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Holistic Treatment Holistic Pet Care How can a different medical approach aid your veterinarian in diagnosing your pet's well-being? View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] Food for Thought A thorough discussion of alternate diets to augment your pet's feeding regimen. View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] 5 Supplements that every dog needs Part 1 - View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] Part 2 - View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] Vaccines A history of pet vaccinations and Beaver Animal Clinic's policy on annual vaccines. View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] Vaccines fact sheet. View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] Veterinary Acupuncture Beaver Animal Clinic can use the ancient Chinese method of therapy to treat what ails your pet. View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] Animal Chiropractic Chiropractic care for your pet can make him or her more comfortable, but it is important to be knowledgable and seek a qualified chiropractic caregiver. View the article or Print the article [ Word | PDF ] Holistic Pet Health Info Read about natural health care that you can give to your pets and how it can improve their lives. Topics include:
Holistic Pet Care At a year of age, Elsa was a bright, active Sheltie with a promising future in the show ring and agility course. However, all the big plans were put on hold when she came up lame and stiff in the rear a month after her first birthday. Initially her guardian, Lynn, thought she must have injured herself. Her veterinarian concurred and prescribed anti-inflammatory medication. The drug seemed to help temporarily but the symptoms soon recurred and Lynn and her husband Tom became more troubled. The couple was referred to an orthopedic expert who took X-rays of Elsa's back. There appeared to be instability where the lower spine meets the sacrum. Cortisone was prescribed but instead of improving, Elsa got worse. Two weeks later the veterinarian repeated the spinal X-rays and discovered that there was an area of the sacrum where the bone was eroded away. It literally looked as if someone had drilled a hole into Elsa's sacrum. Finally, six weeks after the initial symptoms, Tom and Lynn had their answer. Unfortunately, Elsa was diagnosed with discospondylitis -- a serious, deep bone infection of the spine. This rather rare condition is caused when bacteria enter the blood stream and lodge in a bone of the spine. In Elsa's case it is surmised that the discospondylitis stemmed from a bladder infection she had as a puppy. The veterinarian gave a guarded prognosis and prescribed a long course of antibiotics for Elsa. Lynn and Tom were upset and concerned by the whole ordeal. They truly love their pets as part of the family and wanted to do everything they could to help Elsa. The couple decided not to leave the fate of their beloved companion solely in the hands of conventional medicine. After researching alternatives and speaking with others in their Sheltie club, they brought Elsa to see me. I am a holistic veterinarian, one of a new breed in the veterinary community. I received my veterinary degree from Ohio State University in 1987. After being in practice for several years, I began to feel discouraged by the limitations of conventional veterinary medicine and sought to broaden my training beyond traditional approaches. This led me to the acupuncture course offered by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). After receiving IVAS certification in 1995, I further expanded my knowledge by attending continuing education courses on clinical nutrition and homeopathy. I also earned certified in animal chiropractic and veterinary Chinese herbal medicine. Holistic veterinary services are in demand these days because the use of holistic methods is becoming more and more popular in the United States. A 2001 Harvard Medical School study showed that 67.6% of US adults have used complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies at some time in their lives. Yes, alternative medicine has officially gone mainstream. Now holistically-minded pet guardians are seeking natural therapies for their four-legged companions. So why has holistic medicine gained in popularity lately and what is meant by holistic pet care? The term "holistic" implies that the entire being, body, mind and spirit, is being addressed. The whole is considered to be greater than the sum of its parts. This concept stands in direct opposition to the Western reductionistic view of life. Modern medicine tends to break systems down into smaller and smaller pieces, reducing them to their basic building blocks to gain an understanding. The difference between the holistic and Western approaches can be illustrated by my experience as a freshman in veterinary school. The first class we budding animal doctors faced was anatomy lab. In this class, we dissected the bodies of our canine cadavers down to the minutest detail to see just how the biologic machine worked, like a mechanic taking apart a car engine in search of the oil leak. By the end of the semester, it was difficult to distinguish what species we had started with. I learned a lot about the parts of the body but lost an appreciation for what it would have been like to run with this pup or to snuggle up with him on a crisp, spring morning. Furthermore, I never witnessed anyone put all the pieces back together to re-form the original, living dog. That's because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Holistic medicine takes many forms, but there are common beliefs among these various techniques. First of all, health is considered to be more than simply the absence of disease. It is a state of well-being expressed as a vitality that resists disease. Health is a dynamic balance of internal and external forces. From this point of view, there is a broad spectrum of physical conditions ranging from perfect health to death.
Have you ever had the experience of taking your pet to the veterinarian because he is not acting right only to be told after a battery of tests that there is nothing wrong? If your pet is having even mild symptoms, you know there is something wrong. The problem is that conventional testing and conventional wisdom does not recognize the disturbance until it becomes more serious. For example, blood tests can not detect kidney disease until 75% of the kidney function is destroyed. Most holistic approaches have ways of diagnosing and treating the imbalance before it develops into disease. From the holistic point of view, symptoms are seen as the body's attempt to maintain balance or as an alert that there is a problem. Therefore, symptoms are not the enemy to be attacked. For example, when an animal has pain, it is a warning that something is wrong and needs to be addressed. This is like when the "check engine" light comes on in a car. Simply giving pain medication to such a pet is akin to putting a piece of electrical tape over the warning light. It looks like the problem is solved but if the real issue is not addressed, there could be dire consequences. Looking at disease holistically means looking beyond the symptoms to the cause of the problem. At the risk of sounding like a car mechanic myself, here is another automobile analogy. A car with a flat tire needs to have it fixed. However, if poor driving habits caused the flat, then just patching the hole will not solve the problem for long. Holistic treatment of a patient is centered on such things as lifestyle, a sensible vaccination protocol, and natural nutrition. Rather than expecting the doctor to fix the problem, the animal caregiver plays an integral role in the pet's health care. Holistic therapies embrace the vitalist concept that has been abandoned by conventional medicine. The vitalists believe that there is more to the body than meets the eye. There is a vital energy that animates the flesh. The Chinese call it "Qi," the Japanese call it "Ki," the doctors of India call it "Prana," homeopaths call it the "Vital Force," and chiropractors call it the "Innate." It is this life force energy that is the difference between life and death, and it must be nourished to maintain true health. Holistic therapies generally strengthen the body where as conventional medicine fights disease. The body is viewed as containing its own pharmacy. Research bears this fact out. You may have heard of the placebo effect. This medical anomaly predicts that 30% of subjects treated with a sugar pill will improve ... no matter what the disease is. High blood pressure, low blood pressure, allergies - all can be alleviated by the patients' own bodies. It is considered a case of mind over matter but it proves that our bodies can heal themselves if conditions are right. The idea of holistic therapies is to produce the right conditions for true health. Of course, fighting disease and strengthening the body are not mutually exclusive approaches to health. For me, holistic pet care embraces the best of what each has to offer. This concept is referred to as integrative medicine. There are some cases for which surgery or antibiotics may be the best option. At the same time acupuncture, chiropractic, herbs or nutritional supplements may be used to speed healing and strengthen the animal's constitution. As for Elsa, after an hour-long holistic exam involving a detailed analysis of Elsa's medical history, X-rays, some holistic diagnostic techniques and a discussion with Lynn, we decided to help the ailing pet by continuing the antibiotic therapy to kill the bacteria, and adding acupuncture and chiropractic to the treatment plan. Acupuncture helps with pain but can also increase the antibiotic-carrying blood flow to the diseased bone and improve Elsa's immune system. Chiropractic is an excellent way to ease back pain and simultaneously it promotes the proper functioning of the spinal cord and nerves. Both Tom and Lynn noticed an immediate improvement in Elsa's comfort and gait after the first treatment. So far, follow-up exams with the orthopedic veterinarian have been equally promising. Elsa is ahead of schedule in healing her condition and the expert was surprised by how quickly her sacrum improved on X-rays. The integrative approach is not a cure-all, but it only makes sense to use every tool possible when faced with any health condition, especially a serious one like Elsa's. Plus, many holistic treatments can help apparently healthy athletes perform better. There are many holistic therapies available for pets. It is best that any alternative treatment be administered by a properly trained veterinarian. Such a professional is not only thoroughly familiar with unique aspects of animal physiology and disease, he or she is also an expert in which holistic treatments would be the most appropriate for a given patient. For more information on holistic pet care or to find a local holistic veterinarian contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association at 410-569-0795 or check out their website at www.ahvma.org. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] Food for Thought Let's look at our pets' diets. They say you are what you eat, and the same concept holds true for our pets. A healthy diet is the foundation for overall health. But what constitutes a healthy diet for animals? Take a critical look at your pet's food. Does it look appetizing to you? How did we ever get brainwashed into thinking that dry kibble or pre-digested canned foods are good for our pets. You might ask, "Well what's the matter with it. It's pet food for goodness sake." There are a number of concerns I have about commercial pet foods. First of all, what exactly are the ingredients? Look at the label. It says there is meat of some sort, usually beef, chicken or lamb. But what is the quality of this meat? Did you know that there is no federal inspection of pet food processing? In many states it is considered OK to use meats that are unfit for human consumption. They call them the 4 D's - Animals that arrive at the packing plant already dead, dying, diseased or disabled. So basically, they can cut diseased tissues and tumors off a carcass and throw it in the bin for pet foods. It's only pet food, right? I'm not saying that all pet foods contain these ingredients, but there is no way of knowing. Another common ingredient in commercial diets is grain such as corn, wheat or rice. Many times this is the most abundant ingredient in the food. So, what's the matter with grain? It's good for you right? Don't pets need carbohydrates? To answer these questions, look at the natural situation. What do our pet's counterparts in the wild eat? Wild members of the dog and cat families eat other animals. You don't see them grazing in the rice paddies for food. Now it is true that they eat some vegetation, but certainly carbohydrates are not the major part of their diets. The fact is that carbohydrates are a cheap source of energy for foods. Unfortunately, I have seen evidence that the excessive amounts of carbohydrates in pet foods contribute to diabetes. I recently had a case where I could not regulate the glucose in a diabetic cat. We were giving large doses of insulin with no results. I had the owner switch the cat to a carbohydrate free natural diet, and within days we had the glucose under control. I also believe that the high level of carbohydrates in pet foods leads to obesity. It is the best explanation I can find for why a 100-pound Labrador Retriever gains weight on one cup of food per day. I also have a problem with some of the additives they use in pet foods. Many foods contain artificial flavors and colors. These are unnatural chemicals that have no place in our pets' diets. How about preservatives? The fact is that the average twenty-five pound dog eating a commercial pet food consumes between six and nine pounds of preservatives each year. And, did you know that the burger-type semi-moist foods are preserved with sugar? Imagine, there is so much sugar in them that bacteria can't survive. That doesn't sound very healthy. One of the trickiest pet food ingredients to preserve is fat. Fat is an important nutrient for animals but it goes rancid quite easily when left out at room temperature. The most common fat preservative is ethoxyquin. Over the years, concerned pet owners have sought foods that are ethoxyquin free. This task is not as easy as it sounds. If a food company buys fat and adds ethoxyquin to preserve it, they must put ethoxyquin on the label. However, if the food company buys fat that already has ethoxiquin in it they do not have to list the ingredient. So much for reading labels. Of course we do have some pet food companies that are adding healthy supplements to their foods. For example, there are ads for foods containing glucosamine for healthy joints. The problem is that there is great disparity in the quality of glucosamine supplements and there is no way of assessing the quality from the label. Also, it is necessary to supply this supplement at an adequate dose to have the desired effect. I question whether pets really get enough from these foods. There are also companies that tout that their pet foods contain essential fatty acids for a healthy coat. Unfortunately, essential fatty acids do not maintain their potency unless they are kept from exposure to open air and light. No dry pet food can keep this nutrient active. The food may have contained essential fatty acids when it left the factory but little if any of it makes it to your pet. Both glucosamine and essential fatty acids are very important for proper nutrition, but they are best supplied to your pet in the form of a high quality supplement. Or better yet, feed your pet a natural diet, which automatically contains all the needed nutrients, even those we have yet to discover. We will look more closely at these topics shortly. Commercial diets also fall short when it comes to the very form in which they are delivered to our pets. Cayce stressed the importance of eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly. Digestion begins in the mouth. Animals chew their food not just to break it into pieces that can be swallowed, but also to mix the food with saliva. Saliva contains enzymes that begin the digestive process before the food even reaches the stomach. Canned food is so mushy that pets don't have to chew it, and dry food comes in small kibble that many pets swallow whole. Wild dogs and cats eat raw food containing bones that have to be chewed. Thus, even the form of our pet foods bypasses the natural process of eating. Finally with respect to commercial diets, look at the processing. Do wolves cook their food before eating? Have you ever seen a tiger light up a Bunsen burner? I don't think so. Wild animals eat their food raw, the way nature intended. Our pets too have evolved for millions of years on raw food. In fact, processed food is a recent development and has been fed to pets for only the past 70 years or so. So what's so bad about cooking the ingredients, it still contains all the same proteins, right? Well, not exactly. Heat denatures the proteins and destroys some other nutrients. One major ingredient that cooking destroys is the food's natural enzymes. Every cell in the body contains enzymes. When an animal dies, the cellular enzymes release and dissolve the tissues. In medical terms this is called autolysis. When an animal eats raw foods it benefits from these naturally occurring enzymes because the normal diet helps digest itself. Cooked food contains no enzymes and is not digested and assimilated properly. This is why adding digestive enzymes to commercial pet foods can greatly benefit the health of our pets. So, if we compare commercial diets to the natural diet that carnivores are meant to eat, we see that commercial diets do not measure up. Pet food companies start with questionable raw materials, add potential toxins, then process the nutrition out. Finally the food manufacturers try ineffectively to add back nutrients. Let's face it, pet foods are made more for our convenience than for pet nutrition. In fact, another reason many of our pets are overweight is that they are starved for nutrients and we are feeding them empty calories. The alternative is to feed our pets the natural diet they were meant to eat. So what is a natural diet for pets? How can an average pet owner make his pet's food? Surely only food companies know the secret to formulating a proper diet. Think about it, pets have been around for a long time before pet food manufacturers existed. Why do we not have the same concerns about feeding the human members of our families? Before talking about what a natural diet is, let me explain what it is not. Feeding animals human food is not the same as feeding table scraps. The scraps from our tables usually include fat, cooked bones and processed foods, all of which can cause serious health problems for our pets. A natural diet for pets also does not mean feeding them only meat. Although dogs and cats are carnivores, their normal diet also includes raw bones, organ meat such as liver, and shredded vegetables. The biggest problem with feeding only meat is that meat is high in phosphorus. It is extremely important to balance this phosphorus with the proper amount of calcium, which the animals normally get by eating raw bones. Now, there are two basic philosophies on making homemade pet diets. Dr. Richard Pitcairn was a pioneer in holistic pet health and wrote one of the first books on the subject entitled, "Natural Health for Dogs and Cats." This book is a must for all pet owners. In this book, Dr. Pitcairn gives information on pet diets and gives several recipes. Dr. Pitcairn meticulously researched these diets for proper balance. The problem is that he based his research on conventional concepts of pet nutrition. The biggest flaw is that these recipes are high in carbohydrates. The other drawback is the complexity of preparation with many supplements added. But, these diets can be cooked, so if you cannot bring yourself to feed raw meat, these recipes are for you. Another approach to pet nutrition is to mimic nature and base the pet diet on what similar wild animals eat. This dietary philosophy is abbreviated BARF which stands for Bones And Raw Foods. A proponent of this diet is Dr. Ian Billinghurst from Australia. "Give Your Dog a Bone" is his book outlining the BARF diet. "Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats" by Kymythy R. Schultze is another good book on this subject. The BARF diet is based on the concept that our pets are made to eat what their wild counterparts eat. Wild dogs such as wolves and wild cats such as bobcats eat raw meat and raw bones with some organ meat and shredded veggies that they get from the abdominal contents of their prey. As mentioned above, raw meat is much different than cooked meat. Raw is more nutritious than cooked for our pets. Feeding raw meat always brings up the concern over bacteria and parasites. All I can say is that they do not seem to cause a problem for wild animals and they do not seem to bother pets either. Their digestive systems handle it just fine. For the past five years I have been feeding my own two dogs and four cats raw meat, mostly chicken and turkey, and have had no problems with bacterial infections. In fact, Louie, my Newfoundland mix has been known to bury a chicken back, then dig it up the next day and eat it, with no deleterious effects. Yes, I feed my dogs bones. It is true that cooked bones are very dangerous. They are brittle and break into sharp pieces, which can rip through a pet's intestines. The right raw bones, however, are a bird of a different feather. They can be easily digested by pets, and have been for millions of years. When including vegetables in a pet's diet they need to be shredded, just like the kind found in the herbivore's stomach. The carnivore's digestive tract is shorter than that of an herbivore and therefore cannot handle whole vegetables. Shredded vegetables are very nutritious as part of a pet's diet. Although vegetables are part of a pet's diet, it is not natural for dogs and cats to be vegetarians. Having said this, it is possible for dogs to thrive on a vegetarian diet if it is combined carefully. Cats on the other hand are obligate carnivores. There are certain nutrients found only in meat that cats must have to live. The beauty of the BARF diet is that very few supplements are needed. That's the way it should be when you feed the pet what it is meant to eat. I recommend simply adding a natural multivitamin/mineral to the diet for good measure. Be sure to read a good book on the subject before starting your pet on the BARF diet. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] The Five Supplements Every Pet Needs PART ONE By Douglas Knueven, DVM We've all heard the old adage, "You are what you eat." It certainly is true that the body can only build tissues (muscle, bone, brain, etc.) with the raw materials we provide. This same concept is valid for our canine and feline companions as well. Sometimes even the slightest deficiency in a key nutrient can have devastating results. It behooves us to be certain to provide our pets with the best possible nutrition. In order to understand the need for nutritional supplementation we must first find out the basics of companion animal nutrition. So who should you turn to for dietary advice, your veterinarian? Not so fast. According to a recent survey published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, nutrition training in veterinary schools is inadequate and the quality of continuing education on nutrition is inferior. While in veterinary school, I remember having only a single, one-hour lecture on pet foods and it was sponsored by a major food company. In school we were basically told that the food companies know what they are doing, "Just recommend a quality pet food." After a time in practice I began to ask the question, "Do the pet food companies really have it all figured out?" I decided to research the issue, and this is what I discovered. The contents and labeling of commercial pet foods is governed by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). This group is made up of people from the pet food industry -- talk about the fox guarding the henhouse. It is up to AAFCO to determine that a given pet food is "100% complete and balanced." There are two methods AFFCO uses to accomplish this. The first, a feeding trial, involves feeding the food to as few as eight animals for 26 weeks. The pets are weighed and given a physical exam before and at the end of the study. Also at the end their blood is tested for hemoglobin content, red blood cell count, a liver test and the albumin level (and the taurine level in cats). Based on this meager data, a food can be deemed appropriate as the only food source for the life of an animal. The second way AAFCO determines the fitness of a pet food is called a food analysis. For this, a sample of the food is tested for the nutrients in the AAFCO nutrient profile. The profile list includes protein, fat, fiber, ash, vitamins and minerals -- thirty-six ingredients in all. This looks pretty good until you realize that there are over forty known nutrients and hundreds more are currently being investigated. And, what about nutrients yet to be discovered? According to Dr. David A. Dzanis, the veterinarian in the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, "The formulation method does not account for... the availability of nutrients. Yet the feeding trial can miss some chronic deficiencies or toxicities." Dr. Quinton Rogers, professor of physiological chemistry at the university of Cal., Davis adds, "Although the AAFCO profiles are better than nothing, they provide a false security." Finally, Dr. Tony Buffington, the nutritionist at the Ohio State Veterinary College had this to say, "The recommendation to feed one food for the life of an animal gives nutritionists more credit than we deserve." These comments are not very reassuring for the pet-owning public. In fact, you do not have to look far for evidence that "100% complete and balanced" diets have had deficiencies. Many cats died of heart failure until it was discovered in the late 1980's that the deadly disease, cardiomyopathy, was caused by a diet deficient in the amino acid taurine. Current research is even more intriguing. In 2004, the Iams Company released a study that explored the effect of dietary fish oil on canine intelligence. The theory was that since 5% of the brain is composed of DHA (one of the essential fatty acids found in fish oil), this could be an important nutrient. This study focused on the developing brain. For this research, pregnant dogs and (after whelping) their puppies were divided into two groups. The study group was fed Iams diet plus fish oil, while the control group was fed just Iams diet. At nine weeks of age, the offspring were started on a one-month training/testing period designed to gauge the individual's intelligence. Incredibly, the training performance index for the fish oil group was double that of the control group. This led the researchers to conclude, "When you consider that the number one killer of dogs is euthanasia due to behavior problems, we should be recommending high-DHA diets." I agree with this conclusion; however the researchers did not acknowledge an important point. Since the control group (the less intelligent dogs) was fed Iams diet -- which according to the label is 100% complete and balanced -- then it follows that dogs are inherently stupid but with this "new" nutrient we can make them smart enough to keep alive. On the other hand, perhaps this study points to the fact that commercial foods are not complete and balanced, and it is our arrogance about nutrition that has led to the deaths of dogs whose behavior problems stemmed from malnutrition. It is likely that many other canine and feline health conditions are actually due to dietary deficiencies. Let's face it; even the experts don't know everything. Obviously, pets need supplements. But, before I go into my top five, we need to look at the pitfalls of purchasing supplements. The major issue is reliability. Because there is little federal oversight of nutritional supplements, you cannot be sure that you are getting what the label says. For example, a study published in June, 2000 showed that only 6 out of 24 store-bought glucosamine supplements met label claims -- some contained as little as 25% of what the label said. The same study showed that 26 out of 32 health food store Chondroitin supplements had less than 90% of label claims and that 14 of them had less than 10%. Standards for supplements do not match those for medications and you cannot trust the labels. If you buy the bargain brand you are probably wasting your money. So who or what can you trust? Experience! This is where your holistically-minded veterinarian comes in handy. There are certain brands of supplements and particular products that I have discovered through trial and error over the years that I know I can trust. I am not saying that all other supplements are inferior, just that I know that these work. Your local veterinarian will have his or her own favorites. So here are my top five supplements that all pets need, in order of importance. SUPPLEMENT NUMBER ONE -- A Balanced Multivitamin/Mineral Vitamins and minerals are nutrients the body needs to function properly and cannot manufacture on its own. As we have seen, nutritional deficiencies have been found in commercial diets. Although the deficits are corrected as they are discovered, more are possibly lurking in the next bag. Besides, the vitamin and mineral content of pet diets is based on "average" animals. Stresses such as surgery or illness and athletic performance such as agility cause a need for extra nutrition. Additionally, the nutrition in pet foods is linked to calories. For example, if the food bag says that, based on his weight, a particular dog needs 3 cups of food, then that is what he needs to get the required vitamins and minerals. If the dog gains too much weight on this quantity of food (a very common situation) and the owner cuts the amount fed, then the animal's nutrient intake will likely be deficient. For these reasons I recommend that all pets get a good multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. To understand my specific choice of vitamins, you need look more closely at the vitamin industry and research. Most vitamin supplements consist of synthetically made chemicals. However, if you listen closely to the reports on nutrition you often hear statements like, "Researchers have found that people eating foods high in such and such nutrient have such and such health benefit." Many times when studies are done using the same nutrient from a synthetic source, there are no health benefits. It is difficult to improve on Mother Nature so supplements made from whole foods are best. My personal favorite multivitamin/mineral supplement is the Standard Process products, Canine Whole Body Support and Feline Whole Body Support. Standard Process is the oldest human supplement company in the US and for several years now has offered animal products. Their claim to fame is that instead of making synthetic vitamins, their products are made by concentrating the nutrition in whole foods, most of which are grown on their own organic farms. I've seen great responses to their products. SUPPLEMENT NUMBER TWO -- Fish Oil Due to the Iams study quoted earlier plus much more research, all pets need fish oil. Part two of this article will focus exclusively on this amazing supplement and why it is the best source for omega-three fatty acids for animals. SUPPLEMENT NUMBER THREE -- Digestive Enzymes Digestive enzymes are substances made by the pancreas and excreted into the intestine to further break down food particles so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Ample enzymes are essential for the body to absorb all the nutrients from food. Even healthy animals need extra digestive enzymes. A closer look at enzymes reveals that every living cell contains enzymes that help it function. When an organism dies, the cell enzymes are released and begin a self-digestion action called autolysis. So food, whether plant or animal, begins the digestion process on its own. Unfortunately, heat destroys the cellular enzymes so cooked and processed foods require extra digestive enzymes on the part of the consumer. Also, it has been shown that animals are able to produce fewer and fewer digestive enzymes as they age. This can be a major cause of the wasting seen in elderly pets. Besides, extra enzymes increase the absorption of many nutrients. In fact, essential fatty acids, like the ones in fish oil, have a 71% increase in assimilation when digestive enzymes are taken concurrently. Animals simply thrive when their diet is supplemented with digestive enzymes and my product choice is Prozyme. SUPPLEMENT NUMBER FOUR -- Glucosamine/Chondroitin Glucosamine and chondroitin are components of healthy joints. They help the joint cartilage maintain its 65% to 80% water content. This gives the joint its shock absorbing quality like a wet sponge. Joint cartilage lacking these substances becomes like a dry sponge and develops arthritis. Throughout an animal's life, there are two competing processes going on in joint cartilage. On the one hand, there are cells that continuously break down joint tissue. At the same time, there are cells that rebuild the tissue. This is how the body refurbishes itself. If the raw ingredients for rebuilding, such as glucosamine and chondroitin, are lacking, then the rebuilding process cannot keep up with the destructive process and the joint degenerates. Glucosamine and chondroitin support joint health and they not only aid with arthritis, studies show