January/February 2012 - Dogs Naturally Magazine
January/February 2012 - Dogs Naturally Magazine
January/February 2012 - Dogs Naturally Magazine
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canine nutrition • homeopathy and natural health care • training and behavior<br />
Volume 3 • Issue 1 • <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
DOGS NATURALLY<br />
Cruciate<br />
REHAB<br />
RAW diets<br />
for dogs without boundaries<br />
VACCINES AND JOINT DISEASE<br />
is there a connection?<br />
PROLOTHERAPY
Pain Doesn’t Discriminate<br />
One in five dogs is affected by arthritis.<br />
The good news is there are steps you can take to prevent this from happening.<br />
Along with regular exercise and a healthy diet, adding LubriSyn to the mix will take your dog out<br />
of that statistic. LubriSyn is a natural hyaluronan supplement that replenishes healthy joint fluid<br />
the way nature intended.<br />
www.LubriSyn.com 1-800-901-8498<br />
Visit us on and Use Promotion Code “painfree” to get 25% off your purchase!
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INTUITION PUBLISHING<br />
Editor Dana Scott<br />
Sales Julia Henriques<br />
Ellen Kohn<br />
Photographer s Vic Neumann<br />
Sandro Avila<br />
Promotions and Events Nicole DiBernardo<br />
Administration Margaret Houlihan<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> articles are selected for their<br />
general interest and entertainment value.<br />
The authors’ views do not necessarily reflect<br />
the policies and opinions of Intuition Publishing,<br />
nor does their publication in <strong>Dogs</strong><br />
<strong>Naturally</strong> constitute an endorsement. Information<br />
offered in <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> is for<br />
educational purposes and is not intended to<br />
replace veterinary advice.<br />
ADVERTISING<br />
For information on ad rates, deadlines and<br />
requirements, email sales@dogsnaturallymagazine.com.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> reserves the<br />
right to reject any advertisement submitted.<br />
SUBMISSIONS<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> welcomes submissions of articles,<br />
artwork or photography. Submission<br />
constitutes permission for <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong>, at<br />
its sole discretion, to use the submitted materials,<br />
in whole or in part, without compensation<br />
to the submitter. Detailed information<br />
on the format and requirements for submission<br />
is available via email. Please email submissions<br />
and requests to dana@dogsnaturallymagazine.com.<br />
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of <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> may not be reproduced<br />
or reprinted in whole or in part without<br />
the prior written consent of Intuition<br />
Publishing.<br />
MISSION STATEMENT<br />
The goal of each issue of <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> is<br />
to document the various concepts of and approaches<br />
to holistic dog care. <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong><br />
seeks to support pet owners, breeders, trainers,<br />
groomers, vets and health care providers<br />
through education and open communication.<br />
The goal of our editorials is to present<br />
varying viewpoints on natural care.<br />
SUBSCRIPTION<br />
Bulk or wholesale subscriptions are available<br />
at reduced rates. To subscribe, call (877) 665-<br />
1290 or visit www.dogsnaturallymagazine.<br />
com. <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> is published six times<br />
per year.<br />
INTUITION PUBLISHING<br />
5065 10th Line RR2<br />
New Tecumseth, ON Canada L0G 1A0<br />
E-mail: info@dogsnaturallymagazine.com<br />
Web site: www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com<br />
4<br />
Dana<br />
editor’s message<br />
As I write this, I’m huddled in front of the fireplace as the first cold day of the season is<br />
upon us. There was even a light snowfall as I took the dogs out for their morning run.<br />
Now it’s evening and my dogs are settling in for the night with bellies full of fresh venison,<br />
warming themselves by the fire as I enjoy a tea and reflect on the day and the close<br />
of the year.<br />
Like most years, I’ve had my share of ups and downs, as have my dogs. My oldest dog<br />
Libby is now nearly 15 and has started to show signs of wearing down. She is starting to<br />
lose control of her bowels at night and while the other dogs accompany me for hour long<br />
treks, she is now relegated to slow walks down the lane way to retrieve the mail. I wonder<br />
if she will make it through the winter season, but she is either blissfully unaware or<br />
uncaring of what the future holds for her, and at the moment, her only concern is finding<br />
a warm and comfortable bed for the night.<br />
On peaceful nights such as this, I too take a breather from life in general and the relentless<br />
work that goes into <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong>. Some days, it is nearly suffocating; there is so<br />
much to do and so little time to do it. But Julia and I march on, fueled by the knowledge<br />
that our fight is a good fight and well worth the effort.<br />
It’s good to sometimes sit back and just be in the moment; like old Libby. In these quiet<br />
moments, I reflect on the camaraderie of my dogs as they lay in an amicable heap by the<br />
fire, sharing the best bed in the house. For tonight, I won’t worry that the issue you are<br />
reading now is just a jumble of blank pages and I’ve only a week left before it goes off to<br />
the printers. I’m not worried about the dozens of emails that need to go out tomorrow<br />
morning, the footprints the dogs have left on my floors that will need to be mopped up<br />
or the cords of firewood that need to be cut and piled. Tonight, I’m just going to enjoy<br />
the moment and tomorrow I’ll worry about the inevitable.<br />
There are lots of things to celebrate tonight. The beautiful fire, my wonderful dogs and<br />
my largest passion, <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong>. Today I’ve received phone calls from people who<br />
just wanted to congratulate me on the magazine. I’ve also received some lovely emails<br />
from dog owners who took the time to put their appreciation into words. Tonight I am<br />
celebrating being a small part of a wonderful community of very special people.<br />
I’m excited for the future of <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> but that is tempered by the fact that there is<br />
a lot of work ahead to make it even bigger and better for <strong>2012</strong>. But that can wait until<br />
tomorrow. Tonight, I’m taking the time to enjoy our successes and the kind words that<br />
people generously bestowed upon me today. Tonight, at this moment, life is very good<br />
indeed and I am warmed not just by the fire, but by the thoughtful gestures from our<br />
supporters. I think I’ll make another cup of tea...<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
I just finished reading the entire issue cover to<br />
cover and I was so thoroughly interested in every<br />
article beginning with your editor’s article<br />
that I could not put it down!<br />
I was so excited to see a lot of information that<br />
reinforced the ideals I currently use for treating<br />
my own pets through homeopathy and raw<br />
diets.<br />
I found the article on osteosarcoma especially<br />
touching as I myself have a Lab which was diagnosed<br />
with this disease a year ago. My vet at<br />
the time informed me he had only weeks to live<br />
and to prepare for losing him. I was devastated<br />
and sought a second opinion at which time I<br />
found a surgeon that specialized in cancer surgery.<br />
My Lab had his ulna bone removed on<br />
his front leg and has been cancer free for one<br />
VIC NEUMANN is a retired educator who<br />
knows that you have to love what you photograph<br />
- and the rest takes care of itself. He and<br />
his wife, Joan, are owned by two Leonbergers,<br />
Lincoln and Cassie. Vic has self-published two<br />
volumes of dog photography to raise funds for<br />
Leonberger rescue organizations. His books,<br />
DAWGS, can be previewed on blurb.com.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
year post-op. The only treatment my lab has<br />
received since his surgery is through remedies<br />
from my homeopath.<br />
All of my pets have been under treatment for<br />
approximately the last three years after an autoimmune<br />
reaction occurred in my same Lab<br />
several months after having a vaccine. I began<br />
with my homeopath after my vet had no treatment<br />
to offer other than prednisone therapy<br />
which deteriorated his entire body away. I<br />
have my homeopath to credit for all my pets<br />
enjoying healthier happier lives. The vets of<br />
course have NO explanation and are amazed<br />
that he has done so remarkably well.<br />
I am a pet groomer by profession with over 25<br />
years experience. At my pet spa we are always<br />
