http://www.sacpaws.com/home/Blog/pugzrule/117 Just finished day #2 of my surgery rotation......spent 6+ hours on one surgery today!  It involved grafting a portion of the abdominal aorta and both right and left common iliac arteries which acted to bypass the person's original arteries.  The original vessels were literally hard as rock due to an abundance of plaque that adhered to the vessel walls.  In other words, due to a combination of unfortunate family genes, poor diet and lack of exercise, this 64-yr old gentleman underwent a major surgery to make amends for bad lifestyle habits.  Long story short, your furry friend can be your ticket to a much healthier lifestyle by getting your behind out the door for daily walks.  Also, can't forget how it has been scientifically shown that our pets can relax us and decrease heart rate and blood pressure just by their sheer presence.   I kept wondering over and over throughout the surgery if this gentleman would be in a better place in his life if he had chosen healthier lifestyle habits?  Could his health have taken a different course if he had owned a pet, namely a dog?   Even though it's an added complexity throughout these rotations to manage my two puggies, I never tire of seeing them first thing in the morning when we wake up, when they act just as excited day after day when I get home or when they snuggle next to you for a Saturday afternoon nap.  And there's nothing better than walking together at our favorite park....fresh air and exercise for all of us! Cheers!    Just finished day #2 of my surgery rotation......spent 6+ hours on one surgery today!  It involved grafting a portion of the abdominal aorta and both right and left common iliac arteries which acted to bypass the person's original arteries.  The original vessels were literally hard as rock due to an abundance of plaque that adhered to the vessel walls.  In other words, due to a combination of unfortunate family genes, poor diet and lack of exercise, this 64-yr old gentleman underwent a major surgery to make amends for bad lifestyle habits.  Long story short, your furry friend can be your ticket to a much healthier lifestyle by getting your behind out the door for daily walks.  Also, can't forget how it has been scientifically shown that our pets can relax us and decrease heart rate and blood pressure just by their sheer presence.   I kept wondering over and over throughout the surgery if this gentleman would be in a better place in his life if he had chosen healthier lifestyle habits?  Could his health have taken a different course if he had owned a pet, namely a dog?   Even though it's an added complexity throughout these rotations to manage my two puggies, I never tire of seeing them first thing in the morning when we wake up, when they act just as excited day after day when I get home or when they snuggle next to you for a Saturday afternoon nap.  And there's nothing better than walking together at our favorite park....fresh air and exercise for all of us! Cheers!    en-us You lost me on the technical terms, but I understood poor diet and lack of exercise. I agree, dogs are a great way to ensure some exercise. http://www.sacpaws.com/home/Blog/pugzrule/117/#c_127 http://www.sacpaws.com/home/Blog/pugzrule/117/#c_127 You lost me on the technical terms, but I understood poor diet and lack of exercise. I agree, dogs are a great way to ensure some exercise.