Thank you. You perfectly put into words everything around awareness and worrying about health that I have experienced. Such important information to remember.
the change from attunement into constant scanning is easy to miss until you’re already in it. At that point you’re not really responding anymore, reacting to every small change. Also liked the point that panic doesn’t actually help in those moments, it just makes everything tighter.
Yes! Exactly this. And making a practice out of catching that moment before the spiral, that's really the whole work isn't it. Thank you for being here.
I was not hypervigilant before I experienced two rather devastating losses of my dogs. One of them was due to a vet overdosing him. A simple paw infection turned to a catastrophic organ cascade and death. Then there was my Labby girl. Earlier in the day, she had a weird coughing spell. I called her vet. She said bring her in if it returns. It returned that night— and she was dead in 15 minutes. She died while I was trying to find help for her. She had seen her vet the day before and we had talked about how she looked and acted half her age. Then she was gone. I haven’t been able to get over the hypervigilance around my animals since then. I know she had the death that she needed, painless and surrounded by familiar smells and safety. I would’ve chosen to go through that pain first her to have that peaceful death had I been given a choice. But it was devastating. The vet thinks it was a heart defect, the same as our first Labrador. Only he showed symptoms leading to diagnosis and she did not. It has been so much harder to relax my vigilance since.
I'm so sorry. What you've carried with both of those losses and the way they happened, changes a nervous system. Of course you couldn't just go back to how you were before.
Thank you. I think the important thing is to keep working towards a calmer baseline while accepting that the hypervigilance is really just love in a form that feels a bit more shaky.
Yes! Petey was healed more by love, reiki, intuitive ok ness than all the meds and whack a mole symptoms we chased. He’s feeling better than the past two years.
Thank you for this article, with this crazy world we live in, we must stay present in the moment and not get caught up in the fear. Our animals do feel our emotions and stresses so it’s important to be calm. ❤️
Such a great piece. Thank you for highlighting an iften overlooked issue. I try to look at my animals and indeed every Soul through 'Reiki eyes' not pity or sorrow but still recognising them as whole beings with a Light in them that never wavers.
ah reiki eyes. once i learned this it stayed with me. it’s a whole practice unto itself. seeing them as whole no matter what. that is such a beautiful energy exchange! thank you for sharing this!
My old dog had grand mal seizures. Rescue Remedy and CBD oil lessen the effects. I did not know about DMSO use for strokes, or I would have tried that too. Itis frightening to watch
THANK YOU, she's actually a girl, she's a working line GSD from a breeder who trains for police, personal protection & military. We had him train her (bootcamp for 3 weeks) but he used the shock collar and we weren't huge fans (it also wasn't terribly effective). She is great with people but she is crazy reactive to other dogs (like standing on her hind legs, lunging, pulling- we can barely control her). We took her to Petsmart training after that, tried the clicker, it worked for a bit but she cares more about other dogs than chicken or steak. If she sees a dog in the next state, she reacts. There's no 'safe distance'. We also have a rescue GSD and they tolerate each other but also antagonize each other regularly. Just not sure if there would be any type of training that would work on her at this point. She's a little over 2 years old now. WOULD LOVE YOUR ADVICE :) !!
Thank you so much for this. With years of taking in abandoned animals in a Transylvanian village, which includes many trips to the vets and not being able to save them all, I have started to veer towards hyper vigilance. I’ve lost pups to Parvo when I found them too late. Had to quarantine the last litter I found and had them tested multiple times. My Stella had anaplasma, my Moggie was in hospital three times before she was even three months old. I am over focused. I need to breathe and be. Let the pack breathe and be. 🙏
This is so very true. I was completely there with my girl Polly. I didn't know how not to be a step ahead of, scanning for fixes. I was wrecked.
I thought that's what I was supposed to be doing for her, when each day she weakened and I was missing the moment. She taught me love and courage and bravery. You, my dear, have completed that circle. Thank you to both of you. ❤️ my Pawpaw forever in my soul. .
Thank you for bringing both Polly and Pawpaw here. What you said, "missing the moment while she was still in it," that's exactly it. That's the heart of everything. I'm so glad this found you. 🤍
This is a great piece. So much easier said than done - but noticing is the first step forward.
Thank you for reading. So true… it starts with noticing, and then it becomes a practice over time, not something we get perfect.
For sure!
Thank you. You perfectly put into words everything around awareness and worrying about health that I have experienced. Such important information to remember.
This means a lot. Thank you for being here. 🤍
the change from attunement into constant scanning is easy to miss until you’re already in it. At that point you’re not really responding anymore, reacting to every small change. Also liked the point that panic doesn’t actually help in those moments, it just makes everything tighter.
