I’ve been a little MIA this week from the blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and other internet spots where I tend to spend my day. Over the weekend, I re-injured a herniated disc in my back, which has made sitting in my desk chair incredibly difficult this week. However, I was really lucky that I had received the Bella’s Hot/Cold Pain Relief Pack for review!

The pack was actually for Lucas. Lucas has an odd set of problems. When we first adopted him, he limped. The shelter said that it was because he was so malnourished as a baby that, as he received good nutrition and health care, he hit a growth spurt, which put pressure on his joints. Sort of like a teenage boy’s growing pains. But the limp never really went away; in fact, it worsened after long walks or too much play. We consulted our vet who suggested we start giving him stronger supplements, which worked whenever he wasn’t active. With playtime, the limp came back.

Fast forward two years. We moved to Bloomington, we found a new, fabulous vet who we love dearly! She did a more intensive exam, including x-rays. Turns out Lucas had a fractured pelvic bone, most likely the result of getting hit by a car as a young pup, and it had gone untreated and healed in such a way that his pelvic bone is too narrow to support his 80-pound frame. Hence, the limp. She got us the mac daddy of joint supplements, and on the (now rare) occasions when it flares up, we used a heat pack.

The heat packs we tried were all designed for people. They wouldn’t stay in place, got too hot, or cooled off too quickly. Then came the Bella Pack – one of The Whole Dog Journal’s “Product that Rocks.” It’s designed for a dog – and it has straps to hold it in the exact place the pup needs it most. It can be folded, even when frozen, to fit your dog’s contours. Plus, the gel is nontoxic. From the Bella Pack, “The gel is super safe, non toxic & made in the USA… I sleep well at night knowing that if someone’s beloved pet were to chew the Bella Pack, they would be fine.” Great!!

So, as you can see from the picture above, it works for Lucas! He tolerates it, and I think it relieves his pain. And then, this weekend after I got injured, I used it as a cold pack on my back – and it worked really well! I velcroed the straps around my waist so that I could still get around the house instead of being stuck sitting in one place.

If your dog (or even you!) suffers from joint pain, arthritis, or has a tendency to get injured, I highly recommend the Bella Pack. It’s safe and convenient, two things I love!