Body—The physical aspect of keeping your pet healthy including
nutrition and raw food,
vaccination, injury prevention, rehabilitation, massage, acupuncture,
homeopathy, the physiology of different animals, Traditional Chinese
Medicine and acupuncture, stem cell research and successes, etc.
Note: Before starting any new program please contact your primary veterinarian or a holistic veterinary clinic.
QUESTION: Should my 1 year old Samoyed eat chicken necks to keep her teeth clean? In the past she was chewing large raw meaty bones and the vet said this was the cause of her stomach problem as the xray showed her intestines were filled with bone and fat. I'm worried about her teeth since she has been off bones as they are going brown. Your help is very much appreciated.
ANSWER: Raw turkey necks are an excellent way to keep your dogs teeth clean but we only recommend raw bones when your dog is already on a fully raw food diet, or there could be complications. Raw and dry foods digest at very different rates, (raw digests very quickly and dry very slowly) so combining them is not recommended.
Always start slowly with one neck once per week, then twice per week a few days apart e.g Monday and Thursday. The day he is on the neck you should decrease his raw food that day by approx 100grms.
Watch to be sure your dog's bowel movement is not getting too hard or white and chalky. If it does it means he is getting too much bone.
Hope that helps!
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Animal Care Clinic
Question: I have a two year old Samoyed who has recently been diagnosed with epilepsy. She was initially put on 40 mg of phenobarbytol and that has been increased to 60 mg because of the frequency of her seizures. This weekend she had to be hospitalized because of prolonged bouts of vomiting and repeated seizures. She is at home now and resting. I am a strong proponent of natural health care and have my dog on a bones and raw food diet. I have been advised to put her on a low protein diet which would effectively eliminate meat. Can you comment on dietary options I can consider for my dog? Also any other advice on natural care for canine epilepsy would be appreciated.
Answer: Epilepsy is a difficult disease to treat and watch your beloved pet go through however, we have seen dogs do very well by taking a holistic approach.
Most times epilepsy is diagnosed as idiopathic – meaning from an unknown cause. However, as a holistic clinic our belief is that the animal has a predisposition (as with any disease), but that it is then be triggered by something – like a vaccination, a head injury, some flea control products, etc. It is helpful to rule these out so you are not continuing to reintroduce the trigger.
We would typically keep our clients on a raw food diet but may tweak it depending on the blood levels and by monitoring your dog’s liver and kidney function. We would start with a full thyroid panel including t4, free t4, t3, free t3 and autoantibody tests. We send our tests to Dr. Jean Dodds in California (her website is www.hemopet.org).
Since she is on phenobarbitol we would want to support her liver, so please ask your veterinarian to recommend a good liver support with milk thistle. You may also want to ask your veterinarian about starting her on DMG.
There
are many things you can do when she is having a seizure, like putting ice on
the back of her neck, and giving a tablespoon of ice cream as soon as the
seizure stops. There is a very good support site at www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com
that can provide other suggestions for you.
We
would also recommend working with a veterinary homeopath - www.ahvma.org
can help you find a practitioner in your area.
I hope this helps. Please try and stay hopeful - we have seen many dogs do very well with supportive holistic care.
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
Question: I have wonderful, active - and we thought very healthy, 3yr 11month male & female mixed Siamese cats. Starting in January our male cat had difficulty urinating and we took him to the vet fearing crystals - they found almost none & sent us home with the diagnosis of idiopathic cystitis. After three more attacks in less than three months, one bout of anti-biotics, much litter tracked around the house and cleaning up messes, he ended up with a crystal blockage and went into the hospital this past weekend for two days. He is now recovering from the procedure but I am dreading what comes next. I have several questions:
Q1. There must be a better more homeopathic remedy that Hills or Medical 'may contain meat' mush food canned diet. Neither cat is big on this food.
Answer: I am so sorry to hear that your cat Chai is going through this terrible but unfortunately common problem. With out seeing the urinalysis, blood tests, etc.... it is hard to comment on all your questions but we will do our best.
If the ph is high in the urine we would recommend a raw food diet. One that is reputable and has taken the time to put the correct ingredients and % into the diet. I take it he is on a Vet prescription diet and hopefully it is canned!! So you can start by mixing a small amount of the raw into his canned - about 1 tsp at a time until he is used to it. Please make sure it is fresh each day. Do this by semi thawing the food just enough to cut into small pieces and refreeze, then thaw the small piece at each feeding. If he is on dry food, the first thing we would recommend is get him on the canned Vet prescribed diet then start the process. Please do this very slow and if he hesitates to eat do NOT do tough love! This process can take a long time and cats should never fast! So please take your time. It will be well worth the effort once he is on it.
Q2. How do I keep two siblings on different diets?
