is right now,” Father Clair said. We’re always in a hurry. Or, we’re too busy looking forward, or dwelling on the past.

“Every now moment is an opportunity to surrender to God,” he said. To get close to Him.

This last part truly resonated with me. Lately, I’ve been focussed on “After I get this done, I can [insert blank].” Or, “When I get this done, then I’ll be ready for [insert blank].” During the mission, I realized that things are getting dropped because of this mindset, and relationships with those around me are affected by my tunnel vision.

As I sat there in silence with the other parishioners during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, I mulled over this. Then, variations of the same phrase pop into my consciousness:

What can I do right now to help [So-and-So]?

What can I do right this minute to get out debt?

If I want to ______ what can I do right now to work towards that goal?

What can I do right here and right now to make the world a better place?

Lenten Mission: Closing Thoughts

I enjoyed my first Lenten Parish Mission. This was a great way for me to meet my goal of attending a spiritual retreat.

The biggest revelation that I came away with is that I need to realign so that what I truly find important matches what I spend most of my time. I need to learn how to manage my time more efficiently, so that I can spend more time on the things that matter and less time fretting over the other stuff.

Maestro's Continuing Adventures in Water Therapy for Dogs

Last week, Maestro completed his fifth water therapy treatment for canine arthritis and Inter-vertebral Disc Disease. He has made steady progress. Each week, he walks approximately .1 mile more than the previous week. He also spends more time walking at .75 mph.

Last visit, he walked for about 20 minutes. Thankfully, Maestro doesn't complain as much as he used to.

Here are clips from Maestro's third and fourth sessions of water therapy sessions:

Week 3 Front View

Profile View

[Week 4]

Unfortunately, I left my phone at home during Maestro's fifth water therapy session, so I wasn't recorded.

One interesting tale from our last visit: there have been several “poopy patients”. In case you are wondering what happens when a dog defecates during an aqua fitness treatment, the tank is shut down for the rest of the day and subsequent appointments are rescheduled. The water in the tank has to be purified, while the water treadmill is sanitized from top to bottom.

In order to avoid the embarrassment of having your dog defecate during a canine water therapy session (and the “poop charge”), there are three things three things pet owners can do. First, owners should not feed their dog less than three hours prior to a session. Second, owners should let their dog relieve themselves before they enter the clinic. Finally, if a dog has diarrhea on the day of an appointment, the owner should reschedule the water therapy for dogs until the it is feeling better.

(Not to worry, Maestro wasn't a poopy patient.)

Dr. Catherine at the Canine Aqua Fitness Centre did mention that Maestro is ready to try swimming as part of his treatment for canine arthritis. He will start that portion of his water therapy for dogs next month.