| Dr. Iris Bell is a psychiatrist, university professor, | | | | page 25). |
| and has been a researcher in areas related to | | | | Casey's wisdom for this scene was - "...try to play |
| complementary and alternative medicine for 30 | | | | well with everyone. Sometimes it's the best way |
| years. She was chosen as one of the Best | | | | to go. Everyone has his or her special place in the |
| Doctors in the Pacific region of the US in 1996 | | | | universe." |
| and in the entire US in 1998. Her passion is to | | | | Juanita: Dr. Bell, what was the writing process like |
| teach people who find themselves with a chronic | | | | for you, reliving the precious moments with |
| illness and at the start of their own difficult | | | | Casey, and pondering the depth of your human |
| journey, a way back home to themselves and | | | | animal relationship? |
| better health. Through her studies she has | | | | Dr. Bell: I smiled a lot. And it all came together |
| amassed a remarkable amount of information | | | | with very little angst. When writing just flows, it |
| about the human psyche - she understands the | | | | comes from a source beyond the writer. Those |
| physiology and psychology of worry. Bell teaches, | | | | are often the times when I know that there is a |
| writes, and lives in Tucson, Arizona with her three | | | | message that needs to get out to some as yet |
| dogs -Rosie, Harry, and Charlie. | | | | unknown reader(s), and it is my responsibility to |
| Juanita: Welcome to Reader Views Dr. Bell, and | | | | shepherd it into the world for them. |
| thanks for the opportunity to talk with you about | | | | Juanita: Throughout his life, Casey benefited from |
| your new book "Chew on Things - It Helps You | | | | alternative medical help including surviving a series |
| Think: Words of Wisdom from a Worried Canine." | | | | of health crises. Alternative medicine is a strong |
| Sounds intriguing, would you give readers an idea | | | | interest of yours Dr. Bell. Would you elaborate, |
| of what your book is about? | | | | and tell us how it benefited Casey? |
| Dr. Bell: Thanks very much, Juanita, for the | | | | Dr. Bell: Casey had vets who are skilled in both |
| chance to tell you and your readers about the | | | | conventional and alternative medicine for dogs. |
| Chew on Things hard cover gift book. This | | | | The type of alternative medicine that helped him |
| full-color photo-essay is a humorous and | | | | the most was homeopathy. When he was around |
| inspirational explanation of how to cope with | | | | 10 years old, I brought Casey to his local vet |
| everyday life as seen through the eyes of my | | | | because of gradual weight loss and poor appetite. |
| eccentric dog Casey, a soft-coated wheaten | | | | It didn't take long for them to diagnose a very |
| terrier. I called him Casey B. Worrywart, Dogtor | | | | serious and advanced autoimmune disease called |
| of Philosophy, because of his combination of | | | | autoimmune hemolytic anemia. He was making |
| nervousness and soulfulness in how he behaved. | | | | antibodies against his own red blood cells and his |
| Casey was a worrier - he would hyperventilate, | | | | bone marrow was not replacing the lost blood. |
| pace in and out of the room, chew on things like | | | | He was gasping for air because of his lack of |
| rocks, trees, flowers or vegetables - or buy time | | | | ability to deliver oxygen to his body. The |
| to think about what to do by diving most of his | | | | hematology specialist told me that he had only a |
| face into his water bowl and almost inhaling the | | | | couple more days to live, untreated. She |
| water, whenever he encountered an unfamiliar | | | | recommended steroids and antibiotics but |
| situation, noise, person, or object. Most new things | | | | admitted that, even if they helped, there were |
| seemed to throw him into consternation. Yet, in | | | | side effects and no certainty of saving him for |
| spite of his fearfulness, he always found ways to | | | | any length of time with much quality of life. |
| enjoy life, especially through simple pleasures such | | | | Having studied various types of alternative |
| as chasing tennis balls. | | | | medicine in humans, I was open to trying vitamins |
| In photos, words "from" Casey, and relevant | | | | and herbs, but he either couldn't take them |
| quotations from famous people, the book offers | | | | because of his poor appetite or they just hadn't |
| an entertaining perspective for us to realize that | | | | worked. I turned to his homeopathic veterinarian, |
| stress is in the eye of the beholder. The point is - | | | | who patiently interviewed me about Casey's |
| we all can become overwhelmed, but only if we | | | | symptoms and behaviors, tried a series of |
| allow ourselves to perceive something as | | | | carefully-selected homeopathic remedies, and |
| stressful. | | | | followed his progress with his local vet using blood |
| Juanita: Would you tell us how Casey came into | | | | tests. |
| your life and a little bit about him? What is your | | | | Homeopathy is a very controversial form of |
| favorite memory of Casey? | | | | alternative medicine in which the remedies, made |
| Dr. Bell: Casey was my first dog as an adult. | | | | from animal, mineral, or plant sources, are |