they help prevent arthritis from developing in the first place. That's why all pets can benefit from these nutrients -- especially performance dogs whose joints take a lot of wear and tear. Recent studies have also shown that many older cats also suffer in silence from arthritis. By the way, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs decrease inflammation and pain but also inhibit the cartilage reconstruction process and thereby worsen the condition they are used to treat. My choice for glucosamine/chondroitin supplementation is Glycoflex from Vetri-Science. SUPPLEMENT NUMBER FIVE -- Probiotics The canine and feline intestinal tracts are teaming with bacteria. In fact there are many more bacteria in the intestine than there are cells in the body! Some of the intestinal microbes can cause disease. Others, called probiotic bacteria are actually beneficial because they keep disease-causing germs under control and help to release more nutrients from what's left of the food. An imbalance in the intestinal flora can lead to diarrhea and/or nutritional deficiencies. The good bacteria in the intestine can be thrown off by medications (especially antibiotics), dietary irregularities and stress. If your pet gets diarrhea while on antibiotics it is usually because of this effect. In the wild, wolves commonly eat their own stool to rebalance their gut bacteria and this is sometimes the reason our pets resort to coprophagia. Probiotics are supplements that help to replenish the good bacteria in the intestine. Most pets do not need to be kept on probiotic supplements continuously but all animals need a balancing dose three or four times a year. It is a good practice to give probiotics at the change of seasons and during and after treating the pet with any medication. My choice of probiotic supplement is another Vetri-Science product called Acetylator. It not only contains beneficial bacteria, it also supplies enzymes and other nutrients for intestinal health.So there you have the listing of supplements that your pet needs. Again, your veterinarian may have his favorite products that will work just as well, but beware of health food store or on line bargain brands. And remember, all the supplements in the world will not make up for a poor diet. Part two of this article, will provide a wealth of information on essential fatty acids and the benefits of fish oil for the health of your pet. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] The Five Supplements Every Pet Needs PART TWO Fish Oil (It's not Snake Oil) By Douglas Knueven, DVM Fish oil is number two on my list of supplements that every pet needs, running a close second to a good, natural multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. I have seen almost miraculous responses when fish oil is added to the diets of health-challenged pets. To date, over 2,000 scientific studies tout the many benefits of this supplement and more studies are being published every year. The importance of fish oil for dogs and cats will become obvious as we explore the chemistry and biology of fats. Fat, grease, and oils are made of fatty acids just as meat is made of mostly proteins. Fatty acids are categorized by their chemical structure which dictates their effects on the body. Broadly speaking, all fatty acids are either saturated or unsaturated to various degrees. The saturation of the oil has to do with the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the main molecule. The more hydrogen atoms, the more saturation there is. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are unsaturated fatty acids that the body needs for health but cannot make on its own. EFAs must be obtained in foods. The body needs EFAs to make and repair cell membranes. EFAs are involved with producing energy from food substances and moving that energy throughout the body. They govern growth, vitality, mental state, oxygen transfer, hemoglobin production and control the movement of nutrients through cell membranes. In short, EFAs play a part in almost every function of the body. Omega-6s and Omega-3s are two types of EFAs. Omega-6 fatty acids are naturally found in grains, other plants, and animal-based fat sources such as poultry fat. The normal pet diet is rich in these oils. Sources of Omega-3s include fish oils and flax seed oil. The most important Omega-3 fatty acids for pets are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicsoapentaenoic acid (EPA). Unlike humans, dogs and cats lack the enzymes necessary to obtain DHA and EPA from flax seed oil so fish oil is the preferred supplement for obtaining Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are sorely lacking in the vast majority of commercial pet foods. As will be demonstrated below, a balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids is vital to health. Although the exact healthy ratio has not been conclusively determined, researchers believe that a five-to-one Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio is optimal. Alarmingly, many commercial pet foods may contain ratios of up to and above 50-to-1! This dietary imbalance is leading to many chronic health disturbances for our animal friends. Fish Oil and Inflammation The bodies of animals (people included) are set up with competing mechanisms that in the normal, healthy state keep the body in balance. These systems of homeostasis can be thought of as teeter-totters weighted equally on each side. The idea is that as the stresses of life shift the body chemistry, a gentle counterbalance can bring the organism back to normal. One such teeter-totter system involves inflammation. There are, within the body, complicated chemical pathways that lead to inflammation (pro-inflammatory) and there are counterbalancing pathways that suppress inflammation (anti-inflammatory). In the healthy dog these mechanisms work together in harmony providing inflammation when needed (such as when trauma requires the cleanup up of destroyed tissue) and then turning the process off (as needed when the clean up is complete). EFAs play a key role in both the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways. Basically, the Omega-6 fatty acids weight the teeter-totter toward inflammation while the Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory. Now the significance of the dietary imbalance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids becomes apparent. The typical, commercial pet food promotes inflammation throughout the body of the animal. Research indicates two specific areas of importance of the pro-inflammatory effects of pet foods. The first area is the skin. The skin is the largest organ of the body and in pets it is the usual place where allergies manifest. Allergies are simply a manifestation of inflammation and are promoted by an inflammatory system that is out of balance. From my clinical experience I can see that our pets are plagued with allergies these days. There is no doubt that this problem is diet related. Recent research has shown that 45% of dogs with inhalant allergies had a good to excellent response to simply changing the diet to one with an Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio of five-to-one. The second area of the body influenced by the dietary imbalance of EFAs is the joints. Many of our dogs and cats suffer from arthritis and this problem seems to be affecting younger and younger animals. Arthritis is merely an inflammation of the joints. This condition can be predisposed by many factors such as conformation -- as is the case with hip dysplasia, or trauma. But, research indicates that the lack of dietary Omega-3 fatty acids plays a roll as well. Studies have shown that adding fish oil to the diet can reduce the stiffness, pain and inflammation associated with this debilitating disease. Considering what we know about the pro-inflammatory effects of our unbalanced pet foods, it follows that supplementing fish oil can prevent or reduce the development of arthritis in the first place. Fish Oil and Cancer Cancer is the leading cause of death in older cats and dogs. One of the most important areas of research involving the fatty acids found in fish oil (DHA and EPA) is how their supplementation can aid with cancer. According to recent research, adding fish oil to the diet increases the survival time of cancer patients by 30%-50%. It also causes longer periods of remission for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and it counteracts the metabolic changes that cancer can cause, such as the characteristic wasting. The study concludes that "the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are probably the most important nutrients to consider for dogs with cancer." A closer look at cancer shows that pets produce cancer cells every day. The reason all our pets do not die of cancer is because those with a healthy immune system eliminate the abnormal cells before they get out of control. It makes sense that we should do all we can to balance the scales in favor of eradicating the cancer cells. Providing fish oil in the diets of healthy pets can help to achieve this goal. Fish Oil and Cognitive Function In part one of this article I summarized a study showing that supplementing fish oil in the diets of pregnant females and their offspring doubled the learning ability of those puppies. This is no doubt because five percent of the brain is made of DHA. If we do not provide the building materials, then the body cannot construct a normally functioning brain. Research in people, that I think translates to pets, also shows that high dietary intake of fish oil can help with depression and Alzheimer's disease, and can reduce the risk of strokes caused by blood clots. Omega-3s have even been shown to improve schizophrenia and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders so it may not be too late for your neurotic Boarder Collie. Other Health Benefits There seems to be no end to the research-proven benefits of Omega-3 EFAs. Obese people tend to achieve better control over their blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Diabetics benefit by lowering their triglyceride levels and raising their HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Those suffering from asthma and inflammatory bowel disease profit as well. The bottom line is that all pets and people need more Omega-3 fatty acids in their diets. Conclusion Because of the recent research on EFAs, some pet food companies are supplementing certain select diets with fish oil. This is a step in the right direction. The effectiveness of this new development is questionable though because due to their chemical structure, EFA's are inherently unstable and reactive. This means that they easily oxidize (go rancid). In fact, EFAs are rendered useless by exposure to heat, light and air. So, even if there are plenty of EFAs in the food to begin with, and it withstands processing and sitting around on the store shelf, as soon as you open the bag and expose the food to air, the EFAs begin to deactivate. For this reason, I prefer that my patients be supplemented with fish oil that can be properly stored and applied to the food, fresh with each meal. It is important to carefully research any fish oil supplement to see how it is harvested, packaged, preserved and tested. To maintain the integrity of the EFAs