How to Save Money on Veteinary Bills

Avoiding common diseases in pets is not only possible but by being proactive, you can save a great deal of money in medical expenses, says leading veterinarian Dr. Arnold Goldman, president of the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Foundation and director of the Connecticut State Animal Response Team.

Dr. Goldman explains, "There are very serious pet health issues that can be completely avoided or minimized with a little common sense and proactive attention by owners. You can save thousands of dollars, and keep your companion healthy and safe."

The top reasons for costly veterinary visits, according to The CVMF, and how to avoid them include:

Motor vehicle trauma:

• Use a six foot leash -- not a flexilead, when outside, especially near roads.

• Do not rely on an electric fence. They may be inoperative when you least expect it.

• Do not rely on your belief that your pet will never leave your yard. It takes just one squirrel to lead to serious injury and needless pain. Trauma care costs may exceed $5000.00

Arthritis:

• Keep your dog and cat lean (obesity can cause arthritis, as well as diabetes and other ailments).

• Avoid running with your pet on pavement

• Do not force dogs with "specialized" conformation to perform like a wolf (for example: toy breeds dogs cannot run alongside their owners).

Gastroenteritis:

• Use a leash at ALL times.

• Do not allow eating things off the ground,

• Do not vary diet or feed people food.

• Do not allow your dog to make contact with other dogs' stools or where parasites may be present. (This is common at dog parks, many doggy day cares and wherever dogs congregate).

Skin Disease:

• Practice strict tick and flea control.

• When the dog has a history of skin disease, see your veterinarian early for preventative measures such as antihistamines to avoid more costly interventions later.

• Most often ear disease is linked to allergic disease, so see your veterinarian early for ear discomfort.

Periodontal Disease:

• Train puppies that brushing is normal -- start early.

• Brush the teeth and gums. You must train them to accept it. Teach them this is not optional.

• Allow regular professional dental cleanings from age two on.

• 85 percent of dogs and cats have moderate to severe periodontal disease due to not brushing or cleaning. It leads to many other ailments, all of which cost more to treat than prevent.

Bloat:

• Feed two equal meals daily of a measured amount.

• Avoid exercise after eating.

• Be aware of signs of bloat (non-productive vomiting, abdominal distention).

In addition to those common issues, Dr. Goldman says "The ideal way to avoid health problems is by early detection and prevention -- just like with people -- with twice-yearly physical exams after age seven. And always examine your pet regularly at home for lumps and other abnormalities to try to catch things early. Weigh your pet regularly. Any changes should be reported to your veterinarian."

For more information you can go to www.petsafetyct.org

New Vitamin D Supplement For Heart Patients

Asantae, (www.asantae.com) a neutracuetical manufacturer and distribution company, announced the release of the Vitamin D enhanced HeartShot™ dietary supplement which is a best seller for the company.

HeartShot™ was developed to be the highest quality anti-inflammatory nutritional product on the market today. The latest research shows:

• most people are deficient in Vitamin D which is a vitally important vitamin

• Vitamin D is a significant component for reducing inflammation and improving immunity

Due to these two new developments, Dr. Lundell, MD and Chief Medical Officer for Asantae felt it was very important to add Vitamin D to the HeartShot™ formula in order to further increase its anti-inflammatory capabilities.

Another improvement for HeartShot™ is a higher quality microencapsulation. This will make for better bioavailability.

Dr. Dwight Lundell, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Asantae and author of the best selling book, The Cure for Heart Disease (www.thecureforheartdisease.net) stated, "We are all committed at Asantae to develop and bring to market the finest nutritional supplements available today. Anyone who has read my best selling book knows heart disease can be prevented once a person has the understanding of what really causes heart disease and takes the proper action. HeartShot™ is the first step."

Dr. Lundell's no-nonsense approach to science and medicine, and his caring attitude toward patients, has helped guide his career transformation from surgeon to formulator, author, lecturer, and founder of the Healthy Humans Foundation (http://healthyhumansfoundation.org/).

Asantae also makes and distributes other all-natural neutracuetical products for maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Asantae (www.asantae.com) is a distributor based company for individuals interested in building a business for long term residual income in the health and wellness industry, a multi-billion dollar industry and growing. The company supports its distributor base with numerous marketing and sales materials, making it easy and inexpensive for a person to start their own home based business.

Persons wanting more information on HeartShot™ or the business should go to the company's website at www.asantae.com.

Here's a guide for how to be a gifted kid

Being a young gifted student in today's world is different in many ways from 20-plus years ago when THE GIFTED KIDS' SURVIVAL GUIDE: FOR AGES 10 & UNDER (http://www.freespirit.com/catalog/item_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=194) was first published. Programs to support gifted students are more established, more comprehensive, and more accepted in many schools. The super-smart founders of companies like Microsoft, Google, and The Geek Squad have helped make it cool to be smart. And recent survey results show that fewer elementary-age gifted kids report being teased than in years prior.

While being GT (gifted and talented) may be easier in some respects now than in the past, that doesn't mean gifted children have it easy. That's why Judy Galbraith, M.A., first wrote and has now fully updated THE GIFTED KIDS' SURVIVAL GUIDE: FOR AGES 10 & UNDER (Revised & Updated 3rd Edition, $12.99, Free Spirit Publishing (http://www.freespirit.com)).