| When I moved to Tucson for a tenure track | | | | prepared by serial dilution and succussion (a type |
| position at the University of Arizona College of | | | | of vigorous shaking that probably activates the |
| Medicine, I was finally able to buy my own house | | | | healing properties of the medicines). The |
| with a large fenced-in yard - and hope that I | | | | homeopath chooses one remedy at a time to |
| would be able to stay put for a while. | | | | match the complex individual pattern of physical, |
| I love dogs in general, but I wanted a | | | | emotional, and mental symptoms that the animal |
| "hypoallergenic" breed that didn't shed because of | | | | or person exhibits. The behaviors of the animal or |
| my own allergies. Eventually, I learned about | | | | person are key to finding the right remedy. |
| soft-coated wheaten terriers, saw a picture of | | | | In Casey's case, one acute remedy helped with |
| one in a dog book that made me smile (they are | | | | his physical collapse and appetite, the next |
| supposedly the clowns of the dog world), and | | | | stimulated his bone marrow to begin making new |
| searched around for a breeder who was | | | | red blood cells, and once we had rescued him |
| expecting a new litter of puppies. | | | | from imminent death, we determined that he |
| Breeders have extensive screening processes for | | | | needed a constitutional remedy for his basic |
| prospective dog owners that seemed a little like | | | | fearfulness and autoimmune disease. The last |
| what I had to go through for medical school | | | | remedy stopped the autoimmune process enough |
| interviews. Eventually, I got accepted as a new | | | | so that Casey lived 4 ½ years longer than |
| dog "mom" and drove up to northern Arizona to | | | | predicted, and he died of old age and paralysis |
| pick up my puppy, who was about 10 weeks old. | | | | from a back problem - but with a normal blood |
| My co-workers, who were also animal lovers, | | | | count. |
| threw me a puppy shower before I left. It was | | | | He never received the conventional steroids and |
| very exciting - and anxiety-provoking for him and | | | | antibiotics and he never required ongoing |
| me. I'd say that I hyperventilated all the way up | | | | medicines to maintain his recovery from the |
| to meet him for the first time, and he | | | | autoimmune anemia. That is the remarkable thing |
| hyperventilated all the way back with all of the | | | | about homeopathy in its ability to stimulate |
| strange new experiences he was having away | | | | self-healing at a deep and, yes, mysterious, level. |
| from his birthplace. My car even broke down on | | | | Many times, the healing carries on its own, |
| the trip - so it added to the adventure. | | | | without continued treatment, once set into |
| Among the many great memories of Casey, one | | | | motion, for months to years. |
| of my favorites was the day that he made a | | | | Juanita: As mentioned earlier, you have an |
| breakthrough as a puppy from playing "small" to | | | | extensive professional background working with |
| playing "big". He had been having all sorts of fun | | | | the human psyche - pointedly, the physiology and |
| pulling out the short, thin plastic hoses from the | | | | psychology of worry. This is an interesting |
| drip system in the backyard that watered | | | | concept, would you explain? |
| individual groupings of flowers. Every morning, he'd | | | | Dr. Bell: Worry is one expression of anxiety, with |
| come to the back patio door with a little | | | | the fear that something bad may happen. The |
| straw-like piece of the drip system in his mouth | | | | body and mind are quite integrated with one |
| and delight in having me chase him all around the | | | | another, even though some people think of them |
| yard trying to get it back. | | | | as separate. Worrying is a kind of dress rehearsal |
| One day, after he had pulled up a most of the | | | | for the bad things that may or may not ever |
| small pieces, I glanced out the window and saw | | | | occur. |
| that he was playing tug of war with the huge, | | | | But we send unhealthy signals to our bodies during |
| long main feeder hose for the whole drip system | | | | those frequent dress rehearsals. Our bodies |
| that had been buried underground and spanned | | | | experience the imagined future events as "real." It |
| across much of the backyard. Sure, I yelled at | | | | is the repeated experiences that can shift how |
| him to stop. But, at the same time, I was | | | | our physiology works. In technical terms, worrying |
| impressed that he had stuck with it day after | | | | can end up shifting the allostatic set-point for how |
| day, until he had hit his jackpot - a kind of life | | | | our bodies function, out of the healthy range and |
| lesson about doing the little steps that eventually | | | | into the range where conventional physicians |
| add up to a big reward. | | | | diagnose disease. |
| All I could do at that point was laugh, take a | | | | When we get anxious, we activate our |
| picture, and realize that I needed professional | | | | well-known fight or flight physiological systems in |
