In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of adding a miniature horse to your life, Tigger offers some advice for helping dogs with diarrhea, Critter Nutrition focuses on stress-busting tips for humans, and in Coffee Klatch we ask which Harry Potter character best describes your dog or cat?
Listen in…
Guests and Links for Episode 120:
- Link to Sound File for Sight Impaired: Click Here
- Co-Hosts: Tigger Montague from BiostarUS and Pati Pierucci from from Pierucci Dressage
- Tigger’s Stress-Busting Tips
- Guest: Hedwig
- Learn more about Whole Foods for Horses and Dogs
Prefacing her stress-busting tips, co-host Tigger Montague explains what’s behind stress in horses and humans:
“Cortisol is a hormone that is our built-in alarm system and is behind our “fight or flight“ response under pressure. Chronic stress, however, means that the body now has constantly elevated levels of cortisol, which can contribute to high blood pressure, muscle weakness, mood swings, anxiety, and depression.
Like horses, humans react to stress in two fundamental ways: 1) externalize our stress response or 2) internalize our stress response. Unlike horses, however, humans can also react to stress with a combination of externalizing the stress and internalizing it. For example, you may lose your cool, verbally lash out at family or a friend, and then retreat into silence or burrow into the couch like a hamster.
I tend to be an internalizer, keeping a lid on things, trying not to betray worry, doubt, fear, or worst-case-scenarios. All of the worries happen to play simultaneously at various strident levels in my head, like a symphony that is off-key and without a conductor. It feels as if I am trying to keep the lid on Pandora’s box while maintaining an aura of calm. I tend to eat less when I am stressed and want to sleep more…”
At Healthy Critters Radio, we are hopeless animal lovers who want to share our experience and knowledge with you, for the betterment of your animals’ lives. We focus on health, nutrition, behavior, and ideas for overall well-being and happiness. Twice a month, we bring you guest experts, advice, commentary, and a lot of fun and laughter! If there is ever a topic you’d like for us to cover, let us know on our contact page!