A2.We recommend almost all cats to be on a species appropriate diet (raw) so unless your other cat has issues that indicate he should not do the switch we would recommend switching both, therefore they could eventually be on the same diet.
Q3. What caused this in the first place - stress - weather changes - boredom of being locked in for the winter?
A3. It could be all of the above when he was diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis, but we would add that diet plays a huge role, as well as over-vaccination! Now that he has crystals - diet, vaccines and stress all play a part.
Q4. I already had these cats on Royal Canin since they were kittens at the vet recommendation that it is the best formulated to prevent crystals. I have always felt guilty that this food is mostly corn and has very little natural ingredients.
A4. Please do not feel guilty! You were doing what you were recommended to do and because you love your cats you did it! The fact that you are on this site looking for alternatives that in your heart you already questioned is great. He is a young cat and by you becoming informed on natural health for your animals hopefully you will prevent more issue so he can live a longer happier healthier life.
Q5. How can I get Chai to drink more water?
Q5. If he is on raw you do not need him to drink more water as this is the best most natural way for a cat to absorb proper hydration.
Q6. Is there an easy way to check urine PH at home?
A6. Yes ask your Veterinarian for urine ph sticks and do it daily especially before you start to change the diet, at the same time you can let him/her know that you are planning a diet switch so everyone is on the same page with getting Chai healthy again.
We hope that has given you some help. Good Luck with your sweet boy,
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
QUESTION: I would like to
start giving flax seed oil to my 9-pound cat. How much flax seed oil do I give
her, and is it better to give it to her once a day or twice a day? Ray
ANSWER: Unlike dogs and people cats do not get much value from flax seed oil and often we see them not able to tolerate it well, for example vomiting...
We would recommend salmon oil (60mg per kilo body weight so for your cat she would get 240 mg). They often come in 250 mg gel caps so open it and squeeze the oil onto her food. Start off with 2-3 drops per day and increase it as she gets used to it.
Salmon oil has lots of benefits for people as well, so you can take the rest of the capsule yourself, as once it is open it loses its value. Thanks for the question!
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
ARTHRITIS
QUESTION: We have a shepherd-mix rescue who seems to have developed some arthritis in his hips and back. He still likes to go for walks, but I can tell when he gets up that he is stiff and he tires more easily at the park. Can you suggest anything to alleviate his discomfort? I've seen different products on the market but don't know which would be best.
ANSWER: The first question we would ask is what your dog is eating, and whether he is carrying any extra weight. Carbs turn into sugar and sugar intensifies inflammation and turns into fat, and you don't want to weight down his hips and back. A diet high in protein and low in carbs, like a raw-food diet, is perfect for him as it will help to build muscle mass to support the body, rather than bone on bone, and can help him slim down if he has any excess weight. We also suggest a homeopathic constitutional treatment as we have seen amazing results with arthritis and chronic bone disorders. Salmon oil, which can be supplemented in his meal is a great natural anti-inflammatory as well.
Exercise is still important, but fetch is not good for a dog's hips - there is too much jarring. If he likes to swim, hydrotherapy can be very helpful because it puts no weight on his hips or spine, but will help build muscle mass to support his skeletal system. There are several good hydrotherapy places in the lower mainland that offer these services now.
We would also suggest a product called Glycoflex by Vetri-Science - it contains an extract of green-lipped mussel which supports not only joints but the spine, muscle and tendons. You have to get this through a veterinary clinic; make sure it is this product and not something similar. Last but not least, there is a product called Zeel that double-blind studies have shown to be more effective in the long term than Cox 2 inhibitors, with fewer side-effects. Zeel can be purchased from a homeopathic veterinary clinic.
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
TEETH
QUESTION: I have a small 9 year old Chihuahua mix who has very discolored teeth. I try brushing them but she hates it and it's difficult to do properly. She has had her teeth cleaned twice under anesthetic already, but I think they need to be done again and I'm concerned about her having it done a third time. Is there anything else I can do?
ANSWER: If your dog doesn't need to have any teeth extracted, you might try asking your vet to scrape off the excess tartar while the dog is awake, or take her for an anesthesia-free dental cleaning. We would also recommend starting her on a raw, natural food diet. Small dogs have a large number of teeth for the size of the jawbone resulting in more micromotion when chewing. This allows bacteria to gain access to the gums and contribute to dental disease. It is our experience that the teeth and gums of small dogs respond beautifully to this change in diet, and it works as well as brushing their teeth. Besides, chewing a raw chicken neck is far more fun than having your teeth brushed.
If she has a sensitive stomach, begin by cooking the meat (lean beef or chicken). As she gets used to this, cook it less and less until it is raw. You can add steamed broccoli and baked squash or pumpkin to this as well. A quality vitamin and mineral supplement is also recommended - we like one called k9plus by Vetriscience. A teaspoon of natural yogurt can also help support digestive system during the transition from processed food to raw.