the oil must be processed with as little exposure to heat, air and light as possible. Also, because fish can be a source of mercury and other toxins, it is imperative that the fish used come from unpolluted waters and that testing is done on the oil to ensure purity. My fish oil supplement of choice is Grizzly Salmon Oil. This supplement meets the above requirements and has stood the test of time, helping many patients at my office regain health. I am sure there are other fish oil supplements that are good as well and your local veterinarian may have another brand that she prefers. I do have one caution regarding cod liver oil. Although this form of fish oil is a rich source of the same Omega-3 EFAs as found in fish oil, it also can contain high levels of vitamin D, depending on the brand. Vitamin D is provided adequately in commercial pet foods and it is possible to create a toxicity by over-supplementing this nutrient. For this reason, I prefer to stick with fish oil. The dose of Grizzly Salmon Oil is marked on the bottle. This is good for the average pet but I will sometimes work up to twice that dose for cancer patients. For those supplementing with fish oil capsules, I would recommend giving one capsule per 20 pounds for normal supplementation and one per 10 pounds for pets with cancer. There are two rare problems associated with supplementing fish oil, especially at the higher doses. If your pet is prone to pancreatitis (a disease that causes the pancreas to over-respond to dietary fat), then adding fish oil to the diet could aggravate the condition. The other problem that occasionally happens is that the extra oils in the diet can cause diarrhea. To minimize these issues, if your pet has a tendency toward GI troubles, then it is best to start at a low dose and gradually work your pet up to the desired level.Now my list of the five supplements every pet needs is complete. Remember to supplement the diet on a daily basis with a natural multivitamin/mineral such as Canine Whole Body Support and Feline Whole Body Support, fish oil, digestive enzymes such as Prozyme, and glucosamine/chondroitin such as Glycoflex. Periodically rebalance your pet's GI tract with a good probiotic such as Acetylator. A small, regular investment in your pet's nutrition will be rewarded with years of health. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] Vaccines A Shot in the Dark? Have you ever wondered why people get vaccinated once as children for most diseases while animals need to be revaccinated every year? Perhaps when you questioned your veterinarian you were told that an animal's immune system is different or simply, "That's the way it is." Well for all you vaccine skeptics, I have great news. The previously accepted approach to vaccinating pets is on its way out. For years, holistically-minded veterinarians have voiced their objections to the idea of yearly vaccines. These pioneers have practiced what they preached, often going against the vaccine label recommendations and giving the shots less frequently. Although many in the veterinary profession are clinging to the outdated system, a combination of common sense and research are causing the tide to turn. To get a handle on the current controversy, let's look at the history and science behind vaccines for pets. The practice of vaccinating pets began in the 1950's when rabies and distemper viruses were common canine invaders. At that time, tests showed that the immunity imparted by the vaccines lasted about one year. Vaccine technology has come a long way since the 1950's and today there are many vaccines available for dogs and cats. Some vaccines protect against seven or eight viruses in a single shot. To understand the effect that all these vaccines can have on our companion animals we need to look at how the immune system works. The immune system is a complex network of organs, cells and chemicals that affect and are incorporated in every organ and system of the body. Cells of the immune system learn to recognize certain proteins, called antigens, on the surface of invading organisms. Some immune cells produce antibodies -- proteins that attach to the antigen -- that enter the blood stream and aid the body in its fight against the germs. Other immune cells are created to remember the antigens so the immune system can respond more quickly to future infections. Vaccines deliver antigens into the pet's body, thereby artificially stimulating the immune system to battle specific diseases. There are three basic types of vaccines -- modified-live, killed, and recombinant. Modified-live vaccines contain live, disease-causing organisms that have been rendered unable to infect the pet. These vaccines do a great job of stimulating the immune system but carry the risk that some of the modified germs may revert back to an infectious form and therefore make the pet sick. Killed vaccines contain organisms that have been killed. Because they are dead there is no chance that they will infect the pet. However, the immune system recognizes that the lifeless germs are not a threat and does not mount much of a response. To overcome this effect, adjuvants are added to the vaccines. Adjuvants are chemicals that cause inflammation and stimulate the immune system to respond more vigorously. Unfortunately, adjuvants have been linked to vaccine side effects such as a specific form of malignant cancer in cats as well as dangerous systemic effects in both dogs and cats. The most recent development in vaccine technology is the recombinant vaccines. Through genetic engineering, antigen from disease-causing agents can be encoded into harmless microbes. Because the organisms are alive they stimulate the immune system without adjuvants. At the same time, since the germs are unable to cause disease, these vaccines are safer than modified-live vaccines. No matter what type of vaccine is used I have a number of concerns about vaccinating in general. First of all, vaccines are the only medication I am aware of that one size fits all. That's right; a half-pound Yorkie puppy gets the same dose as a one hundred fifty-pound Great Dane. Something does not seem right about that. I also heard from an industry insider that the dose of antigen in a vaccine is determined for the average size dog and then that quantity is multiplied by ten for the vaccine dose, just to be sure all the bases are covered. Now that dose for the puppy looks especially dangerous. A major concern I have is that so many different disease antigens are injected at the same time. Our mentality of "supersizing" vaccines creates the highly artificial situation where the immune system has to respond to multiple diseases at the same time. When you add to this the common practice of vaccinating a pet whose immune system is currently fighting some sort of problem, such as an ear infection or skin allergy, it is easy to see that we could be over-stressing the immune system. The final blow to the immune system comes when we inject these overdosed, "supersized" vaccines into our pets year after year when there is ample evidence that the "yearly" vaccines instill immunity for at least four years. How much trauma do we expect our pets' immune systems to take before they breakdown? Speaking of broken down immune systems, have you noticed the epidemic of immune system problems our pets seem to encounter these days? Perhaps if I explain further you will see what I mean. Let's start by looking at allergies. An allergy is simply a misguided immune system in action. For example, if your dog is allergic to beef, it isn't the beef that's the problem; it's your dog's immune system reacting to an antigen that it should ignore. If you solve the problem by changing his food, your dog will soon begin reacting to the new food. By the way, inflammatory bowel disease and many chronic ear infections are related to allergies as well. Have you noticed the devastating increase in cancer in our pets? The truth is that our pets produce at least one cancer cell every day. The reason all animals do not die of cancer is that the immune system detects and destroys these abnormal cells before they can take hold. Unfortunately, an unhealthy immune system may let a few of these cancer cells slip through. Although many other factors also affect the development of cancer, there is no doubt that a malfunctioning immune system plays a roll. Finally, let's look at the broad category of auto-immune diseases. An auto-immune disease occurs when a pet's immune system becomes sensitized to and attacks cells of its own body. There is a long list of problems that have been linked to autoimmune disease including lupus, pemphigus, immune mediated hemolytic anemia (IHA), immune mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP), anterior cruciate ligament rupture, hypothyroidism, diabetes and certain forms of arthritis. Could the practice of over-vaccinating be contributing to the epidemic of chronic diseases our pets face? It is an undeniable fact that IHA and ITP in dogs and vaccine sarcoma (cancer) in cats have been directly linked to vaccines. Fortunately, science is bearing out the reality that annual vaccination for what the experts consider the "core" vaccines is not necessary. Core vaccines are those recommended for every pet and include the rabies vaccine. For dogs this also includes canine distemper virus, parvovirus, and adenovirus-2. The core vaccines for cats are feline panleukopenia virus, herpesvirus-1, and calicivirus. Non-core vaccines such as Lyme disease, leptospirosis, kennel cough and feline leukemia virus, are only recommended if a particular pet is determined to have a significant risk of exposure to these diseases. In 1998, the American Association of Feline Practitioners Advisory Panel on Feline Vaccines recommended three year boosters for the core feline vaccines. In 2001, after two years of study, the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents found that as far as the core vaccines go, "the one-year revaccination frequency recommendation is based on historical precedent and USDA regulation, not on scientific data." Then, in February of 2003, the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force released its recommendations for three-year booster intervals. More recently, a study published in the January, 2004 Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association concluded, "In most cats, vaccination induced a response that lasted up to and beyond 48 months for all 3 antigens." A second study in that same issue stated, "In most dogs, vaccination induced a response that lasted up to and beyond 48 months for all five antigens." Currently, many North American veterinary schools have adopted a three-year revaccination schedule for core vaccines in dogs and cats. Experts agree that after the initial series of vaccines in puppies and kittens, pets need a one-year booster and then the core vaccines can be given every three years. In my practice, I work the scheduling of vaccines so that the rabies vaccine and distemper combination vaccine alternate. That way, after the one year booster, pets are never given all the vaccines in the same year. The pets get the distemper combination one year, the rabies the next year and just the yearly exam the third year, and so on. It is time for veterinarians, boarding kennels, groomers and training organizations to follow the guidelines set by vaccine authorities. As pet caretakers, we have the right and responsibility to refuse vaccines when appropriate. Over-vaccinating a pet can be just as dangerous as under-vaccinating him. I urge all pet owners to be proactive and insist that the scientific vaccine recommendations be followed, for the health of our pets. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] Vaccine Fact Sheet Vaccination Concerns Feline vaccine sarcoma (aggressive cancer linked to vaccines) 3-20 cases per 100,000 vaccines JAVMA 220:1477;2002 Increased risk per vaccine Vaccinated dogs two times more likely to develop IHA (Immune-mediated Hemolytic Anemia) J Vet Intern Med 10:290, 1996 Vaccine-associated illness of Weimaraners "Everywhere-itis" frequently fatal Vaccines and Emerging Diseases (Conference Notes) Dr. Guillermo Couto, 2004 Vaccine hypersensitivity reactions Vaccine Research AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents two-year study "The one-year revaccination frequency recommendation is based on historic precedent and USDA regulation, not scientific data." JAVMA, June 1, 2001 "In most dogs[>98%], vaccination induced a response that lasted up to and beyond 48 months for all five antigens." (CDV, CAV-1, CAV-2, CPIV, CPV) Duration of serologic response to five viral antigens in dogs, JAVMA, Jan 1, 2004 "In most cats[>97%], vaccination induced a response that lasted up to and beyond 48 months for all 3 antigens." (FPV, FCV, FHV) Duration of serologic response to three viral antigens in cats, JAVMA, Jan 1, 2004 AAHA Canine Vaccine Task Force 2003 Guidelines
