August 3, 2015 @ 6:27 PM

(photo from www.patheos.com)

In 2012, I was heard saying, "We will NEVER be open on a Blue Moon again!"

Talk to any emergency room healthcare provider, teacher, or animal care professional and they will tell you that when things are at their "harriest" someone invariably asks, "Is a full moon?".

Here at GroomingDales Pet Salon and Day Spa this question prompts us to whip out our phones and check our Moonrise app, because from experiences past we all KNOW to blame the moon. The lunacy that ensues during a full moon must have some scientific basis, after all the word lunacy comes from the Latin word Luna= moon.

If Friday July 31st, 2015 wasn't a testament to the "crazy", I don't know what is. It started in the morning with pets peeing and pooping in the front room upon check-in, then developed into a frenzy of barking that never stopped, exasperated by a dog chewing the door of his accommodations getting teeth jammed/stuck and having to be manually freed (whilst he peed and flung it on my face because I was trying to help him in his face level crate), a pet that mule kicked a groomer's shears cutting his foot, to which his owner was furious and cursed us, a case of clipper burn from a dog fidgeting whilst being groomed that needed a doctor's attention all wrapped up in a big bow of stress for groomers, bathers, and shop owner alike. It truly was a day of devoted pet care by conscientious professionals seemingly swimming upstream. Why?

According to a recent study, injuries and illnesses among dogs and cats seems to be higher during the full phase of the moon than that of any other time. But most researchers can't tell us why.

The study, reported in the July 15 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, finds emergency room visits for these pets increases during or near the full moon. In studying 11,940 cases at the Colorado State University Veterinary Medical Center, the researchers found the risk of emergency room visits to be 23 percent higher for cats and 28 percent higher for dogs on days surrounding full moons. The types of emergencies ranged from cardiac arrest to trauma.

Research into lunar connections has a long and sorted history of confusing results. Two studies in 2001 examined how many humans are bitten by animals during full moons. British researchers found a link to the moon while another Australian study reported no correlation. One common sense approach says that because the moon is bright, people and animals are apt to be up and out more than on dark nights, thus the probability of trouble increases.

According to an article on PetPlace.com Astrologer Dana Hayes, the following is how the Moon Phases affect your pet:

FULL MOON: The Full Moon influences the psyche of animals with noticeable intensity. It has been said to increase chaos, and even cause the Earth to shake. Veterinary staff and Animal Control keep busy during this phase. When an animal is upset during the Full Moon they tend to be restless. Dogs and wolves are known to howl during the Full Moon phases, while birds become agitated and become disoriented. Cats hide. The Full Moon tends to rattle both humans and our pets' emotions.

NEW MOON: For a sensitive animal, the New Moon, not unlike the Full Moon, supports intention and therefore it is a time to change old habits which block awareness. It is a time to tune into nature's vibrations-which many cats, dogs, other domestic and wild animals may do. Animals seem to naturally tune into the New Moon phase, understanding it is a time to chill even though this can be a challenge. The animals' senses are heightened and sensitivity will be seen in each New Moon phase.

SUPER MOON: Unlike a Full Moon and New Moon, this phase is when an alignment of the Sun, Moon, and the Earth called perigee-syzygy occurs when the Moon is at its closest to Earth (perigee). Animals tend to be ultra sensitive during this time of a very big full moon. Like humans, the power of the electromagnetic fields during a Full Moon phase interacts with our own magnetic field increasing the ability to sense or feel the stress around us. The animals tend to notice the interaction quicker as it is part of their survival instincts to stay away from danger or snuggle with a caregiver.

WANING MOON: The Waning Moon is a time when sensitive animals will tune into their sixth sense and know it is time to hunt, gather food, and build their homes in order to protect their family and prepared for the future. The Waning Moon, unlike the Full, New, Super Moons acts like a brake. For an animal, domestic or wild, it is a time to put natural instincts and the nesting mode into action for self preservation.

WAXING MOON: Sensitive animals use the Waxing time frame to rest, to heal, and to become more aware and alert to its surroundings. It is an interval to slow down. Sleeping and staying calm are par for the course of this moon phase-unlike the other action-oriented lunar phases. It is a period when animals become more aware of the connection between the soul, mind, and the body. It is a time of awareness of well-being and celebration of life.

BLUE MOON: The Blue Moon occurs when there are two Full Moons in one month. In other words, this lunar phase is much like the Full Moon and repeats its patterns. The difference between the two Full Moons comes from the astrological sign the moon is passing through therefore the intensity of one Full Moon would affect an animal's psyche in one area of life and the second one in another area of life. It is like our companion animals and wild animals get a double dose of the Full Moon and its intense vibrations on Earth. But note, emotions are no more on edge that at any other Full Moon. Read her actual article here.

So whether or not you believe in the hocus pocus of the moon making people and animals LUNAtics, your pet professional knows that a full moon means a full house, and crazy unpredictable behavior from animals and their owners! A BLUE MOON, like that of this past weekend means that happens twice in one month... Any animal care pro will tell you, 1 time a year is too many! As a conscientious pet owner working with your pet professional we, together, should watch our Moonrise apps closely and possibly choose to groom or not to groom your pet the next full moon. We want your pet to have the best experience possible and there is enough that our little furry friends have to face in a grooming environment that isn't a part of their normal everyday lives without the moon's influence. And if GroomingDales Pet Salon & Day Spa is closed on a seemingly random day in January 2018, you'll know why. :)