KEEPING YOUR DOG COMFORTABLE WHILE IN HEAT

Your dog in heat is not diseased, as it is just a condition that requires normal treatment. But it can be quite irritating to deal with, especially to shoo away stray dogs lining up around your female dog. So, taking a walk with your pet can be frustrating for you, as well as your furry friend.

Many dogs get heat every six months. However, the larger dog breeds experience it every eight months. But the time often lasts for around 7 to 10 days. Spaying your female dog is one solution. But what to do if surgery is not happening due to some condition or there’s some other reason?

Well, in that case, you need to get the right dog cooling products to make your pet feel better. These products not only make your dog feel comfortable but some of them even make their potential mates less eager while making you feel stress-free.

What are the Signs to Identify Your Dog is in Heat?

For that time, you have to keep the leash handy, as your dog may want to urinate more during the heat. You can notice their vulva is swollen, red or large with some blood-tinted discharge or bleeding itself.

Your dog is likely to bleed for half of its total cycle – normally 7 to 10 days. The bigger dogs tend to bleed heavily than smaller dogs. However, it may vary from a dog to another. Some may bleed very little or heavy. If you take care of your dog’s grooming and hygiene, you won’t notice much blood spotting around your home.

However, when your dog is in heat, she may:

• Hump or mount
• Be over-friendly with other dogs
• Turn her tail to the side
• Look for male dogs
• Fidget or nervous

Although your dog will bleed, she won’t be in pain in heat. However, it can make your pet feel fidgety and uncomfortable. If the symptoms are causing her pain, you may consult a vet.

How to Care for your Dog in Heat?

Here are some simple tips to take care of your dog in heat:

1. Give More Attention

Your dog may feel more vulnerable during heat, so you need to make her feel secure and comfortable. Giving her some extra attention that she is craving can keep her hormones in control. You can also try some dog cooling products like a dog cooling vest or padding to soothe her.

2. Distract

Try to distract your dog by playing some game with her. It will make her forget the uncomfortable feeling. Even exercise can help her feel relaxed. It will also get her tired so that she can enjoy a nap after the exercise or game.

3. Get Rid of Smells

Since the hormonal smells can attract male dogs, close the doors and windows of your house to minimize male dog contact. Also, keep your female dog clean to avoid the unwanted smell of heat.

4. Maintain her Hygiene

You have to maintain proper hygiene by making her bath at least twice a day. You can also put diapers on after bathing to prevent any mess. It will also minimize smells that attract male dogs.

Keep your Dog Comfortable with Cooling Products

Here are some cooling products to make your dog feel comfortable during the heat:

1. Dog Cooling Pad: While some cooling pads need refrigeration, others don’t need to be kept in a refrigerator or any plug-in for cooling. The latter type of cooling pad starts cooling as soon as your dog steps on it. There is a gel formula in those cooling pads that absorbs body heat while reducing body temperature.

2. Dog Cooling Vest: A dog cooling vest is also a great product for dogs when taking them for long hikes, walks or during the heat. The outer layer of the vest reflects heat and offers shade to your pup. You can further dip it in water, wring it and then put it on your dog for activating its cooling properties.

3. Dog Ice Bandana: The dog cooling bandana is placed around the dog’s neck to keep it cool. Just soak it in cold water and then put it in the fridge for 10 minutes before putting it around your pet’s neck.

With all these tips, you can take care of your adorable pup during the heat. If you can’t notice any improvement, consult a vet for a solution.

Tags: Care of your Dog in Heat, Cooling vest, Dog, Dog Cooling Products, dog cooling vest, Dog health

HOW TO GET RID OF JOINT PAIN AND INFLAMMATION?

Joints are vital parts of the human body where two bones meet. Joints are required in the skeleton to let your bones move smoothly. Some common joints in the body are:

• Elbows 

• Shoulders 

• Knees 

• Hips 

Joint pain often occurs when there is soreness, aches or discomfort in any of these joints. Joint pain is a common issue and often doesn’t even require a hospital visit. You can treat it at home with simple therapy wraps or other home remedies.