trying to open clients minds to alternative<br />
DR DEBBIE GROSS SAUNDERS has been<br />
rehabilitating and conditioning dogs for over<br />
sixteen years. She is one of the pioneers in the<br />
world on canine physical rehabilitation. Debbie<br />
lives in Connecticut with her family, eight<br />
dogs and an array of other animals.<br />
feedback<br />
therapies and better diets. I do think that yes<br />
we are still considered “freaks” sometimes, but<br />
once you can offer advice to someone who has<br />
tried every vet ointment, spray, and pills and<br />
still sees their pet miserable, no matter how<br />
unconventional alternative natural treatments<br />
sound, they will try them and then they cant<br />
believe the changes they see and often how<br />
quickly they see things improve. When this<br />
occurs pet owners are like “sponges” wanting<br />
to learn more and more what they can do to<br />
make a healthier natural life for their pets. I<br />
love when that happens! Keep up the great articles<br />
and can’t wait for next issue.<br />
Debbie Burns<br />
Four Paws Only<br />
Dracut, MA<br />
SEND US YOUR LETTERS: Letters may be edited for length and clarity - please keep them brief - and not all letters will be published. Please sign your correspondence.<br />
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> or its staff.<br />
DOGS NATURALLY MAGAZINE 5065 10th Line RR2 New Tecumseth, ON LOG 1AO<br />
Email: letters@dogsnaturallymagazine.com Fax: 877 665-1290<br />
contributors<br />
DR ANDREW JONES lives in Nelson, BC<br />
with his wife Catherine, his children Liam and<br />
Aliza and family pets, Lewis, Cleo and Trent.<br />
Dr Jones is a strong advocate of safe, natural<br />
home care for dogs and cats, and works to empower<br />
pet owners worldwide to become more<br />
active in their pets’ health.<br />
5
DOGS NATURALLY<br />
the magazine for dogs without boundaries<br />
Contents<br />
Volume 3 Issue 1<br />
FEATURES COLUMNS COVER<br />
13 ESSENTIAL OMEGA FATTY ACIDS<br />
The mystery and myths that surround<br />
essential and non-essential fatty<br />
acid requirements in dogs. Part II.<br />
by: Franco Cavaleri BSc NB<br />
20 CHOOSING A VET<br />
A hard look at how choosing the wrong<br />
vet can cost you both money and heartache.<br />
by: Peter Dobias DVM<br />
24 DOG PARKS<br />
Many dog owners take their dogs to the<br />
dog park on a regular basis. This article<br />
explores the inherent dangers of dog<br />
parks and questions whether your dog<br />
should go or not.<br />
by: Debra Ekman CPDT<br />
30 CANINE SPORTS INJURIES<br />
A look at common injuries in athletic or<br />
active dogs.<br />
by: Julie Mayer DVM<br />
34 CANINE DIABETES<br />
Common causes of this emerging disease<br />
and holistic solutions.<br />
by: Stephen Blake DVM<br />
42 CLOSED FOR BUSINESS<br />
How a Nelson, BC vet was forced to<br />
choose between natural health care and<br />
his veterinary license..<br />
by: Andrew Jones DVM<br />
4 EDITOR’S MESSAGE<br />
5 FEEDBACK<br />
5 CONTRIBUTORS<br />
8 ASK THE VET<br />
with Dr. Gerald Wessner<br />
23 THE APOTHECARY<br />
Hypericum<br />
40 NUTRITION WITH LUCY<br />
New Year’s Resolutions To<br />
Benefit You And Your Dog<br />
45 10 MINUTE TRAINER<br />
Getting Behavior You Want<br />
46 ACROSS THE POND<br />
When There’s Nothing Else<br />
You Can Do<br />
Catherine O’Driscoll<br />
48 DOG PEOPLE<br />
Bette Schubert of Bravo!<br />
50 I NEED THAT<br />
Product Reviews<br />
52 CLASSIFIED SECTION<br />
Holistic Products and Services<br />
54 SECRET GARDEN<br />
Turmeric<br />
Page 30 Page 26<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> is published six times per year by Intuition Publishing.<br />
Principal office: 5065 10th Line RR2, New Tecumseth, Ontario Canada L0G 1A0<br />
© Intuition Publishing and <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.<br />
Postmaster: Send address changes to <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong>, 5065 10th Line RR2, New Tecumseth, Ontario, L0G 1A0<br />
10<br />
16<br />
26<br />
36<br />
RAW DIETS<br />
A guide to creating species<br />
appropriate diets that even<br />
small dogs will enjoy.<br />
by: Celeste Yarnall PhD<br />
VACCINES, COLLAGEN<br />
AND JOINT DISEASE<br />
A look at the growing body of evidence<br />
linking vaccines to joint disease<br />
in dogs.<br />
by: Dana Scott<br />
PROLOTHERAPY<br />
A non-surgical option for joint diseases<br />
ranging from cruciate tears to<br />
arthritis.<br />
by: Deva Khalsa DVM<br />
CRUCIATE TEARS<br />
Exercises you can do to help your<br />
dog recover from this dreaded injury<br />
without invasive surgery.<br />
by: Debbie Gross Saunders DPT,<br />
MSPT, OCS, CCRP<br />
_____________________________<br />
COVER DOG<br />
Tarka<br />
Rescue Samoyed<br />
Loved by Julia Henriques, Chicago<br />
Photographer: Julia Henriques<br />
Digital subscription rates are $14.95 per year.<br />
Print subscription rates are $24.95 for US residents and<br />
$29.95 for Canadian residents.<br />
Bulk subscriptions are available at reduced rates.<br />
To subscribe call (877) 665-1290<br />
or visit www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com
Easy To Use 100% Natural<br />
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ASK the VET<br />
Dear Dr. Wessner:<br />
Can you tell me why you do not see pork in dog food? Marge<br />
in Rhode Island.<br />
Normally I hesitate because of biblical references. However, research<br />
has shown that mushers use pork because they get faster<br />
muscle growth and faster muscle training. In other words,<br />
the dogs get fit faster. It’s a very clean meat, containing fewer<br />
metabolites or residues than other forms of meat. Secondly,<br />
there are a lot of manufacturers that use pork and pork meal<br />
in their dog food. This comes up when you do a search of dog<br />
foods and read the ingredients. One of the reasons some people<br />
do not use pork is because of the parasite trichinosis, which<br />
is found in the muscle belly of the meat, not the intestines. This<br />
could be the reason some dog food manufacturers avoid it.<br />
Dear Dr. Wessner:<br />
My 12 year old Tibetan terrier has a tumor/growth (we don’t<br />
know what kind) on the base of her brain and the top of her<br />
spine. She is responding great to Prednisone, Gabapentin,<br />
anti-seizure meds, Norvasc. Four weeks ago, she was given<br />
three weeks to six months to live. I want to start giving her<br />
coconut oil and reading your magazine website I see fish oil<br />
can help in other ways. Can I give her both? She weighs 25<br />
lbs, please reply quickly. Thank you. Avrim in Delaware.<br />
I am sorry about your dog’s diagnosis.<br />
In response to your question about the oils, I see no reason<br />
why you cannot use both. Both coconut oil and fish oil work<br />
differently.<br />
The properties of coconut oil are really good. It is a very stable,<br />
plant source of saturated fat which protects against toxic damage<br />
to heart cells, decreases aging, helps maintain lean body<br />
mass, and helps to increase the metabolic rate (especially in<br />
sluggish and diabetic individuals). Coconut oil supports thyroid<br />
function which governs brain development. Coconut oil also<br />
decreases hunger and regulates hypoglycemia. It is antibacterial,<br />
antifungal and antiviral and can boost immunity to disease.<br />
People think that saturated fats are bad, but coconut oil,<br />
being a medium chain fatty acid, is very healthy for the above<br />
8<br />
Email your questions and Dr. Wessner will publish his answers. Please<br />
note that not all questions can be answered.<br />
Ask the Vet is not a replacement for veterinary care.<br />
EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS: askthevet@dogsnaturallymagazine.com<br />
reasons. <strong>Dogs</strong> can take between 1/2 tsp - 2 Tbs per day, depending<br />
on their body weight.<br />
The properties of fish oil are also excellent. It is a polyunsaturated<br />
Omega-3 oil. It decreases cholesterol, decreases the risk<br />
of heart disease and stroke, decreases blood pressure, slows<br />
the accumulation of plaque in the arteries, decreases inflammation,<br />
and is very good for auto-immune disease. Fish oil also<br />
helps with dry eyes, certain cancers, serum triglycerides and<br />
learning deficits. It is very good for brain function. It’s important<br />
to use a high quality fish oil supplement from wild caught<br />
salmon or krill.<br />
I recommend you give one oil in the morning and the other in<br />
the evening and this will allow them to work independently.<br />
Other good supplements for cancer include Miracle Mineral<br />
Solution (MMS), turmeric, Vitamin D3, Asea (www.redoxsignalingwater.com)<br />
and baking soda.<br />
A brief note on cancer: dogs live four to five times faster than<br />
people. I have noticed that their cancers seem to grow at the<br />
same rate. For example, a person with pancreatic cancer may<br />
live 1.5 years, whereas a dog with the same cancer might succumb<br />
in two to four months, roughly five times faster. The best<br />
