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04-11-2014, 05:43 AM | #1 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,631
| An article For all you raw feeders and holistic practitioners out there |
Welcome Guest! | |
04-11-2014, 08:11 AM | #2 | |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Quote: Three Simple Steps To A Naturally Healthy Dog The New Year is a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. There’s no better time to plan a health strategy for your dog. Your dog, whether he is a $100 rescue or a $5,000 purebred show champion is a valuable investment. You invest your time, your love, your emotions and your finances. If you want to minimize the emotional stress and financial impact of keeping a companion animal, then the first step is to keep him healthy and happy. Here are three resolutions that will help you do just that: Step One: Vaccinate Less It’s a well known and scientific fact that the core vaccines (distemper, parvovirus and adenovirus) last for at least seven years and likely for the life of your dog. The minimum duration of immunity for the core vaccines is as follows: Distemper – 7 years by challenge / 15 years by serology Parvovirus – 7 years by challenge / 7 years by serology Adenovirus – 7 years by challenge / 9 years by serology Dr. Ronald Schultz, a veterinary immunologist at the forefront of vaccine research and chair of the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Pathobiological Sciences states, “Vaccines for diseases like distemper and canine parvovirus, once administered to adult animals, provide lifetime immunity.” JAVMA, No. 4, August 15, 1995, pg. 421. As for the rabies vaccine, there is also strong evidence to show that it too lasts for the life of the dog. While studies are ongoing to prove this fact, Dr Schultz has already shown that the rabies vaccine lasts for at least three years by challenge and 7 years by serology. A 1992 French study demonstrated that, by challenge, vaccinated dogs were immune to rabies five years after innoculation. (Rev. sci.tech. Off. int. Epiz.) 1992, 11 (3), 735-760 Dr Ian Tizard states: “With modified live virus vaccines like canine parvovirus, canine distemper and feline panleukopenia, calicivirus, and rhinotracheitis the virus in the vaccine must replicate to stimulate the immune system. In a patient that has been previously immunized, antibodies from the previous vaccine will block the replication of the new vaccinal virus. Antibody titers are not significantly boosted. Memory cell populations are not expanded. The immune status of the patient is not enhanced.” Use of serologic testing to assess immune status of companion animals, JAVMA, vol 213, No 1, July 1, 1998. To summarize, once your dog has been successfully vaccinated (a titer test run three weeks after vaccination will tell you this), there is no need for him to be vaccinated again. As for rabies, always decline the one year vaccine and ask for a three year vaccine (which is ironically the very same vaccine). Make sure that each and every vaccine given to your dog is necessary. Any vaccine has the ability to kill or harm your dog so there had better be a very real and identifiable reason to vaccinate. Dr Schultz concludes, “The patient receives no benefit and may be placed at serious risk when an unnecessary vaccine is given. Few or no scientific studies have demonstrated a need for cats or dogs to be revaccinated.” Step Two: Choose Fresh, Whole Foods Let food be thy medicine. Processed foods are foods that have been compromised by the addition of hormones, additives, preservatives, unnatural genetic material or other chemical or heat treatments that alter or destroy the natural healthy enzymes, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Processed foods are made for convenience and long shelf life, and real nutrition gets short-changed in the methods used to create these foods. Moreover, most processed pet foods contain grains which are often contaminated with mold, which produces dangerous poisons known as mycotoxins. There are hundreds of known mycotoxins. The more common ones known to affect dogs include: Aflatoxin Vomitoxin Zearalenone Ochratoxin Fumonisin Aflatoxin poisoning can cause severe, life threatening symptoms such as fever, vomiting and jaundice. But the larger threat is the consumption of small amounts of aflatoxin over time. Even in smaller trace amounts, aflatoxin can accumulate within a dog’s liver where the poison can ultimately cause cancer and other chronic disease. “Once aflatoxin enters a dog’s liver, it remains there forever. There’s no antidote and no known cure.” Says Mike Sagman of The Dog Food Advisor. “That’s why so many experts agree — the maximum amount of aflatoxin that should ever be allowed in any commercial dog food should be zero.” If you have already