Rosie & Max

Rosie & Max: Pawsitive Changes with Integrative Medicine


I would like to share a story about 2 pets we have taken to Dr. Nell in the past year.  Our older yellow lab, Rosie, lost her brother to bone cancer.  She really missed him and was also extra vigilant and worried about doing the “guard dog” job alone, especially following a week long hospitalization of one of our teenager.  During the time our daughter was gone, Rosie was extremely stressed about “losing” her.  She began to lick “worry spots” on her paws and other areas.  We knew it wasn’t a reaction to diet, as she’d never done this before except years earlier during a time that our home was being remodeled.  Dr. Nell was highly recommended to us from someone who shares our natural health philosophy.  Rosie felt immediately at home in the office.  She was so comfortable with Dr. Nell that she let her put several acupuncture needles into her.  There was such a transformation at the end of one session that our son told me we’d brought home a different dog! 

Since we’d had such a great experience with this, we brought our 8 year old cat, Max, in to see her this December.  He’d seemed to have gotten into a fight (we later figured out that he might have been picked up by an owl and then dropped, as he is a very big boy!).  He had a sore place on his head that was healing, but mostly he was terrified.  He was hiding all over the house.  He didn’t want anyone to see him.  He would eventually snuggle with our son, but rather than the happy confident cat he had formerly been, he just lay like a big furry lump on our son.  He was so scared that he was acting like a real zombie; he walked into furniture and onto our dog, as if he wasn’t seeing.  We thought he might have optic nerve damage.  We took him to see Dr. Nell.  She gave him 3 acupuncture treatments, an adrenal tonic, and some flower essences.  After the 3^rd one, he was back to his old sassy self.  He is now a very cuddly but independent old lover boy, just like he always was. 

We have since recommended her care to many other people. Both my husband and myself are natural health care practitioners and it is really comforting to find someone who can do for animals what we might do for people.  – Jo Ellen

Tips for a Stress-Free Move (or Trip)

Use these tips to keep your pets stress-free while you're going away for a trip, or getting ready to move!

PLAN AHEAD! Know where your pet will be during this potentially stressful period.

--boarding v. riding along?

TAKE YOUR TIME! Pack your things over time without haste. Your pet will become stressed out if you are stressed.

ROUTINE ROUTINE ROUTINE! Keep your routine as normal as possible during the weeks/days leading up to your trip/move. Any changes in behavior and routine will razz your pet.

USING MOVERS? Remember that your pets have no idea why there are strangers running in and out of your home with boxes and this can have quite an effect on them. They will want to have a safe place to hang out in your home.

GO TO THE VET! Make sure your pet's vaccinations are up to date. If you need a Health Certificate, this is the time to get it! Speak to your vet at that time about using sedatives for travel if necessary.

TRAVELING BY PLANE? Contact your airline and/or the country you'll be landing in and ask what documentation would be necessary for travel (i.e: Health Certificate, Rabies Certificate, Microchip).

USE A CRATE/CARRIER! Whether hanging in the house or in the car, these provide your pet with a safe and quiet place to relax if they decide the excitement is too much to handle.

MONITOR YOUR PET'S BEHAVIOR! Any time a change in the home occurs, whether temporary or permanent, your pet can become very stressed out. Keep a close eye on their behavior and make sure they remain as comfortable as possible.

USE A TRAVEL CHECK LIST! A checklist can be very helpful in making sure you have all you need for your traveling. Here's a suggestion of what it could look like:

• Veterinary records, certificates, and recent photos
• Medications
• Your pets' usual foods and plenty of water from the home you're leaving (changing their water source can be disorienting and upset their stomachs)
• Food and water bowls, a can opener, and resealable lids
• Toys, chew bones, and treats
• Leashes for cats and dogs
• Beds (pillows, towels, or other crate liners)
• Plastic bags and scoops for dogs
• Litterbox for cats
• Cage covers for birds and rodents
• Paper towels for messes
• Provisions for the first day at the new home

At Lombard Animal Hospital, in Portland, Oregon we strive to increase the quality of life for pets and their people through education, 
nutrition and wellness!

Give us a call -- We'd love to see you and your pets!

503.285.2337

www.lombardanimalhospital.com