way to try and prevent cancers is to eliminate or reduce the<br />
factors that might produce the cancer including repeated, unnecessary<br />
vaccinations, poor quality dog food, unnecessary<br />
drugs, chemicals and toxins.<br />
Dear Dr. Wessner:<br />
We have a 6 1/2 month old Australian Shepherd and just<br />
found out he has whipworms. His MDR 1 status is unknown,<br />
although his sire is mutant/normal and dam is untested. Judy<br />
in Oregon.<br />
There are several products available for deworming animals,<br />
both herbal and homeopathic. The homeopathic Paratox is<br />
one remedy, and it can also be used to treat heartworm infestations.<br />
This can be ordered from veterinary homeopaths, and<br />
we carry it at the Holistic Vet Clinic. I also recommend herbal<br />
wormers such as Sustain & Restore from Farmstead Health<br />
Supply, Molly’s Herbals, or Earthsong Ranch.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Dear Dr Wessner:<br />
I have two Scottish Terriers who compete in agility, 6 and 9<br />
years old. My 9 year old has some joint issues - luxating patellas<br />
(grade 1) on both back legs and is developing mild arthritis<br />
near his hip. I have been told by many people, including my<br />
vet, to give glucosamine/MSM/chondroitin and I completely<br />
agree. In fact, there was a great article in the last issue of<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> that discussed supplements for luxating patellas.<br />
The problem is, researching this stuff online is so overwhelming<br />
and has often left me frustrated, confused and with<br />
a headache. It is very hard to find non-biased, third party reviews<br />
of all the products out there. And with so many ingredients<br />
in many of the products, it is hard to understand what is<br />
natural and what isn’t. I feed my dogs a raw diet and am taking<br />
a much more natural approach to their health care (hence<br />
my subscription to <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong>). My vet (a traditional vet<br />
who doesn’t agree with my raw feeding) recommended Dasuquin<br />
but I am not crazy about it because there are artificial<br />
ingredients in it. I have also read that pharmaceutical grade<br />
liquid Glucosamine is better than pills because it is absorbed<br />
quicker. Is that true? If it is, are there any natural liquid products<br />
you recommend? If it isn’t true, and pills are just as good,<br />
are there any pills you recommend that have no artificial ingredients?<br />
Many thanks. Julieanne in Massachusetts.<br />
In my experience, many animals are treated with glucosamine/<br />
chondroitin and although they do not cure, they may help the<br />
integrity of the joint and joint capsule. I usually treat the luxating<br />
patellas with a combination of five homeopathic remedies:<br />
The combination Arnica, Rhus toxicodendron and Ruta graveolens,<br />
known as A-R-R, in the 30C potency, works very well for<br />
arthritis when given one to three times daily. Next, I add Calcarea<br />
phosphorica 30C once on Monday, Wednesday and Friday,<br />
and Symphytum 30C once on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday<br />
and treat for four weeks. This combination treatment is usually<br />
successful because we are treating the soreness from the<br />
arthritis and bursitis and helping the bone metabolism which<br />
seems to help the luxating patellas. Nutritionally, I recommend<br />
supplementing with a very good Super blue-green algae, spirulina,<br />
or chorella. And that plain works. For supplement dosage,<br />
assume the human dose is for a 150 lb person and adjust accordingly<br />
for the weight of your dog.<br />
Dear Dr Wessner:<br />
My 8-year old female Shih Tzu, Lucy, has had high numbers on<br />
her liver count. She does drink a lot of water and my holistic<br />
doctor recommended Liver Tonic. Her grandmother had Cushings<br />
Disease and I would like to know if there is something<br />
more I can do for her? Judith in FL<br />
Please call a holistic practitioner who is well versed in using homeopathy<br />
and/or other holistic protocols for treating Cushings.<br />
I have treated over 100 Cushings cases quite successfully. Cushings<br />
animals may drink and urinate a lot, have a pendulous ab-<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
domen and a very silky coat, in addition to other problems such<br />
as hypothyroidism, kidney and liver issues. I not only address<br />
the homeopathic treatment but also treat with nutritional aids<br />
and glandulars.<br />
In my homeopathic practice experience, I tend to weigh symptoms<br />
much more strongly than blood test values, because we<br />
have had many cases that have been on homeopathic treatment<br />
with a complete reversal of symptoms and yet their blood<br />
values remain high. The animals appear healthy, bright-eyed,<br />
have wonderful appetites, shiny coats, and no external signs of<br />
the disease. When treated homeopathically, the animal is much<br />
more tolerant of abnormal blood values than when treated<br />
conventionally. Relying on symptoms saves money on expensive<br />
lab work, and enables dog owners to focus on diet, exercise<br />
and other natural ways to improve health. f<br />
Dr. Gerald Wessner graduated from the University of Pennsylvania<br />
and spent two years in the U.S. Army as the Assistant Post Veterinarian.<br />
After the army, he worked in private practice at several<br />
race tracks and opened a small animal practice in Pennsylvania.<br />
In the late 70’s, Dr. Wessner started learning and practicing acupuncture.<br />
In 1995, he started an exclusively homeopathic practice.<br />
Shortly afterward, he moved the practice to Summerfield, FL<br />
and continues to practice there. The practice consists of both clinic<br />
hours and phone consultations.<br />
9
Species Appropriate<br />
diets<br />
by: Celeste Yarnall PhD<br />
The value of a raw food diet lies in its content of enzymes undamaged<br />
by the heat of cooking. Enzymes are responsible for<br />
every metabolic reaction that takes place in your body, whether<br />
it is the blinking of your eye or the functioning of your liver.<br />
Thus, when you’re out of enzymes, you’re out of vitality; in fact,<br />
you’re out of life.<br />
It’s been said that we’re all born with a checking account filled<br />
with enzymes. Some people watch every check they write very<br />
carefully. Think of enzymes like this: when you eat an apple<br />
turnover at a fast food restaurant, you’re virtually writing a very<br />
big check to your enzyme bank. When you eat an apple, you’re<br />
writing a much smaller check, and that is a very good thing to<br />
do, as it conserves the precious resources your pancreas has to<br />
offer. This applies to your companion dog, too.<br />
10<br />
Thinking of switching your dog to raw? Do you want an easy-to-follow recipe that will ensure you are not missing any important nutrients<br />
for your dog? How about a way to make raw feeding easier for small and toy breeds?<br />
There are as many ways to feed raw as there are dogs but if you are hesitant to take that first step, Dr. Celeste Yarnall gives you a recipe<br />
to get you started safely.<br />
Pet food manufacturers cook their meat to sterilize it and supposedly<br />
to prevent disease (they also add chemicals to sterilize<br />
and preserve the meat), but this is necessary only because<br />
they’re using inferior and spoiled animal remains to begin with.<br />
For example, when animal fat is cooked, it becomes grease,<br />
which isn’t any better for your animal’s arteries than it is for<br />
your own. Cooking food also alters proteins and renders them<br />
much more difficult to digest.<br />
Cooking destroys the valuable enzymes found in raw meat and<br />
vegetables. Enzymes break down foods and also play a specific<br />
role in the process of absorption of substances. Several enzymes<br />
are essential transporters of nutrient substances. Most commercial<br />
dog and cat foods are essentially “dead” and rely totally<br />
on the animal’s own digestive enzymes for nutrition. When the<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
digestive enzymes are overworked, the body identifies the incompletely<br />
digested food molecules as foreign antigens (bad<br />
guys). Metabolic enzymes are then called upon to mobilize<br />
macrophage leukocytes (good guys that come in to clean up the<br />
garbage), to digest the food. The problem is that the good guys<br />
are taken from their immune system duties, and as a result, the<br />
immune system is weakened.<br />
The answer to all this is to simply learn how to prepare a properly<br />
prepared homemade raw meat and raw bone diet. The following<br />
is the basic recipe I’ve used and recommended quite successfully<br />
over the years.<br />
Raw Meat And Raw Bone Recipe<br />
Yield: Approximately two days worth of food for a twenty<br />
pound adult dog. Increase for larger dogs as well as puppies and<br />
pregnant or lactating females.<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) raw coarse ground beef or poultry with up to<br />
