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I want to build a world where there is communication between the native intelligent life and native animals. Maybe they're all telepathic? Maybe they just have to learn, with some kind of system that is a lot more advanced than when people communicate with apes or dogs? Definitely something more biological, not some sort of translator that does everything and I do want to show signs of it various development. I wouldn't 100% ignore all translators  though, but that type of stuff would be merely tools like it is in real life, where we are perfectly capable of learning a new language but a translator makes it quicker.

Tex: If I train a dog to sit when I click the fingers of one hand and raise that same hand upward, reinforcing that movement with the introduction of a treat they like, is that not communication? That is in itself communication via body language and exchange of resources, the latter of which functions as a microcosm of economy.

Many apes that interact with scientists have been taught sign language, and frequently communicate with researchers about multiple subjects. While there has been criticism about great ape language (Wikipedia), there has been investigation into proof of concept via mutual intelligibility (CNN, PLOS Biology).

Neither of these forms of communication use either verbal or telepathic means, but ideas are effectively exchanged in a manner that both sides usually find satisfying. Humans use sign and body language with each other, as well as exchanging resources such as food, as forms of communication, so I doubt the method of communing is inherently less-than because other species can also use it.

Are you prioritizing speech as the highest form of communication, and then stepping up into telepathy because it frequently comes up in media and literature as a “higher” form of communication? A lot of people, even if they are verbally monolingual, can communicate the basics of ideas with gestures or trading of behaviour for items despite a verbal language gap. I hesitate to assign non-verbal, non-telepathic means of conversation as lesser because it’s more widely understood across more species than, say, speaking American English to another human being whose native language is not American English.

What subjects are your species prioritizing in communication with each other? Is it directions, social structures, scientific knowledge? Written language and visual interpretations such as drawings and diagrams are also quite useful, and often ameliorate spoken communication - sometimes more effectively.

Wootzel: An example that I think is similar to what you’re asking for is the communication between the Na’vi of Avatar and the various fauna they ride. It seems like a bunch of the species on that planet have a structure that’s primarily for interfacing with each other. 

I agree with Tex that the first question should be what you want your species to communicate, and what benefit this gives them (or what caused it to come about, if it’s not part of the evolution of the world).

Do sapient species have to learn how to “dumb down” their communications to get less intelligent beings to understand them? I can imagine someone trying to explain their bad day to their parrot, and in response, the parrot suggests they bite their coworker who was present. The coworker didn’t cause the upsetting thing, but the bird can’t understand the complexity of the situation! 

Let me try to offer an example of why I think this could be tough, and some issues you might run into. I have a dog who has serious anxiety and reactivity issues. It sure would be nice if I could communicate to him “That other dog is not going to come get you, you don’t need to go try to bite his face, please ignore that and look at me,” and have him immediately understand what I am saying. But what would actually change if I could say that in words he could fully understand? Would he believe me? I could say to him, “nothing is happening” but to him, FEAR is happening. What would it take for the communication between us to have the desired effect? Would I have to impose my own will and/or emotions on him? Would that risk him being able to override my rationale with his panic, resulting in both of us freaking out? 

In the real world, I can look at my panicking dog and ask him to sit. He knows what sit means, he can definitely hear me, but he’s very convinced that what’s going through his head is more important, and he definitely feels his anxiety more strongly than any emotions going through me right then. Would being able to speak to him in pure concept and have him speak back make that interaction different? Could I convince an animal to care about what I do and act accordingly, when it might go against his perception of the situation?

What would happen if you asked a bird for directions? Perhaps the bird could tell you which direction something is in by pointing. How far away is it? Beyond the tree that has a specific scent? Animals would see the world very differently and use different landmarks than people. Birds don’t know what miles are, so how could you determine the distance? You could ask a bird how long it takes to fly somewhere, but you might not get an answer you can use, because what words do they have to communicate time passing? Many of them have no use for numbers, either. 

Being able to communicate in images and/or other sensory information might be a lot more effective for many species. This would almost certainly require something like telepathy, or a brain-to-brain connection of some kind.