Causes of Joint Pain and Inflammation

Here are the most common causes of joint pain and inflammation:

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common reasons for joint pain. The two main types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). As per the American College of Rheumatology, the most common type of arthritis in adults above 40 is OA. It develops slowly and often affects joints like wrists, hips, knees and hands.

 OA-related joint pain occurs due to the breakdown of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber and cushion for joints. 

The second type of RA arthritis is known to affect mostly women compared to men. This condition can debilitate and deform joints with time. This type of arthritis is known to cause inflammation, pain and fluid buildup in body joints when the immune system of a body starts attacking the membrane that forms a joint lining.  

OA-related joint pain occurs due to the breakdown of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber and cushion for joints. 

The second type of RA arthritis is known to affect mostly women compared to men. This condition can debilitate and deform joints with time. This type of arthritis is known to cause inflammation, pain and fluid buildup in body joints when the immune system of a body starts attacking the membrane that forms a joint lining.  

Other causes of joint pain are:

• Gout 

• Inflammation or bursitis of the cushioning found around joints 

• Lupus 

• An injury 

• Some infectious diseases like influenza, mumps and hepatitis 

• Inflammation of the tendon or tendinitis 

• Joint overuse 

• Chondromalacia of the patella 

• Breakdown of cartilage around the kneecap 

• An infection of the bone or joint 

• Cancer 

• Rickets 

• Fibromyalgia 

• Sarcoidosis 

• Osteoporosis

How to Reduce Joint Pain and Inflammation

Hot cold therapy wraps are beneficial to reduce joint pain and inflammation by stimulating the body’s natural healing process. For example, heat can dilate blood vessels, reduce muscle spasms and stimulate blood circulation. Besides, heat changes pain sensation in the body. You may use dry heat like heat lamps or heating pads or moist heat, such as heated washcloths or warm baths. On the other hand, cold compress helps reduce inflammation by blood vessel constriction. Although cold therapy or packs may feel uncomfortable at first, they can suppress or numb deep pain.  

What Temperature is Suitable when Using Heat Therapy for Joint Pain? 

When you use moist heat therapy, you need to ensure that the temperature is not very hot that it could burn your skin. You need to find a temperature that’s tolerable while using a hot water bottle, bath or spa therapy. You even have to give it some time to work. You have to use moist heat application for around 15 minutes before you exercise. After that, use it again soon after the exercise. You can even use moist heat therapy anytime you like for additional joint pain relief.  

Different Types of Heat Therapy for Joint Pain  

You may choose from the given types of heat therapies for joint pain: 

• Heated swimming pool 

• Heat belts or disposable heat patches  

• Moist heating pad 

• Warm bath 

• Hot packs (warmed in a microwave) 

• Warm shower 

• A therapeutic mixture of mineral oil and paraffin  

• Warm, moist cloth or towel 

• Warm hot tub or whirlpool
  

Does Cold Therapy Relieve Arthritis Pain? 

Yes, cold therapy numbs soreness and reduces inflammation. Ice packs are great for joint pain that occurs due to arthritis flare. You may even think of using a local spray like fluoromethane on a painful area before you start exercising. It helps with joint pain by providing superficial cooling on the affected area while decreasing muscle spasms. Or, you may use instant cold packs made from vegetables or frozen bags.  

EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR FLOWERS BY USING FLORIST ICE

Everyone loves bright-bloomed flowers to improve the ambience of any space. Those special birthday lilies, Valentine’s Day roses or Mother’s Day orchids can never fail to enhance the mood.

But to keep flowers fresh and alive longer is a challenging task for many. First, you need to find a place that won’t harvest flowers before you order them. This way, flowers are guaranteed to remain fresh for weeks compared to flowers that are cut before your order. Instead of hoping for blooms to last for some days, you can make them last for two to three weeks with proper care and using quality florist gel. However, make sure they are freshly cut at the time of order.