"Where do you turn when no one knows the answers to your most secret and baffling questions about being gifted? The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide: For Ages 10 & Under by Judy Galbraith has the answers in words that make sense."--Barbara Clark, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, California State University, Los Angeles, and author of Growing Up Gifted

The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) estimates there are approximately 3 million gifted kids in kindergarten through twelfth grade in the United States. What does gifted or high potential mean to them? Do they have questions about giftedness? What kinds of problems do they have with friends and family? Do they have the opportunity to work ahead in school? Galbraith recently surveyed 1,000 GT kids to find out the answers to these and other questions, and put her findings into her new book. Here's what a few of these boys and girls had to say about what being gifted means:

"Being able to see things in a way others can't."--Lexi, age 9

"People expect more of me."--Duncan, age 9

"It means I never stop asking questions."--Devorah, age 9

"It means not just knowing the answer, but thinking about why it's that way."

--Max, age 10

"It is my hope that THE GIFTED KIDS' SURVIVAL GUIDE will help kids make sense of some of

the puzzling, amazing, and stressful challenges they face as a GT," says Galbraith. "When they know more about who they are, which includes their giftedness, they feel better about themselves and report more confidence."

THE GIFTED KIDS' SURVIVAL GUIDE covers the social and emotional challenges GT kids face and offers solid advice, encouragement, suggestions for self-directed learning opportunities, quotes from gifted kids, and self-advocacy techniques to try both at home and at school. For example, sections include:

5 Things GTs Need to Succeed

8 Great Gripes of GT Kids

8 Big Benefits of Being GT

8 Ways to Make Regular School More Cool

Whiz Quiz: Are You a Perfectionist?

With THE GIFTED KIDS' SURVIVAL GUIDE, Galbraith has provided a much needed, up-to-date resource for children, parents, teachers, and other advocates for gifted kids everywhere.

This practical guide offers young gifted children the support and encouragement they're looking for.

Ethics Important During Tough Times Says Dalai Lama

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama spoke at Albany's Palace Theatre yesterday of the need to foster ethics and embrace basic human values, especially during these times of economic and socio-political turmoil. About 2,600 people heard his public talk titled ''Compassionate Ethics in Difficult Times.''

The event, sponsored by the World Ethical Foundations Consortium (WEFC), was His Holiness' first visit to the state capital of New York.

Legs folded in an oversized chair at center stage, His Holiness (http://www.worldethicalfoundations.org) spoke with a comfortable candor, often pausing to laugh and look into the audience. He talked passionately about the importance of ethics in today's world, highlighting it as the missing ingredient in politics, business and religion.

"We need some lessons of moral ethics," he said.

During a news conference preceding the public talk, His Holiness advised that people should be self-reflective and focus on their internal well-being. Instead of placing value on material possessions, people should strive for happy families and compassionate communities.

"We should pay more attention to inner value. Money alone is not sufficient," he said.

At the beginning of the public speech, His Holiness presented his hosts and local leaders with white silk scarves called "kataks," which according to Tibetan culture symbolize purity. Bishop Howard Hubbard of the Albany Diocese, Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings and WEFC cofounders Sara and Clare Bronfman all were presented scarves and remained seated with him on the stage during his speech. At the end of his talk, he addressed several questions submitted earlier by audience members.

When asked why he decided to come to Albany, His Holiness said he met with representatives from WEFC and determined their genuine focus was to promote ethics and it was his moral responsibility, given his commitment to promoting basic human values and secular ethics, to support others doing the same. The afternoon's events were concluded by His Holiness showing his support for Keith Raniere, conceptual founder of WEFC, by calling him on stage and placing a katak around his neck.

About 200 people watched a simulcast of the talk at The Egg at Empire State Plaza in Albany.

His Holiness' visit to Albany was his last stop on a U.S. tour, which also included events in Boston and New York City.

Grossed-Out Divorce Lawyer Vomits Onto Judge

At first we thought this news item might be one of those stories that supermarket tabloids such as the National Enquirer sometimes fabricate and publish alongside sensational articles about space aliens, Bigfoot and Elvis sightings. But then we did a bit of digging and we found out more than we wanted to know. It seems there is a website that has pictures on it that are so gross, they truly are enough to make a lawyer barf in court.

Here is the story as we first read it...

Grossed-Out Divorce Lawyer Vomits Onto Judge

FRESNO, CA - A family courtroom erupted into tumult when a lawyer lost not only his case but also his lunch upon an astonished judge, who hastily dismissed the proceedings. Attorney Richard Wysnewski, 52, was arguing over a custody settlement with Judge Sandra S. Ogilvy when he suddenly became violently ill and spewed the contents of his stomach all over the face and chest of the presiding justice. Mr. Wysnewski was seen to receive a message on his mobile phone immediately prior to the incident. It is believed he viewed an online greeting card image so disgusting that he was unable to control the regurgitation reflex.

And now, as the late Paul Harvey used to say, here is the rest of the story...

We have learned that the lawyer in question was sent an insulting electronic greeting card that he received on his Blackberry, and the poor schmuck was dumb enough to view it in court. The card came from a site called Secret Revenge Cards at http://www.secretrevengecards.com and we warn you not to go there unless you have a very strong stomach.

Not only do they run a service where people can send electronic insult cards -- they call them "e-sults" -- but they do it all anonymously. You can send a card to somebody you want to take revenge on and the recipient never knows the identity of the sender.

As if this wasn't bad enough, the pictures available on the cards are repulsive, depraved, disgusting, sickening and shameful. Do these people have no decency or morality? The popular term "Not Safe For Work" or NSFW is only putting it mildly!

To be fair, the website does state that they are opposed to bullying, hate mongering or racism, but we predict there could be disaster if school children start tormenting one another with these cruel communications.

The internet has been described as being as wide open as the old West. Maybe it's time more regulation was written to control such filth as Secret Revenge Cards.