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Natural Awakenings Milwaukee Magazine

Natural Pet

Last Updated: Jan 31, 2019 11:27AM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM

Essential Oils for Pets: How to Use Them Safely

Jan 31, 2019 ● By Sandra Murphy

Essential oils can be soothing and healing for dogs and cats but some oils can actually cause harm, so it’s wise to consult expert sources first.

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Canine Conundrum: Controversy ‘Dogs’ Grain-Free Diet

Dec 27, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

The popular explosion of grain-free dog foods has left vets concerned about food quality and owners worried about possible nutritional outcomes.

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Pet-Safe Holidays: Tips to Keep Them Merry and Safe

Nov 30, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

Holidays can turn dangerous for pets due to the presence of tinsel that can be swallowed, tree water containing preservatives, and table food that’s toxic to animals—and other hazards.

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Give Rover a Rubdown: Massage Keeps a Dog at Peak Health

Oct 31, 2018 ● By Karen Shaw Becker

Massaging helps a dog to breathe more deeply, enjoy better blood and lymphatic circulation, and relax and de-stress, especially during palliative care.

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Farewell to a Beloved Pet: Earth’s Memorial to a Pet’s Passing

Sep 28, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

Innovative options now exist that honor a pet’s remains in an earth-friendly, biodegradable fashion using alkaline water, seeded pods or a manmade ocean reef.

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Living with Cat Allergies: Simple Home Solutions that Help

Aug 31, 2018 ● By Karen Shaw Becker

If family members love cats but they bring on sneezes and watery eyes for someone, consider simple strategies that make it possible to keep everyone happy.

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Imperfectly Perfect Pets: Natural Therapies Transform Lives

Jul 31, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

Like humans, pets can face physical and mental challenges, but fresh approaches are giving our beloved animals fuller, happier days.

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Why More Pets Are Getting Cancer: GMO Toxins Permeate Pet Foods

Jun 29, 2018 ● By Jeffrey Smith

Skyrocketing cancer rates among dogs can most likely be traced to GMOs in their pet foods and Roundup toxins sprayed on lawns, say veterinarians and other scientists.

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Man-Made Meat: Laboratory Food to Hit Pet Food Market

Jun 29, 2018

Pet food being grown in a start-up laboratory would slash land use by 99 percent and produce 90 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

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Pets Welcome Here: Happy Places to Live and Travel Together

May 31, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

Some towns, hotels, historic sites and eateries greet pets with open arms—valuable information for the 95 percent of us that consider our pets members of the family.

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Five Reasons to Love a Cat: They Bring Health and Happiness Home

Apr 30, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

Cats are low-maintenance, health-enhancing roommates; they’re also surprisingly eco-friendly.

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Nature’s Remedies: How Animals Self-Medicate

Mar 30, 2018

Creatures in the wild ranging from microbes to elephants cope with parasites, pests and pain using natural substances; it all suggests why our preserving the natural world is good for us, too.

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Sprouts for Pets: Crunchy Nutrition Animals Will Love

Feb 28, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

Dogs, birds, horses and even picky eaters like cats can learn to love sprouts and gain the nutritional wallop they provide.

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Do-Good Dogs Do Almost Anything: Service Animals Train to Help People in Need

Jan 31, 2018 ● By Sandra Murphy

Able to do open doors, pick up items, brace their person against falls and call 911, service dogs create a more active and pleasurable life for people living with disabilities.

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Don’t Overfeed Fido: Plus Other Tips to Keep a Dog Cancer-Free

Dec 29, 2017 ● By Karen Becker

Cancer, the leading killer of America’s dogs, can be prevented via strategies that include anti-inflammatory foods, reducing toxin exposure, limiting vaccinations and delaying spaying.

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Pets Love Music: Each Species Grooves to Its Own Beat

Nov 30, 2017 ● By Sandra Murphy

With their ears attuned to different frequencies, horses neigh to Bach, cats groove to New Age, and dogs de-stress to “Greensleeves.”

