Among owners of


chubby pets, 45 percent believe their dog or cat is of a normal weight.


~ Association for Pet Obesity Prevention


although not yet thoroughly researched or clinically proven. A supplement called Vetri-Lean appears promising. Based on a white bean extract, it has cut starch digestion by up to 75 percent in the company’s clinical tests. The formula also has EGCG from green tea extract to boost metabolism, inhibit carbohydrate- digesting enzymes and help maintain normal blood insulin levels, all to help dissolve fat and control appetite. Chro- mium polynicotinate, another ingredi- ent, also helps to curb appetite, build muscles and reduce fat.


Exercise is Key


As with humans, a regular program of supervised exercise is essential to pet health. Experience shows that it must be combined with a diet and supple- ment plan to achieve maximum results for overweight pets. Along with burning off excess calories, even mild exer- cise works to reduce hunger, improve muscle strength and aerobic capacity and improve functioning of organs. Plus, as veterinarians further attest, the activity is mentally stimulating for both animals and guardians, while decreas- ing behavioral problems. There is no one best exercise


program for every animal; a sensible plan must be personalized to needs and abilities. Consult a veterinarian to determine the best regimen. As always, prevention is better than a cure, so stay- ing alert to signs of additional pounds and keeping an animal from becoming obese in the first place is optimum.


Dr. Shawn Messonier has authored The Arthritis Solution for Dogs, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, and the award-winning Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. His Paws & Claws Animal Hospital is located in Plano, TX. Find helpful tips at PetCareNaturally.com.


inspiration


Fall Flyways


Thrill to Flocks in Full Flight by Timothy Boucher


F


all migration literally brings birds of a different feather than in spring- time. Spring migration brings a glo- rious burst of song and color as millions of tiny feathered gems pour northward, singing their hearts out, flitting about with the excitement of arrival at their breeding grounds. They are relatively easy to spot and identify by their voices and bright plumage. In the fall, birdwatching is trickier.


To survive, migrating birds need to go to warmer climes for food, because in- sects do not thrive in cold temperatures. Males molt their bright plumage, need- ing fresh feathers for the long flight. Most retain some color, but generally, they are duller and look similar to the females. Identification becomes harder because some species are similar in appearance and the singing gives way to an occasional, subtle call, emitted as little chipping sounds at most. The Internet offers a comprehensive


range of data that can suggest which days are best for early morning viewings. Experienced birders know the best local spots, and weather forecasts are good indicators of timing. Sid Gautreaux’s pioneering study of bird migration in the 1960s using weather radar, still ongoing at the Radar Ornithology Lab at South Carolina’s Clemson University, is avail- able to birders on regional websites via Tinyurl.com/USBirdTrackingRadar.


While radar can confirm the magnitude and direction of the migra- tion over the previous night, weather predictions help forecast when big flights will occur. So, the next step is to hold a wetted finger up to the wind. A big cold front will hold up birds from moving south because the associated low pressure brings southerly winds and storms. Birds wait it out, storing fuel. Then, when the front clears and a tailwind comes from the north, a flood- tide of birds pours southward. Eager birders, having arrived short-


ly after dawn, await at selected spots 200 to 300 miles south of the leading edge of the former front. On days like these, the skies are brimming with birds. Grassroots monitoring reports on the birds’ progress from mid-August through October are posted at eBird. org, sponsored by New York’s Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Birds.Cornell.edu). As Joni Mitchell sang, we rejoice


that, “They’ve got the urge for going now, and they’ve got the wings to go.”


Timothy Boucher is a senior conserva- tion geographer at The Nature Con- servancy (Nature.org), focused on ecosystem services, land use, habitat conditions and links between conserva- tion and human well-being. His field- work spans six continents, encompass- ing local and global issues.


natural awakenings September 2013 25


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