25% fat. I prefer not to use pork or fish. Try lamb, venison,<br />
elk, bison, ostrich, quail, or other poultry and alternate or<br />
combine meats for variety if you wish.<br />
• ¼ lb (100 g) raw, diced organic organ meat such as liver,<br />
kidney, gizzard, spleen, etc., preferably from turkey, chicken,<br />
beef, or lamb. You may even be able to find a butcher<br />
who will do a grind for you that includes organ meats.<br />
• 4 drops of grapefruit seed extract (GSE) liquid concentrate<br />
mixed thoroughly in 8 oz (250 ml) purified water. Note:<br />
Never use grapefruit seed extract straight (internally or externally).<br />
It will cause serious chemical burns. It must always<br />
be properly diluted.<br />
• 2 level tablespoons (20 g) of a vitamin/mineral mix made<br />
for a homemade raw meat diet containing organic bone<br />
meal preferably from New Zealand. Use a supplement designed<br />
for a homemade carnivore diet. Cut the amount of<br />
supplement in half if using bone-in ground meat or just add<br />
a pinch of spirulina and/or chlorella.<br />
• Probiotics are also a wonderful addition, as are digestive<br />
enzymes. Simply follow the amounts recommended on the<br />
label.<br />
• One small tin of organic sardines in extra virgin olive oil, or<br />
an essential fatty acid supplement.<br />
• One cold extracted, organic, Omega-3 capsule and an antioxidant<br />
capsule, preferably containing a combination<br />
formula consisting of a marine lipid from New Zealand<br />
greenlip mussels, kiwi fruit seed oil (which contains all the<br />
known forms of natural Vitamin E), and white grape seed<br />
husk extract.<br />
• One drop of aged liquid garlic extract. Note: Too much<br />
garlic can cause serious health consequences. Do not over<br />
supplement and never use raw garlic.<br />
• ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon digestive enzyme supplement or one human<br />
digestive enzyme capsule.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
When it comes to<br />
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Believe your veterinarian.<br />
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11
• 500 milligrams taurine (powder or capsule).<br />
• Raw whole chicken necks, stripped of excess fat for small<br />
dogs. Raw whole turkey necks and wings, lamb shanks,<br />
or beef knuckle bones for larger dogs. You can have your<br />
butcher grind chicken backs and necks—or even a whole<br />
chicken if you wish. Be sure the butcher runs them through<br />
the grinder at least three times. You could also purchase<br />
your own meat grinder and grind your own meats and poultry.<br />
Some people feed whole chicken and turkey parts, such as backs<br />
and necks, or halved game hens; it all depends on the size of<br />
your dogs You may also use a mallet to crush whole chicken<br />
necks or turkey necks and cut them into their food if you are<br />
nervous about feeding them whole. I recommend that raw bones<br />
be fed along with food so as to provide a cushion for them. Large<br />
dogs really relish a raw knuckle bone to gnaw on after a meal.<br />
Optional Ingredients<br />
24 oz. food-processed raw or pureed steamed zucchini, foodprocessed<br />
raw or mashed baked yams, canned organic unsweetened<br />
pumpkin (no corn or white potatoes) can be used if extra<br />
fiber is desired.<br />
Preparation<br />
1. Place the meat in a bowl and pour the purified water and<br />
grapefruit seed extract solution over it in small amounts,<br />
blending it into the meat as you go. Use only enough of this<br />
solution to make the food the consistency of a thick chili<br />
for very small dogs. Alternatively, you could let the meat<br />
defrost in this solution with your supplements included, but<br />
do not drain off this liquid. The raw bones can marinate in<br />
this solution as well, rendering them a little softer.<br />
2. Cut the organ meats into appropriate sizes for your dog’s<br />
jaw. Again, for the toy breeds and smaller dogs, cut the<br />
pieces of meat into bite-size chunks. Liver can be cut into<br />
chunks while it is partially frozen. I like to include the<br />
ground meat mixture with the chunks and pieces to be sure<br />
the supplements amalgamate and provide optimal balance<br />
in the diet.<br />
3. Add in all supplements and, if using them, the veggies.<br />
4. Mix all ingredients thoroughly<br />
Raw Food Recipe Notes<br />
Switching foods can be dicey. Many dogs and puppies immediately<br />
love their new homemade diet. It’s a good sign to have a<br />
dog with a hearty appetite. However, for others it takes a bit of<br />
strategy to accomplish this goal. Here are some tips for making<br />
this transition.<br />
For dogs who have had food available day and night (free feeding),<br />
the first step is to go to a timed meal schedule where you<br />
leave the food out for an hour in the morning and again for an<br />
12<br />
hour in the evening, but put it away the rest of the time. Believe<br />
me: your dog will not starve to death in twelve hours. The eatfast-eat<br />
schedule is more natural to carnivores, and it gives them<br />
time to digest between meals. With this schedule, you don’t have<br />
to worry about restricting the amounts you feed. The dog will<br />
eventually self-regulate on this schedule. The other big advantage<br />
of timed meals is that your dog will be hungry at mealtime,<br />
and thus more willing to try new things. This is particularly critical<br />
when switching from dry food.<br />
Increase portions or feed more small meals if your dog gobbles<br />
it all up and wants more. Amounts can vary from meal to meal.<br />
Feed a bit less than you are currently feeding with dry or wet<br />
food as raw meat and raw bones are much more nutrient dense.<br />
You may increase the servings to 3 to 4 times per day for pups,<br />
pregnant or lactating dams. Do not overfeed at any one meal.<br />
Do keep in mind that dogs and puppies - just like humans - don’t<br />
always want to eat every meal you serve them. Give them a little<br />
flexibility to make their own decisions. Just like us, sometimes<br />
they are not so hungry.<br />
Leave food down for approximately an hour. If it’s too warm<br />
in your home, or if flies are a problem, shorten the time. Many<br />
people - myself included - have left the food out for hours, even<br />
all day without incident. Err on the side of caution and do what<br />
you feel comfortable doing.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> like their food fresh, just like we do. Therefore, keep food<br />
in the refrigerator for no more than four days. I recommend<br />
storing it in glass bowls with tight fitting lids. Plastic off-gasses<br />
oregano chlorines, which are toxic to people and pets. Always<br />
defrost meat in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter - and<br />
never microwave it.<br />
Safe handling of raw meat is important. Wash hands, dishes, and<br />
utensils in hot soapy water. Clean surfaces with environmentally<br />
safe cleaning products, such as a solution of 1 drop of grapefruit<br />
seed extract (GSE) per ounce (30 ml) of water.<br />
Last but not least, the most important ingredient in your dog’s<br />
meals is love! f<br />
Celeste Yarnall begain breeding Tonkinese and Oriental Shorthair<br />
cats and is on her tenth generation of raw fed championship<br />
cats. Celeste has written the books Cat Care, <strong>Naturally</strong>, Natural<br />
Dog Care and The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care.<br />
She also has a PhD in Nutrition from Pacific Western University<br />
where she serves as an adjunct professor of nutrition. Together<br />
with her partner, Imelda Casper, Celeste operates a holistic consulting<br />
practice for people and pets, specializing in feline and<br />
canine nutrition. Although based in Southern California, Celeste<br />
consults with clients from all over the world.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Essential Omega-Fatty Acids<br />
by: Franco Cavaleri BSc NB<br />
Essential Fat Facts<br />
When it comes to essential fatty acids, the only true essential fat<br />
(one that dogs can’t manufacture in their own cells) is the Omega-6<br />
fatty acid, linoleic acid. From this one essential fatty acid, your dog<br />
should be able to manufacture all the others it needs for cellular<br />
repair, reproduction and hormone balance. The chart on page 14<br />
shows the path these fats take in your dog’s cells.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> differ from humans in this respect; while both dogs and humans<br />
are unable to manufacture the Omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic<br />
acid, humans do not have the cellular enzymes necessary to produce<br />
the Omega-3 fatty acid alpha linolenic acid from linoleic acid<br />
whereas dogs do.<br />
In other words, you and I need the Omega-6 fat, linoleic acid and<br />
the Omega-3 fat, alpha linolenic acid, in our diet to live a healthy<br />
life. Flaxseed oils have become a popular supplement for human<br />
