PetAbility Podcast

You wince as you hear your vet tell you that your 2 year-old German Shepherd has hip dysplasia. You did nothing to cause it. The special x-ray he just got told you he was born with excessive laxity in his hip joints. You thought he was a little lazy because he didn't always want to follow you up the stairs or jump into the car. Sometimes, the morning after a big hike, he didn't even want...

Whoever thought that raising backyard chickens could be such a hoot (sorry, owl friends!)? Listen to "The Chicken Lady" a.k.a. Gretchen Mufano as she shares her pearls (sorry, oyster friends!) of wisdom about the benefits of having a backyard flock, considerations before procuring your new chicks, proper housing for your ladies, and the nutritional requirements for your feathered friends...

Pet owners constantly ask Cathy and Chris if they should apply heat or ice to their animal. Listen as Chris warms you up to using heat while Cathy tells chilling tales of using ice. They cover not only when to use each thermal agent (it can be a bit tricky), but also how it works in the body physiologically,  what to use to heat or cool (commercial or homemade), how long to apply,  precautions or...

This episode focuses on what environmental enrichment for our feline friends might look like, along with its many benefits, as we continue our discussion with cat expert, Tenara Kuznezov, CVT. A cat's inner dialogue might go something like this: Food in my bowl is boring - throw my kibble cuz I want to hunt it! And by the way, fresh water please - but not in that disgusting metal bowl those d...

Listen to cat expert, Tenara Kuznezov, CVT, tell us everything about cats! We cover their amazing anatomy, wild side, predatory instincts, hunting stimulus hierarchy, eating habits (finicky vs. famished), territory, scratching, play, aggression, elimination behaviors (what's normal and how can we help to facilitate appropriate elimination), and common stressors. We all know cats are far super...

Essential, imperative, necessary, vital. These are just a few words to describe the importance of joint range of motion in your pet’s quality of life. Imagine if you had a stiff knee, how difficult it would be to squat down to get that pan out of the kitchen drawer. It hurts so bad as you struggle to rise again, that the next time, you choose simply to bend at the waist. Oh no!  After doing that a...

Your dog is an athlete. You ask him to perform feats of athleticism on a daily basis whether you realize it or not: jumping into the back of your SUV from a stance, sprinting across the field for a ball, hiking up that steep trail, or running beside you for your morning jog.  And then there’s the “squirrel’s revenge!” Yes, your dog always sees that squirrel taunting them as you open the door and t...

That is the question! Tune in as Cathy and Chris hotly debate this subject. Cathy describes her “experiment” eating out of a bowl on the floor – try it! Is every dog a candidate? How high should the bowl be raised? What are the biomechanical advantages for your pet? What is a possible con to raising the bowl if you have a larger dog?  What diagnoses and conditions benefit most? What about our cat...

 Vestibular what? You might not have ever heard of vestibular dysfunction, but according to veterinary neurologist, Gena Silver, MS, DVM, DACVIM, it is one of the top three neurological issues in dogs.  Imagine suddenly feeling dizzy, nauseous, stumbling, and even falling over. That is what an animal with vestibular dysfunction might abruptly experience. You might see your pet's head tilted t...

Raising your puppy should be FUN! From the little learning sponges in the neonate stage to the fantastic, mature, sound adults they become, and everything in between, it’s here! Join us as we discuss the world of puppies with trainer, Kristy Williams, CVT, CCFT! She’ll open your mind to puppy things that you never even considered. Did you know it’s actually appropriate to stress the puppy within t...

Why is my 13 y.o. dog seeming so confused by every day tasks? She doesn't seem to recognize me anymore and went to the window to be let outside. Then she seemed to get lost on our usual walk and became quite anxious. She is pacing all night long and then sleeps throughout the day. She's never had an accident, and now urinated on the dining room rug twice last week! Sound familiar? Accord...

Just because we call it passive range of motion (PROM), we should be anything but passive about it! This episode describes why PROM is so vital to your pet's health and function. We detail how do a simple technique specifically with your pet's front limb joints. Listen to learn how to not only keep your pet well by maintaining its PROM for maximum comfort and function , but also restore...