Veterinary Acupuncture What's the Point?  Willie, a rugged, lovable Rottweiler, rests comfortably on the cool tile floor as his owner reclines with him and listens to soft, classical music. This is a curious site for a veterinary exam room. Even more surprising, a closer inspection of the scene reveals tiny needles protruding from various parts of the dog's body. Four of the needles have wires attached that lead to an electrical device with dials and lights. Is this some sort of cruel veterinary experiment? On the contrary, Willie is receiving electro-acupuncture (a specialized acupuncture technique) and you can bet he is loving every minute of it.Willie first came to me in March of 2004 but his problems began a year earlier. In the spring of 2003, at the age of eleven, his rear legs became progressively weak and uncoordinated causing him to have difficulty managing steps and getting into the car. Conventional veterinary care did not help and Willie's condition continued to worsen. His caregivers, Mary Catherine and Jeff, were heartbroken when they were told that he had arthritis and that this is what they should expect from an "old dog." Mary Catherine, Willie's self-proclaimed "mom," was especially devastated. She and Willie had spent eight years on the show circuit together. Willie thoroughly enjoyed the rides to the events. He was one of the special dogs that was allowed to sit on the seat while the others were confined to kennels in the back of the van. The outstanding, canine athlete has had a long and varied career. He is an AKC champion and multiple "Best of Breed" winner. He also holds an AKC sheep herding title and was even a registered therapy dog. Finally, as a blood donor for the University of Pennsylvania, he helped to save other pets in dire need. It was difficult for Mary Catherine to watch her dear friend slowly slip away. The once wild Willie was reduced to a sluggish shadow of his former self. Jeff and Mary Catherine had resigned themselves to Willie's hopeless prognosis until they saw the incredible recovery of Zeus, a friend's ailing seven-year-old Rottweiler. Zeus had been crippled by a herniated neck disc for over a year. His condition quickly improved with acupuncture so Mary Catherine tagged along for one of Zeus's treatments to check it out. As unorthodox as the therapy appeared, it was hard to argue with success and Mary Catherine decided to give it a try. Maybe there was hope for Willie after all. During her first trip to my office, Mary Catherine was full of questions. What is acupuncture? How does it work? Does it hurt? How can we know if Willie will respond? How long does the treatment last? When will we see improvement? These are the first questions on most people's minds. Although acupuncture is a strange, new therapy for American pet owners, it has been used as a medical system in China for over five thousand years. Acupuncture involves the use of very fine needles to stimulate special points on the body and induce a curative response. This healing modality has been used on animals for four thousand years. In fact the world's first veterinarians were Chinese acupuncturists. Since acupuncture has been used on a quarter of the world's population for thousands of years, it is considered the most clinically tested form of medical treatment on earth. Even modern studies have shown that it works for a wide range of conditions. I  n order to understand acupuncture it is necessary to recognize that the ancient Chinese had a much different way of looking at the body than we currently do in the West. Early Chinese doctors did not have blood work, X-rays or other sophisticated diagnostic tests. These "primitive" physicians were armed only with their five senses, astounding reasoning powers, experience and intuition. They were so in touch with their bodies and with nature that they were able to develop an intricate medical model that has stood the test of time. This medical system has developed into what today we call Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).For the ancient Chinese, health care was a way of life. Diet, exercise, massage, meditation, sleep patterns, work patterns, herbs and acupuncture were all integrated to maintain balance within the body. At the heart of TCM is the concept of Qi. Qi (pronounced "chee") is regarded as the life force energy. It is what differentiates the living from the dead and has both structural and functional qualities. Qi is that substance from which all physical form is composed. It is also the energy that flows in a cyclic, orderly course throughout the channels of the body allowing for the normal functioning of organs and tissues. In TCM, health is the state of harmonious flow of Qi and disease is caused by an interruption in this flow. Any time an organ is not functioning properly - as in kidney failure, or a limb is not moving freely -- as with arthritis, we can say there is a disturbance of Qi. There are 14 main acupuncture channels which act as pathways for the flow of Qi along which lie the acupuncture points. I prefer the word "channel" to the more commonly used term "meridian" because a meridian is an imaginary line, and the Chinese in no way considered the channels of energy to be imaginary. Acupuncture points are discrete areas on the surface of the body that have unique features. Biopsies have shown that these points have higher than normal numbers of nerve endings, blood vessels and inflammatory cells. They are also areas of lower electrical resistance, meaning that electricity flows more readily at these spots. All of these features combine to amplify the effect of any stimulation of these points. The Chinese consider the acupuncture points as inlets to the channels. Through these inlets, the Qi of the body can be manipulated. So, acupuncture is a way to influence the flow of Qi and re-balance the energy system to aid the body in healing itself. From the Western standpoint, acupuncture stimulates nerves that can block pain perception. Studies have also shown that acupuncture can be used to cause the release of hormones including cortisone as well as endorphins, which are the body's own morphine compounds. Besides relieving pain, acupuncture has been shown to reduce muscle spasms, increase blood circulation, improve athletic performance and strengthen the immune system. Acupuncture can help in the treatment of any medical condition including arthritis, kidney failure, liver failure, thyroid disease, asthma, back and joint injuries, vomiting, diarrhea and reproductive problems. It can be used as an adjunct treatment for seizures and can even improve the quality of life for cancer patients. When applied properly, this holistic approach does not cause side effects as drugs often do. Acupuncture can be used alone or in conjunction with conventional therapies.  The biggest apprehension that most people have about acupuncture is that the needles will cause pain. In my experience, the patient rarely feels the prick of the needles. As a matter of fact, some animals fall asleep during the treatment which may last from five to forty-five minutes depending on the problem being addressed. I'm more concerned about the remote possibility that the pet may decide to remove a needle with his mouth and then swallow it. In reality, the biggest obstacle to an acupuncture treatment is keeping the pet still while the needles work their magic. If the animal fidgets needles may fall out which is not harmful but just not very helpful.Acupuncture is not a panacea. Even in China it is only part of the medical system. If after eight to ten weekly treatments there is no improvement in the patient, then acupuncture is probably not going to help. In Willie's case, his mom and dad noticed improvement after the first treatment. As the weekly acupuncture continued, he regained his strength and began navigating the steps more easily. Now he no longer falls over when bumped by one of the other dogs in the household. He has even re-established his dominant position among the seven Rottweilers in the family pack. Mary Catherine is especially pleased. She is seeing more of a recovery than she anticipated. She feels that Willie now has more time to truly enjoy life. Mary Catherine was deeply moved when Willie was able to get up on the passenger seat and ride next to her on a recent drive, just like old times. She knows Willie will not live forever. She is delighted to be getting her old friend back for whatever time they have left together. Willie seems equally thrilled to get acupuncture. He charges up the ramp to my office each time. Thankfully, acupuncture is becoming more accepted in the veterinary community every day. It is by far the most familiar holistic therapy used by veterinarians. There are currently four different institutions offering certification courses for veterinarians in the United States, including two at veterinary colleges. Certification in veterinary acupuncture involves 150 hours of class work plus testing and a preceptorship. Acupuncture does not have to be a treatment of last resort for pets. It can be used to avoid certain potentially hazardous surgeries and medications or as a health tune up. To locate a certified veterinary acupuncturist near you log onto the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture web site at http://aava.org. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] Animal Chiropractic A Little Backtalk Chiropractic care is essential for any organism with a spine to achieve the highest level of health and performance. Let me explain this bold statement. The spinal cord is the channel for information between the brain and the organs and tissues of the body. It is made up of thousands of long nerve fibers which carry electrical messages like a living telephone cable. This precious pathway for bodily communication is totally encased in bone. The bony spine is a mechanical marvel. It supports the skeleton, acts as an attachment for many of the body's muscles, protects the internal organs of the body and protects the spinal cord. At the same time, it allows for incredible flexibility. Just watching a dog slither through the weave poles gives one an appreciation of the poetry in motion afforded by the spine. The spine owes its suppleness to the fact that it is made up of a series of small bones called vertebrae (pleural of vertebra). There are 27 vertebrae in all from a dog's head to his pelvis. These 27 bones are joined together by a series of over 150 joints. All of these joints must move in a coordinated fashion for proper locomotion of the entire body. Furthermore, there are small openings on both sides of the spine, between the vertebrae where each bone joins to the next. These openings are called intervertebral foramina (pleural for foramen). Spinal nerves travel through these openings carrying information between the body and the spinal cord. Any misalignment of the 150 vertebral joints can constrict the intervertebral foramina and disturb the spinal nerves. This situation can interfere with messages from the brain to the body and from the body to the brain. Needless to say, miscommunication can lead to malfunction. So, keeping the spine correctly aligned keeps the body moving properly and the organs, muscles and tissues functioning at their highest potential. Even a slight misalignment of the spine can cause anything from a subtle performance flaw, like tipping jumps, to a major lameness. The job of the animal chiropractor is to locate and correct spinal misalignments. Various forms of chiropractic have been practiced since ancient times. As early as 2,700 B.C. the Chinese were using bamboo poles for self adjustment. In 400 B.C. Greek physician Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine and the source of the medical doctor's Hippocratic Oath, stated, "Look well to the spine for many diseases have their origins in the dislocation of the vertebral column." Egyptian hieroglyphs dating from 200 B.C. also document spinal manipulation. In the 1600's, England had bonesetters. However, it was American healer D.D. Palmer who brought chiropractic into modern times. The adjusting techniques he originated in 1895 began the practice of chiropractic as we know it. Even more recently, animal chiropractic was pioneered by Dr. Sharon L. Willoughby. After practicing veterinary medicine for several years, Dr. Willoughby went back to school -- this time to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. She blended her expertise in veterinary medicine and chiropractic, and in 1985 developed a 180-hour course for both veterinarians and chiropractors to learn animal chiropractic. Out of this course grew the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA). The AVCA tests and certifies the over 1,100 animal chiropractors currently practicing. Like other holistic practitioners, animal chiropractors believe in a vital force that animates all living creatures. For chiropractors, this vital essence goes by the name "Innate Intelligence." This energetic component of life is what allows the body to heal itself and maintain homeostasis. The Innate Intelligence asserts its influence on the body through the nervous system. It needs a perfectly functioning nervous system in order to keep the body working smoothly. By relieving the nerve interference caused by joint aberrations in the spine, the animal chiropractor facilitates the Innate Intelligence and thereby aids healing. The word "subluxation" is used by chiropractors to denote an abnormally functioning spinal joint. A subluxation is not so much a bone that is out of place as it is a joint that is not moving properly. Even slight glitches in spinal joint motion can cause the surrounding tissue to swell and muscles to spasm. This can lead to pressure on the spinal nerves as they exit the spine. A 1986 University of Colorado study demonstrated that the amount of pressure equivalent to the weight of a dime on a spinal nerve was enough to cause it to malfunction in as little as 24 hours. Subluxations have numerous causes. Trauma is the most obvious origin. This includes not only severe trauma such as being hit by a car but more subtle disturbances such as slips, falls and missteps -- basically living life. In fact, birth itself sometimes causes damage to the spine, starting the poor dog off on the wrong foot. Plus, some pets have been bred for traits, such as long backs and short legs, which predispose them to back problems. Finally, canine athletes are especially prone to back-jarring incidences. Jumping, racing and lead jerks can all knock the neck and back out of whack. Chiropractic spinal problems can manifest in many ways. Puppy sitting is a common complaint that often responds to chiropractic. Subluxations may cause neck or back pain and sensitivity to touch. Pacing or other gait abnormalities might be signs of a back issue as well as weakness or stumbling. Finally, stiffness, lameness and a decreased range of motion can all indicate the need for an adjustment. Of course, there are countless possible causes of the above mentioned problems so a dog showing these signs must be thoroughly examined -- including X-rays -- to rule out non-chiropractic diseases such as fractures or cancer. Adjusting the spine under the wrong conditions could lead to serious injury. Several techniques exist for adjusting animals. Fortunately, none of them involve laying the dog down, belly up, on a chiropractic table and wrenching his neck from side to side. Most commonly the animal is adjusted while standing. The doctor gently presses on one vertebra at a time to locate any joints that are not moving appropriately. When a subluxation is located, a quick, accurate thrust is delivered to correct the problem. It is rare to hear any cracking as is common in human chiropractic. The pet's eyes reveal that this process is truly enjoyable. I have personally witnessed many apparent miracles brought on by the magic of chiropractic. My very first case was a 12-year-old black lab named Pumper. I have been his doctor since he was a little pup. On this occasion, Pumper was in for his yearly exam. His caregiver mentioned that he seemed to have a sore neck for the past week. He was walking stiffly and could not raise his head. My chiropractic exam revealed a subluxation in his lower cervical spine. After a quick adjustment, Pumper was on his way. His owner was thrilled that by the next morning he was back to normal. When taking your pet for a chiropractic treatment, be sure to seek a professional with proper training. Your chiropractor may do a great job on you and your family, but since the canine spine is different than that of the human, without special training he is not the ideal candidate to treat your dog. At the same time, your veterinarian is an expert in canine anatomy and disease, but with out specific education in chiropractic, he could do damage if attempting an adjustment. AVCA certification assures education and skill in the specialized field of animal chiropractic. Certification involves a minimum of 180 hours of training both in the class room and on animals. Then there are thorough written and practical exams. Finally, the prospective animal chiropractor must submit case reports for animals they have treated. To maintain certification the doctor is required to complete 30 hours of continuing education every three years. Human research has shown that athletic performance improved for those receiving regular chiropractic care -- even for competitors who were having no obvious symptoms. Monthly chiropractic treatments can help keep your four-legged athlete in tip top shape. You will be surprised the difference it can make in your dog's agility ability. For a list of local, certified animal chiropractors log on to www.animalchiropractic.org. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] Holistic Pet Health Info Limitations of "Natural" Medicine Mother Nature has supplied us with much of what we need to get healthy and stay healthy. Given the side effects of conventional medicines, proper nutrition, herbs and natural therapies are often the safest way to go. But, even safe methods have limitations. The first issue I would like to address is the use of the term "natural." This is quite a buzzword these days as more and more people are becoming interested in holistic treatments. But what exactly does "natural" mean? When most of us think of natural remedies we think of herbs and vitamins. However, I have been seeing more and more synthetic compounds being labeled as "natural" to cash in on the holistic market. In fact, many "natural" vitamins are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. Let's face it, ultimately everything comes from nature. The word "natural" has become almost meaningless. Another matter to discuss is the proper use of truly natural remedies. No remedy, whether natural or synthetic is without possible side effects. The right remedy must be applied to the right condition, and it takes some knowledge to do this properly. It is important to have any problem your pet may be facing properly diagnosed by a veterinarian. It is equally important to have any natural remedy administered by a practitioner who is trained in the use of such therapies in animals. Remember that anything that has the power to heal also has the power to harm, if misapplied. I think that natural therapies are the treatment of choice for most conditions, but caution must be exercised, as appropriate application is important. Death too is a "natural" process but this is obviously not the goal of therapy. Back to the top and article selection Supplements If your pet is eating a "balanced" commercial pet food, does it need vitamins and supplements? The answer is yes, for several reasons. The government determines the proper level of vitamins in food to be the amount necessary to prevent deficiency disease. In most cases, this is less than the amount needed for optimal health under normal conditions, much less during times of stress. This minimal amount of vitamins is added to the food before processing. The heat of processing destroys vitamins. In the case of dry foods, the vitamins that remain are quickly lost if the product is not consumed soon after manufacture. Finally, minerals are often added in forms that are not absorbed by the body. So why are our pets not dropping over dead? These vitamin deficiencies more commonly cause a state of chronic poor health. The animals are more prone to infectious disease and parasites. This condition eventually progresses to more serious problems such as skin disease, arthritis, kidney disease and cancer. Yes, your pet needs vitamins! The best way for them to these nutrients is from whole foods. This is because vitamins need the phytochemicals found in whole foods to be fully active. If your pet is not eating whole natural foods, then whole food supplements are available at our office. Back to the top and article selection Essential Fatty Acids Many skin disorders and other health