Animal Communication Series: Sydney Woo

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is attend various pet related trade shows. I am often accompanied by my spotted helper, Zeddie. We always meet so many people and animals!

Back in July, I attended an event that mixed wine and dogs (does it get any better?) 
One of the readings I did from that show was with a beautiful pug, Sydney Woo, who had passed away suddenly 3 years prior. Her mom wanted her to know how much they love her and miss her, and wanted her to know that they did everything they could to make her better. 

*Please note that I am not a veterinarian, and everything that is mentioned in this connection was strictly intuition. I always recommend that veterinary help is sought out with medical conditions*

This was my connection with Sydney Woo:

"I connected with Sydney Woo. She feels like she was a feisty girl! Very protective over you and your family. It took her a few minutes to warm up to me...I think she wanted to make sure that that I wasn't going to upset you <3

I asked Sydney Woo about her life with you. She shows me a toy, it looks like it is a small stuffie with a little squeaker...I want to say blue? and she shows me that this was something she liked to carry around in her mouth. Then she shows me that after her passing, this toy became a favorite of another dog...I think Quinnie? 

I told her your message, and she wants you to know that she knows you did everything you could for her. Did her passing have something to do with labored breathing? She shows me an oxygen tank, and I feel that she was having difficulty getting air in. I also feel that this was not an avoidable condition. I feel that this had something to do with her genetics, and that no matter what you did, the outcome would have been the same. 

She knows that she was well loved, and she wanted me to tell you that she couldn't have picked a better family. When you met her, did she make it clear that she wanted you as her family? She says that she was given a lot of love in life, and she still feels it now. She says she still watches over you and she wants to keep you safe, and she wants you to feel her love. She shows me that she visits you in dreams, and she wants you to know that this is her way of making sure you know that she is still right there with you. 

Thank you for the opportunity to connect with Sydney Woo! She clearly loves you so very much <3 That kind of love is eternal <3"

Sydney Woo's mom sent me this in response:

"Kristin, thank you, a million times over, for the reading.  I miss my girl so much.  She was a feisty girl!  And yes, she was VERY protective, she took care of us more than I think she ever realized.  There is a stuffed toy called Poopie that she suckled on every night in bed.  We kept it from Quinnie for a bit because we were afraid that she would try to tear him apart with her puppy antics, but whenever Quinnie has Poopie in her mouth, she is so gentle with him, I think she knows that it belonged to Sydney Woo.  Our baby did have to be intubated with a breathing tube right before she died and we are both certain that she was born with something that we could just never figure out, no matter what type of specialist we brought her to see.  Syd made it so clear to us when we met her that she wanted to be with us, I remember her running out into the hallway to meet us, and the way she slept in our arms all the way home.  I have had many dreams of her and songs will come on the radio that we played once she passed away.

Again, thank you so much Kristin.  It is so amazing to know that our girl is still around us, we have felt her around us, but to have someone communicate with her is wonderful.

I hope that you are having a wonderful day..............you just made mine even better."

Several months later, I received another email from Sydney Woo's mom, which said,
"I think of the connection every day and you have no idea how much it has helped.  Because of you, I feel at peace.  Thank you again."

I feel so lucky that I am able to help bring peace to people, and help them understand their pets. 

If you are interested in a reading of your pet, please email me at kristin@healthy-hearts.ca. For more information on Animal Communication, visit www.healthy-hearts.ca

Interested in learning how to communicate with animals? "Like" my Facebook page for upcoming workshops! 

https://www.facebook.com/healthyheartsanimalwellness/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel 

Animal Communication Series: Loki

Many people ask me how Animal Communication works, especially when I work from a picture. It can be difficult to understand, which is why I decided to start a series on Animal Communication. Each entry will include a reading I've done, as well as the response from the animal's human.  

The first animal I would like to share is Loki. Loki suddenly passed away, and his heartbroken family asked if I could connect with him. Loki had two feline brothers that he shared his life with, named Pooty and Salazar.

This was my connection with Loki:

When I connected, I received the word cancer. Loki shows me really red, angry inflammation in what looks like his stomach and intestines.

I do feel that Loki knew he was unwell for awhile, but he also knew it wasn't something that was treatable, and he wanted his time with you to be focused on love and he didn't want you to worry. He felt that Pooty and Salazar would comfort you, and help you through his passing.

He shows me what looks like a beige carpet, with sun shining on it. Was this a place he went to a lot?

