Pawsitive Healing

03/12/2025

Indoor-only living is the best way to keep cats safe 🏠, but without the right enrichment and care, it can often lead to boredom and less activity. 😿 That’s where enrichment tools like food puzzles come in! 🧩 These tools help spice up your cat’s indoor life, keeping them engaged both physically and mentally. 🐈🧠

Learn how to create a fun, easy food puzzle for your cat – link in comments!

02/12/2025

The All Party Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW) have released the Innate Health Assessment (IHA) tool - a new evidence-based tool to help breeders, owners and puppy buyers identify dog body features linked to health and wellbeing, supporting responsible breeding and healthier future generations.

Easy to use on any device, the IHA provides clear visual guidance to support responsible breeding decisions, puppy purchasing, and healthier future generations of dogs.

👉 Explore the tool here: https://innatehealthassessment.petproov.com/buyer-check

Together, we can continue to uphold high standards of hauora for our companion animals throughout Aotearoa 💙

01/12/2025

A pet-safe recipe to bring holiday scents into your home.🎄☃️

With the holiday season here, many of us want that cozy, festive smell, without the VOCs, synthetic fragrances, and other chemicals found in most candles and air fresheners. A simple, nontoxic alternative we love is a stovetop simmer pot. It fills your home with an incredible natural aroma…no harsh chemicals and nothing that compromises your pet’s health.

Here’s one of our favorites from The Forever Dog LIFE...

Winter Holiday Home Scent Recipe
* Water and/or Apple Juice or Cider
* 1/2 to 1 cup fresh cranberries
* 1 orange, sliced with peel
* 3-4 cinnamon sticks
* 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
* 1 tablespoon whole cloves

1. Add ingredients to a small pot of water (or juice/cider) and bring to a soft boil (or slow boil in a slow cooker)
2. Reduce heat to simmer for 2-3 hours, allowing the aromas to fill your home. Add additional water and/or cider if necessary. Your home will smell like pure holiday cheer...no chemicals required!

We’re all about reducing toxic load at home, especially since our dogs interact with their environment far more closely than we do. That’s why the Forever Dog LIFE merch collection is made with non-toxic, pet-safe materials we genuinely trust in our homes and with own pets.

🎁There’s still time to grab some pup-safe essentials during our biggest sale of the year: 25% off the entire Forever Dog LIFE collection (excluding tees). Sale ends tomorrow, Dec 1st.

👉 Drop THANKS25 below if you’re looking for the perfect dog (and cat) lovers gifts this holiday season…we’ll message you the link !

30/11/2025

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3303983/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Itch is the major symptom of atopic dermatitis (AD). Acupuncture has been shown to exhibit a significant effect on experimental itch in AD. Our study evaluated acupuncture and anti-histamine itch therapy (cetirizine) on type-I-hypersensitivity itch ...

29/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14TJD94P6vk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Researchers recently conducted a specialist-led disproportionality analysis of musculoskeletal adverse event reports (MSAERs) in dogs treated with bedinvetmab (Librela™) compared to six comparator drugs with the same indication. They also reported the findings from a subset of dogs whose adverse event (AE) data underwent independent adjudication by an expert panel. The European Medicines Agency’s EudraVigilance database (2004–2024) and 19 client-owned dogs made up the sample population in the case–control study and case series analysis. An EBVS® Veterinary Specialist in Surgery individually reviewed all MSAERs to Librela™, Rimadyl®, Metacam®, Previcox®, Onsior®, Galliprant®, and Daxocox® (2004–2024). The primary null hypothesis was that Librela’s MSAER rate would not exceed that of comparator drugs by more than 50%. The secondary hypothesis was that MSAER would surge and taper following the launch of new drugs. The results showed the disproportionality analysis did not support the hypotheses. Ligament/tendon injury, polyarthritis, fracture, musculoskeletal neoplasia, and septic arthritis were reported 9-times more frequently in Librela-treated dogs than the combined total of dogs treated with the comparator drugs. A review of 19 suspected musculoskeletal adverse events (MSAEs) by an 18-member expert panel unanimously concluded a strong suspicion of a causal association between bedinvetmab and accelerated joint destruction. This study supports recent FDA analyses by demonstrating an increased reporting rate of musculoskeletal adverse events in dogs treated with Librela. Further investigation and close clinical monitoring of treated dogs are warranted.

28/11/2025

✨ Did you know dogs’ acupuncture points are closely linked to their nervous system? 🐶🈶

Even though acupuncture has been used in animals for thousands of years, modern science is now showing why it works!

🔹 Acupuncture points are tiny areas full of nerves and blood vessels.
🔹 Stimulating them helps the body release natural healing chemicals.
🔹 Many meridians (the energy pathways in Chinese medicine) follow the same routes as major nerves.
🔹 Over 99% of acupuncture points sit right next to important nerves!
🔹 Studies even show that injected tracers travel along meridian paths — not along nerves or blood vessels — suggesting these ancient pathways have real biological effects.

💡 Bottom line: Traditional meridians and modern anatomy overlap far more than we once thought. Acupuncture may help dogs by influencing the nervous system in powerful ways.

🐾 Science is catching up to what ancient healers knew all along.

27/11/2025

27/11/2025

Meet this golden‑aged superstar, getting an acupuncture treatment today. 🐾✨
Just like us, older dogs can feel stiff joints, sore muscles, and a little extra stress. Acupuncture is a natural, drug‑free way to boost circulation, ease discomfort, and keep them wagging happily for years to come.
💚 Why Choose Canine Acupuncture?
Relieves arthritis & joint pain
Reduces anxiety & improves mobility
Enhances overall well‑being without medication

24/11/2025

Benny getting acupuncture treatment for IBD. The result: calmed down that sympathetic nervous system, no vomiting and generally happier.

23/11/2025

🐾 Acupuncture for Your Furry Friend – What to Expect 🐾

Why the First Few Sessions Matter
Just like with people, most pets respond best when the initial 2‑3 acupuncture appointments are booked close together (e.g., daily, weekly or fortnightly depending on the conditions). This “front‑load” helps jump‑start the body’s natural healing pathways, easing pain, anxiety, or mobility issues more quickly.

How It Works for Pets

Rapid circulation boost – improves blood flow to sore joints or inflamed areas.
Gentle nervous‑system reset – calms stress, reduces fear, and promotes relaxation.
Quick symptom relief – especially useful for arthritis, hip dysplasia, post‑surgery recovery, or chronic skin conditions.
What Happens After the Initial Series?
Once the first 2‑3 treatments have set the tone, you can space out future sessions based on your pet’s needs:

Goal Typical Follow‑Up Schedule
Ongoing wellness / preventive care Every 4–6 weeks
Chronic condition management (e.g., arthritis) Every 2–4 weeks
Post‑injury or post‑surgery support Weekly for a month, then taper as advised
Your veterinarian‑trained acupuncturist will tailor the plan, watching how your pet responds and adjusting frequency accordingly.

Quick Tips for a Smooth Experience

Keep appointments consistent during the first week—regular timing helps the body lock in the therapeutic effect.
Observe behavior after each session (e.g., increased activity, calmer demeanor, improved appetite). Share these notes with the practitioner.
*Maintain a calm environment at home; gentle walks and a comfortable resting spot support the treatment’s benefits🌟