| help...from a dog trainer. | | | | our body. We release increased amounts of |
| Juanita: Why did you decide to write this book? | | | | stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, |
| Dr. Bell: Casey had a very eventful life of 14 | | | | and drive our sympathetic nervous system to |
| ½ years. After he died, I started off | | | | increase breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, |
| wanting to share his story of courage and | | | | shut down digestion, increase perspiration, and |
| miracles in how he responded to alternative | | | | prime our muscles for action. If we repeatedly |
| medicine treatment for a life-threatening | | | | mobilize for fight or flight, we can end up with |
| autoimmune disease that he had survived for | | | | insomnia and chronic health problems or make |
| more than four years longer than what the | | | | existing conditions worse than they otherwise |
| conventional vets had predicted. | | | | would be. |
| However, as I pulled out old photos of him at | | | | Juanita: Do you see similar effects of worry in |
| different points in his life to jog my memory | | | | both humans and their pet companions? |
| about his life story, I felt compelled to remember | | | | Dr. Bell: Again, I am not a veterinarian, so I can't |
| the good times by putting words to what I saw | | | | say for sure. I am struck that pets live much |
| in each picture, just for my own comfort and | | | | more in the moment than people do. So, worrying |
| reminiscence. Eventually these photos and words | | | | for a dog like Casey is happening now. He isn't |
| formed the beginnings of the Chew on Things - It | | | | necessarily fretting in his mind as much about |
| Helps You Think book. | | | | what catastrophic future event might result from |
| When I attended a book marketing conference to | | | | the present situation in the same way a person |
| find publishing help for my own book on | | | | might. Still, the present moment was often a |
| alternative medicine for patients with chronic | | | | frightening experience for him. Both people and |
| illnesses, I discovered that the publishing | | | | animals can suffer the physical toll of repeated, |
| professionals were far more excited about the | | | | frequent worrying and activating the stress |
| amusing little dog book that I had started than | | | | system. |
| my more serious alternative medicine book | | | | Juanita: What is the underlying message of your |
| proposal. So, I developed the early draft into the | | | | book? |
| Chew book with their help over the next year. | | | | Dr. Bell: The book is actually a message of hope |
| Juanita: Dr. Bell, you have three dogs presently. | | | | and encouragement - to owners of fearful dogs |
| Why do you love dogs so much? What is it about | | | | and especially to people who worry a lot. Casey |
| the canine species that connects with people so | | | | had lots of problems with his fears of the |
| strongly? | | | | unfamiliar. But he also knew how to play and |
| Dr. Bell: Dogs are good people. I know that canine | | | | balance his life. He managed to have a good life in |
| behavior experts tell us not to see them as | | | | spite of the fearfulness that was part of his |
| people - they are animals, actually, pack animals. | | | | personality style. Yes, he needed help, and he got |
| But, the unconditional love of dogs - while a | | | | it. He didn't do it all on his own. |
| cliché - is so true. And dogs don't put up all | | | | So often, we are impressed with amazing feats |
| the public personas and masks that we people do. | | | | of accomplishment that other people achieve and |
| Dogs put themselves, just as they are, out there | | | | we think that we could never aspire to similar |
| - with an authenticity and innocence that is lovable | | | | levels because our circumstances, our lack of |
| in and of itself. | | | | self-esteem, or fear of failure hold us back. |
| Juanita: What causes a dog to be fearful? What | | | | Casey never allowed any of that to stop him. |
| suggestions do you have for other owners that | | | | Certainly, he pondered a lot and he watched and |
| find themselves with the similar issues? | | | | hung back - but eventually, he did get out there |
| Dr. Bell: Just as a disclaimer, I am a human | | | | into his world. As he said in the Chew book: "Even |
| psychiatrist, not an animal behaviorist. So, I only | | | | if you're afraid of the world, at least explore your |
| know what I have read and learned from the | | | | neighborhood." |
| experts. Dogs are fearful for many different | | | | He did, and his life was so much richer for taking |
| reasons - in Casey's case, there were some | | | | the chance. |
| genetic factors from his parents. Extreme | | | | Juanita: I understand that you have a line of |
| shyness can be at least partly inherited. I was | | | | Casey B. Worrywart products available, and a |
| doing research on human shyness at the time I | | | | portion of the profits from your book/product |
| got Casey as a puppy and saw some parallels | | | | sales is donated to local animal rescue |
| there. | | | | organizations. Would you tell us more about your |
| However, in many other cases, dogs who have | | | | products and why you've decided to make this |