Here are some easy and effective tips to keep your flowers fresh and smelling good for a longer duration:

1. Keeping Your Flowers Fresh

When you purchase flowers from a flower shop, the florist must have conditioned them well. Whenever you pick blooms from the garden or purchase a grower’s bunch, follow some easy steps for keeping them in good shape for weeks. First, you need to cut woody and green stems at a 45-degree angle. It prevents stems to sit flat in the bottom of a vase. It also creates a large surface area while ensuring more water absorption. You can even use shears or clippers for woody stems or knives for flowers. If you can, cut stem in water only. After that, remove leaves that otherwise may sit under the vase’s waterline. Leaves can rot underwater and also increase algae growth in your container.

Feed Flowers: When freshly cut, flowers need some nourishment and also an acidic ingredient like aspirin to let them absorb water. For the nourishment of harvested flowers, you can use the formula – for every quart of water, put two aspirins, a few drops of bleach and a teaspoon of sugar in it.

2. Extend the Life of Flowers

Here are some simple steps to extend the life of flowers:

Keep Changing Water: The thirsty flowers can die in no time. You need to check their water level frequency for ensuring the stem ends are properly covered. Also, keep changing the water after five days and re-cut stems as described before.

Avoid Flower Foes: The flowers can remain fresh in a cool room and if kept away from direct sunlight. You also need to avoid keeping them near appliances that release low or high temperatures like air conditioners, stoves, ceiling fans, TV or computers. Even open windows can dehydrate cut flowers quickly. You even need to keep freshly cut flowers away from fresh fruits that may release tiny amounts of gas, which can reduce the lifespan of cut flowers.

Refrigerator: While you may not expect to keep flowers away from certain cold spots, testers and experts unanimously agree that this technique will keep buds fresh for long. However, you need to do it every night.

3. Proper Use of Florist Ice

Given below are the three important steps to use florist ice to keep flowers fresh:

Step 1: For suspending flowers in florist ice, you have to work in layers. Firstly, fill an ice tray with florist ice cubes with about a quarter of water, now add flowers facing down and then freeze. After that, add more water for filling halfway and let it freeze. Also, fill it to the top and again freeze.

Step 2: For ice that is clear, you need to use distilled water that’s boiled and cooled later. It will limit the air bubbles and impurities that make ice cloudy.

Step 3: You may use edible flowers like pansies, orchids, nasturtiums and snapdragons, with this method to extend their life. It will ensure that they are not treated with chemicals and remain fresh with organic techniques.

Conclusion

Now, that you know how to extend the life of your fresh flowers, it will be easier for you to keep your blooms fresh and bright for weeks. Using the given techniques, you don’t have to use any chemical treatment for extending their life.

Tags: Florist Gel, Florist Ice, Fresh Flowers

CURE INJURED HORSES WITH HOT COLD THAREPY BLANKETS

Thermal therapy, i.e. using either hot or cold blankets, is one of the time-tested and most accessible remedies to cure horse injuries. Cold therapy is often used for fresh injuries – if the injury occurred in two to seven days. This treatment is effective from 24 to 48 hours after injuries like strains or sprains. Heat therapy is the most common cure for chronic injuries. It must not be used for acute inflammation that has increased for over seven days after surgery or injury. This therapy helps increase local circulation and wound healing.

But before discussing which horse injuries treatment to consider for your house, you need to know what injuries a horse can suffer from.

Injuries Horses may suffer from:

In horses, most injuries are related to joints. They face ligament and tendon injuries. Such injuries occur commonly in horses doing more hard work like jumping, running, 

etc. during races or crossing fences.

 

Here are the common injuries in horses: 

• Strains and tears in posterior gluteal
• Caudal pectoral strains and tears
• Desmitis
• Fetlock issues
• Lateral triceps tears
• Carpal problems
• Stifle problems
• The Tarsus (or Hock Disorders)

How to Treat the Injuries of Horses?

