Pet Health: Corneal Dystrophy in Dogs

Corneal dystrophy describes conditions that are primary to the cornea of the eye. They appear as a bilateral opacity that is closely symmetrical, and does NOT become inflammed or vascularized. Although it is thought to be passed down through generations, the exact cause in individuals is rarely known.

Corneal dystophy attacks the multiple layers of the cornea, either anteriorly or posteriorly. Once present it can remain stationary, or it can progress to the point of dominating the entire cornea resulting in lowered visual acuity and potentially blindness. Note: While the opacities tend to lower visual acuity in humans, there is little proof to suggest that the same result happens in dogs. (This is a scenario I do not understand, because an opacity is an opacity no matter what eye is trying to see through it. Unless of course...the dog makes up for the problem by using it's other, more finely-tuned, senses.)

As a pet owner or veterinary professional, it is important to understand that corneal dystrophy has various forms, some causing little to no pain for the patient, while others can be extremely painful. The trick in dealing with any type of dystrophy is deciding which one needs treatment. For example, one of the more painful types form tiny bullae that constantly rupture and heal causing considerable discomfort. Some of the discomfort can be treated with topical steroids, osmotic agents, or even contact lenses. An actual "cure" remains illusive.

In my Tory's case...I pray for the less severe.

For more information, please refer to http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/courses/vet_eyes/conotes/con_chapter_9.html

Recipe: German Hot Mulled Wine

Popular at German Christmas markets, Gluhwein wine helps keep a body warm while braving the winter weather (or enjoying time in front of a roaring fire).

Ingredients: 1 lemon or 1/2 an orange, 16 whole cloves, 5 T. sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 small chunk of peeled fresh ginger, 1 bottle red red wine.

Preparation: Quarter the citrus and stud one corner with cloves (slice the rest). In saucepan add the fruit, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, wine and stir. Heat until just below boiling point. Pour into mugs and enjoy while still hot.

For a non-alcoholic version use apple cider mixed with black tea in place of the wine.

Information was obtained from Hobby Farm Home magazine, Nov.-Dec. 2009 edition.

History: The Stealing of JFK

One November 1963 morning chaos reigned. Panicked FBI agents are on the brink of brawling with staff and police officers over who has jurisdiction over JFK's dead body. Texas law meant that the body had to be autopsied before it could leave the premises. But…they had only been there an hour. Does this apply to a very recently slain American president? No…the "body"guards decide. Gun barrel's flash inside the echoing halls signaling that the dispute has now reached a critical point. As if a single minded entity, the agent's bolt forward with the casket of their dead commander throwing the enemy violently to the ground. Jackie's dress gloves, white but now sporting flecks of crimson, never relinquish their self-assigned station upon the wood grain death bed until they are safe in the cargo hold of Air Force One. Agents demand immediate take-off fearing the onslaught of vengeful deputies.
Other details on that sad day:
Jackie insisted that Catholic rights be given to Jack before an official time of death could be given. Upon the father's arrival, JFK's body had already been covered save for one foot sticking out that appeared white and bloodless. Jackie had been sitting outside the emergency room door in a metal chair with arms stretched out straight and her hands between her knees. She seemed composed but in a state of shock…and it had been apparent that no one had tended to her needs as she was still covered in blood.
Even though they had successfully (technically stole) retrieved the casket and loaded it into the cargo hold of the plane to fly back to Andrews AFB in Washington, D.C., they found that Lyndon Johnson demanded he be sworn in as president of the United States before the plane take off. He placed Jackie on his left side for the cameras (to show the public that he and the Kennedy administration were working together). Johnson did not want there to be any doubt that a transfer of power had officially taken place. Jackie was amazing in that horrible time. Lady Bird Johnson said that she dreaded going in to sit with Jackie by the casket to give her condolences, but Jackie made it "as easy as possible." The rest of the flight was one of stone silence.
As the plane stopped on the tarmac at Andrews, Bobby, who had remained home during the Texas trip, ran through the plane desperately searching for Jackie. He knew that she was in reality a very timid person and he wanted to act as her shield; to him that was all that mattered. Unfortunately, as he rushed through the cabin he failed to address or even acknowledge the new president…Johnson then viewed this as another of Bobby's snubs. He became infuriated.
The two Kennedy brothers never really liked Johnson. A fact that Johnson knew all too well; the feeling was mutual. As vice president, LBJ felt humiliated. He was kept from all important matters and the issues that he should be dealing with as vice president was given to Bobby instead of him. A recording reveals that Johnson was paranoid of Bobby's power. Even though LBJ had already been sworn in as president, as Attorney General, Bobby could potentially pursue a way to keep him from office.
It didn't help that it was Johnson that was the one to break the bad news to Bobby. These were two men that already hated each other and Bobby knew that if Lyndon had called him personally and at home (while sitting by the pool eating a sandwich) the situation was bad. Part of LBJ's hysteria was the fact that no one knew what was actually taking place. Was there a lone shooter or was there a conspiracy? Was he a target and destined to die that day too? Would there be another attack? Resentment between the two administrations remains.
Once at the white house LBJ immediately fired Rose Lincoln, JFK's secretary, and replaced her with his own. He then asked his new body guard "where's my hat?" Rufus Youngblood replied... it's probably back in the motorcade car in Texas. LBJ said "Damn it Get Me My Hat!" For the man who thought his political career was over, he now was the most powerful man in the world and it was business as usual.
Do you realize how fast this all took place? JFK was at the hospital within 7 minutes…he was dead within 45 minutes (probably earlier), back on the plane sometime around two hours after the initial incidence, and LBJ was president within 4 hours I'll have to look at the exact time, but it was probably earlier too).
LBJ was kept in the dark during the initial couple of hours. People several states away could watch TV and know more than LBJ did at the time. Essentially LBJ didn't know if he was president or not. Do you realize that if this had been a world war we would have had no commander to give command within that time? It was disorder and chaos. Hopefully they have come up with a plan by now. Scary.
Information from History Channel – Kennedy week.