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DIY First-Aid for Dogs: Seven Natural Home Remedies

Oct 31, 2017 ● By Karen Becker

If the family dog gets up close and personal with a skunk or has other simple emergencies, you can ease the pain with such everyday ingredients as pumpkin, coconut oil, ginger, iodine and apple cider vinegar.

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Feline Workforce: Why a Job is the Cat’s Meow

Sep 29, 2017 ● By Sandra Murphy

Cats now star in tasks ranging from boosting office morale to providing private security.

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Reiki for People and Animals

Aug 31, 2017

Professional animal communicator specialist Stacy Krafczyk will lead a workshop, Reiki I for Animals & People, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. September 23 at Bark & Scratch Outpost, in Milwaukee.

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Fluoride Alert: Excess in Food and Tap Water Harms Pets

Aug 31, 2017 ● By Karen Becker

High levels of fluoride in processed dog food and in tap water means our pets are being exposed to the risk of multiple health problems.

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Dogs at Work: Finding the Right Dog for the Job

Jul 31, 2017 ● By Sandra Murphy

Like us, dogs have special skills that they use in jobs as diverse as comforting crime victims, greeting art gallery visitors or rescuing drowning people.

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Dogs Need Detoxing Too: 10 Ways to Detox Your Dog

Jun 30, 2017 ● By Patricia Jordan

Steps such as altering a dog’s diet and adding key supplements will restore mental and physical energies, restore the shine in their eyes and the luster in their coat.

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Homeopathy for Joint Injury and Pain: Six Remedies for Relief

May 31, 2017 ● By Shawn Messonnier

For dogs and cats with aching joints, homeopathy offers an effective range of remedies keyed to specific conditions.

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Decoding Dog Body Talk: Three Signals of Anxiety

Apr 28, 2017 ● By Susan Briggs

When our dogs feel threatened or anxious, their body language tells the story—if we know what to look for.

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Sixth Annual Wellness EXPO Lake Country

Apr 01, 2017

Wellness EXPO Lake Country, hosted by Abundant Joy Yoga & Wellness, will take place at the Oconomowoc Lakes Plaza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 6, and feature more than 60 vendors.

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Enzyme Therapy for Pets: A Key to Good Health

Mar 31, 2017 ● By Shawn Messonnier

Enzymes are essential to the digestive health of dogs and cats and can aid ills ranging from vomiting to arthritis to shedding.

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Natural Remedies for Itchy Pets: Gentle Ways to Calm Allergies

Feb 28, 2017 ● By Sandra Murphy

If a pet has dry, itchy skin or environmental allergies, natural remedies as simple as witch hazel and aloe vera can ease the suffering.

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Heart-To-Heart With a Horse: Their Gentle Empathy Helps Us Heal

Jan 31, 2017 ● By Sandra Murphy

What avid horse-lovers know, people in emotional distress are now learning: Horses have a way of encouraging us to feel whole and happy.

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Functional Medicine for Pets: Why the Best Vets Use It

Dec 28, 2016 ● By Shawn Messonnier

Most vets turn first to pills and surgery, but functional medicine vets consider an animal’s genetic makeup and exposure to toxins and generally lean toward more gentle natural treatments and prevention.

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Fetch, Stretch, Dance: Make Your Dog an Exercise Buddy

Nov 30, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

Instead of just walking the family dog, there are vigorous, heart-pumping ways to work out with a furry friend, even in inclement weather.

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Stoned Doggies: Dangers vs. Benefits of Pet Marijuana

Oct 31, 2016

Although a certain form of marijuana can ease pet pain, dogs that mistakenly gulp THC-laced food can suffer trembling and seizures.

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Boarding Solutions for Beloved Pets: The Best are Pet, People and Planet Friendly

Oct 31, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

To find a kennel that loves your pet like you do, focus on cleanliness and eco-friendliness.