You need to consider therapy blankets for faster healing from injuries in horses. Given below are different hot and cold therapy treatments to cure horse injuries.

Cold Therapy

An icing or cold therapy blanket is beneficial if the injury is only less than 36 hours old.

It is used if the injury is fresh. During this time, the damaged blood vessels under the skin may face haemorrhage, leading to bruising and inflammation. The injury site is tender at this stage and shows diffuse swelling. During this time, cold therapy is beneficial to decrease the permeability of blood vessels, keeping undamaged tissues from drowning excess fluids and reducing leaks.

Water is one of the easiest options for cooling off an injury site. Or you can rely on a cold therapy blanket, which is more effective than any other cooling system.

Schedule: You need to apply cold therapy on horse injury for 10 to 20 minutes. Let it remain on the site for at least 30 minutes between treatments for preventing tissue damage. Also, repeat the cycle as frequently as possible. However, you will require four or more sessions every day to see visible results. You have to continue this therapy unless the area is no longer swollen.

Alternate Hot & Cold Therapy

Whenever an injury is not painful at touching and there is less swelling on the injured area, you can alternate hot and cold therapy.

The alternating hot and cold treatment helps the body to naturally clean up natural chemicals and white blood cells. It can even destroy dead cells, as well as physiological debris. With heat therapy application, there will be better blood circulation to the affected area, whereas cold therapy restricts blood circulation.

By alternating the two therapies using a therapy blanket for horses, pumping action is accelerated to speed up healing. However, excessive hot therapy may cause haemorrhaging. So, hold this therapy for at least a day or two if the wound status is not clear.

Schedule: You need to start by applying heat for 10 to 20 minutes at a time for a few days. After every heat therapy session, you need to apply cold therapy for 20 minutes. Repeat this alternating hot and cold treatment up to four times a day until there’s no swelling around the injured area.

Heat Therapy

If there is no pain in the injured area and there is only minor swelling, you can apply a hot therapy blanket for treatment.

If there is no pain in the injured area and there is only minor swelling, you can apply a hot therapy blanket for treatment.

Schedule: Use hot therapy for at least 20 minutes at one time. Also, consider 20 minutes of rest in-between the treatment. But don’t apply anything uncomfortably hot on the skin of your horse.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to treat horse injuries with hot and cold therapy, you can consider applying them to cure your ailing horse.

Tags: Cold therapy, Horse injuries, Hot therapy, Therapy blankets

HOW COOLING BANDANA HELP YOU IN HEAT?

 

Summers and hot weather can cause distress. Fans and air conditioners help you beat the heat indoors but what happens when you step outside? The humidity and heat could make you feel utterly irritated and may lead to health issues.

With technological advancements, personal cooling devices have made our lives easier, Personal Cooling Bandana being no exception. A cooling bandana is an easy way to beat the heat and gives you an amazing look.

How is a Cooling Bandana Different from a Regular Bandana?

A personal cooling bandana, unlike your regular fabric bandanas, has cooling crystals inside. All you need to do is wear it around your neck to stay cool during summers and heat spells. Cooling bandanas are also known as cooling towels.

How do Cooling Bandanas Work?

First, you need to understand that cooling bandanas are not fabric bandanas, which is why these bandanas could keep you cool for longer.

How Do Fabric Cool Bandanas Work?

Fabric cool bandanas are a creative option to help you beat the summer heat. However, there are some downsides to using a fabric bandana:

• Fabric bandanas keep you cool but only for a little while. Usually, a wet, cool towel would last only five to ten minutes.
• Fabric bandanas would soak up water, which can drip on your shoulders and around the neck.
• The water in fabric bandanas is subject to quick evaporation.

In other words, fabric bandanas for cooling purposes are not as effective as other cooling products. Simply put, water in fabric bandanas evaporates faster, which defeats the purpose. If the humidity begins to increase in the environment, these fabric bandanas stop working.

