As always, people everywhere love their pets, and this was particularly true of the people I met in Croatia. Most of my consultations were done at the clinic of Deana Basar, owner of Equus Vitalis, a massage and rehabilitation center for pets. She graciously provided me with my own space so I could have consultations in private. Some of my clients were her clients who came to see me to figure out how we could better help their pets.

One of them was Max, a Siberian Husky, who has a neurological problem. His humans got him from a breeder over seven years ago and were told that he had a "minor" neurological problem that made him unable to use his back legs normally. They thought the problem would clear with time. It didn't.

Max explained to me that he can't walk, his front legs are wobbly, he doesn't have the use of his back legs, he doesn't have a sense about when he needs to urinate or defecate, and sometimes his body shakes like someone who suffers from Tourette's syndrome. And that's on a good day. On a bad day, he may hardly be able to recognize his surroundings, or even his people.

In spite of all these difficulties, I gathered from Max that he's very strong, almost stubborn, and that he would like nothing more than to continue living life in the only way he's ever known. It may seem very imperfect to us, but Max thinks he's normal.

And Max's owners haven't given up on him. They bring him to Deana for his weekly massages. And even though they work, they go home three times a day to take Max out for a walk so that he can do his business on the grass. They've purchased several contraptions to help him to walk. With his body in a harness, his hind legs elevated, and his front legs barely touching the ground, he tries to walk, although not always successfully.

I was amazed at Max's love of life, and the resilience, patience, and love of his humans for this animal who at times is unable to show his love for his humans. That was a lesson in grace, in patience, and in love that I won't soon forget.

There were other clients who impressed me as well:

• A Rhodesian ridgeback who asked, after having to recuperate from a torn ACL, if he needed surgery on his other leg as well
• A pug who told his owners he was suffering so much that he didn't want to continue to live
• A cat with terminal kidney disease who was simply hanging around for a little while longer until his mom was ready to let him go
• Several horses who were able to describe little aches and pains, with one even telling his owner/rider that she needed to learn how to ride better because he didn't understand her at all!

Everyone wanted to know how to better help their animals, how to make them happier, and how to give them the very best life they could have.

One client even consulted with me by phone from her hospital bed. The first day we communicated with her horses, cats, and dogs, and the second time we communicated with her father's three dogs. One of them, older and completely blind, was still the boss, and told me so!

I spoke with the soon-to-be first lady and her two King Charles Spaniel dogs.

I also met with several psychiatrists and doctors of various kinds, a number of teachers, acupuncturists, and an herbalist.

Although I had almost no idea what to expect when I first arrived, I found the country to be beautiful and the people to be gracious and welcoming. Their reception made the 18 hour flight and the 9 hour time difference well worthwhile. And their love for their pets was inspiring. I'd very much like to be able to visit Croatia again in the future.

Please remember that it's important for you to take care of yourselves, and your health, for the sake of your pets. You may even discover something about yourselves by carefully watching your pets. They can be "mirrors" to show you how you're feeling.

Sometimes your pets will try to heal you by actually trying to take on the same illnesses or diagnoses that you have. It's not just a coincidence when both you and your pet suffer from the same malady. Some pets actually feel that it's their job, their duty, to take away what ails you by taking it on themselves. Because we don't want them to suffer, it's important to take care of our own health so they won't feel that it's their obligation to take on our illnesses in order to heal us.