Once she has been on totally raw meat and steamed veggies for a month, you can start to add in a raw chicken neck. Start by holding the neck and let her chew on it. Make sure she chews on both sides of her mouth so all the teeth get cleaned. Let her eat about a quarter of the neck and discard the rest. Feed the chicken bone at a separate time from her dinner as bones digest easier on their own in the stomach. Make sure that all bones are raw. If in a few days you can see she has digested it with no problem, you can repeat this twice a week. If bowel movements are too hard or look chalky, cut back on the amount of the chicken necks.
We have seen toy breeds eating half a chicken neck every morning for breakfast and raw meat and veggies for dinner, but please take it slowly as every dog is different. There are many prepared frozen raw dog foods on the market now, so if that's more convenient for you, once she's stable on the raw diet, begin adding new meats and veggies to her meals.
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
RAW BONES vs. COOKED BONES
QUESTION: I've heard that raw bones are good for dogs and cats but that I should avoid feeding cooked bones. Could you please give me your opinion on this issue?
ANSWER: We do not recommend cooked bones because the cooking process changes the composition of the bones and they become brittle, sharp, and dangerous for your animal's body to digest.
If you take a raw chicken wing and pound it with a meat mallet or regular hammer, you will pretty much be able to turn the wing into a paste. If you try the same thing with a cooked bone, it splinters into shards that can perforate your animal's bowel or obstruct it because it is too difficult to digest.
When animals eat raw bones, their bodies break them down (into chalk-like lumps) and ingest the calcium. The remaining substance is then defecated—nature's way of emptying the anal sacks.
A note about raw, meaty bones...it's best to feed raw bones with a raw diet. If you're feeding your animal kibble and want to give them raw bones for calcium and teeth-cleaning benefits, please ensure that you allow for no less than twelve hours (of digestion time) after feeding dry food to allow the stomach acids to replenish to the levels necessary to digest the raw bone.
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT FOR CAT HERPES
QUESTION: My cat has been diagnosed with feline herpes. She has periods of sneezing but her eyes are often runny and sometimes red. Otherwise, she seems to be generally healthy. What do you recommend for treatment?
Consult with your naturopathic professional to find the treatment that is best for your cat. Often, l-lysine is a good start. As always, we recommend a natural raw meat diet. This will supply extra antioxidants and good solid nutrition will provide the building blocks for a strong immune system. To enhance immune function, we also suggest giving your cat echinacea (12 drops of tincture three times daily). Make sure the echinacea is in vegetable glycerin, as cats do not tolerate alcohol tinctures at all. The echinacea should be given five days on and three days off so the body does not build a tolerance to it. Do this for 2 months and then reassess.
Salmon oil is an essential omega 3 fatty acid that has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps to assimilate the antioxidants. The cat should get 60 - 100 mg per kilo of body weight.
Last but not least, we would NOT recommend any more yearly vaccinations if your cat had them as a kitten and is more than one year old.
Julie Anne Lee, DCM RSCHom and Dr. David Ruish, DVM
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
QUESTION: My cat is aging but has a very dense coat that sheds a lot in the spring. She is allergic to commercial furball remedies and I’m interested in what you recommend to help move the accumulated fur through her system.
ANSWER: There are very safe and effective ways to help your kitty deal with a furball, without the use of laxatives that can sometimes create digestive upset. In the wild, cats not only groom themselves, they ingest fur and feathers from their prey. In our experience cats on a natural, species-specific diet (i.e. raw food) rarely accumulate fur in their digestive tracts.
Raw meat, bones, and vegetables assist with acidity and have natural digestive enzymes that provide the roughage and fiber necessary to bind with ingested hair and carry it out of the body.
In their book All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets, Mary Wulff-Tilford and Gregory Tilford say: “Giving ¼ teaspoon of bran psyllium husks or ground flax seed also provide fiber and lubricating mucilage to help to remove hairballs. Giving ½ teaspoon of marshmallow root tea or, if your cat will eat the root au- natural, ¼ to ½ teaspoons of fresh or dried root can be added to the food.” (Do this for a three day period only, and if it is not helping stop.)
We also recommend salmon oil (60 milligrams per kilo of body weight) and unsweetened pineapple juice –2 to 5 ccs once or twice daily for approximately three days).
If you still need more assistance, there are homeopathic remedies that may also help. If this is a new occurrence in your aging cat, you may want to ask your vet to do a geriatric blood panel to make sure everything is functioning properly.
Healing Place Veterinary Clinic
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(This is Molly. She was rescued with a severe case of mange which is why her skin is so red. Mange can be successfully treated using homeopathic remedies that help to build the immune system and fight off the parasite).
Photo courtesy of Photographic Jules.