Don’t take this as discouragement, or that I’m saying you shouldn’t try to build a world where everything communicates differently. Just… think in great detail about what you’re trying to accomplish with this, and what the limitations will be based on cognitive ability even if the communication itself is effortless.

Maybe in thinking about your goals, you’ll come to an answer that satisfies you. If you don’t though, feel free to ask again and give us more details about what functions you want this communication to serve in your world, and if you want it to have any limitations, or avoid specific things. We might be able to offer better input with more information. Ultimately though, it’s going to come down to what you want to do and what level of handwaving sits well with you. 

                          hewwo  i’m  felix  ( 20 ,  he / him , gmt )  and  i  just  realised  my  fc  has  no  mf  resources  that  aren’ t from  him  as  a  fetus  and  will  therefore  b  spendin  approximately  all  my  free  hrs  cranking  out  gif  icons  ,  so  lets  get  it  *  pained  laughter  *  !  this  is  my  boy..  except  he’s  not  my  boy  and  i  take  no  credit  for  who  he  is  as  a  person  because  he’s  the  personification  of  a  flaming  dumpster  fire  ,  xu  yuxian  .  his  pinterest  board  is  here  ,  i don’t  have  a  full  amazing  wc  page  but  i  do  have  some  wc’s  beneath..  so  if  u  jus  wanna  stick  around  for  that  i  won’t  blame  u  bc  otherwise  this  is  just  a  Wreck .   (    i  literally  just  had  to  search  up  my  muses  name  bcs  i  forgot  it  but  i  know  he’s  a  scorpio at  least  so  if  that  is  any  indication  of  how  this  is  gonna  be  then  yeah .  this  is  gonna  be  the  Worst   ) .  drop  a  heart  if  you  would  like  to  plot  ,  or  just  add  me  up  on  d*scord  no anime pls im christian#1950  for  quicker  messages  !  TW  :  mentions  of  drugs  ,  violence  ,  death ,  blood  , manipulation  . 

scanning XU YUXIAN, they are TWENTY FOUR year old and read as CUNNING but DECEITFUL, which explains why they are referred to as the VARMINT. before virtual reality HE was IMPRISONED FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF DRUGS and living in QUINGDAO, CHINA. they’ve been said to look incredibly similar to HUANG ZITAO, but they’ve never seen it. in this new virtual world, they plan on DOING ALL OF THE CRAZY SHIT HE'S ALWAYS WANTED TO and hope to NEVER GO BACK to reality. 

*    BACKGROUND    !

tl ; dr . “ the best way to solve a problem is just to eliminate it . " in thick accented mandarin. the roar of a bike kicked to life with exhaust pouring out of the tailpipe and the low graveled hum as it idles way past midnight. charcoal ashes and heavy-lidded eyes. teeth stained red from marlboro's and split, bloody lips. baseball bats through car windows, the scrape of a bic as it lights. the smell of cigarettes burned deep into veins. the drag of a knife light across a throat. knuckles blooming purple pressed into nose bridges, a smile with a pair of pliers knocking against porcelain teeth. THIS vine. 

so as formerly stated this is yuxian, the worser half of the xu siblings. disruptive and dangerously reactive to any sort of aggression, he's adapted to a reality reliant on violence and force over patience and rationale. he's an overall shitty guy, with some even shittier habits. street smart and instinctive, his world works in harsh turns and bared knuckled fists. 

dropped out of high-school.. was one of those ‘lunch is my fav class’ kids except he got dragged 2 school by the ear when he was younger and then people just. stopped giving a fuck  ! 

so he did what most boys do in big towns with no proper parental guidance: raised a little hell, drank a lot of alcohol when his liver was barely formed, fixed bikes and engines, and beat up a few rich kids who looked @ him the wrong way. speaks like every mf villain in an anime ever. over-enunciates vowels and suffocates his consonants. acts like the stray he p much is w parents as shitty as his. 

the xu family had earned themselves a nasty reputation in the community they lived in. they're tough, they're intimidating. they do things their way. xu’s speak with their fists and their knives and their brass knuckles and their bats, not known for thinking out their actions before acting out. violent. horrible. the worst People™. 

