Wolf tale affirms our dualistic nature
Dear Readers: Nick Polizzi, in his book “The Sacred Science: An Ancient Healing Path for the Modern World,” writes: “On a warm summer night a few years ago, an Ojibwe elder in the backwoods of Wisconsin shared a tale to illustrate an important choice we all have to make as we walk through this world.” “The Two Wolves” One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.”
“One is Evil: It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.”
“The other is Good: It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Dear Dr. Fox: My 11-year-old Yorkie has Cushing’s disease. Sometimes at night, she pants and paces and throws herself down on the bed, rubs herself back and forth on my refrigerator and whines almost continuously. Is she in pain when she does that? Right now, the pancreatitis is under control. V.R., Fargo, North Dakota
Dear V.R.: Cushing’s disease is an all-too-common disease affecting the adrenal glands in older dogs, often coupled with hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus.
Typical Cushing’s disease can be associated with a tumor in the brain or in the adrenal glands. Most dogs with this disease develop a pot-bellied appearance and poor muscle tone, and have increased thirst, urination and appetite. These hormonal storms can also cause anxiety, panting, increased body heat and discomfort, and acidbase disorders.
So in addition to carefully titrated medication to stop the production of adrenal hormones, close monitoring of blood pressure, I would advise 3-6 mg melatonin morning and evening. Also, ask your veterinarian about a short course of treatment with an anxiety-relieving drug such as alprazolam; if it improves the quality of your dog’s life, continue as needed.
Write c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106 or email animaldocfox@gmail.com. Visit Dr. Fox’s Web site at www. DrFoxVet.com.