Pet Health

More and more retailers and designers are rejecting cruelty and potential consumer deception by adopting fur-free policies. Listed here are those who’ve announced that they don’t sell animal fur or are phasing in this policy. Be sure to check the current status of the companies listed above—in order to confirm that they are,  or  will be phasing in a fur-free policy. Some fur garments bearing the name of listed brands or designers who have recently gone fur-free may continue to be available in discount and overstock stores and on online auction sites.

Q:   I’ve recently found out that acupuncture is practiced on pets. What pets exactly?

A:     Acupuncture is the placement of tiny needles into specific predetermined locations, called acupuncture points, on the body for the purposes of healing. The word “acupuncture” is derived from the Latin “acus”, which means “needle” and “pungare”, which means, “to pierce”.

Question:
     How do I know if my dog or cat is experiencing any kind of pain? They are both getting older and “slowing down” but they never cry or whimper.

Answer:
     First and foremost to understand about animals is that we have domesticated them. As such we can live with dogs and cats in our homes and generally coexist without issue. There is, however, a part of both dogs and cats that is an innate instinct for survival. I usually explain it to my clients by saying that we need to go back a million years or so when survival of the fittest in the forest was the norm. Back then, as now, in the wild, an animal is either a predator or the prey. When either of them became injured or weak, they became an easy target for a hungry predator. 

Question:  
     My pet was just diagnosed with Lyme disease. He was put on antibiotics for a month. What else can I do to help him ?

Answer:
     The current information on Lyme disease in dogs has been growing over the years. Certainly, more research needs to be done to fully understand the course and status of these pets after they have been treated. Of particular interest is the question of whether the pet is completely rid of the organism once treated. This is still up for debate, however, some studies have come to light. More practitioners now consider that a Lyme-positive dog may never be able to completely clear the infection.

All companion animals should be provided with clean, fresh water every day (ideally filtered water or spring water). The water bowel is best if made out of stainless steel or ceramic since some dogs and cats do have allergies to bowls made of plastic and this can cause inflammation, irritation and lesions around the mouth and chin.

All pets should receive their food once or twice a day (my preference is twice a day) at approximately the same time. Free choice food left down all day is a NO NO. This allows the pet to pick throughout the day and eventually will lead to an overweight animal. It also interferes with the digestive process that begins in the mouth.

Question:
      I prefer not to use any of the topical and toxic flea preventatives on the market. Do you know of any natural ways I can help prevent fleas from bothering my dogs and cat?

Answer:
     A successful flea control program involves treating your pet, as well as, the environment. The adult female flea can lay as many as five hundred eggs a day. That can translate into tens of thousands of fleas by the end of the month. Under ideal conditions of temperature and humidity the flea can go through its four-stage life cycle which is egg, larva, pupa and adult within three to four weeks.

      Reiki has long been practiced on humans as a form of energy medicine and energy healing. It originated in Japan with a Dr. Mikao  Usui. Many schools have developed since then but Dr. Usui is considered the founder. It was through Dr. Usui’s line that I became a Reiki Master in 2003. The term Reiki translates into “universal life energy.” Reiki is considered part of the range of holistic healing presently gathering acceptance into mainstream medicine, particularly energy medicine.  Since everything in the universe, us, plants, trees, animals, the oceans, all are made up of energy,  we are all connected. It is through this connection that Reiki is able to help a person or animal heal, not just on a physical level, but also, on an emotional, mental and spiritual level, as well.

Question:
     How would my dog get heartworm disease?

Answer:
     Heartworm disease is transmitted via infected mosquitoes. A mosquito bites an infected dog and takes a blood meal. It then takes in the immature form of the parasite. The parasite (Dirofilaria immitis) is incorporated into the mosquitos body and undergoes changes. The next time it bites a dog it passes on the parasite, which finishes it’s life cycle in the dog’s body, ultimately developing into an adult worm. The adult is very thin  and  lodges in the pulmonary artery and top right chamber of the heart (right atrium).
     

Question:
     I just purchased my first pet, a 10-week-old terrier mix. We are just introducing him to our Siamese cat. What can I do to keep them healthy in the winter weather?

Answer:
     One of the greatest potential dangers to animals in the winter months is antifreeze (ethylene glycol). Antifreeze is extremely toxic to pets. It has a sweet taste that is often what attracts dogs and cats to taste it. Consequently, even the small amount that may spill on the garage floor can be fatal. Be sure to clean up even the smallest amount.

     After twenty years in veterinary medicine and almost as many years studying and practicing the holistic modalities involved, I have finally come upon an herbal based formula that appears to have significant fighting power against cancer in pets. Examples of what the world have considered break- throughs in modern medicine in the past were the discovery of penicillin, aspirin and morphine. All of these are botanicals that came from plants or, in the case of aspirin, the bark of a tree! No single botanical base has had more single uses than the common aspirin. We take it for the simple headache, yet, in certain circumstances, we are advised to take it to take it to avoid getting blood clots in particular medical conditions. Basically, botanicals are the basis of most of the pharmaceuticals that exist and have been synthesized in the conventional medical profession today.

Question:
     I have heard that there are specific dietary recommendations for pets with cancer. Is this true? Also, are there any other supplements that can be used to help fight cancer?

Answer:
    There are numerous options to consider when dealing with a pet that has been diagnosed with cancer. There are many different kinds of malignant cancer. Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that is very aggressive and very painful. Squamous cell carcinoma is typically made up of a cell type called squamous cells. It tends to invade soft tissues such as the gums and mouth. It too is very aggressive and fast growing.

Question:
     Could you give some advice on fleas and ticks and problems with skin issues in dogs and cats?

Answer:
     After  twenty years of practicing veterinary medicine, I have seen many diseases vary in their incidence.  Twenty years ago the number of cancer cases was minimal. Today it is the number one killer of companion animals.  In my practice the most common cases I treat holistically are cancer followed by skin problems. Most of the skin cases have been to a number of conventional practices for the typical treatment of antibiotics and steroids.  Antibiotics and steroids have their place in veterinary medicine but it is my personal belief that they are overused and just mask the symptoms rather than treating the true underlying condition.