yuxian’s parents owned and operated a dim-lit, greasy restaurant in the heart of their community, once used to deepen the family's pockets as they sold some choice off-menu items, they were offered a deal by a rich family that bought up their block when yuxian was around 15, selling their enhanced drugs imported from europe behind the grime-coated counter. yuxian saw the $$$ and didn’t think abt how risky it would b, or that they’d be the ones caught red handed if they were ever raided. being able to label himself as a drug dealer just made his reputation in the community go up.. and he was livin la vida loca 

along with working as a drug-runner, he liked to fancy himself as something of a debt collector, making sure to "follow up" with anyone who hopes to evade payment to the family. weapons of choice include a baseball bat to the kneecaps and automatic knives. has he actually hurt anybody ?? absolutely Not. he a puthy ass bitch... but don’t say that to his face unless u wanna end up like that ‘what are u gonna do? stab me? guy who then.. got stabbed 

basically yuxian will do whatever it takes to get what he wants and to survive. he never considers himself a bad guy; he considers herself bold where others find him brash. he thinks that he's tough where he's really just a brute. he's never a bully, it's never unjustified, but if he ever is he doesn’t think much of it bc he’s never gonna change , ygm ?? 

he ended up in prison when he started selling drugs to the rich family’s only son, who lbr, became quite a decent friend to yuxian. the son in question had a bad side - effect to the dodgy drugs they were dealing and died of cardiovascular complications. worst thing is that the last memory xian has of the world before virtual reality is waiting for his parents or siblings to come visit him at but being stood up. next thing he knows he’s in a world where his freedom hasn’t been taken from him and he can. he’s Extremely Bitter, and very Chaotic, my guys. so watch out

*    PERSONALITY   !

honestly and truly, at the end of the day, yuxian is not a good friend to have. xian is not friendly. he will never say the thing you want to hear as opposed to how he is feeling, he'll never sugarcoat anything, he'll never be a listening ear. encouragement and support don't exist here. he is fickle and fair-weathered and will use and use and use until there's nothing left to give. 

self-serving and self-invested to his core, he cares so little it's essentially nonexistent for anyone other than himself. not even his family, given the circumstances. he is opinionated and reactive. volatile. if someone is looking for an influence in their life that will give no fucks and encourage even the smallest whispers of an impulse, yuxian is The One™. 

every bad influence every mother's warned about, everything you know you should say no to: that's her. he has nothing to lose and lives his life accordingly. those in his periphery, he encourages to do the same. respect and admiration are not easily earned. he needs to be impressed. the grander the debauchery, the more points earned. but of course, don't try too hard.. bc that’s corny and he can sniff someone simply trying to impress from a mile away. 

still, to those that he's aligned himself with and chosen to befriend – xian can be loyal the way a snake is to a pack. his trigger-haired temper and baseline defensiveness makes him a good rabid junkyard dog to have in any corner. loyalty is mostly reserved for those who benefit him or to those who serve his best interest – contrary to popular belief, he's not entirely stupid. but definitely has been called a bimbo a minimum of five times in his life. 

simply put, he's a thug. his family has terrorised residents and he hasn't fallen too far from the tree, reaping the benefits of everyone's worst expectations. he's vindictive, manipulative, short-tempered and callous. he'll go to extreme lengths – which often include coercion via intimidation or violence – to get what he wants. he has little regard for other peoples' safety, well-being, or feelings. he lives to ruin lives; not in that fuckboy-esque i'm-going-to-steal-your-gf-and-ruin-your-social-life kind of petty bullshit. he IS a fuckboy but that’s besides the point.. 

every action is based on gut-impulse, acting purely out of unfettered emotion without thinking of what the consequences might be down the line. just pls hate him bc he really deserves it. 

speaking of Love.. with a reputation that followed him from a few years into high school for being tht guy who makes u feel good abt urself then leaves u on read, he's learned to embrace it and accept that people think he just can’t commit. xian is not good in relationships, he doesn't quite know how to show affection in a healthy way. he gets possessive and jealous and easily poisons everything from the inside while trying to sort out the subconscious overbearing fear of this person realising how shit he is or actually realising they’re worth more than his half-assed attempts at affection. so instead he keeps it at an arm's distance before it gets that far. 