| suffered abuse or neglect or impoverished early | | | | generous donation? |
| lives can have difficulty coping with unfamiliar | | | | Dr. Bell: As I got into writing the book, I realized |
| situations or strangers thereafter. It is so | | | | that there were other ways to communicate |
| important for us as responsible dog owners to | | | | some of Casey's points. We developed various |
| socialize and train our pets properly. | | | | items, including a Chew on Things Workbook for |
| I'd strongly recommend that owners who find | | | | Fellow Worriers, mugs, tote bags, and t-shirts as |
| themselves with similar issues get some of the | | | | well as an amusing poster on his Woe-Is-Me |
| excellent books on fearful dogs and dog behavior | | | | Coping System for rating the severity of your |
| by professionals in the field (there are helpful | | | | worries. The products serve to entertain, but also |
| books listed at the back of Chew on Things - It | | | | to remind people to get some perspective on |
| Helps You Think) and to seek out a local | | | | their worries, laugh and get through the tough |
| experienced dog trainer to help their dog have a | | | | times in everyday life. |
| better life. Some owners give up on dogs who | | | | After I lost Casey, I discovered the whole world |
| bite out of fear, for example, and surrender them | | | | of adopting rescue dogs and found two of my |
| to shelters, but there is hope with proper | | | | current pets, Harry, a terri-poo and Charlie, a |
| professional training. | | | | schnoodle, through a wonderful resource on the |
| Juanita: Do you think most pet owners take the | | | | internet called This website is one of several that |
| time to listen to their dogs, and absorb what they | | | | make it possible for rescue groups and humane |
| can teach them? | | | | societies from all over the country to post |
| Dr. Bell: Dog lovers know that their pets are each | | | | pictures and information about dogs, cats, and |
| unique and special characters. Still, we often | | | | other animals who are adoptable, but homeless. |
| assume that we people have more answers | | | | It allows people and pets to find their way to one |
| about life than we actually do. It is worth taking | | | | another with the kind of information that can |
| the time to ponder - as Casey often did - what | | | | make it a better and lasting match. |
| lessons our dogs can teach us about living, coping, | | | | Rescue groups perform a huge and noble service |
| and having the best life we can, challenges and all. | | | | to save thousands of homeless pets from |
| Juanita: How were you able to attribute human | | | | euthanania in shelters where there is simply no |
| emotion/wisdom to Casey's behaviors? | | | | room for them. I want to do my small part to |
| Dr. Bell: Again, real animal behaviorists would | | | | support this remarkable network of volunteers |
| appropriately question whether I could ever really | | | | and professionals who save innocent pets from |
| know what Casey was thinking. That's fair. At the | | | | death every day and help them find foster and |
| same time, he was remarkably consistent and | | | | adoptive homes. We have also been working with |
| predictable in his behaviors as certain situations | | | | the national Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier |
| arose. I felt that I did know him well enough to | | | | network to raise funds for their non-profit |
| put words to many of his "thoughts." As a | | | | Genetic Research Fund and help find answers to |
| psychiatrist, I also am a professional observer of | | | | some of the breed-related health problems. |
| behavior. So, I'd say that I found wisdom as I | | | | Juanita: How can readers find out more about you |
| myself meditated on what he was doing in these | | | | and your book? |
| various situations. | | | | Dr. Bell: People are welcome to visit our websites |
| Juanita: Would you tell readers one of Casey's | | | | where they can download a free copy of a Chew |
| favorite bits of wisdom? | | | | book excerpt, watch the upbeat book trailer |
| Dr. Bell: On page 23 of Chew on Things - It Helps | | | | preview video with scenes from the book and - |
| You Think, there is a picture of Casey sitting next | | | | hopefully - order the book and other Casey B. |
| to a pot-bellied pig on the back patio during a | | | | Worrywart, Dogtor of Philosophy products. |
| special training lesson. Casey's ears are back, and | | | | The websites are: or our publisher site at . |
| I can tell you that he really did look worried. | | | | Thanks again for talking with me today. |
| Here was this pig - whose owner was also | | | | Juanita: And thank you Dr. Bell, we have certainly |
| Casey's professional dog trainer - showing off the | | | | enjoyed hearing about Casey and your new book |
| tricks like sitting and staying better than Casey | | | | "Chew on Things." Readers are encouraged to go |
| could do at the time. But, once they were allowed | | | | to your website and look for your book at local |
| out of class for a break, Casey found his solution | | | | and online bookstores. Once again, thanks for the |
| - see if the pig would play with him (the photo on | | | | opportunity to talk with you today. |