Bible Science: Who were the Nephilim?

"Does the bible account for the creation of Neanderthal man?"

DISCLAIMER: If you are easily offended by ideas that are not traditional to teachings of the bible, then you may not want to read this…and you do this at your own risk.

I was just watching a show narrated by Simcha Jacobovici, called "The Naked Archaeologist," on the History Channel. In this particular episode he was in the search of proof that giants existed in the holy land. What he found intrigued me.

The obvious place to start was with the Philistine giant, Goliath. In one account he was said to equal 9ft tall…whereas in the Dead Sea Scrolls he is said to be a more realistic height of 6ft 7in tall. Common sense say's this discrepancy is contributed to scribal error?

The next lesser known figure he researched was King Og of Basham… who is legend for owning a giant iron bed. Simcha went to a site believed to King Og's burial mound. Upon questioning the leading authority on this subject, Simcha found that yet again the proof was lacking. Evidently the tomb had been looted leaving only traces of jewelry and some gold pieces. The tomb had obviously been a memorial to a very great man, but without bones, the iron bed, or even a sarcophagus, it is impossible to know the true height of the tomb's owner. But one thing we do know is that no skeletons have ever been found, ancient or otherwise, that have a height measuring greater than 6ft 7inches in the ancient middle east.

Then, Simcha realized that the Greeks must have also gotten their definition of the word giant wrong…and instead of looking for giants in the holy land, he should actually be looking for proof of the Nephilim in the holy land. The current translation say's that the Nephilim were the giant hybrid offspring between fallen angel's and humans… and that this offspring (giants) looked like humans, only they had no soul. Kind of hard to believe right? Try changing the definition of the word giant to mean "the fallen ones," which is what Simcha debates is the real meaning of the word giant. The "fallen ones" in this sense is supposed to refer to another specifically hominid type creature.

Of course this leads us down another exciting avenue we could possibly pursue. We know that humans are hominids, but humans have souls. The only other hominid that we know lived at the same time as early humans was Neanderthal man. Simcha proposes that humans originated in Africa and another hominid species originated in Europe and Asia. As each migrated toward the equator they inevitably met up somewhere near the mountains of Israel. Bones of both humans and hominids discovered within the same sediment layer suggests that, at some point in history, they were living together as a family unit (at least in this instance). One of the excavated skeletons even appears to have traits of both species. The obvious conclusion here is that this individual is a possible offspring.