*    WANTED CONNECTIONS   !

bad influence ( somebody he is corrupting essentially ) friends who like to crash parties / slum around bars  perhaps people who he knows from before and were aware of his ugly reputation ?? idk this is gonna be an area only open to a few but if they ever lived nearby or in the city where he did then it’s a possibility  ! friends who like to smoke weed behind dumpsters people who he can con  someone who tries to see the good in him but beneath the dirt there’s just more Dirt enemies / frenemies violent low-lives who he can connect 2 on an emotional and physical level fwb / one-night stands / some sort of violent dislike in personality which in turn results in sexual tension  ?

Zombieland Saga 7 - 8 | Merc Storia 6 | SSSS.Gridman 7 | Double Decker! 9 | Golden Kamuy 19

Zombieland Saga 7

As much as I worry about Junko…where’s Ai?

Parts of the OP have changed since I last paid attention to it, huh? Now there’s a segment where all the zombified (i.e. undead) versions of the girls appear. Then there’s a new bit where you see Romero looking at Kotaro, wagging his tail. Then there’s a bit with the zombie-idol girls together in an AKB48 sort of pose in a 70s-style room…I think that’s all the new stuff, really.

Come to think of it, last time the episode was Datte Sentimental Saga, this time the episode is Keredo Zombiemental Saga. Both somehow become “Because It’s [fill in blank with appropriate word] Saga”.

I’ve noticed a pattern – every idol show I watch causes me a considerable amount of stress as I worry about whether the characters will be able to deal with their problems. It’s nice that they develop their characters so much, but it’s bad for me…

I feel like hearing Miyano’s delivery over the lines “Kicky blammo!” kind of softenend the funniness factor of the line. (i.e. It was funnier when I had the volume off.) But his mouth-wide-open face is funny.

I wonder…as touching as it is to have Kotaro give this pep speech, it almost seems out of character for him. Maybe it might’ve been better to have Junko come to the realisation herself, rather than have something to grow mushrooms over? But that’s just the opinion of someone who thinks ranty Kotaro is how he is 100% of the time. I’m also fine with more sensitive Kotaro, I just wish I could’ve seen that side when he was dealing with just Sakura.

So Ai didn’t die at Saga Rock…hmm. I take my words from the previous episode back.

Truck-kun Strikes Back, this show should be called. Truck-kun Strikes Back.

I just noticed that’s the Cygames building…and Cygames is a sponsor of Zombieland Saga.

Well…we’re back with the CGI it seems. It’s not entirely bad, but could be a lot worse.

Merc Storia 6

Well…I think this Halloween special is a few weeks too late…

This stuff about carrying a rock…just make Bright Stone necklaces. That way you free up your hands!

Cosette? Like Les Miserables?!

Interestingly, in stories like this, parents always get pulled into the dreamland after their kids do (see Junkers Come Here for another example).

Tatsuhisa Suzuki? Takehito Koyasu? Man, I so didn’t pay attention to the voices this episode…

SSSS.Gridman 7

RIP Special Dog…round 2.

“I think nothing.” – See, Samurai Calibur is best boi!

Why does Alexis meeting Yuuta look like a Meeting with the Parents (y’know, one of those meeting you have with a girlfriend’s parents to see if the boyfriend is suitable for their little darling)?

This pointy thing in the air reminds me of Eva…like an Angel, y’know?

I think the pause for Vit’s reaction went a little too long…I thought my video was glitching, but reacted slightly too late to pause it.

The blood of Anti was way too orange…but I guess that’s better than having red blood which makes people puke…and gets the BPO to complain, to boot…

Update: The missile movements looked familiar…that’s because they were an Itano Circus (which is the same as the Macross Missile Massacre I believe I mentioned in a previous episode).

Update 2: I just watched the source short and there was a bit of animation copied from there! The bit where the bike rattles in its bindings!

Double Decker! 9

(something along the lines of “you’re just going to use the view hack to peep on us, right?”) - Owwch, I can feel the Apple Bieber burn from here!...But why does Sophie slur her words slightly so that they come out as “Twavis” etc….?

