According to an article in USA Today, health experts predict that obesity rates will increase to around 42% by 2030, up from 36% in 2010. That’s 32 million people!

There’s been a lot of discussion lately on the use of stem cells in the treatment of chronic conditions in humans. The use of embryonic stem cells has ethical and sourcing concerns in that it raises the question of whether these cells are viable and if they will be rejected by the recipient

Did you know that aqua therapy was first used with horses and racing greyhounds? These animals are constantly exposed to the jarring effects of gravity and hard surfaces, consistently putting extra stress on their bones and joints, causing possible injury. Because of the effectiveness of aqua therapy for these animals, warm water therapy is now routinely recommended by veterinarians and has become a popular form of therapy in many rehabilitation centers throughout the US.

It’s another new year again and as we go about making resolutions for how we can improve during the year, I’d like us to include ways we can help our 4-legged friends! So here yet again, is a list of suggestions for ways to improve the lives of our dogs.

One of the biggest issues we as dog owners have is keeping our dogs busy enough so they don’t get into trouble. If you exercise your dog’s mind and body, destructive behavior can be avoided.

I read a great article in the Orlando Sentinel the other day entitled “The incredibly growing pet.” The article focused on the epidemic of fat pets in the United States. According to a recent survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, more than half the dogs and cats in the US are overweight or obese. And many people often don’t recognize the fact that their pet is overweight. While there are medical reasons why a pet can become overweight, the article noted the reason often given by owners with overweight dogs – it’s because we love them so much that we feed them all the time!

Believe it or not, I never experienced fleas until I moved to Florida – I did battle with ticks; coming from the northeast and I’m not sure which is worse. It doesn’t really matter, the fact is they were gross and my dog suffered. At the time, I was using chemicals just like so many others to eradicate or prevent infestation. Pulling off the fat ticks (Ugh!) or watching my dog scratch was difficult. So, I resorted to the recommended flea and tick control.

Prior to 2005, I didn’t know there was such a thing as canine massage! But after a vivid dream, I researched it, and changed careers. As ridiculous as it may sound to some people, aqua therapy, massage, aromatherapy, acupressure, and other modalities are viable, proven, non-invasive, holistic options for maintaining health and treating a wide range of conditions both in humans and animals.

Has your dog been scratching a lot? I know my dog Yankee has. He doesn’t have fleas, so my next choice is some sort of allergy. After working with him and his diet, I’ve concluded that he has some environmental allergies.

Have you ever had a massage? If so, I bet you felt wonderful afterward! Even if you haven’t had a massage, chances are you know what it is; the manipulation of skin, muscles and joints for the purpose of affecting physical or emotional changes in the body.

We are the only Orlando dog boarding and Orlando doggie day care center that has an indoor heated pool for dogs. See it for yourself by scheduling a tour!

Rocky's Retreat | 2826 Shader Rd. Orlando FL 32808 | info@rockysretreat.com | (407) 295-3888