use. This is due to the balance of linoleic and alpha linolenic acid in<br />
flaxseed oil that offsets common dietary insufficiencies from processed<br />
foods.<br />
Essential fatty acids are one of the most commonly misunderstood<br />
nutritional components in dogs. Fish fats are not essential fats,<br />
even though supplementing with them can support health. In the<br />
long run, fish oils do not fulfill all the essential fatty acid needs.<br />
It takes an Omega-fat blend, not just Omega-3 oils, to protect<br />
health and help build long-term resistance to illness. The wrong<br />
ratio will slowly but surely contribute to illness by thwarting the<br />
body’s genetically built-in health maintenance systems. Supplementing<br />
with the wrong ratio of fatty acids for short periods may<br />
provide short-term benefits, but the long-term effect can be less<br />
than optimal health.<br />
Fish Oils<br />
Omega-3 fat supplements from cold water fish oil contain eicosapentaenoic<br />
acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These fats<br />
are the building blocks for healthy cell membrane structure, vigor-<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
Mystery and Myths - PART II<br />
ous receptor site status, and good hormone balance. These fatty<br />
acids are essential for good health; they are essential for life, and<br />
they are often called essential because the body can be faced with<br />
a condition whereby it can’t make them.<br />
Contrary to common belief, these marine-derived fats are not really<br />
essential fatty acids. Essential Fats are those needed from<br />
the diet because the body is not designed to manufacture them.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong>’ bodies can manufacture DHA and EPA on their own - but<br />
production can be limited at various life stages.<br />
13
14<br />
Flow chart of essential fatty acid processing in dogs. Linoleic<br />
acid is the only true essential fatty acid in dogs.<br />
Omega-6<br />
(Linoleic Acid)<br />
GLA<br />
(Gamma Linolenic Acid)<br />
DGLA<br />
(Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid)<br />
Prostaglandin 1<br />
(PGE 1 )<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> and cats but not humans<br />
can make this conversion<br />
COX<br />
(cyclo oxygenase)<br />
DHA<br />
(Docosahexaenoic Acid)<br />
AA<br />
(Arachidonic Acid, abundant in<br />
red meat and dairy products)<br />
Omega-3<br />
(Alpha Linolenic Acid)<br />
EPA<br />
(Eicosapentaenoic Acid, abundant<br />
in cold water fish)<br />
Prostaglandin 3<br />
(PGE 3 )<br />
Lipoxygenase<br />
One such stage is during the rapid rate of development in puppies.<br />
For nursing puppies, their dam’s milk is supposed to supply the demand.<br />
The problem is the dam’s milk is likely to be deficient if her<br />
own diet is deficient in these important Omega-3 fats, DHA and<br />
EPA. Unfortunately, if the diet cannot supply the nursing dam with<br />
the DHA needed for neurological and other fetal tissue development,<br />
the dam’s tissues will be pilfered and her health will suffer.<br />
DHA will continue to be stolen from the dam during lactation as her<br />
milk becomes the only supply of Omega-fats to her puppies. This<br />
occurs in all vertebrate species, including humans.<br />
Research demonstrates much of the emotional turmoil a pregnant<br />
or lactating dam experiences may be the result of DHA depletion<br />
due to the huge demands of fetal development. Postpartum depression<br />
and mood swings during pregnancy can be improved with<br />
DHA supplementation.<br />
Many of the skin and coat changes in dams are also attributable<br />
to these nutrient changes in the body, which in turn influence hormonal<br />
shifts. These conditions are likely prevented or at least better<br />
managed with dietary DHA supplementation, fatty acid supplementation<br />
and other nutrients that support these fats in the cells.<br />
Additionally, a shortage of fatty acids in the fetus or weanling can<br />
also result in behavioral and temperament challenges during early<br />
development and even into adult years, unless the deficiency is<br />
corrected through diet. DHA deficiency also contributes to lower<br />
rates of learning, unpredictability, and immune insufficiency.<br />
Research studying human siblings born about a year apart shows<br />
some interesting trends. DHA levels in the second child conceived<br />
before mother’s DHA levels have been restored can be lower, affecting<br />
learning potential in the second child.<br />
Animals with DHA deficiencies and the associated temperament or<br />
emotional challenges may not be able to rectify their tissue fatty<br />
acid deficiencies with Omega-6 fats supplementation alone. In<br />
these cases, the fish oil supply of DHA plus EPA will restore DHA<br />
tissue levels to support the temperament and behavior changes.<br />
Fish oil supplementation also improves immunity, decreases inflammation<br />
and improves metabolic health overall. It is important<br />
to note however, that the benefits of fish oils should not override<br />
the need for sufficient levels of the essential Omega-6 fat, linoleic<br />
acid, in the diet.<br />
Just as you and I need both the Omega-3 alpha linolenic acid and<br />
the Omega-6 linoleic acid from the diet, our pets require the Omega-6<br />
linoleic acid from the diet or health consequences are imminent.<br />
The species specific flow chart on the left, showing fatty acid<br />
synthesis and management by our cells and those of our canine<br />
companions, demonstrates how this fatty acid chemistry flows.<br />
Omega-6 fats are precursors that produce hormones directly involved<br />
in inflammation, clotting, and smooth muscle regulatory<br />
activities.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Omega-6 fats are directly involved in bronchodilation and constriction<br />
related to asthma and allergies. These eicosanoid hormones,<br />
as they are called, are also involved in neurotransmitter transmission<br />
and blood vessel tension regulation. Imbalances can have<br />
monumental consequences throughout the body, laying a foundation<br />
for diseases that appear to have no fundamental cause. Obesity<br />
is also related to the inflammatory activity caused by Omega-6<br />
deficiency. Inflammatory prostaglandins are known to shut down<br />
fat-burning, thermogenic cells. These inflammatory conditions are<br />
often treated with Prednisone, diuretics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory<br />
drugs (NSAIDs).<br />
In fact, as research into the common pharmaceutical drugs<br />
evolves, it unveils more about how these drugs work through antiinflammatory<br />
activity to literally change the flow of this fatty acid<br />
or eicosanoid pathway. These drugs actually change how the body<br />
converts these fats (also called eicosanoid fats) into hormones.<br />
NSAIDs help slow down the conversion of Omega-6 fats to inflammatory<br />
prostaglandin (PGE2) hormones and by doing so, also block<br />
the production of thromboxanes which are involved in clotting.<br />
This why Aspirin serves as both an anti-inflammatory and a blood<br />
thinner and why Metacam® does the same in dogs.<br />
In fact, oxidation itself elevates the body’s production of COX enzymes<br />
that are blocked with NSAID COX-inhibitors (such as Metacam®<br />
and Rimadyl®) when inflammation or clotting is a risk. Antioxidants<br />
can circumvent oxidation by neutralizing COX enzyme<br />
activity and causes them to produce inflammatory prostaglandin<br />
hormones. Subsequently, processed diets, like most of those dry<br />
Eliminate heavy metals<br />
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<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
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bagged foods, contribute to chronic inflammation through oxidation<br />
and COX enzyme activity because the fatty acids they contain<br />
are heat damaged. Drug use can be circumvented by feeding a high<br />
quality diet with sufficient Omega-6 fats to avoid oxidative toxicity.<br />
Contrary to Common Belief Omega-6<br />
Fats are not Inflammatory<br />
The production of the pro-inflammatory PGE2 (prostaglandin hormone<br />
in the flow chart) is influenced by multiple factors; only one<br />
of which is large amounts of Omega-6 fats in the diet. Oxidation<br />
is one major factor as mentioned; and the balance between the<br />
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats is another. Supplying an abundance<br />
of the important Omega-6 fat, balanced with Omega-3 fats, forces<br />
the cells to use the Omega-6 fat in a controlled way.<br />
The factor that causes Omega-6 fats to produce inflammatory hormones<br />
is not so much an over-abundance of Omega-6 fats, but a<br />
lack of Omega-3 fats combined with uncontrolled oxidation.<br />
Oxidative load and insufficient Omega-3 fats are common insufficiencies<br />
in any processed diet. Omega-6 fats tend to be more<br />
stable than Omega-3 fats by virtue of their structure. As a result,<br />
