Spring has sprung!! Do you know what this means for your pets?

Spring is here! Did you know that Spring is the season of the Wood constitution in Chinese Medicine? The Wood constitution is characterized as that being ruled by the Liver and Gallbladder. The Liver is the wife, and the Gallbladder is the husband, so-to-speak. They have a balancing relationship with one another. Liver is Yin; Gallbladder is Yang. Yin seeks to cool and nourish whereas the Yang seeks to warm and is concerned with anatomy. The functions of the Liver are to store Blood, maintain smooth flow of Qi (energy), nourish tendon/ligaments and is responsible for eye health. Qi is what provides our life force; it is the invisible, electric energy that is responsible for physiological functions of our body and keeps us alive.

The Wood constitution in its balanced state is decisive/competitive, assertive or confident, dominant/aggressive, strong/fearless, impulsive/hasty, athletic with stamina, the alpha animal. When the Wood constitution animal is out of balance one may see ligament/tendon problems, liver problems, red eyes, be irritable or anger easily, have seizure activity, ear or nail problems, foot pad or foot/hoof problems, allergies and anal sac issues. These imbalances will be more prominent in the Spring due to the Wood constitution being associated with this specific season.

The mother of the Liver (Kidney) and the child of the Liver (Heart) can equally be impacted when the Liver is not in balance. Just as a child can drain its mother with exhaustion, the Liver (child) can drain the Kidney (mother) of its ability to function properly. We end up seeing kidney/bladder issues as a result. And if the Liver (mother) is not able to nourish the Heart (child), then issues with the heart can manifest.

The same is true for pets. The Wood constitution animal is the type to get frustrated very easily. Heat created in the body from  frustration or other negative emotions travels up towards the face and into the head-- hence a red face in people who throw "temper tantrums" – and the Heat can get stuck and linger in the Mind. When there is Heat traveling up into the Mind, this is when mental or emotional disturbances occur and we see behavioral issues arise such as nervousness, aggression and more, in humans and our pets.

With all this Heat in the body, it also boils the Blood and other significant body fluids such as urine in the bladder. If the Liver is not functioning properly and is "upset", it can boil the fluids in the bladder and lead to bladder stones. Liver "upset" can also have a direct affect on its Grandchild, the Spleen, and cause gastrointestinal issues such as anorexia, vomiting, belching, acid reflux, diarrhea and the like.

Let this remind us that everything in the body is connected, and be an eye-opener to the way our bodies, and our pets bodies, work holistically. It can be easily seen by this picture just how important it is to seek balance within the body. Spring season is prime time for getting that liver tune-up to make sure all is flowing well - kind of like an oil change on your car - except, your animal can feel pain and discomfort in its body when not feeling well. Our cars might break down, but we certainly do not want our pets’ body's breaking down. Preventative, holistic medicine seeks to treat the problem at its root source and stop the downward spiral of dis-ease in the body from progressing. It catches the problems in its tracks and seeks to restore harmony. 

It is my goal to make sure your pet is living with inner and outer harmony. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know where your pet lies on the chart above? I encourage you to contact me and gain insight to unlocking the full potential of your pet’s best health!!

Yours in Animal Health and Healing,

Dr. Fenton