It's funny, because as I'm connected with Loki, it feels like he hasn't left. He is still with you a lot, and it almost feels like he is maintaining a lot of the routine he had in life. He shows me you handing out treats, was this something you did with him?
He wants you to know that he loves you all very much, and he also says that this was not your fault at all. He doesn't want you to feel that you could have done more, because you couldn't. It also feels like there might have been a genetic component?

When I asked him if he had any more messages for you, he said he wants you to know that he's very proud of you. He makes me feel like there was a big achievement recently, and he wants to see you happy and successful. He also says he is there to help you along the way."
Loki's mom wrote:

"Yesterday I was approved for a car lease. It may have been that. I have seen him last night and the night before, after I took my shower I felt him chewing on my hair. He used to rub my head after showers and try to chew on my hair. I know he is still with me."

"What's strange is the months leading up to this, he seemed to become more intuitive. Adam [Loki's dad]and I would both see him in our dreams if we had a nightmare we would wake up and he would be right there checking on us. Something he didn't do before. When I wake up in the morning, I feel him right there next to me, on my bed."

"He would lay on the table, which had a beige tablecloth, the office has a gray lounge chair but he would sit on the desk, the bedroom has a beige rug and would lay there too, in the evenings. But there was a beige rug in the living room. Pooty and Sal both started sitting there more frequently, staring at something. Almost like he was laying there with them."

"That is very helpful information, thank you, my greatest worry was that I would lose them as well. It is very comforting to know that it's not just in my head, that I've seen him."

If you would like a reading of your pet, please contact kristin@healthy-hearts.ca. For more information about Animal Communication, visit www.healthy-hearts.ca

Interested in learning how to become an Animal Communicator? Visit http://www.healthy-hearts.ca/workshops.html for information on my workshops!

Age...just a number?

One of my favourite things is seeing someone asking for help to enhance
their 'older' pet's life. Society so often dictates to us what aging looks like, and that it is something to be feared. With our pets, we are conditioned to believe that as they get older, they are destined to suffer from various conditions and diseases. But what is older?

If you ask the average person what the lifespan of a cat is, they say 15; some push it to 20. A cat living over the age of 20 is shocking to people. With dogs, they say 15 is a ripe old age for a little dog, while many large breeds are only given 10 years before being considered at the end of their life. 

Although attaching these life expectancies to pets helps the average human understand the level of commitment they are signing on for, these numbers create a mind set that is not healthy for your pet. 

If you think your cat is old and dying at 15 years old, you are attaching that energy to your pet. When their health starts to deteriorate, you think "well, Fluffy is old now, so it is to be expected". In contrast, if you believe your cat can easily live to 30, you are expecting longevity and health. Your actions reflect this energy and often more is done to promote whole health. 

So instead of expecting your pet to live for 10-15 years, expect 30, and ask how your pet can achieve this age in grace and health. They may not live to 30, but maybe they will live past their 'life expectancy', or at least age in grace. It's never too late to make a difference! 

Adventure Pets

Zeddie 'working' at The Dundas Cactus Festival

When people think of whole health for their pets, the first thing that comes to mind is food. After all, health starts from the inside out, right? It's true, food is a major part, if not the most important part, to keeping a healthy pet. There are; however, many, many other factors that play a part in keeping your furry, feathered, or scaled buddy around as long as possible. 

Balance is extremely important. We know it for our lives, and the same is true for the critters we care for. As crazy as it sounds, little bits of stress is good for us...and our pets! It isn't uncommon to see dogs getting outside of their comfort zone. Many people choose to travel with their dog, take them out for the day, go to parks, and include them in as many activities as possible. But what about the rest of the critters?

I love to take my Savannah cat, Zeddie places. I leash trained her when she was a kitten. Her first trip was when she was 5 months old, and we went to Ottawa. She goes to pet stores, out for walks, chooses her treats and food, has gone to various cottages, ridden in boats, and even went on a very short ATV ride (it was up to a cottage and she was in my lap safe and sound). By exposing her at a young age, I made sure that whatever happened, Zeddie was ready for it. 

In comparison, I got my second Savannah, Jimmy, when he was a little over a year. At home, Jimmy seems like he's up for anything. He loves visitors and is a complete clown. Outside of the house, though, Jimmy is a big baby, and just wants his mommy to take him home. Little bits of exposure have helped him feel more confident outside of the house, but he prefers his adventures to be at home. 

These trips are an excellent way for cats (and other critters) to stay safe, get mental stimulation, and exercise. Little bits of stress also help reduce large amounts of stress when some things happen that maybe weren't a part of the plan. My cats feel confident going to stay with their auntie when I go away and can't take them with me. They are calm in car rides, and a breeze to take to the vets. As an added bonus, environmental exposure helps ensure a healthy immune system.