Omega-3 fats are more likely to be damaged and deactivated by<br />
processing. Processed foods can be deficient in both fats due to<br />
the high level of heat used in processing. In their damaged state,<br />
the Omega fats increase the oxidative load in the body which is<br />
damaging to health. The same processing also damages any protective<br />
antioxidants that might have been in the food.<br />
The oxidative strain of a poorly balanced diet is compounded further<br />
in senior pets as their antioxidant production declines. The<br />
chronic, inflammatory conditions often seen in senior pets may not<br />
be age related, but rather a function of processed or poorly balanced<br />
diets.<br />
You have more control over your dog’s health and disease than<br />
you think, including seemingly age-related illnesses. Supplementing<br />
your dog with antioxidants and providing balance between the<br />
essential and conditionally essential fatty acids are two powerful<br />
ways improve health and quality of life for your dog.<br />
Start by feeding fresh, whole foods that are not exposed to common<br />
processing methods. This will supply your dog with sufficient<br />
amounts of antioxidants. Then make sure any Omega fat supplements<br />
are balanced to improve nutrient density and empower the<br />
body to do what it is well designed to do – maintain health and<br />
vitality. f<br />
Franco Cavaleri, BSc NB Nutraceutical Biochemist, is a graduate of<br />
University of British Columbia, where he majored in Nutritional Science<br />
and Biochemistry. His post graduate efforts in scientific research<br />
and development have led to the accumulation of several awards in<br />
the Canadian Health Industry including nine formulation awards and<br />
bestseller status for his recent book-derived from his thesis, POTEN-<br />
TIAL WITHIN A Guide to Nutritional Empowerment. Franco is also the<br />
author of YOUR DOG’S HEALTH which provides more detail, including<br />
scientific references, on the science and dietary choices discussed in<br />
this article. www.biologicnr.com<br />
15
y: Dana Scott<br />
Most people have heard of collagen as an anti-aging cosmetic product.<br />
Collagen is the elastic protein that holds skin together. As we<br />
age, the amount and quality of collagen in our bodies starts to diminish<br />
and we can see this in our skin as it begins to wrinkle and<br />
sag.<br />
Collagen is also found in abundance in the joints and connective<br />
tissue of the body. In fact, collagen makes up 70 to 90% of our muscles,<br />
tendons, ligaments and other joint supporting tissues. As happens<br />
in the skin, when collagen breaks down in the body, the joints<br />
become less stable, the muscles and connective tissue loosen and<br />
become more brittle, and disorders such as arthritis, degenerative<br />
disc disease, tendonitis and overuse injuries begin to occur.<br />
The same thing happens in our dogs. They might not get the crow’s<br />
feet and turkey necks that we older humans sport, but they do suffer<br />
from age-related joint and soft tissue pain due to collagen loss and<br />
degradation. Sadly, many dogs suffer from these diseases at a very<br />
young age. Breeders and lovers of large breed dogs know all too well<br />
the heartache of canine hip and elbow dysplasia. Dog owners see<br />
patellar subluxations, cruciate tears and osteochondritis dissecans<br />
(OCD) in young dogs at an alarming rate and they pay the price<br />
with expensive surgery, therapy and supplements.<br />
Why are dogs suffering from these diseases at such a young age?<br />
Many breeders and vets are quick to say that it is due to bad genetics<br />
- so good breeders screen their dogs for these diseases before breeding,<br />
to make sure the problems are not passed down to the offspring.<br />
16<br />
Vvaccines<br />
Collagen<br />
and<br />
joint<br />
disease<br />
The problem is, this screening hasn’t really changed the incidence of<br />
most of these diseases.<br />
Hip dysplasia was first diagnosed in dogs in 1935, although nobody<br />
seemed terribly interested at the time. Over twenty years later, the<br />
number of dogs presenting with this disease prompted the Swedish<br />
Kennel Club to become one of the first to develop a program to<br />
reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia. They believed that if German<br />
Shepherd breeders took radiographs of their dogs and only bred the<br />
dogs that did not show evidence of hip dysplasia, they could eliminate<br />
hip dysplasia. After ten years of selective breeding, however,<br />
the incidence of moderate and severe cases of hip dysplasia didn’t<br />
change. <strong>Dogs</strong> that did not show radiographic evidence of hip dysplasia<br />
were still producing puppies with the disease. In one study,<br />
over two thirds of dysplastic puppies were from normal parents.<br />
This led researchers to conclude that hip dysplasia was a polygenic<br />
disease (residing in more than one gene), meaning that the severity<br />
of the disease could be influenced by environmental factors such as<br />
diet and lifestyle. However, affected puppies are born with normal<br />
hips - the dysplastic changes are not there at birth.<br />
Over fifty years later, despite increased testing rates, the incidence<br />
of hip dysplasia is not going down in most breeds. In fact, smaller<br />
breeds are now showing an increased susceptibility to this disease<br />
which historically was limited to larger breeds of dogs. Even in Germany,<br />
where the kennel club has very tight breeding restrictions, the<br />
incidence of hip dysplasia in German Shepherds is still 7%.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Hip dysplasia is not the only common joint disorder in dogs. Cranial<br />
cruciate tears are becoming endemic in dogs, as are luxating<br />
patellas and elbow dysplasia (two more disorders that breeders do<br />
clearances for). In the midst of this, the vets point their fingers at<br />
both breeders and purebred dogs and the breeders point their fingers<br />
at the pet owners and at each other. Surely somebody must be<br />
to blame?<br />
A polygenic disease is one that takes the right combination of genetic<br />
susceptibility, environmental factors and dietary influences to occur.<br />
The genes are like a light switch: if a dog has a genetic susceptibility<br />
to hip dysplasia, the switch is in the ON position. Just because<br />
a dog has the gene for hip dysplasia however, does not mean he will<br />
be affected: the severity of the disease will be directly influenced by<br />
the dog’s diet and other environmental factors such as exercise level<br />
or body condition – or so the theory goes. Unfortunately, we don’t<br />
know which dogs possess and produce the genes that cause joint<br />
disease - but dog owners can change the environmental stressors.<br />
To this point, vets and many breeders will pay lip service to things<br />
such as keeping puppies lean, not feeding them too much protein (a<br />
myth that is not proven), giving them supplements – all the usual<br />
drama. Puppy buyers usually get this well-rehearsed speech when<br />
they bring their new puppy in for his vaccination. Most vets actively<br />
look for large breed puppies to show signs of hip dysplasia and are<br />
ready to step in with surgery. They blame the breeders and their<br />
purebred dogs for joint issues while, at the same time, they inject<br />
these healthy puppies with vaccines.<br />
Is it any coincidence that even severe cases of hip dysplasia are not<br />
seen before eight weeks of age – the age at which most puppies are<br />
vaccinated? Why is it that, once again, vets are recommending<br />
expensive hip surgeries and multiple, unnecessary vaccines, while<br />
remaining oblivious to what should be obvious? Why is nobody<br />
blaming the vaccines when there are plenty of reasons to do so?<br />
Vaccines and Joint Disorders<br />
The Canine Health Concern’s 1997 study of 4,000 dogs showed a<br />
high number of dogs developing mobility problems shortly after<br />
they were vaccinated. Immunologist Dr. Jean Dodds has also noted<br />
similar issues: “Beyond the immediate hypersensitivity (vaccine) reactions,<br />
other acute events tend to occur 24 to 72 hours afterward,<br />
or 7 to 45 days later in a delayed type immunological response. Even<br />
more delayed adverse effects include...canine distemper antibodies<br />
in joint diseases of dogs”.<br />
Interesting. The distemper vaccine was introduced in 1950 and just<br />
a few years later, the breed clubs suddenly felt the need to start doing<br />
hip clearances on breeding stock. There is no cause and effect here<br />
but the temporal relationship is fairly noteworthy.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
Vaccination has been implicated in cases of polyarthritis in dogs.<br />
Here is an interesting passage from the Veterinary Products Committee<br />
(VPC) Working Group on Feline and Canine Vaccination.<br />
“Occasional self-limiting cases of immune-based arthritis in dogs<br />