Randomly, Doug has a moustache! Wahaha…sorry, this isn’t very informative, huh? I only have two sets of reactions: the insightful ones which have all my knowledge behind them, or the reactive ones which don’t amount to much…

I find it interesting Kirill says “Ore ga idea ga aru”. Why? Because 1) Kirill uses “ore”, likely as a way to assert his masculinity even with his feminine-looking face and 2) there is a kanji for “idea” (teian), but he uses the katakana version, likely to indicate how young he is in comparison to (most of) the other investigators (he’s 20 remember). Or alternatively, he’s meant to be speaking English. Or both those reasons.

Well, that’s (the rollerskate getaway) a getaway I thought I’d never see in a cop show…it looks almost as if it would work better in Cardcaptor Sakura than here! (I’m laughing, but also engrossed in the show, don’t worry.)

I still can’t tell what the lyrics are to Buntline Special…but if I’m not mistaken, some of the initial lyrics are “Don’t give a s*** now”. Or…I could’ve just misheard that. We won’t know until official lyrics are out, y’know?

Oh dear, they’re going into biology territory next time! Time for my biology contact to strut their stuff! (See WordPress for more on that...the info I’m talking about is in one of the roundups.)

Golden Kamuy 19

I find it interesting that only now Sugimoto is exploring the nature of greed…both the living and the dead’s meaning of it.

As much as I find it entertaining that Koito seems to be getting flustered (in what way? *raises eyebrows*) about Tsurumi praising him…why does the 7th always seem to opt for making the skins they get into shirts? I thought that stuff was over after Edogai died and the earless twin got his ear  made into a thing he wears on his head…

Monkfish.

Once again…a character I thought was “pure” (in the context of this series anyway) turns out to have been a killer since he was young. For some reason, Ogata is popular with the ladies in Japan though…I don’t quite get it myself, but hey. What can I do for stats outside my control?

Apparently the ED visual, where Asirpa listens to Sugimoto’s heartbeat, was Noda-sensei’s idea.

Zombieland Saga 8

Ooh, I’ve read enough spoilers about Lily to only want to know the portrayal of how it goes down at this point…

I just realised the onsen was called Ureshino Onsen = ureshii no onsen (happy onsen, i.e. an onsen that brings/gives happiness).

Franchouchou ad for Drive-In Tori on the TV, I see…

Even if I don’t know the lyrics of the OP all that much, I definitely know when to join in with a SA-GAAAAAAAAAAA! at the end, right? That OP’s grown on me, but it’s nowhere near my favourite.

Kyoseki Park. It literally means “giant rock park”, so that’s where the boulders come from.

Have you noticed Kotaro isn’t actually blowing into the shell and he’s verbalising the noise he thinks will come out of the shell? That’s a silly touch, but one I appreciate.

A yak…? Oh right, a yakuza!

I love the rolling sobat so much, I found it again on Reddit!

Lily actually uses the word “Pappy”, which is uncommon for Japan…they tend to use “dad”, “father” or “papa” instead.

Tiny Kotaro really sells that first eyecatch.

Nyoki is the sound effect of something popping out of the earth. It’s the same for mushrooms, y’know. I love mushrooms. (Even Tae’s going nyoki…haha!)

When the SFX went “twang”, I thought that was the end of that, but Kotaro is actually holding an instrument to make his own SFX again! Genius, man, you’re an absolute genius!

I’m sorry for laughing during a dramatic moment, but if Takeo’s face can be covered by his hand like that…he has darned Yaoi Hands! Hahaha! Okay, I’m sorry. Carry on.

I remember reading on the official site Lily died in 2011, so…more recent than Sakura. So a TV-hating man like him would be pretty obvious in a day and age like that.

Aw…I shed a tear or two for Lily, too. Update: Or 10. I’m not crying. You’re crying…

Wait, does this mean Kotaro is also a lyricist? And/or a songwriter? That is a man of many talents!...Aaaaaaaaaaand now I need a tissue box. Brb.

Oh wow, that next episode title has a lotta words! I thought it was going to be about Yuugiri, but it could be about Saki…hmm…or anyone we haven’t seen in the spotlight yet. Who knows? Only those who watch it or make it! Oh, now that I’ve watched it through, it does seem to be about Saki!