forsaken processed pet foods, good for you! But it’s important that you don’t buy meat, pork and poultry from commercial factory farms. Here’s why: the animals raised in these factory farms are confined, abused, fed food which makes them sick (genetically modified soybeans and corn, other dead animals, bakery waste, manure and other sickening things), and many become very ill from this treatment. They are then injected with bacterial killing drugs, further polluting their flesh. Worse, this reliance on drugs contributes to the development of new and lethal bacteria strains resistant to modern antibiotics. Choose grass fed, organic meats and chicken instead. Step Three: Build Good Health This may seem obvious to some but this third step is really the most important – and the most difficult. It requires a paradigm shift, away from preventing disease and toward building good health. Dog owners view heartworm pills, dewormers, flea and tick sprays, antibiotics and pharmaceuticals as disease prevention tools. This defies logic. How can chemicals and toxins promote good health? Health is a lifestyle, it’s not just the treatment of illness. Conventional medicine focuses on crisis intervention and is less successful in treating chronic illness. In fact, many modern medical techniques were developed during war time for emergency care. However, respected studies show that most illnesses don’t just drop out of the sky and hit dogs over the head. Arthritis, allergies, digestive issues, hypothyroidism, diabetes and cancer are directly related to the lifestyle choices you make for your dog The dog’s body is a beautifully designed healing system that can meet most problems without outside intervention. Conventional medicines tend to overkill and even suppress the body’s own immune response. They may appear to work well in the short term but the long term consequence is stress to the organs as the body tries to rid itself of the toxic residue from these medicines. This is most evident in the largest organ of the body: the skin. Allergies, hot spots, gunky ears, lipomas and interdigital cysts are the body’s attempt to excrete toxins acquired from heartworm pills, dewormers, vaccines, processed foods, flea and tick sprays, antibiotics, drugs and the environment. When dog owners treat these skin eruptions with conventional treatments ranging from topical steroids to atopica and prednisone, the skin eruptions may seem to go away but the cause – toxin buildup – hasn’t been addressed at all. In fact, the toxin load has been increased with the new drugs. To add insult to injury, the suppressive drugs stop the body from expelling these toxins through the skin and they will then be driven deeper inside the body, into the liver, kidneys and other organs, creating less obvious but more sinister diseases such as liver disease and cancer. Holistic medicine supports the body and helps it to heal on it’s own without suppressing symptoms. While there is a place for conventional medicine, it’s best to remember that it is really emergency medicine and should be used to put out fires but certainly not to promote good health. What Are You Waiting For? Right now is the time to take a hard look at the toxins your dog is exposed to and what you can do to limit them. Despite advances in veterinary medicine, our dogs are developing chronic disease at an alarming rate and this is directly related to the choices we make for our canine family members. What choices will you make in 2013?
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° | |
04-11-2014, 08:40 AM | #3 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,631
| Thanks I will do that next time. I didn't know if there is a max to post size |
04-11-2014, 06:52 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,220
| Oh my gosh This terrifies me! I still have my heart gard laying on the counter AND my Vectra 3 D for fleas and ticks.......I just didn't want to give them to the little thing for this exact reason.....waaaaa now what do I do?! The hear gard is huge and pkg says for UP TO 25 lbs!! Zoey is 3.4 lbs! I called the vet and questioned dosage but she has to eat the whole thing......don't want to. |
04-12-2014, 07:36 AM | #5 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Oh no worries . I just suggest posting the whole thing only bc it gets more reads if it's posted here, rather than having to click out. Click out articles often get skipped bc we're lazy .
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
04-12-2014, 09:12 AM | #6 | |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| Quote:
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! | |
04-12-2014, 09:34 AM | #7 | |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Quote:
Btw, Interceptor has a lower weight version for smaller dogs...maybe you'd like that one better?