Whether it's 10 degrees below or 110 degrees, there are plenty of easy, fun exercises that you can do with your pet in the comfort of your home. Cathy and Chris share some of their favorites: squats, walking backwards, high tugging, reaching, digging, front feet up, spinning, high 5s, tunnels, obstacle coursing, and happy trails!! They explain why each exercise is beneficial – maybe it streng...

“Humanity over vanity!” Grooming is much more important than just making sure your pet looks pretty or smells good. Grooming is vital to maximizing your pet’s overall health and well-being. No grooming or improper grooming can lead to pain, decreased mobility, skin and ear infections, issues with thermo-regulation, poor oral hygiene, and the list goes on. Most don’t realize that the groomer is in...

It’s all about living with cancer, not dying from cancer. Dr. Erica Barron, owner of her mobile vet practice, wants the pets in her care to not just live longer, but live well. Listen as Dr. Erica describes how integrative veterinary medicine (in her case, acupuncture and herbs) aids pets with cancer to have improved energy, decreased pain, increased appetites, and overall better quality of life....

Gain additional insights into your hosts by listening to this fun and informative episode. Cathy and Chris ask each other questions that they didn't disclose to each other in advance. Chris brags about her rehab exploits with a  400 lb. sea lion named Baranov, while Cathy talks about getting punched in the face by a penguin and an unfulfilled dream of rehabbing sea turtles! Enjoy their candor...

None of us wants to think that our pets are experiencing pain. But in reality, many pets have both short-lived painful episodes throughout their lives or even chronic pain due to injury or disease as they age. So how do we know they are in pain? After all, they can’t talk to us. Throughout this episode, we discuss what signs to look for so you will be better equipped to realize what your pet is te...

This show covers everything you’ve ever thought about, or NOT thought about, when it comes to your pet's bed. If you’re like us, you get a bit overwhelmed when it’s time to select the right bed for your best friend. There is more to it than size and color. We will help you come up with a checklist of considerations to aid in picking out that perfect bed: ·                        What position...

PetAbility teams up with Behave Atlanta to explore how  trainers and behaviorists  intersect with physical rehabilitation so that pets may live their best lives. Have you really ever thought about how your pet’s emotional health might affect their physical health? Or why it may be important, even vital, to have a well-trained, emotionally balanced pet? Skills such as leash manners, a strong recall...

If you’ve ever had the profound pleasure of loving a pet, you’ve undoubtedly experienced grief when they pass. But the loss of a pet is distinctive because our relationship with our pets is unique: non-verbal, ever-present, physical in nature, and full of unconditional love. We often have longterm and intense relationships with our pets that we have with no other human on earth. So to feel grief w...

"It's always about the one." Those are the words from founder, Martin Kaufman, of OrthoPets. After helping more than 25,000 pets world-wide since its inception in 2003, Martin is still driven by serving that next pet in need . This podcast is packed with information: starting with describing what an orthotic (brace) and prosthetic (replacement limb segment) are, to learning if your...

Despite cats clearly being superior to all other beings (at least that's what the cats tell us), sometimes they need a little help from us lowly humans due to injury, disease, or genetic conditions. But how on earth do you get a cat to cooperate with a physical rehabilitation program? Anybody who knows anything about cats, knows that a cat isn't going to do anything he or she doesn'...

Listen to Leslie Grinnell, owner of Eddie’s Wheels describe how she and her husband Eddie, a mechanical engineer, created their first wheelchair for their beloved dog, Buddha, over 30 years ago. This labor of love turned into a business in 1999 that has manufactured over 25,000 custom mobility carts for pets! The patented unique welded saddle distinguishes Eddie’s Wheels from other carts, and they...

What do you get when you have three noses, three BIG hearts, and six legs? You get a pack of extraordinary two-legged dogs! Meet Cyrus, Lucky, and Deuce! Cyrus, a little Terrier cross from CA, is the cutest little dog with the most soulful eyes who was born with only hind limbs. Lucky is from Egypt and was left for dead on the street after likely being hit by a car, and has only front limbs. Then...

The concept is simple - hard nails cannot grip hard floors - so lets add some rubber where the dog naturally grips (the grip zone at the end of their nail) to prevent them from slipping. That's what Dr. Buzby's ToeGrips do! Dr. Julie Buzby, integrative veterinarian, doesn't sell just these little toenail rings, she sells hope! Listen as she passionately discusses the instant transfo...