Does Your Dog Have Leaky Gut? The new buzz phrase in your dog is leaky gut syndrome. Sound scary? It is! I’ll tell you why and what you can do about it to regain your dog’s health and happiness. Spreading the word about leaky gut through my own experience is very important to me. I often seem to find myself speaking from what I like to call “a place in the trenches” or “empirical proof“ – but then I’m quickly reminded by my long term animal health team that it more often came from a place of “you just had to figure it out.” Early Experience With Leaky Gut Syndrome I’ve been recommending raw dog food since 1994 and have seen unimaginable health improvements in dogs switched from kibble to a real whole food, species-specific diet. As my practice evolved and years went by, I began to see more and more patients who’d already transitioned to raw food. In the last few years I’ve also started to see more and more dogs suffering from allergies, auto-immune diseases and, of course, cancer. There were many times when I sat at my veterinary clinic long after my clients had gone home, scratching my head about why we were seeing an influx of these diseases when many dogs were on a beautiful raw food diet. Why did some dogs do so well for so long, then all of a sudden start to react with an inflammatory response? Why were some of them okay on a novel protein diet but then had sudden reac-tions to all proteins, including the ones that had tested negative on allergy tests six months prior? Then there were the ones who were allergic to trees, grass, mites and other environmental factors. One day I was geeking out on the physiology of a cat patient that had interstitial cystitis (when the lining of the bladder starts to leak). I realized that if the mu-cosal lining of the bladder can leak, then so can the mucosal lining of the gut. This could explain why all these dogs were over-reacting to so many foods and environmental allergens. We had amazing results treating interstitial cystitis in cats, so I started working on dogs with skin conditions using a similar protocol to the one I came up with for the cats. And it worked! What Is Leaky Gut? Leaky gut syndrome is an increasingly widespread condition in both animals and humans, yet it’s still not well known in the medical community. Leaky gut in dogs is exactly what it sounds like. The delicate intestinal mucosa that lines the gut and allows tiny digested nutrients to pass through to the blood stream can be likened to cheesecloth or a tea strainer. This is how nutrition is assimilated into the body – but this lining also acts as an incredibly important barrier to keep out toxins, pathogens and undigested food particles. The mucosa becomes traumatized and inflamed, causing the junctions (the spaces in the cheesecloth) to become stretched or damaged to the point where they’re no longer able to filter out larger food particles, bacteria and toxins. These substances can now pass through the intestinal wall and make their way into the blood stream and lymphatics. This sets off a series of events in the body, which begins with the liver working over-time to screen out the particles; it has no chance of keeping up with the onslaught, and the pathogens begin to accumulate. The immune system is then triggered to fight the intruders, but it too becomes overwhelmed, leading to particles being absorbed into body tissues. This causes inflammation; but even worse, the immune system can attack these intruders, which can lead to autoimmune disease. The body starts to perceive food as its enemy – the reason we see so many dogs who are allergic or reactive to almost every protein and many vegetables and grains. This leaves little to choose from when it comes to feeding, in addition to the challenges of allergies to grass, pollen and more; but more importantly, and sadly, the result is an animal who’s in a chronic and constant state of inflammation and distress. Causes Of Leaky Gut In Dogs 3 Primary Causes Of Leaky Gut 1. Poor Diet Specifically highly processed, grain based foods containing wheat, rice, spelt and soy, food additives and preservatives; the lectin found in unsprouted grains; sugar; genetically modified foods (GMOs); pasteurized dairy; and meat from stressed factory-farmed animals. 2. Drugs And Other Toxins This category includes the unnecessary use of steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), deworming drugs, flea and tick treatments (many contain pesticides) and antibiotics (leading to an imbalance of healthy gut flora, also known as dysbiosis). 