PetAbility Podcast

Is your senior dog sleeping the day away? Are you noticing “brain fog?” Have you given up on their ability to engage in family activities? Remember that aging is not a disease! You can help!! Listen along as Lisa Schmitt discusses fitness training with our seniors. Although there are certainly safety and health considerations, our older canines will benefit in mind, body, and soul from the attention and activity of fitness. A few minutes a day with your aging pet will enhance their strength, balance, flexibility, and cognition! Learn some specific tips and tricks of what you can do to keep your pet moving, enhance their quality of life, and optimize their function as they move into their golden years.

Find Lisa at In The Zone Agility and on Facebook.

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

What is a wobbly cat, you ask? It is a cat with cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), an underdeveloped cerebellum in their brain. Because the cerebellum controls motor skills, these cats often appear a bit uncoordinated. It is a non painful, non-progressive, non-contagious developmental disorder that affects kittens that contract Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FVP.) The good news is that CH is preventable through vaccination. Although a wobbly cat may move differently, they have normal lifespans and make wonderful companions. Suzi Langer shares PetAbility’s mission of normalizing specially-abled animals through education and advocacy. Suzi specifically campaigns for her own wobbly cat, Bifford, for President and other Misfits within her own family and around the world! Listen as we discuss diagnosing CH, classic signs of cats with CH, care and potential accommodations for CH cats, possible other causes for “wobbly cats”, and more. These wobbly cats are misunderstood even within the veterinary community; unfortunately this leads to unnecessary euthanasia. Help us teach the world about the resilience that these marvelous cats demonstrate and consider adopting a wobbly cat of your own!

To learn more about wobbly cats and Suzi's mission, go to PresidentBifford.com.
Follow @PresidentBifford on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

Listen to our expert educator, Doreen Reynolds-Consolati, Vice President and Education Chair for The House Rabbit Connection, as we burrow deeper into rabbit care. Packed full of information, this episode addresses rabbit's specific medical concerns, elimination habits and marking territory, litter box training, the process of bonding bunnies, Easter holiday no-no's, how hormonal changes lead to behavioral changes, thumping as communication, rescuing rabbits up for adoption, and what to do if you find an wild bunny! In the spirit of ever-adored, Bugs Bunny, “ That’s all folks!!!”

Find Doreen at The House Rabbit Connection of Massachusetts & Connecticut
Email [email protected]
Call 413-439-7472
For those beyond MA-CT, go to House Rabbit Society for everything pertaining to rabbits!

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

Hop along with Doreen Reynolds-Consolati, Vice President and Education Chair for The House Rabbit Connection, as she discuss the commitment it takes to have a pet rabbit. This includes bunny-proofing your home, appropriate housing, proper diet, handling & bonding, and toys & enrichment. These endearing fluff balls may be too cute to resist, but it may surprise you to learn that these seemingly docile, quiet, cherubic critters can be willful, messy, destructive, vocal, and generally don't like being held! Who knew?!?

Find Doreen at The House Rabbit Connection of Massachusetts & Connecticut
Email [email protected]
Call 413-439-7472
For those beyond MA-CT, go to House Rabbit Society for everything pertaining to rabbits!

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

Austin Roo is just like any other dog; he plays, he hikes, he swims, he only has hind legs, he stars in a national commercial... Wait, what? Yes, this rescue mutt's super power is his ability to inspire. He is fast becoming an Instagram sensation and you might have already seen him in his front-wheeled cart on the Bissell commercial. But according to his people, at the end of the day, he is just another dog that does dog things. Hear his owner Ed talk about Austin's story and what message they are trying to get out there about handi-capable pets.

Follow Austin Roo on Instagram @TheAustinRoo!
See Austin Roo in the Bissell Commercial!!
Learn about Pets With Disabilities, the rescue group that saved Austin's life.
Check out mobility carts like Austin's at Eddie's Wheels.
Austins' new Watercollar from Hedz Up Pets!
Learn more about Austin's therapy pet visits at Pets On Wheels.

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

Ahhhh.... the laying on of the hands, therapeutic touch, massage - it's more powerful than you might think. Listen to Cathy and Chris describe preparing for a massage session with your pet, getting your pet's consent, the myriad of massage benefits, specific massage techniques, and generally how to get the most out of  the time spent massaging your pet. Packed with information, your methods are bound to improve after listening to this show. And remember, practice makes perfect, so go forth with confidence and get your hands on your pets -  you'll be glad you did and they'll thank you  for it!