have been reported usually following primary vaccination, and recently,<br />
four young adult dogs of different breeds have been reported<br />
to develop an idiopathic polyarthritis 3 to15 days after multivalent<br />
vaccination. Immune-mediated polyarthritis and systemic disease<br />
including amyloidosis has been reported in Akita dogs following<br />
modified live vaccination. Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD),<br />
in some cases associated with juvenile cellulitis, has been reported<br />
following vaccination, mainly in Weimaraners, and it has been suggested<br />
that canine distemper virus may be involved. There is also<br />
some evidence that canine distemper virus (and possibly vaccines)<br />
may be involved in canine rheumatoid-like arthritis through the<br />
formation of immune complexes”.<br />
Here is the predictable part: “...the immunological basis of such reactions<br />
is unclear, and it is possible that such apparent associations<br />
with vaccination may be due to coincident disease development,<br />
particularly in young animals”.<br />
That sure would be a heck of a coincidence. Catherine O’Driscoll<br />
sheds more light on the relationship.<br />
“A paper appearing in the British Veterinary Journal states that dogs<br />
with rheumatoid arthritis showed higher anti-heat shock protein<br />
antibody levels in their sera and synovial fluids compared to control<br />
dogs. There was a significant correlation between anti HSP65<br />
and antibodies to canine distemper virus, and the paper discussed<br />
the relevance of the presence of canine distemper virus within the<br />
joints. Since vaccines inject modified live distemper virus into the<br />
dog, this research should be of concern. Shed attenuated live vaccine<br />
might also be considered in this regard. And it’s worth noting<br />
that the high antibody titers to distemper that we are so pleased with<br />
might also play a role in our dogs’ decreasing mobility. Rheumatoid<br />
arthritis is, of course an autoimmune condition in which there is inflammation<br />
of joints and progressive erosion of cartilage and bone,<br />
which reflects the autoantibodies to collagen found in the Purdue<br />
study.”<br />
Autoantibodies to collagen? Vaccinated dogs developed autoantibodies<br />
to their own collagen and nobody was worried about that?<br />
The Purdue Study<br />
In 1999, a one of a kind study was performed that should have<br />
connected the dots between vaccination and joint disease (Hogenesch<br />
H, Azcona-Olivera J, Scott-Montcrieff C, Snyder PW, Glickman<br />
LT. Vaccine-induced autoimmunity in the dog. Adv Med Vet<br />
17
1999;41:733-747). In this study, puppies were immunized with the<br />
rabies vaccine and the usual cocktail of core and non-core vaccines.<br />
The authors concluded that the vaccinated but not the unvaccinated<br />
puppies developed autoantibodies to their own collagen. The authors<br />
noted and reproduced similar findings in a follow-up study in<br />
dogs that were given just the rabies vaccine and just the multivalent<br />
vaccine.<br />
The vaccinated dogs in this study were literally destroying their own<br />
collagen (as well as their own DNA and other important substances),<br />
and nobody thought “aha, maybe this is why our dogs are being<br />
hit so hard with joint disease and we can’t breed it out of them.” Instead,<br />
the researchers discontinued the study when the puppies were<br />
22 weeks of age and, over a decade later, nobody has viewed these<br />
results as a serious threat to canine (or human) health.<br />
Why is it that vets and researchers can claim purebred dogs and genetics<br />
are to blame for these joint disorders when this shining beacon<br />
is aimed squarely on vaccination, especially the distemper shot?<br />
Collagen and Joint Disease<br />
In a 1989 study, Bari et al found autoimmunity to collagen in 72.4%<br />
of dogs with rheumatoid arthritis, 88% of dogs with infective arthritis<br />
and 52% of dogs with osteoarthritis. <strong>Dogs</strong> with cruciate disease<br />
also showed significantly increased levels of autoantibodies. They<br />
also had higher levels of anti-collagen antibodies in the synovial<br />
fluid (the fluid that surrounds joints). They concluded that anticollagen<br />
complexes were present in all joint disorders.<br />
The presence of these anti-collagen antibodies, just like those noted<br />
in the vaccinated dogs in the Purdue study, can actually predict<br />
cruciate tears. In dogs with cruciate tears in one leg, studies show<br />
elevated anti-collagen antibodies in the other leg which predicted<br />
future tears. When multiple joints were tested, higher levels of autoantibodies<br />
were found in stifle joints that were eventually torn<br />
than in other joints of the body (DeBruin et al, 2007). These autoantibodies<br />
have also been found in the joints of dogs suffering from arthritis<br />
that is not secondary to cruciate tears (Niebauer et al, 1987).<br />
Duke University Medical Center researchers led by Kyle Allen<br />
found that collagen deficient mice prematurely developed common<br />
and chronic musculoskeletal disorders while the wild-type mice did<br />
not. “We observed a pattern of behavioral changes in the collagen<br />
deficient mice that suggests a relationship to (osteoarthritis and degenerative<br />
disc disease),” said Allen, who noted the collagen deficient<br />
mice also had elevated levels of knee and intervertebral disc<br />
structural changes.<br />
Collagen and Joint Integrity<br />
Collagen is concentrated mostly in weight supporting tissues, basically<br />
cartilage and bones. Collagen is also concentrated in high<br />
18<br />
percentages in the parts of the body transmitting strength, such as<br />
tendons. Collagen not only protects joint cartilage, it is also what<br />
protects tendons and ligaments against tears.<br />
The elastic property of collagen gives ligaments a tiny bit of stretch<br />
so that if the joint that ligament supports is stressed, the ligament<br />
can withhold the tension without tearing. Just as bridges and highrise<br />
buildings need a tiny bit of give in them to weather high winds<br />
and earthquakes, ligaments need the elastic properties of collagen to<br />
bear shearing forces within the joints.<br />
Collagen is also important for the integrity of joint surfaces. There<br />
is a thin layer of tissue surrounding the cartilage on the surface of<br />
joints called the pericellular matrix (PCM). Together with collagen<br />
and other cartilage cells, the PCM forms a barrier between the cells<br />
and the rest of the cartilage tissue. When collagen is disrupted in<br />
joints, the changes in mechanical forces on the cells can lead to degenerative<br />
changes.<br />
Leonidas Alexopoulos studied the relationship between collagen<br />
and osteoarthritis at Duke University and presented the results at<br />
the 51th annual scientific meeting of the Orthopedic Research Society<br />
in Washington, DC. Alexopoulos explains: ““When we analyzed<br />
the PCM of mice unable to produce type VI collagen, we found that<br />
the chondrons (joint surface structures) in these mice were much<br />
softer and the joints did not respond well to mechanical pressures.<br />
The joint looked as if osteoarthritis had developed.”<br />
In May, 1997, a paper was presented in the Journal of the American<br />
Veterinary Medical Association by Jens Sejer Madsen, Ph.D.,<br />
D.V.M. from the Small Animal Hospital, Department of Clinical<br />
Studies, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg<br />
C, Denmark. This study shows how collagen can be related to<br />
hip dysplasia.<br />
“Mechanical strength of the joint capsule is related to its collagen<br />
content and composition. In children with congenital hip joint dislocation,<br />
the collagen composition of the joint capsule has been<br />
shown to be abnormal. Thus, it is reasonable to hypothesize that laxity<br />
of the hip joint in dogs may be related to the collagen composition<br />
of the capsule...results of the study support the hypothesis that<br />
a change in collagen composition may contribute to hip joint laxity<br />
in dogs with a predisposition to CHD.”<br />
The vets and breeders are right in that hip dysplasia and other joint<br />
disorders are caused by a variety of environmental and nutritional<br />
factors. Genetics probably do play a role, although it could have<br />
something to do with the cumulative damage the puppies’ parents<br />
and grandparents suffer through repeated vaccination, highly processed<br />
diets, antibiotics and toxins. On top of that, the Purdue study<br />
showed that vaccinated dogs develop autoantibodies to their own<br />
DNA; perhaps vaccinated breeding dogs are passing along damaged<br />
DNA and that is a part of the picture.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Meanwhile, the vets and researchers repeatedly state there is no<br />
cause and effect relationship and that further studies will have to be<br />
done before vaccines can be implicated in joint disease. While we<br />