How Do Personal Cooling Bandanas Work?

Cooling bandanas are easy to use and extremely functional. These bandanas are made of cooling crystals, which soak up water and aid in keeping the body cool.

All you have to do is purchase a cooling bandana and put it in water. Wondering how they work? Here is how:

• When you purchase a bandana, remember to read the instructions on your product. Different manufacturers have different directions. Some personal cooling bandanas can be cooled in under a minute, while others need to be soaked for about five minutes.
• If you see your cooling bandana stiffen after use, you need not worry. Usually, bandanas stiffen once they dry out. When you need to reuse the cooling bandana, just put it in water or run it under a tap.
• Cooling bandanas are versatile. You could use it or have your dog wear it to remain cool during summers. These work well even when you’re wearing a hat or a helmet. In other words, whether you’re indoors or outdoors, you can use your cooling bandanas.

Is a Personal Cooling Bandana Even Worth it?

If you’re about to buy a personal cooling bandana, then here are some reasons to buy one:

• Cooling bandanas will help you to remain cool and composed. Heat usually makes people cranky, especially when they are working out or in the middle of an exercise.
• Cooling bandanas help you bring your body temperature down and resolve overheating issues with your body.
• It is a great aid for those who suffer from health ailments that make them prone to overheating, such as people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

When it comes to maintaining a level body temperature, nothing helps you more than a good personal cooling bandana. These bandanas are specifically designed to help you find comfort during heat spells, even if you’re working outdoors or exercising.

Tags: Cooling Bandana, hot weather, Personal Cooling Bandana, Personal Cooling Bandanas

ANKLE INJURY: CHECK THESE EXERCISES FOR FAST RECOVERY?

Ankle injuries can become stressful to deal with. These injuries get in the way of mobility and make regular functions and movements difficult. Knowing how to deal with ankle injuries would help you to fix your ankle fast and get back to your regular life.

Types of Ankle Injuries

Ankle injuries are caused due to the ankle moving at a weird angle, where the tendons overlap each other, thereby causing painful sensations. There are two types of ankle sprains/injuries:

• Eversion Sprain: This kind of sprain affects the inward tendons and ligaments. You could probably feel this in the arch of your foot as well.
• Inversion Sprain: This happens due to the outward roll of your ankle, which affects the outward ligaments and tendons of your foot.

Exercises for Fast Ankle Recovery

Ankles are complex joints, which is why a person has to be careful with them. If you are recovering from an ankle injury, you need to understand that your focus should be on the range of motion, flexibility, mobility, balance and strength of your ankle.

The following are some exercises to recover from an ankle injury:

Ankle Therapy Wrap:

This is one of the most effective ways of fixing an ankle injury or sprain. One of the primary requirements for healing an injured ankle is to rest your ankle. Using an ankle wrap would help you rest your ankle and reduce strain on an already injured ankle.
Ankle Therapy Wrap can be used easily. All you have to do is wrap it around your ankle. Keep in mind that you don’t have to wrap it too tight or too loose. Also, use ointments or pain relief sprays to increase the efficacy. Remember to wash your ankle wraps after use.

RICE:

RICE is an abbreviation for Rest, Ice, Comprehension and Exercise. This method allows you to improve your ankle’s overall range of mobility, as well as helps you get rid of the pain. RICE and PRICE can be used together, as PRICE is to use a protecting strategy first.

In other words, both these methods can be used simultaneously. One of the most important things to do and keep in mind is that you need to protect your ankle in the initial moments of injury. Experts suggest that one should not move their ankle much during the first day.

The Balance between Rest and Activity:

You must balance your activities and rest. Resting all the time will not help you to improve your ankle. Whether you use PRICE or ankle therapy wrap, you need to understand that rest and activity go hand in hand.
For the first couple of days, try to get as much rest as possible. Then, try to move your ankle a little. Go ahead with ankle rotations and try to move your feet in an up and down fashion to test your mobility. Do not push yourself if your exercises hurt your ankles.