Yes! Exactly this. And making a practice out of catching that moment before the spiral, that's really the whole work isn't it. Thank you for being here.
Thank you ❤️
Thank you for being here. 🤍
I was not hypervigilant before I experienced two rather devastating losses of my dogs. One of them was due to a vet overdosing him. A simple paw infection turned to a catastrophic organ cascade and death. Then there was my Labby girl. Earlier in the day, she had a weird coughing spell. I called her vet. She said bring her in if it returns. It returned that night— and she was dead in 15 minutes. She died while I was trying to find help for her. She had seen her vet the day before and we had talked about how she looked and acted half her age. Then she was gone. I haven’t been able to get over the hypervigilance around my animals since then. I know she had the death that she needed, painless and surrounded by familiar smells and safety. I would’ve chosen to go through that pain first her to have that peaceful death had I been given a choice. But it was devastating. The vet thinks it was a heart defect, the same as our first Labrador. Only he showed symptoms leading to diagnosis and she did not. It has been so much harder to relax my vigilance since.
I'm so sorry. What you've carried with both of those losses and the way they happened, changes a nervous system. Of course you couldn't just go back to how you were before.
Thank you for sharing this. 🤍
Thank you. I think the important thing is to keep working towards a calmer baseline while accepting that the hypervigilance is really just love in a form that feels a bit more shaky.
Yes! Petey was healed more by love, reiki, intuitive ok ness than all the meds and whack a mole symptoms we chased. He’s feeling better than the past two years.
This is everything. Petey knew what he needed and so did you. 🤍 Thank you for sharing this story.
I'm sort of new to Substack and not super adept, did I share the post I made about this earlier? https://substack.com/@pawsandpresence/note/p-169939360?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=5qpiod There is also a part II follow up on my substack. Nice to meet you! I'm Tina.
Thank you for this article, with this crazy world we live in, we must stay present in the moment and not get caught up in the fear. Our animals do feel our emotions and stresses so it’s important to be calm. ❤️
Exactly this. 🤍 Thank you for being here.
Such a great piece. Thank you for highlighting an iften overlooked issue. I try to look at my animals and indeed every Soul through 'Reiki eyes' not pity or sorrow but still recognising them as whole beings with a Light in them that never wavers.
ah reiki eyes. once i learned this it stayed with me. it’s a whole practice unto itself. seeing them as whole no matter what. that is such a beautiful energy exchange! thank you for sharing this!
My old dog had grand mal seizures. Rescue Remedy and CBD oil lessen the effects. I did not know about DMSO use for strokes, or I would have tried that too. Itis frightening to watch
So frightening to witness. And so much love in finding what helped him. 🤍
I would love to ask you for advice if you don't mind? I have a 2 year old GSD we nicknamed Crackhead 🙄
Of course! Tell me about him.
THANK YOU, she's actually a girl, she's a working line GSD from a breeder who trains for police, personal protection & military. We had him train her (bootcamp for 3 weeks) but he used the shock collar and we weren't huge fans (it also wasn't terribly effective). She is great with people but she is crazy reactive to other dogs (like standing on her hind legs, lunging, pulling- we can barely control her). We took her to Petsmart training after that, tried the clicker, it worked for a bit but she cares more about other dogs than chicken or steak. If she sees a dog in the next state, she reacts. There's no 'safe distance'. We also have a rescue GSD and they tolerate each other but also antagonize each other regularly. Just not sure if there would be any type of training that would work on her at this point. She's a little over 2 years old now. WOULD LOVE YOUR ADVICE :) !!
This works with humans, as well 🫂
Absolutely💯
Thank you so much for this. With years of taking in abandoned animals in a Transylvanian village, which includes many trips to the vets and not being able to save them all, I have started to veer towards hyper vigilance. I’ve lost pups to Parvo when I found them too late. Had to quarantine the last litter I found and had them tested multiple times. My Stella had anaplasma, my Moggie was in hospital three times before she was even three months old. I am over focused. I need to breathe and be. Let the pack breathe and be. 🙏
Thank you for reading and for sharing this. After everything you’ve carried, of course your body would stay vigilant.
Yet your awareness and naming the need for breathing and being creates space. There’s so much beauty in that space. 🤍
This is so very true. I was completely there with my girl Polly. I didn't know how not to be a step ahead of, scanning for fixes. I was wrecked.
I thought that's what I was supposed to be doing for her, when each day she weakened and I was missing the moment. She taught me love and courage and bravery. You, my dear, have completed that circle. Thank you to both of you. ❤️ my Pawpaw forever in my soul. .
Thank you for bringing both Polly and Pawpaw here. What you said, "missing the moment while she was still in it," that's exactly it. That's the heart of everything. I'm so glad this found you. 🤍