Pet Water Dispensers
Water Dispensers are a great item to ensure optimal health for your pet. Models range from filtering models to reservoir type units that keep a water dish full. Outdoor units can be connected to a garden hose so that the water dish will always remain full of water and the hose will shut off when a dish is full. The wide variety of products suits most situations from indoor use to kennel and your backyard. There are models designed for outdoor winter use as well as heating elements to use with existing water dishes so your dog’s water does not freeze over. Providing ample, freshwater helps maintain the health of your dog’s kidneys and urinary tract.
Hydrotherapy
Long used for humans suffering from arthritis pain and disabilities, hydrotherapy has only become available for dogs in recent years. Canine hydrotherapy is a rehabilitation program that allows dogs to exercise in water. The fluid environment gives them greater support to minimize stress on their joints. Simultaneously, it creates enough resistance so that they can exercise their muscles. Veterinarians and rehabilitation specialists consider hydrotherapy as a major breakthrough for dogs. It can deal with problems such as spinal injuries, severe arthritis, hip or elbow dysplasia in which joints can become inflamed and eventually arthritic or mobility problems in dogs.
What makes hydrotherapy different is the buoyancy water provides. The feeling of weightlessness allows disabled dogs to use all their muscles without putting stress on damaged or weak muscles. But the water also creates resistance, which limits the rate at which the dog’s limbs can move through the water. This resistance means that a five-minute swim is a workout that may be equivalent to running five miles. It’s also a great cardiovascular workout for a dog’s heart and lungs since the weight of the water means that breathing requires more effort. The water in hydrotherapy pools is warm (80 to 100 degrees F), which promotes blood flow to the injured area while simultaneously increasing muscle and joint flexibility. Coldwater can cause the blood vessels near the skin and those just beneath it to constrict, reducing blood flow to muscles and making them less efficient.
Aquariums and Your Health
While having a fish is a poor substitute for a pet, a fish tank actually has several health benefits. Here are ways that having an aquarium can improve your health:
- Reduced blood pressure – Having an aquarium in your home or office can reduce your blood pressure significantly. Some people choose to have decorated aquariums without any fish, but the ones with fish have better results. Even videotapes of fish have similar therapeutic effects!
- Calming effects – Fish have calming effects on seniors as well as children with hyperactivity disorders, even helping them sleep better at night. People at the dentist’s clinic feel much calmer if there is an aquarium around and have even reported feeling less pain during procedures.
- Benefited Alzheimer’s patients – Having aquariums has a positive effect on people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Patients with fish tanks in their rooms ate more, required fewer supplements, and were less physically aggressive.
- Reduced stress – Gazing at the movement of fish is supposed to reduce stress, relax the mind, and make everyday problems seem less aggravating. The movement of the fish is supposed to be almost hypnotic.