3. Over-vaccination When the body is forced to respond to a vaccine to which it has already established antibodies, this wreaks havoc on the immune system and can cause a number of chronic diseases. Chronic stress or boredom can also influence gut health. Not getting enough exercise or mental stimulation, or being left home alone for long periods, can be a major cause of stress for a pack animal. Stress negatively affects the immune and digestive systems. Why Is Leaky Gut So Scary? It’s because it’s hidden! You can see trauma in a joint by watching your dog limp, or on the skin as a lesion or wound. We treat the trauma … it’s pretty simple. But gut trauma is hidden trauma and we can’t fix what we can’t see! Because it’s left untreated and unhealed, it becomes more chronic and more dangerous to your dog’s overall health. You start to see symptoms that in conventional medicine are diagnosed as a disease or infection. Treatment begins for that disease and the hamster wheel starts spinning. You may see the symptoms disappear but then they return. A recurring ear infection may clear up, but then the dog suffers disorders like hot spots, full blown allergies or hypothyroidism. In many cases this is because the initial trauma causing the disease – leaky gut syndrome – is not healed … because you can’t see it. Leaky gut has been referred to as the “great mimicker,” appearing in the form of many chronic diseases that plague our beloved animals. Examples include (but are not limited to): Diseases of the skin (allergies), thyroid, joints, heart disease, spinal cord, eyes or brain Inflammatory bowel disease, interstitial and chronic cystitis, collapsing trachea, laryngeal paralysis, liver, gallbladder and pancreatic disorders. Behavior problems such as aggression and obsessive-compulsive disorders or self-mutilation. Autoimmune disease and nutritional deficiencies, which, left untreated, could lead to some forms of cancer because of the chronic inflammation. Your dog’s gut is responsible for more than 70 percent of her immune system and is directly responsible for the absorption of all that amazing food you’re feeding her. With an unhealthy gut, no amount of raw food or nutrients will support her health and longevity, let alone heal something like an allergy. How To Prevent Leaky Gut Help Prevent Leaky Gut With These 5 Steps: Stop feeding processed foods and feed a raw, species appropriate diet. Stop routine vaccinations; instead ask your vet for blood titer tests to measure antibody levels. Get a copy of the results and ask a holistic vet to interpret them, as there are differing opinions on what the results actually mean. Stop using chemical flea and tick products that contain pesticides. Use natural products and protocols with proven success. Stop all drugs where possible. Determine your dog’s source of stress. Make the time to go for longer walks or hire a dog walker or someone to check in on them during the day or even add a playmate. Healing Leaky Gut If your dog has had any of the following drugs or foods, the chances are she has some degree of gut trauma that could use support: Antibiotics Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (many pain and arthritis drugs) Steroids Antihistamines Vaccines Flea and tick treatments Years of dry commercial dog foods Support Gut Healing This natural protocol that supports the healing of your dog’s gut is so helpful and safe for her overall health that even without a diagnosis you can go ahead and follow it for six to eight weeks with any dog. It will serve to support a much healthier digestive system, resulting in a healthier body and happier dog. This is a food protocol and does not include supplements. Kefir Or Raw Live Yogurt Look for products from Jersey cows, goats or use coconut kefir. Give 2 Tbsp daily for an average (30 to 50 lb) size dog Fermented Vegetables Work up slowly to 1 to 3 tsp a day for every 20 pounds of body weight. Bone Broth Ideally, make your broth from wild game like deer, moose and pheasant (they have the healthiest bones) or from ethically raised, free range animals. Bones contain: proline, which tightens and builds cell structure; glycine, which supports the synthesis of collagen (which gives your dog a strong cell structure and supports skin and veins); gelatin, glucosamine and minerals, which are the building blocks of the digestive system. Give 1 Tbsp per day to small dogs, 2 Tbsp for medium, 3 Tbsp for large dogs and 4 Tbsp for giant breeds. Phytoplankton A marine antioxidant superfood, which I recommend using in place of fish oil to provide essential fatty acids like DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), LA (linoleic acid) and LNA (alpha-linolenic acid). Phytoplankton is single celled and the most complete whole food nutrition I’ve ever used. It’s very helpful with leaky gut because its molecule is smaller than a red blood cell and will supply amino acids, micronutrients and protein while your dog’s gut is healing. It’s very important to choose a reputable source that’s non GMO, grown on land and watered with Atlantic ocean water that’s been filtered for heavy metals – and no fillers! If you find a good source, you’ll only need 1/16 to 1/8 of a tsp per day. Coconut Oil Or Hemp Oil Use Coconut Oil or Hemp Oil to supply medium chain fatty acids. They’re also easier to digest than fish oils without the risk of ran-cidity. Make sure your oil is non-GMO, grown without herbicides or pesticides, cold pressed, hexane free, unrefined and unbleached. Give 1 tsp per 10 pounds of body weight but start with ¼ tsp and work up over a two to three week period. I strongly recommend giving supplements only for a limited time and NOT long term, as well as in small amounts, used synergistically to strengthen the body for long term benefit. Be informed and empowered to take the health of your adored pet into your hands!