With that said, ice packs can help you limit the pain. Make use of ice packs for twenty-minute slots in the first 72 hours to ease the pain. However, ice packs do not work for those who suffer from diabetes, vascular diseases or have damage to the peripheral nervous system.

Although ankle injuries can be self-treated with exercise and ice packs, if you see unusual swelling, deformity or experience heavy discomfort, you should go see a doctor. In some cases, when injuries are mild, anti-inflammatory pills may help you to get rid of the discomfort.

Article Resource:-https://axizz.com/ankle-injury-check-these-exercises-for-fast-recovery/

TOP 4 RUNNING INJURIES AND HOW YOU CAN AVOID THEM?

Running injuries are quite common. Most runners are usually either nursing an injury or are trying to avoid one. If you are a running enthusiast and trying to take care of your body while you go out for a run, here are some injuries that you may experience and ways to avoid them:

Runner’s Knee

Common among runners, this happens when your knee is out of alignment with the socket. The causes of a runner’s knee may be different for everyone. If left untreated, the kneecap can wear out and cause major complications.

How to Avoid Runner’s Knee?

Well, an instant cold ice pack can help you alleviate the pain. Compression and proper rest are also advised for better recovery. However, if you are trying to avoid developing a runner’s knee, here’s what you need to do:

• Avoid running on hard surfaces.
• Keep your thigh muscles strong.
• Ensure that your shoes have proper support.
• Maintain a healthy body and stay at a healthy weight.
• Stretch your hip flexors and quads.
• Use tools to improve recovery. Self-massaging with a lacrosse ball and foam rollers can help reduce the pain and chances of injury.

Shin Splint

Shin Splints are another common form of injury that runners experience. Unlike Runner’s Knee, shin splints are common when you change your workout or exercise routine.

Shin splints cause pain around the front of your lower leg, along your shin bone. These usually cause due to inflammation of the ligaments, tendons, bone tissue and muscles around your shin bone. Usually, the pain is felt around the muscles that are attached to the bone and often felt on the inside edge.

How to Avoid Shin Splint?

If you experience shin splints, remember to take a rest. Running or continuing your exercise routines could cause further damage and lead to stress fractures later. With that said, resting and using instant cold ice packs or ice compression for twenty to thirty minutes. The pain should go away in two to three days. To avoid experiencing shin splints, here’s what you can do:

• Avoid sudden increases in the intensity of your runs or exercises.
• Remember to stretch your hamstrings and calves properly.
• Strengthen your foot, arch of your foot and hip muscles.
• Maintain a healthy body weight to avoid stressing your body.

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy is a condition that affects the back of your calf. The pain can be felt in the big chunk of muscle that connects your calf to the heel. These muscles can begin to cause pain after experiencing trauma or muscle fatigue.

With Achilles tendinopathy, you usually don’t feel pain for the next twenty-four hours. Usually, mild Achilles tendinopathy can go away on its own. However, in acute cases, it may take three to six months to fix.

How to Avoid Achilles Tendinopathy?

Treat your pain with instant cold ice packs and rest properly to avoid discomfort. To completely avoid it, you should:

• Stretch your calves properly.
• Increase the intensity of the workout and running gradually.
• Choose good training shoes.

Muscle Pull

Muscle pull is quite common. It is a resting pain on the muscles that were engaged in running or exercise. Usually, muscle pulls are not worrisome and do not hamper your routine.

However, in some cases, they can stay strained over time, which may cause grave discomfort.

How to Avoid Muscle Pulls?

Muscles pulls can be avoided by:

• Taking proper rest after running and exercising.
• Stretching before and after your run.
• Using the right shoes.

With that said, exercises and running can often cause a little discomfort. However, knowing what to do after you begin to experience discomfort will help you out immensely.

Article Resource:-https://axizz.com/top-4-running-injuries-and-how-you-can-avoid-them/