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Here it is I accidentally deleted it.

From: Dr Andrew Jones
Author: Veterinary Secrets Revealed
Website: www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com


PART 2

The At Home Pet Health Exam

Today’s course focuses on the skin, musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal
system, genital and urinary system.


The Skin
The skin is the largest organ of your pet’s body and is reflective of what is
going on in the body. Regularly brush your pet looking for fleas, lice or ticks.
The hair coat should be soft and shiny. If you are seeing areas of hair loss in
your pet then you may be dealing with certain skin conditions such as mange,
ringworm, hypothyroid disease or allergies; treatments for these are discussed
in detail in the e-book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed. If your pet has areas of
hair loss around the face that are not itchy, then he may have a type of mange
called demodex. This small parasite shows up in pets with depressed immune
systems. One very safe effective treatment is Vitamin E given at 400IU per 40lbs
once daily for 3-4 weeks. See www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com for more
details. If your pet has an excess of flaky skin (dandruff), then she may be in
need of an essential fatty acid supplement. Flax is the best source for dogs at
a dose of 1 teaspoon per cup of dog food. For cats use the liquid supplement
(such as fish oil).

Take note of any palpable lumps or bumps. Lipomas (benign fatty tumors) commonly
occur on the chest wall. If your dog has a soft moveable lump on her chest, then
it is probably a fatty tumor. Sebaceaous cysts are another common lump; they can
often be distinguished by squeezing out a cheesy substance. They are also very
soft. Lumps and bumps become more prevalent as your pet ages and their immune
system weakens. The most important thing in helping your pet is having them on a
premium quality diet and supplementing with additional antioxidants. The ones I
suggest using are Vitamin E and Vitamin C and specific flavanoids.

Any lumps that are firm, rapidly growing, not easily moveable should be
considered serious and examined by your veterinarian.

Musculoskeletal.
In this part of the exam we focus on the muscles and bones that help your pet
move. Starting at the neck, run your hand along the spine to the base of the
tail. Feel the muscles on both sides of the spine and notice if any feel
unusually firm or knotted. Pets can get a variety of conditions that will lead
to muscle spasms in their back muscles. Massage any tight muscles and take note
of the area. A common condition in active dogs is to develop fusing of the spine
(spondylosis). This can lead to decreased mobility, pinched vertebrae and back
pain. Your pet will benefit from regular massage of the lower lumbar spinal
muscles. Place your hands on either side of the spine and use deep circular
digital pressure with your thumbs. Work on the affected area once daily for 5
minutes.
Next, palpate the bones and muscles of the legs. Start on the legs at the toes.
Apply moderate pressure to the joints and move each joint back and forth. On the
front legs pay close attention to any discomfort in the elbow or shoulder; these
are common areas of arthritis. In the rear limbs, pay close attention to the
knee and the hips for these are commonly arthritic. Your pet will resist moving
these joints and may even yelp if she has arthritis. There are a number of
things that can be done for your pet, and in the e-book,
www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com, I talk about the use of acupressure. The
“Aspirin” spot is called the BL-60 point. It is located on your pets back leg,
in the loose tissue behind their hock (ankle); it is behind the large ligament
called the Achilles tendon. Press on this area for 1 minute twice daily for 2
weeks to assess its effectiveness.

Lift up your pet’s tail and examine the anus. If your pet is dragging her bum,
then she may have an anal gland problem. The anal glands are located just under
the skin at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock position. You can put firm pressure on
the outside of the anus squeezing with your thumb and forefinger to drain the
anal glands. Be careful not to get yourself squirted with anal gland material. A
great way to prevent anal gland problems is with the addition of fiber to your
pet’s diet. I have a detailed section of anal gland problems in
www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com.


Evaluation of the genital and urinary system.
In male dogs look at the sheath of the penis to ensure there is no abnormal
discharge. This is more common in intact males, so an easy remedy is to have
your dog neutered. In female dogs examine the vulva. A common problem is skin
fold infections. These can be treated by washing the skin folds twice daily with
an antiseptic such as Hibitane and applying a soothing cream such as Aloe Vera.

The urinary system is more difficult to evaluate, but there are some things you
can do at home. Signs of a bladder infection are frequently urination, which may
have blood and may be painful. There are a number of home remedies for bladder
infections; the most effective are Vitamin C and Cranberry juice. The Vitamin C
acidifies the urine making it more difficult for the bacteria to grow, as well
as dissolving the more common type of crystal, struvite. The Vitamin C dose is
250mg per 20lbs daily. There are more details in
www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com.

If you have a male cat, then it is imperative to determine that he is not
completely blocked up. Using your thumb and other four fingers, palpate the
entire lower abdomen. An obstructed bladder will feel like a firm distended
balloon. If your male cat has this condition, it is an emergency and he must be
treated by a veterinarian. !!!
I discuss ways to prevent your cat from getting obstructed; the most important
thing is to feed a diet higher in moisture. This is accomplished with canned
food. Then depending on the type of crystal he has it is important to either
acidify the urine (with struvite) or make the urine more alkaline (oxalate
crystals). An easy way to acidify the urine is to raise the meat protein level.
Making the urine more alkaline involves decreasing the protein level and adding
a supplement, potassium citrate.

Gastrointestinal.
A common problem for pets is vomiting and diarrhea. Any vomiting pet must be
evaluated for dehydration. If your pet is profusely vomiting (ie every few
hours), then they are getting dehydrated and need veterinary care. If your pet
is still consuming water and occasionally vomiting, then you can try some of the
home remedies. Two home remedies that are effective include HOMEOPATHIC and
HERBAL remedies. Nux vomica is an effective homeopathic remedy for vomiting.
Give 1 tablet of the 30C strength per 40lbs once daily for 3-5 days.

GINGER. A tasty addition for a curry is also effective for vomiting. The dried
herb dose is 25mg per lb or 1 drop per lb twice daily of the tincture. More are
discussed in www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com

Diarrhea can be caused by a number of different things, from garbage, to
parasites, to infectious agents (such as parvovirus). Most cases of diarrhea
respond to symptomatic treatment at home and the most effective one is 24 HOUR
FAST. Stop putting food into your pet for 24 hours (Day 1). This allows the
intestines to rest and regenerate. Always have access to plenty of fresh water.
After 24 hours introduce a bland food for the next 24 hours (Day 2). Plain white
cooked rice for dogs, feeding equivalent cups of rice as their normal diet. For
cats, protein is essential, try cooked chicken breast with the rice. After a day
of the bland food mix ½ regular diet and ½ bland diet (Day 3). By
the end of day 3 they should be back on their normal diet.

This concludes Part 2 of the Veterinary Secrets Revealed Minicourse, The At Home
Pet Health Exam.
You will receive Part 3 of the minicourse two days from today.

Sincerely,

Dr Andrew Jones

For ways to treat your pet’s problems
with over 1000 safe, natural and effective at home remedies visit:

www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com.

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