Check out our massage video that demonstrates small animal massage in action!
See Cathy performing skin rolling here!

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

My dog is really fit because I take him for a walk EVERY day. False! According to founder, Rich Allen, true fitness requires attention to strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility. But what does this mean when it comes to your pet and how do you implement it? His creation, Pet.Fitness, a premier pet fitness website,  does all the "heavy lifting" for you! Their programs don't require a lot of space and utilize items that we commonly have in our households. With over 50 exercises to choose from and growing, you will be sure to find simple, creative ways to stimulate you dog both physically and mentally.    Whether you want to your pet to lose weight, enhance performance, decrease the likelihood of injury,  or promote overall health and happiness, Pet.Fitness has got you covered. Their before and after pictures say it all!

Check out their website at Pet.Fitness!
Find them on Instagram at GoPetFitness.
Find them on TikTok and YouTube at PetFitness.

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

Wink, is a beautiful pit bull aptly named due to her "perma-wink." She lost her eye at 5 weeks old and doesn't see far away or in low light very well with the remaining eye. She is also completely deaf, likely linked to her pure white coloring and unethical breeding practices. It is a miracle that Wink escaped euthanasia as a young pup. But according to Wink and her owner Anneliese, she is still a dog much like any other. An incredibully smart dog that participates in agility, nose work, bike joring, obedience, sled pulling, canicross, and  tricks! Listen to learn more about incredibull Wink and her enriched, fulfilled, joyful life. Spoiler alert: Wink was voted into the top sixteen on World's Most Amazing Dog in 2019! Don't tell Wink she is different and therefore can't do something. She will just prove you wrong!

Find Wink on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram @incredibulltrickdogs

Find Anneliese DeAragon at All Breed Rescue and Training in Colorado Springs, CO.

Click Keller's Cause for more information on deaf and blind dogs. Their mission is to change the world for double merle dogs by educating, advocating, and promoting the adoption of special needs dogs.

Click here for the article as Wink vies for Worlds Most Amazing Dog.

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

Fear Free® is an educational company whose mission is to alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. Sounds simple enough, but it turns out that despite our good intentions, we've actually been doing things wrong, as veterinarians, pet professionals, and owners. By learning to listen to pets through their body language and putting ourselves in their place so as to see the world through their eyes, we are on our way to implementing the Fear Free principles. Founded in 2016 by America’s veterinarian, Dr. Marty Becker, Fear Free according to their website, "has become one of the single most transformative initiatives in the history of companion animal practice, providing unparalleled education on emotional wellbeing, enrichment, and the reduction of fear, anxiety, and stress in pets and improving the experience of every human and pet involved." So join the Fear Free movement today as we all play a vital part in this endeavor to take the “pet” out of “petrified,” as their tagline so cleverly quips!

To learn more:
Veterinary and pet professionals go to FearFreePets.com
Pet owners go to FearFreeHappyHomes.com

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...

Meet Dr. Schoenberg, a vet whose unique practice is solely dedicated to hospice and palliative care. To paraphrase her website, hospice is a philosophy that shifts the focus of care away from finding a cure and towards providing comfort, peace, quality of life, and freedom from pain when the pets we love are facing terminal illness or advanced aging. As our pets are living longer and surviving disease processes and injuries that they succumbed to in the not so distant past, hospice and palliative care is a natural evolution in veterinary medicine. Listen to Dr. Schoenberg describe how her practice aids not only pets with chronic and incurable conditions, but also their caregivers as they struggle with heart-wrenching medical dilemmas, caregiver fatigue, and end-of-life decisions.

Go to Autumn Care & Crossings to find Dr. Schoenberg or email her at [email protected].

Disclaimer

VitalVet.org, a platform for all things related to pet rehab - product information, education, and resources abound!
MedcoVet (show sponsor)  Luma - advanced red-light therapy therapy that puts healing in the hands of the pet owner in the comfort of home!

Use Promo Code PETPOD22  to receive discounts from our affiliates!
Jope - science-backed supplements
Ruff Ramp - a safe alternative to stairs
Optimum Pet Vitality - education/coursework 
Dr. Buzby’s -Toe Grips to prevent slipping, Encore Mobility joint supplement, and Brain Boost cognitive supplement. Using this link donates 20% to PetAbility
Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap - a must-have for anybody working with cats
HedzUpPets Watercollars – save your dog from drowni...