What adventures do you take your pet on? 

Can You Hear Me?

Have you ever wondered if your dog can hear what you're thinking? You think that it might be time to go outside to play ball, and before you even move a muscle, your dog is bounding to the door. Most people shrug it off, or think it is a coincidence. This is actually animal communication in it's most basic form.

Some animals are more sensitive to receiving information then others, and some have 'selective hearing'. When I first started learning animal communication, I wasn't convinced my pets could 'hear' what I was sending them. Thankfully, I have an African Grey parrot who was happy to help out. She would often whistle songs I was singing in my head, or we would say the same thing at the same time. It is easier to know they can hear you when they speak English too!

It can be a little bit tougher with other types of animals. One day, I decided to try a little experiment with my Savannah cat, Zeddie. Ever since Zeddie was little, we would play hide and seek. I would chase her to a room, then turn around and hide quickly. She would then come to find me, which never took her long. On this day, I decided to hide in the stairwell, just a few feet from where Zeddie was, while picturing myself hiding in our shower. I closed my eyes and mentally conveyed the image I would see if I were to hide in the shower...the mirror, seeing Zeddie exit the room to look for me, the anticipation.... 
Sure enough, when Zeddie came to find me, she walked right past my actual hiding spot of the stairwell and hopped into the shower looking for me! 

Even if you have a pet with 'selective hearing', try making it into a game, and see if they are picking up on mental cues from you! 

One of Zeddie's favorite hiding spots

Can Kibble be 'Holistic'?

With the cold weather upon much of the world, there have been a lot of questions regarding dogs and cats with dry skin. To my surprise, many of the recommendations to combat this 'issue' in various 'holistic' Facebook groups, included incorporating grain free kibble.

In order to understand if kibble can be 'holistic' it is important to go over it's definition.

"incorporating the concept of holism, or the idea that the whole is more than merely 
the sum of its parts, in theory or practice" 

This means that instead of treating single areas of a being's life, attention is paid to all aspects of the mind body and soul, with an emphasis on treating any underlying condition. That being said, is kibble holistic? 

 It has been widely accepted that nutrition plays a large role into whole health for both humans and animals. When eating mass amounts of biologically inappropriate food, the body has to work harder to maintain homeostasis, which can result in various health problems as time goes on.   

It should come as no surprise that cats and dogs are carnivores. This means their natural diet is meant to be meat. 

All kibble, whether 'holistic' and grain free or not, need carbohydrates in order to obtain the hard, pellet like consistency. The amount of carbohydrates used is variable, but many manufacturers use starches such as potato, sweet potato, and peas. These have an added bonus for the company of increasing the protein that is found in the guaranteed analysis on the bag of food. 

The amount of pure meat used in kibble is also variable upon the manufacturer, but there are tricks that are employed in order to make sure that meat becomes the first ingredient on their packaging. This includes protein splitting of carbohydrates and weighing the meat prior to cooking. The result is a higher amount of carbohydrate to meat than the consumer is led to believe. 

The process of creating kibble involves cooking the ingredients, which effectively removes all of the nutrients. A synthetic vitamin supplement is added to replace all the lost nutrients as the food itself is not nutritionally sufficient. 

Aside from the ingredients used to create kibble is the fact that kibble has a moisture content of just 10%. In cats this is often detrimental as they have a very low thirst drive. Both dogs and cats are naturally developed to consume whole prey, which is about 80% moisture. That being said, the lack of moisture in kibble is very dehydrating to an animal's body, which in itself can cause various health conditions, with dry skin being very common. 

Focusing back on the original comments on dry skin,the problems which cause this can often relate back to dietary sensitivities, a lack of essential fatty acids in the diet, and dehydration. All three of these issues can be tricky to eliminate with kibble of any type because all kibbles contain many of the same ingredients, with the lack of moisture being only one aspect. A dietary sensitivity is not limited to the meat protein added, and can stem from any carbohydrate used, not to mention the additives and preservatives used to keep the food from going bad.

Overall, a biologically appropriate, balanced raw diet makes it much simpler to track down sensitivities. It also contains the amount of moisture necessary for good health, and is free of unnecessary fillers.

If your dog or cat is suffering from dry skin, take a look at what you are feeding as the food itself may be contributing to the issue. 

It is always a good idea to consult a natural health practitioner when making large changes for your animal companion. 

Where, Oh Where Could Deus Be?

I have had an influx of people looking for help finding their lost pets in the last few days...one of them being my sister, Hillary.

Lost pets are one of the hardest consultations for me to do. Often the animal is confused and scared, which makes understanding their location difficult. 

