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Aug 19, 2004 I have depression, but the symptoms have decreased significantly since I found the ultimate non-prescription medicine. Like many others I ignored the symptoms for years, then denied the symptoms, and finally gave in a talked to my Doctor. Naturally I didn't leave without a prescription for an anti-depressant. The prescription admittedly worked, but the side effects were somewhat irritating. For one I was constantly dizzy. I wasn't grumpy, but I was dizzy. I started out with a low dose then eventually graduated to the maximum dosage. It worked but I still seemed to be missing something. One day my wife, Sandra, came home from visiting our daughter and in her arms was this little black and tan, furry creature. Yep it was a puppy. A miniature dachshund mix in fact. She was strange looking too, with her tiny crossbred ears sticking straight out from her head like airplane wings. Daddy was definitely a travelin' man. I had always been a guy that had big dogs, German shepherds, Dobermans and the like. This wasn't a man's dog, so she must surely be Sandra's dog. At five weeks old she would fit in my shirt pocket. That night Sandra placed her in a small basket next to the bed. I drifted off to sleep only to be awakened a short time later by a pitiful whimper at the side of the bed. Someone was missing their mother. When I couldn't take the whining any longer, I picked her up and laid her on the pillow next to me. It worked, no more whining. Worked too well actually as she thinks she's sharing her bed now. I still believe Sandra planned the whole deal. Next we needed a name. What would we call this little critter? Our grand daughter, Lindsay, decided on Minnie. Not mini as in small, but Minnie as in mouse. Her ears looked like a mouse's ears. So Minnie was named and now an official family member. Soon I found myself taking Minnie everywhere with me. If I went to the post office, the grocery store, or the bank Minnie went too. She particularly liked the bank where she got doggy treats from the drive-thru teller, and the local Dairy Queen where she got her own ice-cream cone. Minnie soon became my constant companion, my shadow, and my friend. I told Sandra one day "Minnie is the goofiest, but most fun dog I've ever owned." At that Sandra quickly replied "You don't own her, she owns you." Then she added "Minnie has done you more good than any of the medicine you've been taking." She was right I felt much better and I didn't realize why until then. Since Minnie arrived to take over our house my depression has been greatly reduced, and I have gone back to the minimum dosage. Sandra also has depression and depends on an anti- depressant. But along came Rambo a red tan miniature Dachshund. Rambo is as different from Minnie as night and day. He's a cuddler, and snoozes more than he is awake. But he fits Sandra's life perfectly. Since Rambo came along she has found her depression has improved greatly. Minnie has a unique ability to sense when you don't feel well or if you're injured. She's ready to help whether you need it or not. One summer I made a quick trip out to my truck for some mail I'd forgotten. I didn't wear my shoes and I certainly wasn't watching where I was going. On the way back I jammed my foot into a pile of roofing shingles near the truck and broke a toe. Minnie was beside her self when she realized I was hurt. As soon as I sat down she began licking that toe. Nothing else, just the broken toe had her total attention. At first it was irritating and I had to make her stop repeatedly. Suddenly I realized it actually felt better, and the pain was decreasing somewhat. She kept it up for weeks until I finally quit limping around. Minnie is a compulsive licker. My mother once said it was a good thing she never had puppies because they'd be hairless before they were weaned. But Minnie always tries to help. My mother-in-law is a serious pet avoider. It's not that she doesn't like animals, but she has what I call a "fur phobia." She can't stand pet hair. During one of her visits she wasn't feeling well and quickly sat down on the couch. Before we knew it Minnie, who normally keeps her distance from Grandma Dell, had jumped on the couch. She slowly inched toward her and then just laid her head in Dell's lap. Dell immediately recognized that she was trying to comfort her, and Minnie stayed right where she was for the rest of the visit. Medical professionals now recognize many therapeutic advantages of pet ownership that we pet owners have known for years. They have gathered some interesting information in various studies. Some of the results of those studies are astonishing. Folks with dogs or other pets live longer. Pet owners generally are somewhat more active than non pet owners, particularly the elderly. The added responsibility of caring for their pet causes them to be less sedentary than non pet owners. Elderly pet owners make fewer trips to the doctor's office according to one study. The study conducted at the University of California was designed to measure the amount of stress going on in the lives of 1,000 medicare patients and how often they visited a doctor for relief of their symptoms. About 40 percent of the study group had pets (mostly dogs) and sought the services of a doctor fewer times than the non pet owners. The study also showed that it didn't matter what medical condition they were suffering from or how serious the condition was. They were also less prone to seek unnecessary medical attention. br> Pets help with the stress and depression of losing a loved one. A University of Kentucky School of Medicine study showed that pet owners were better able to adjust to the death of a spouse than those people who had no pet to turn to for comfort. Fido is good for your heart. A U.S. Department of Health study concluded that pet ownership lowered the risk of death after a heart attack. Only 3 out 53 patients died, whereas 11 out of 39 patients without pets died. The added responsibility of caring for a pet is beneficial to arthritis sufferers. The knowledge that their pet depends on them is also extremely beneficial to their self esteem. There is now evidence that your dog can detect cancer. The first indication of a dog's ability to detect cancer was in England. A pet owner was becoming annoyed with her dog continually sniffing at a mole on her leg. On a trip to her vet she mentioned the annoying habit to him. He advised her maybe should she her doctor and have the mole checked out. She did and it saved her life. The mole was a deadly malignant melanoma. Research into her pooch's sniffing ability concluded a specific protein develops in melanoma tissue. The odor of the protein is undetectable by humans, but dogs can smell it. Therapy dogs are frequent visitors at children's hospitals. The bond between the kids and the dogs bring about amazing results. Kids are more willing take their medications and respond better to treatment after visits from these special pooches. Perhaps doctors should start adding the address of the nearest shelter for homeless pets to their prescriptions. ------------ About the author Ken Rogers: I am a freelance writer and beginning a manuscript on the benefits of aging. My website: http://hometown.aol.com/panhandleoutdrs/myhomepage/writing.html Also Minnie insisted I post her web site too: http://hometown.aol.com/panhandleoutdrs/myhomepage/pet.html Email: panhandleoutdrs@aol.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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