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Enhance Communication with Companion Animals

Oct 29, 2016

Professional Animal Communicator Specialist Stacy Krafczyk will lead a workshop, Basic Animal Communication, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 26

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Cat-astrophe: How to Slim a Fat Feline

Sep 30, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

Three of five American cats are overweight, but simple feeding and exercise strategies can restore a plump feline to jungle-cat sleekness.

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Happy Furry Home: Tips for Keeping a Pet-Friendly Home Clean

Aug 31, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

If you love to live with pets but not their dirty feet and fluff balls, here are effective strategies to keep our space—and theirs—sparkling clean.

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Handle Wild Things With Care: How to Help Injured Animals

Jul 29, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

Many critters that look abandoned or hurt don’t actually need our help—but if we do see a bird, squirrel, turtle or other wild animal in distress, here’s a guide on what to do.

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Cool Chow: Icy Treats for Hot Summer Days

Jun 30, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

With a little time and ingenuity, we can ease our furry friends through the heat with homemade icy preparations of fruit, veggies and poultry.

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Hot Days Are Hard on Pets: How to Prevent, Detect and Treat Heatstroke

May 31, 2016 ● By Shawn Messonnier

Pets such as bulldogs and rabbits are particularly vulnerable to heatstroke, but we can cut the risks by taking preventive measures and knowing what to do if a pet is overcome.

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Stressed-Out Pets: Natural Ways to Calm Fear and Anxiety

Apr 29, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

Life as a beloved American pet might seem ideal, but 70 million of our cats and dogs are medicated for anxiety and depression.

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Horse Rescue: Caring Homes Sought for Aging and Abandoned Horses

Mar 31, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

Elderly, ill and neglected horses need space and loving hands to ensure their survival and happiness.

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Well-Mannered Cats: Simple Ways to Get Kitty to Behave

Feb 29, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

If a house cat pounces on guests, throws up or pees in places other than the litter box, don’t despair—practical solutions can turn a cat into a paragon of virtue.

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Bird-Watching for Beginners: Start with a Bird Feeder and Binoculars

Jan 29, 2016 ● By Sandra Murphy

Starting with a bird feeder, binoculars and app, we can thrill to the medley of birds in our backyards and wildlife refuges.

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The Right Vet for Your Pet: Animals Thrive with Gentle, Safe and Natural Approaches

Dec 29, 2015 ● By Shawn Messonnier

Holistic medicine is just as nourishing and effective for our pets as it is for humans.

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Sentient Beings: New Zealand Enacts Bill Recognizing Animal Intelligence

Nov 30, 2015

A pioneering law formally recognizes that animals can feel pain and stress and so bans the use of animals for cosmetics testing.

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Eat, Bark and Be Merry: Healthy Holiday Treats for Our Pets

Nov 30, 2015 ● By Sandra Murphy

Sure, it’s tempting to slip food scraps to our pets from our groaning holiday tables, but it’s much healthier to cook them up special treats.

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Animal Friends Soothe Autistic Children: Relief for Stressful Social Situations

Oct 30, 2015

If they play with a guinea pig before reading in front of other children, autistic children suffer significantly less social anxiety, Purdue University researchers have found.

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Choosing the Perfect Pet: Not Just Any Dog or Cat Will Do

Oct 30, 2015 ● By Sandra Murphy

Will it be a mischievous shelter puppy or adult feline? When picking a pet to share our love with, it’s wise to consider its size, temperament, needs and costs.

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Animal Chiropractic: The Benefits of a Well-Adjusted Pet

Sep 30, 2015 ● By Linda Sechrist

Horses, dogs, cats, pigs and even elephants and birds have been permanently helped by spinal adjustments performed by animal chiropractors.

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Eye Health for Dogs: 10 Foods to Keep Canine Vision Sharp

Aug 31, 2015 ● By Audi Donamor

Blueberries, eggs and garlic may not be high on a dog’s food list, but they go far to protect a canine from serious eye disease.

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Animal Talk: They Have Lots to Say If We’d Only Listen

Jul 31, 2015 ● By Sandra Murphy

Animals continually communicate, and by quieting our minds, we can tune into what they’re saying.

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