Hillary called me on Thursday, saying she hadn't seen Deus (Day-us) all morning, and, come to think of it, all night. I tuned into him, and he explained that he needed some quiet time because he had important spiritual work to do. He would be back for dinner. We impatiently waited for 8:00 to arrive, which was when he said he would be back. 8:00 came...and went. When I asked Deus where he was, he told me he was in the basement. Searching revealed that he was, in fact, NOT in the basement. At this point, Hillary was in a growing panic, and I was thinking I was just making things up, and not in fact talking to Deus.  I emailed my teacher for help and validation. Hillary put out a litter box and some smelly things for him, and we decided to call it a night. Hillary made posters to paint the town with, ready to put out in the morning. 

When morning came, I checked in with Deus again. I was still getting that he was in a basement. My teacher validated these feelings, and we realized he was most likely in a neighbour's basement. Later in the afternoon, Deus told me he had gotten out of the house, and was now outside and trying to find his way home. He told me he was in grass, and could see trees, houses, and hear cars. On my way home from work I scanned the fields quickly, but saw no sign of him. I asked him about dirt, and he said he saw piles of dirt, which were all over the field near Hillary's house.

Hillary texted me and asked if I would go over to help her hunt. I agreed, as did our sister, Tori. We started our hunt at about 9, walking through the field calling his name. I would stop after each call and ask him if he heard us. He answered with a emphatic "no". As we hunted we heard a very loud bird in the massive puddle of water that the recent downpours had left as a souvenir. I asked him if he heard the bird, and tried to relay the sound to him mentally. I received "yes". We moved toward the field where we thought he was, but couldn't get to it as we were perched precariously on a mountain of dirt. Looking around, we saw a way to get down and into the field but the entrance was at a different point in the neighbourhood. Turning around, we headed back the way we came. While walking along the sidewalk, Deus told me "turn left". This was in direct contradiction to where we were planning on going, so I asked "are you sure?" "Go left!" he said again. So I informed Hillary and Tori of the direction, and we turned left.

Behind Hillary's house is a "pond" that is surrounded by heavy brush. We trampled around, risking exposure to ticks and other bugs, intent on our hunt. Tori has a loud voice, so she would call out for Deus, and I would ask "did you hear that?" The first time he excitedly answered "yes! You are close!" In circles we went, asking "louder?" to which he said "yes!" We listened to the sound of the the bird, which was giving the same call as the bird in the massive puddle from the other field. As we walked, we knew we were getting closer and closer, and our search grew more frantic. Finally, Tori looked at me and asked "Could he be in a backyard?" We all stopped our search, both of my sisters staring at me expectantly. I tuned back into Deus, trying to determine if he was even able to come out of hiding. He affirmed that he was, in fact, in a backyard. He could hear our crunching and voices, but was unable to see us. The sound of cars was quite loud, as we were very close to a busy street. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle were coming together. Using the "louder/softer" technique, we narrowed our search to one backyard. Coaxing him out wasn't working, and we had no "real" evidence to knock on the owner's door, asking to search their backyard. So we went to the front of their house, trying to see if we could find a way to Deus, or for Deus to find a way to us. I will admit, B&E was considered. 

Eventually we decided that B&E wasn't worth it, especially with the fire station, which doubles as the police station, right across the street. Instead, we made a late night trip to Sobeys to purchase some really unhealthy cans of cat food. Upon our return, we went behind the yard again, and cracked open the can. I hoped that the sound of the lid being pulled off the can would be irresistible to Deus, and he would come out of the backyard. No such luck, so I started flinging cat food around. When tuning into Deus, he relayed fear that he wasn't near us, and didn't want to risk exposure. The bright idea struck to make a food trail back to the house, giving him a very real smell trail. A messy walk back to the house ensued, while I managed to get cat food all over the neighbourhood, my coat and my hair. The smell trail ended with the rest of the can on the front porch. Unable to do anything further, Tori and I headed back home.

An hour later, at midnight, we got the text that Deus was back! He followed the food trail right to his front door. Hillary felt she needed to stay up just a little bit later, and on her last check of the porch she saw her beloved, fluffy, Deus. When I checked in with him again, he confirmed that it was the smell trail we had left that lead him home.

Even though Deus wanted to come out and see us, his instincts kept him hidden. This is another big lesson about lost animals...actually animals in general! Their spirit may know what they should do, but their instincts from their body keep them from acting...or in some cases, encourage them to act inappropriately. 

Deus' disappearance was a big learning experience all around, and we are all thrilled to have him home safe and sound.