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° | |
04-12-2014, 10:00 AM | #8 |
YT 2000 Club Donating Member | Some of you are aware that our Zoey tested positive in 2011 for heartworm. At that time there was a shortage of the "adulticide" used in the treatment and we had to wait a bout 4months for the drug to become available again. And just so you know it was "our" fault she contracted heartworm, as we missed several of her heartguard medication. Not only is the treatment risky most especially with already compromised dogs, it is also quite expensive. SHe had to stay at least one night in the ER, and would only be allowed to go home if she suffered no complications. There were two treatments done if I remember correctly one month apart. Zoey did come through both treatments with no complications. Five short months later Zoey was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma, which she died from in 2012. I can't help but wonder if that heartworm treatment so compromised her immune system that she succumbed to cancer. For medications we now mark our calendar in the kitchen (where we keep our meds) and tick off when a med is given. my dogs will never miss a heartworm med again!
__________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018 |
04-12-2014, 12:15 PM | #9 |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| I also wanted to add if you have an iPhone and use heartguard they have an app to remind you when it's time to give it.
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! |
04-12-2014, 01:06 PM | #10 | |
T. Bumpkins & Co. Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New England
Posts: 9,816
| Quote:
__________________ Washable Doggie Pee Pads (Save 10% Enter YTSAVE10 at checkout) Cathy, Teddy, Winston and Baby Clyde...RIP angels Barney and Daisy | |
04-12-2014, 01:18 PM | #11 |
YT 2000 Club Donating Member | Building Health I was disappointed that I did not see proper exercise and training, builds health in your dog! Along with regular vet checks, and blood work. Health in dogs is very similar to health in humans. We both need stimulation, both mental and physical. We both need to inter-act with fellow members - this is called socialization in the doggie world. There are so many ways to do this. The field is broad and deep and very rich with opportunities for you the dog owner to employ. And it doesn't take hours upon hours a day either. Three 5 or 10 minute sessions, coupled with at least one walk, is all it takes. They all dogs just want to really be with you. But in multi-faceted ways. BE it lap lying, or having a massage and grooming session, playing with toys with you, training with you be it formal obedience, or trick training. The key is you are focussed on them, as they are on you for 24hrs a day. They know when you wake, and when you fall asleep. They know if you are feeling ill, or are tired. They know if you are stressed and or upset or angry, all this without you even having to say a word. All well adjusted dogs, just want to please their humans. We have such a huge role we play in their lives. We are the raison-d'etre for their being, there is nothing like their owners' touch, love, and joy in them. They shine in the sunshine of our attention.
__________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018 |
04-12-2014, 02:42 PM | #12 | |
YT 2000 Club Donating Member | Quote:
I don't have an iphone. REgular calendar does well for us. We were never not commited to giving the requisite heartworm meds, we quite simply slipped up! And Zoey paid for our error with her life! While she did not die from heartworm treatment, I can't help but think mere five months later she had malignant lymphoma and died from that cancer.
__________________ Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018 | |
04-12-2014, 02:42 PM | #13 | |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| Quote:
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! | |
04-12-2014, 06:11 PM | #14 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,631
| Quote:
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04-13-2014, 07:38 AM | #15 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY
Posts: 6,582
| Really good article. While exercise and training are certainly absolutely necessary components in responsible dog ownership I think this piece was more directed toward building and maintaining the basic body health of the dog using natural foods and less pharmaceuticals. It is so important for all people to be more aware of the dangers that lurk not only in pet foods but all the food supply in this country. The food industry is now mostly owned by large corporations that are more interested in stock holders dividends than the health and welfare of the consumer.....animal or human. Finding a healthy supply of fresh meat that has not been injected with hormones, steroids or antibiotics or fed on genetically modified foods is becoming increasingly difficult and our fruits and vegetables are also subjected to genetic engineering that change the nutritional value as well as the taste and size and shape of the product. We have an epidemic of food induced diseases in this country and sadly our pets are now having to endure these same diseases due to the highly processed foods owners subject them to. Last edited by gracielove; 04-13-2014 at 07:40 AM. |
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