Can Someone Be Too Healthy?
Dear Frankie,
I’m concerned that my mom is too focused on my health. Once a month, she gives me pills to prevent heartworm and fleas and ticks. I’m OK with that; no one wants to have a heart attack or Lyme Disease.
She also gives me a medicine chew once a day for my hips and joints. I won’t eat the chew unless it is smothered in peanut butter. My mom thinks she is fooling me, but whatever, the point is I get a daily peanut butter snack.
She cooks my food because she says you can’t trust the dog food companies. Every time there is a recall notice because of a toxic ingredient, she posts it on Facebook. She wants to make sure her friends, see what she has been telling them all along. My food is cooked once a week and divided into 14 meals. She insists that two meals a day are necessary for my digestion.
A typical meal is organic ground chicken cooked in organic bone broth, mixed with salt (dogs also need sodium), a powdered vitamin supplement, and fresh green beans.
When it comes to exercise, she is a fanatic. She sends me four days a week to doggie day care for strength training and yoga classes. In addition, she walks me three times a day for nature calls and fresh air.
I won’t go into the monthly grooming appointments or the semi-annual physicals where I get a dental exam and cleaning.
Don’t you agree that this focus on health is a bit overkill?
Marcia
Dear Marcia,
I agree; the two pills are essential. What’s your beef otherwise?
Delicious home-cooked meals twice a day sound like heaven to me. It sure beats food poisoning.
Maybe grooming every six weeks would be more appropriate. If you have hair instead of fur, grooming goes with the territory. Nothing worse than a dog with matted and dirty hair.
If it’s the exercise that gets you, what’s so bad? In your golden years, you can look back and remember when you looked like a Greek Goddess.
I do think having your teeth cleaned twice a year is a little over the top. Anesthesia shouldn’t be taken lightly and should be avoided whenever possible. Maybe it’s time for a new vet. Be sure to growl, whimper, shiver, and whine when you see your vet at your next appointment. Maybe your mom will get the hint.
Best, Frankie
© 2022 Geneva Woodruff
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