We at the Polk County Medical Association aim to do our part to raise awareness for a variety of timely health-related topics, so we’ve highlighted some local uses of animal-assisted therapy in this edition of Central Florida Health News.
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When Man's Best Friend Is Also the Best Medicine
The powerful bond between humans and their pets has always been easily recognizable. Still, every year when we put together the Pets & Your Health edition of Central Florida Health News, we find stories of courage and understanding so strong we can’t help but be inspired.
POP QUIZ!
Pet Allergies? Get the Facts on the Best Way to Cope
HEALING PAWS
A Service Canine, A Veteran, and the Journey Back From the Edge
On Service Animals, Emotional Support Animals and Freelancers
If you watch a service animal with their human, there is a higher level of nonverbal communication taking place. The training that enables and facilitates that level of connection often takes years of training.
Cook Up the Good Stuff for Your Pup
You look down at the floor, and the little guy looks back at you, expectantly. The unspoken message transferred from his eyes to yours: “It’s dinnertime, right?”
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and the Eye
Sleep apnea is a common but often undiagnosed disorder that has potentially serious general and eye health consequences. Approximately 25% of men and 10% of women are affected, but unfortunately, 80% of these are undiagnosed. High rates of undiagnosed patients may be due to the fact that the best test, a polysomnography sleep study, is inconvenient for the patients and can be very costly as it requires overnight monitoring of your breathing and other body functions during sleep while at a sleep center.
SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
Dr. Haight Dispels COVID-19 Myths and Explains Why He Trusts Vaccine
How We ‘Talk' to Our Pets
Did you ever wonder how you can look in your pet’s eyes and know if he or she is sad, mad or glad or wants attention and they can do the same for you? How can that be when there are no spoken words between you? The answer is neuroscience, and you don’t have to be Dr. Doolittle to “talk” with the animals. We sometimes forget humans are part of the animal kingdom, too, with much the same physical organs and emotions.
March Is National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month and the Florida Department of Health in Polk County is bringing awareness to the importance of a nutritious, healthy lifestyle.
BATTLING OBESITY
Lakeland Regional Health Unveils New Weight Loss Institute
Notes for new breeders
Experienced breeders will tell you that there are a number of things they wish someone had told them before they had their first litter. This article will share a few of those items with you in the hope that it will encourage you to read more and ask more questions.
My Special Cat
Most of us have had that special cat—a heart cat with whom we had a deep connection. It may have been the cat we had as a child, or the one that saw us through a troubled time, or one with whom we bonded as we exhibited at cat shows. Whether the cat found us or we sought it out, those connections cannot be denied. These are the stories of some of those special cats and what they mean or meant to us.
WHO'S a good business model? It's YOU! Yes it is! You're SUCH a good business model! Yes you are!
Locked-down Americans are pampering their pets like never before, and Chewy is reaping the benefits
Click - Getting Great Shots of your Cat with a Smartphone
So you want to enter one of the many virtual competitions popping up around the internet but don’t have professional photos or video of your cat. Fear not! If you have a smartphone, you have a camera and can get what you need. Here are a few tips to help.
Choosing the Right Cat Tree
Whether you have your first cat or your tenth, keeping your cat healthy and your furniture undamaged means you will need to get a scratching post (or cat “tree”). These come in many shapes and sizes and they’re built using a variety of materials. Different construction techniques are also used, some being better than others. This gives you lots to choose from. So, choosing the right tree for your cat can take some thought.
A Fish Named Dog
I locked eyes with the fish as I tapped flakes of food into his tank. He stared blankly at me through the glass. Not exactly my idea of a perfect pet.
Welcome to the world that is Life With Patrick
For those of you who do not know them, let me introduce you to the cast of characters:
Show Curtains Saved!
Skittles' She Shed Retains Its Beauty
State Breeder Laws Every Resident Fancier Should Know!
All of the U.S. states in Region 4, except Kentucky, have state-level breeder licensing laws.
Caring For Cats During Lockdown
Most of the world is under some form of “stay at home” order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.