What are APA! Constant Companions?

Constant Companions are generous monthly donors who support Austin’s most vulnerable pets! These consistent and planned gifts directly support APA!’s groundbreaking programs that save over 10,000 cats and dogs every year. We recently reached out to one of our Constant Companions, Shaina Singh, to see why she enjoys being a Constant Companion and why she chooses to support Austin Pets Alive!’s lifesaving work.

Why are you a Constant Companion?  

Shaina: I became a Constant Companion because I believe in APA! and Dr. Ellen Jefferson’s mission to keep Austin No Kill. My decision to become a Constant Companion came about a year after I decided to start fostering. My second foster, Otto, had been with us for one full year and I was unable to take more foster dogs so my way of staying dedicated to APA!’s mission was to become a Constant Companion. This was in 2014 and I haven’t looked back since!

What’s your favorite thing about APA!?

Shaina: Most people (volunteers/staff) I meet at APA! are there because they are driven by their love for the dogs and cats and are fueled to do their part. Imagine being surrounded by this kind of driving force of love and advocacy. It is truly remarkable and it’s my favorite part about APA!. Not to mention all the amazing doggies. I guess you could say I am partial to all the dogs. :)

Why are you passionate about animals?

Shaina: Animals speak to my soul. I know it sounds corny but you will see me with the widest grin on my face when I see a dog. I smile at them, say hello, and I like to believe they smile back at me. I have always grown up with dogs. The love for animals was instilled in me by my grandfather who raised me. As an adult, I adopted my first rescue dog from a shelter in Fort Worth, TX and his breed said “pit bull-type.” I noticed that people were often scared of him and there was a stigma around pittie-type dogs. Well, that added advocacy for pit bull-type dogs and love to the mix and you get me. I am one fierce loving animal person.

Feel free to share a story about an APA! animal!

Shaina: So, I have two dogs from APA! whom my spouse and I adopted. I want to share Otto’s story because I think it is extra-special. We started fostering Otto on September 11th, 2013; he had been on the foster list and was known for being a resource guarder. I remembering meeting Otto for the first time and being very apprehensive. He immediately bonded with my spouse and became his shadow. We worked with Otto around his resource guarding, jumpiness, reactivity, and barking and lunging at strangers. He showed tremendous improvement and became a calmer, confident dog. He learned commands such as drop it, sit, get back, and out of the kitchen (which meant that we could get the toy/ball away from him, move his food bowl if we wanted to, etc.). We fostered Otto for TWO full years. During that time, there was never a hit on his adoption. We would barely get any inquiries. Otto was making his way into our family photos, etc. Around the two year mark, we started getting inquiries out of the blue from potential adopters. He even had someone meet him in person and show great interest in adopting him, but we never heard back from them. As the inquires grew, so did our grief around no longer having him around. I remember sitting down with my spouse and saying to him that Otto was part of our pack and I could not imagine it any other way. My spouse hugged me and said he was worried about it too and knew this was the right decision. So, here is a photo of my Otto whom I love dearly. He has been a part of our pack from day one. I guess you could say it took us two years to admit it. ;) This photo is from Halloween 2015 right before we officially adopted him.

This September, we are celebrating 10 “human years” of APA! as an animal rescue organization, and the over 60,000 lives we’ve saved with the help of the APA! community. Our community is made up of amazing fosters, adopters, and donors, like Shaina, who help us continue to save more and more lives each year. We could not do the work we do without the support of our Constant Companions, and we look forward to the next decade of saving lives together!

If you are interested in becoming a monthly donor, you can sign up and learn more here: austinpetsalive.org/constantcompanions

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