problems of pets are caused by a lack of proper fats in the diet. In order to supplement these nutrients correctly, we need a little background in this oily area of nutrition. Fats and oils are composed of fatty acids. There are many types of fatty acids, but the important types are the Omega 3s and Omega 6s. These are considered the essential fatty acids (EFAs) because the body cannot produce them and must get them from food. EFAs play a part in almost every function in the body. They govern growth, mental states and are even a key factor in the burning of food to produce energy. EFA molecules are very fragile. That is why Mother Nature packages them in hard seeds such as flax, sesame and sunflower. The seed shells protect the EFAs from heat, light and oxygen, which destroy the nutrients. Commercial oils from the grocery store are highly processed. This processing involves adding chemicals and bleaching the oils to improve the shelf life. The oils are then heated to frying temperature, all of which destroys the natural EFAs. These are not only the oils we consume but are also the "nutrients" added to pet foods. Any EFAs that may be left in the pet foods are often rancid by the time the pet consumes them because they are not protected from the air. This is why most pets (and people) can benefit from EFA supplementation. Another cause of EFA deficiency is the consumption of harmful fats. These are the hydrogenated and saturated fats found in margarine and processed foods. EFAs compete with these useless fats in the body, and if the EFAs do not win, the body loses. Now that we have established the need for adding EFAs to the diet, we can open the debate over the proper ratio of Omega 3s and Omega 6s to be supplemented. Too much of one can lead to a deficiency of the other. Animals tend to be more deficient in Omega 3s because they are more easily destroyed. Supplementing Omega 3s and 6s at a 2:1 ratio seems to be widely accepted. Sources high in Omega 3s include flax seed oil and fish oils. However, feeding theses oils exclusively can lead to a deficiency in Omega 6s. The use of sunflower oil can help maintain the balance. Again, it is important that these oils be cold processed and stored in light-resistant, brown bottles to keep their nutritional value. Your local health food store or veterinarian is likely to have what your pet needs. Because the oils you added to your pet's diet did not fulfill the above requirements, they may do more harm than good. Adding too much useless fat to the diet can lead to obesity and pancreatitis. Lack of sufficient EFAs tend to manifest in the skin first because the vital internal organs take what they need first. The skin is the first to lose the oils and the last to get them. The deficiency can lead to dry, flaky, itchy skin. Supplementing EFAs may also improve arthritis, obesity, immune function, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disease and cardiovascular dysfunction. Older animals commonly show an increase in energy while young animals recover more quickly from fatigue and heal faster. Research has shown that animals often have trouble absorbing the oils in their diet. Adding digestive enzymes to the diet can increase the absorption of EFAs by 200%. As you can see, proper pet nutrition is not always as easy as reading the labels or spiking the commercial food with what you have around the house. The old saying, "You are what you eat," applies to our pets as well as to us. Back to the top and article selection Glucosamine Glucosamines are natural compounds that are a combination of glucose and the amino acid, glutamine. Glucosamines, in turn, are the building blocks for connective tissues, joint tissues and intestinal lining tissue. Combinations of glucosamine molecules with various proteins form the matrix between the cells of the body, holding them together. These compounds are also responsible for the gelatinous nature of cartilage. They allow cartilage to hold water, which gives this tissue it slippery shock absorbing quality. Research has shown that taking glucosamine supplements can help protect weakened joints. In fact, they can actually help deformed, arthritic joints rebuild healthy tissue. One human study compared the use of ibuprofen with glucosamine in arthritic patients. At first, ibuprofen was more effective at reducing joint inflammation and pain. After a longer period, though, the glucosamine out performed the ibuprofen by repairing the joint cartilage and decreasing inflammation. Glucosamine supplements can be used to benefit many degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal arthritis, and other joint problems. Because of glucosamine's importance as a building block for the intestinal lining, it has also been proven to help with cases of inflammatory bowel disease, an intestinal disorder of animals similar to Crone's disease in people. Glucosamines are very valuable to the health of our pets. However, not all glucosamine supplements are equal. The quality of this nutrient depends on how it is processed. Also, its beneficial effects are dose dependant. Just because there is some in the food does not mean it is of high quality or that there is enough to do any good. There is no way to know by reading the food label. I recommend getting a quality supplement from a trusted source and give the appropriate dose. Back to the top and article selection Raw Fruits and Veggies Raw fruits ad vegetables can be part of a balanced diet for our pets. It is best to grind fruits and veggies before feeding them to dogs and cats. To understand this, again we need to look at nature. Wolves are a representative wild relative of our pet dogs and lions, tigers and such are Raw fruits ad vegetables can be part of a balanced diet for our pets. It is best to grind fruits and veggies before feeding them to dogs and cats. To understand this, again we need to look at nature. Wolves are a representative wild relative of our pet dogs and lions, tigers and such are related to domestic cats. Over thousands of years animals, both wild and domestic, have adapted to natural food sources. Lets look at the diet of the wild dogs and cats to determine what is best for our pets. The most obvious things they eat are meat and bones. They are carnivores after all. By the way, it is important to note that the meat and bones are raw. Cooking and processing destroys nutrients, which is part of why commercial foods are not as healthy for our pets as a natural raw diet. So where do the fruits and vegetables come in? Well anyone who has ever watched a nature movie where the lions take down an antelope can tell you that often the first place these beasts dig into the carcass is the abdomen. What does the stomach of an herbivore contain? You guessed it, ground up fruits and veggies. It is significant that the vegetables are ground, because carnivores have shorter digestive tracts than herbivores and therefore they have less time to digest big chunks of food. Ground fruits and vegetables are only a small part of a natural diet for dogs and cats. It is very important to maintain balanced nutrition, so a recipe should be followed. I recommend the recipes found in the book, "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats" or "Give Your Dog a Bone" by Dr. Ian Billinghurst. Back to the top and article selection Natural Flea Control By the end of the summer, fleas often become a nuisance for our pets. Sometimes, the situation can become life threatening. One important principle to understand is that the problem really begins in the spring, when the fleas first emerge. Flea prevention is always easier than trying to cope with an infestation. Once you see fleas on your pet, the first battle is lost and the war is about to begin. In the spring, before the bugs are out, is the time to start flea control. From a natural, holistic standpoint, flea prevention begins with a truly healthy pet. A strong pet with a vigorous constitution is less susceptible to any parasite. Of course the foundation for a healthy pet is a natural, nutritious diet. (I have already written about natural diets.) Ultimately, our pets contact fleas from the out of doors, so this is an obvious place to begin flea control. Treating your yard for fleas does not mean you have to address the entire 50 acres that you own. Even if your pet roams far and wide, setting up a buffer zone right around the house will help stop a problem. For the treatment of your yard, I recommend the use of friendly nematodes. This natural flea control is so safe, effective and unusual that I'll go into a little detail to explain it. Nematodes are microscopic worms that feed on the larvae of fleas and other insect pests. They are totally harmless to people, animals and insects that are not harmful to the lawn and garden. More than 230 pests are susceptible to these little critters including cabbage root maggots, gypsy moth larvae, Japanese beetles, strawberry weevils and white grubs, as well as fleas. Nematodes are the good guys of the parasite world. The best part is that these nematodes cause no problems of their own. If there are no insects for them to eat, they die off. You don't have to worry about the toxic effects that chemicals can have on animals, well water and the environment. Besides, isn't it great to kill a parasite with a parasite? Give them a taste of their own medicine. Friendly nematodes may be difficult to find. I am familiar with a product called Scanmask. Look for it at garden stores or the office of your ecologically minded veterinarian. Another means of keeping fleas off your pet is to use a natural, topical treatment that repels fleas. Aromatic oils such as citronella and pennyroyal give off a smell that repels insects. The Halo Company makes an herbal dip that uses this principle. This versatile liquid can be diluted and applied directly to the pet, added to regular shampoo to make a natural flea shampoo, or made into a spray for daily application. As a bonus, this flea product actually smells nice, unlike many chemical dips and sprays. A final natural flea tip is to get a flea comb and use it daily on your pet. A flea comb has finely spaced teeth that can pull the fleas and loose fur off your pet. This technique can serve as an early detection method allowing you to really jump on a flea infestation before it gets out of hand. Remember that for every flea you find on your pet, there are 10 more in the immediate environment. These prolific creatures lay hundreds of eggs each day. Whatever method you choose to control fleas, do not procrastinate, and start flea prevention in the spring. Back to the top and article selection Make Your Own Natural Lemon Flea Dip Here is a simple safe formula to make your own natural flea dip. Thinly slice one whole lemon, peel and all. Add it to one pint of near-boiling water and let steep over night. The next day, sponge the solution onto your pet's skin and let it dry. You can repeat the procedure daily for severe flea problems. Lemons are a source of natural flea-killing substances such as d-limonene plus other healing ingredients. Be careful not to get the solution in your pet's eyes and do not apply to irritated skin. Back to the top and article selection | Print version of this article: [ Word | PDF ] |
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