Simcha goes on to say that survival meant that the two species must mate and that the resulting offspring became Neanderthal man. Fate would then have it that humans would survive and the other "soulless" hominids, along with the Neanderthal offspring, became "extinct"…explaining the name "the fallen ones."

Update: Amish Boy Has New Legs

I just wanted to give an update to the blog "Benefit Dinner for an Amish Boy." I have been told that the boy now has two prosthetic legs and is doing quite well with them. He is also being seen in a well respected charitable hospital (I don't want to mention where for privacy reasons) in the area and they are doing wonderful things for him and his family. Again, although this was a horrible accident, it just goes to show how resilient and inspirational children can be.

I am very glad, not to mention thankful, that he has persevered. I am also thankful that there are charities out there ready and willing to help families in their time of need. His story certainly helps put the trials in my own life into perspective… as I hope it does yours. This is a big reminder to "appreciate what we have and be thankful." – SRP, blog editor

The 2012 Doomsday Prophesy

"Mayan elder insists calendar date 21 December 2012 is not the end of the world."

Most of us have heard the rumor that the world is supposed to end when the Mayan calendar runs out on 21 December 2012. As time draws nearer, the superstitious among our race are becoming desperate for answers. Tired of being bombarded with questions, Mayan elder Apolinario Chile Pixtun, of Mexico City, wants to set the record straight.

Elder Pixtun acknowledges that an important event will happen on the date in question, but it is a misunderstanding. The date was taken from a tablet found during road construction in the 1960's. The tablet had been vandalized and the remaining parts end with 21 December 2012. He say's that just because 2012 is the last year to appear on what we have left...doesn't mean anything, and that other tablets have been found with dates far beyond this.

He also points out that the "end of the world" scenario is a western concept; the Mayan's never gave any such prophecy. What "is" supposed to happen is the end of their Baktun, a 394 year increment of time. The 13th Baktun falls on 21 December 2012. It is simply "the end and a new beginning" of the Mayan baktun.

Of course, there will always be those who try to invoke public panic by claiming that there will coincidentally be some sort of cataclismic event such as the aligning of planets causing the earth's axis to falter sending temperatures to uninhabitable extremes.

Keep in mind that there have been other end-of-day's prophesies that have come and gone, yet here we all are...reason enough to keep on keepin' on. According to the Mayan's, we have nothing to fear.

MEDICAL INQUIRY: Magnetic Healing

"Perhaps magnets heal through a beleif in their therapeutic abiility...rather than through actual physical manipulation of the body."

Magnets have captivated the human mind for centuries. Because they cause metal obects to react from some distance away, they were believed to be magical. The superstitious throughout many cultures concluded that an object with such strong magical properties could naturally also be used to heal the sick. Thus, the use of magnets in a medical capacity was inevitable.

But can magnets really help heal? One scientist speculated that every cell in the human body has a positive and negative force which allows magnets to manipulate tissue at their very core. Another idea was that since our blood contains iron, a magnet could then draw more blood to the site of injury greatly speeding up the healing process.

Although intriguing, the theories have been found to be false. Our cells do not have a positive and negative force...therefore it is biologically impossible to alter the body. Second, the iron in our blood is in a chemical state; it will not respond to magnetism.

Another discovery was that magnets sold in kits for home use has only 1mm of penetration power. Our skin ranges from 0.5mm thickness at the eyelids to 4mm on the bottom of our feet. Common sense would say that most people do not use magnets on their eyelids. And every other location on the body is thicker than 1mm. Magnets therefore can not possibly work on a physical level.

What about a placebo effect? A placebo is a treatment that causes a person releif due more of a "belief" in its healing ability rather than through true physical changes. Often the patient is not aware that the method really has no physical influence...therefore any changes in their physical state comes from a mental level.

I figure if a magnet can heal through a "beleif" in it's ability...then in a round about way...it "does" have the power to heal. I beleive that mental healing is just as important as physical healing.

One more theory that I would like for you to consider is that all things, living or dead, is made up of energy. A small group of people are capable of seeing traces of this energy; they call it an "aura". The theory of aura is still a mystery to science, and so far is only accepted on a more spiritual level. Again, we are left with no evidence that can offer insight into how a magnet might affect our physical makeup; instead, perhaps we should be looking on a spiritual level.

Ultimately, until proven by science, the choice to beleive in the healing power of magnetism is yours.