wait for those magical studies, vets continue to vaccinate every three<br />
years, or even more frequently, with vaccines that were shown to last<br />
at least seven years over thirty years ago.<br />
In the case of distemper, one of the vaccines repeatedly vindicated<br />
in joint disease, puppies develop titers within hours of their first<br />
distemper vaccination. In his study at the University of Wisconsin-<br />
Madison, Dr. Ronald Schultz vaccinated puppies with one dose of<br />
distemper vaccine just four hours prior to being placed in a room<br />
with distemper-infected dogs. All of the puppies were protected<br />
against distemper in this challenge study.<br />
This bears repeating. Dr. Ronald Schultz, the leading canine immunologist,<br />
publishes a study in which every single puppy is protected<br />
within hours of the very first vaccination. Thirty years prior to this,<br />
he determined that core vaccines (including distemper) last at least<br />
seven years, and most likely for the life of the dog. So it should be<br />
pretty obvious that it only takes one distemper vaccine to protect a<br />
puppy from distemper for life. Why then does the average dog get<br />
vaccinated for distemper at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, one year,<br />
four years, seven years, ten years – and if he is lucky enough to have<br />
lived through this unnecessary and dangerous onslaught – thirteen<br />
and sixteen years of age? Nine shots of the same virus that is shown<br />
to be permanently effective within hours of the very first vaccine<br />
is considered a minimal vaccine schedule by most veterinarians –<br />
many other dogs receive 15 or more shots of distemper! It is no<br />
wonder that joint disease is on the rise in dogs, especially in the<br />
most aggressively vaccinated subset: purebred dogs.<br />
Clearly, more research needs to be done in this area but somebody<br />
should at least pay attention to the growing list of unwanted and adverse<br />
effects caused by vaccines. There is a growing list of joint and<br />
collagen related changes that occur after vaccination and they are<br />
implicated in joint disease which has become a significant problem<br />
in today’s dog population. I’m not saying stop vaccination for distemper<br />
altogether (although that is a viable option), but at the very<br />
least, stop the madness of unnecessarily vaccinating dogs for distemper<br />
over, and over, and over, and over again. Isn’t there enough<br />
research to make vets just a little bit concerned about potential damage<br />
from the eight or more distemper vaccines that go into dogs?<br />
It seems that in-depth research and analysis are not all that necessary<br />
when it comes to giving more vaccines but when it comes to<br />
giving less, research is suddenly put on the hot seat and common<br />
sense goes out the window. What will it take before vets start taking<br />
this research seriously and stop vaccinating dogs unnecessarily?<br />
f<br />
Dana Scott breeds naturally reared Labrador Retrievers under the<br />
Fallriver prefix. She lives in Ontario with her husband and their dogs.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
When it comes to polygenic diseases, which most joint disease is,<br />
nutrition can also play a role in the severity of symptoms.<br />
Research by Dr. Wendell Belfield showed that giving German<br />
Shepherd puppies large doses of ascorbate (vitamin C), could decrease<br />
the incidence of hip dysplasia. The research wasn’t well<br />
received, but it is worth noting that ascorbic acid is essential for<br />
normal collagen development. What is really interesting is that<br />
Dr. Belfield also found great success treating distemper with vitamin<br />
C.<br />
After World War I, Ken-L-Ration was introduced as a way to<br />
dispose of deceased horses. Gaines Food Co also began manufacturing<br />
canned and dry meat-meal dog foods and, by the end<br />
of World War II, pet food sales had reached $200 million in the<br />
US. In the 1950’s, commercial pet foods continued to thrive<br />
and Spratt’s dog food (the first manufacturer of dog foods), was<br />
bought out by General Mills. Companies such as Nabisco and<br />
Quaker Oats also jumped on the bandwagon, identifying the pet<br />
food market as a profitable way to market their by-products and<br />
waste.<br />
In 1950, the distemper vaccine was developed. Looking back at<br />
the timeline, there is an interesting temporal relationship.<br />
1. After WW1, commercial pet foods gain more popularity<br />
(1922)<br />
2. Hip dysplasia is first identified shortly thereafter (1935)<br />
3. Pet food sales in the US reach $200 million (1950’s)<br />
4. The distemper vaccine is introduced (1950)<br />
5. Breeders find the rates of hip dysplasia are now high enough<br />
to warrant health testing (1957)<br />
The time line certainly suggests that processed, commercial pet<br />
foods could be at least partly to blame for the rise of joint disease<br />
in dogs. Although anecdotal, breeders who feed fresh foods instead<br />
of kibble and refrain from vaccinations report a lower incidence<br />
of joint disease in their dogs.<br />
19
How to choose the right<br />
Refrigerator Repairman<br />
by: Peter Dobias DVM<br />
Some time ago, our fridge broke. Actually, it<br />
was still working but the fan didn’t work. The<br />
repair guy came and after about two hours<br />
of swearing, heavy breathing and a $400 bill,<br />
the fan was replaced. The next morning, I<br />
found the fridge all defrosted. The fan was<br />
spinning but the fridge was somehow warm<br />
and welcoming.<br />
20<br />
I called the swearing repair guy and he<br />
brushed me off with “Buy a new fridge; this<br />
one is already five years old!” I called for a<br />
second opinion and it was upsetting to find<br />
out that the fan was not connected properly<br />
and had damaged the compressor which is<br />
too expensive to repair and that I did need<br />
a new fridge.<br />
(and vet too)<br />
As I was listening to the verdict, it dawned<br />
on me. This is exactly what can happen to<br />
people and their pets when they visit the<br />
vet. So often, there is a small problem that<br />
turns into a huge issue because of lack of<br />
skills, poor communication, invasive treatments,<br />
steroids and drugs.<br />
Of course, I am not trying to suggest that<br />
your beloved animal friend should be compared<br />
with a fridge. For most people, animals<br />
are our family members, our dearest<br />
companions. All I hope for is that after reading<br />
this article, you will be able to choose the<br />
best healer for your best friend and avoid<br />
disappointment, frustration or heartbreak.<br />
I trust that the following 12 steps will make<br />
the job of choosing the right vet much easier.<br />
1<br />
Step<br />
GO WITH YOUR GUT<br />
If you are wondering why I put this step as<br />
number one, it is because so often, our gut<br />
is right. If something feels ‘not right’, it most<br />
likely isn’t right. However, if you’ve had a<br />
less than positive experience with a vet in<br />
the past, beware of painting them all with<br />
the same brush. Choosing the right vet is<br />
about the right balance of trust and caution.<br />
2<br />
Step<br />
CHECK YOUR POTENTIAL NEW VET’S<br />
RATING<br />
Most searches for a vet start either with<br />
word of mouth or on the internet where<br />
you can check your potential vet’s rating. I<br />
recommend going to www.vetratingz.com. I<br />
find the website really useful and generally<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
pretty accurate, based on my knowledge of<br />
the vet clinics in my area.<br />
If your vet is not listed, that is usually good<br />
news because people are more likely to post<br />
reviews when they are not happy.<br />
3<br />
Step<br />
CHECK HOW LONG THE CONSULT TIME IS<br />
While there may be the odd exception to<br />
this, I find that it is better to pay a little more<br />
for a longer consult than going for a cheap<br />
quickie. Who wants to be put on the conveyor<br />
belt of the “hi and buy” office visit where<br />
many problems can be missed?<br />
A decent consultation and exam should take<br />
a minimum of 30 minutes. An initial holistic<br />
or homeopathic assessment should be at<br />
least 60 minutes.<br />
4<br />
Step<br />
STATE YOUR EXPECTATIONS<br />
Unspoken expectations are one of the most<br />
common reasons for miscommunication and<br />
conflict. If you are going to see a vet, tell him<br />
or her what your expectations are. This way,<br />
your vet will be able to consider your point<br />
of view and objectives.<br />
If you are looking for a holistically minded<br />
vet who uses minimal drugs, make this clear<br />
from the outset, or you may end up with a<br />
practitioner who is heavy on drugs. Natural<br />
treatment modalities can be compared<br />
to a foreign language for a conventionally<br />
minded vet.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
There is also a difference in the perception<br />
of what is natural and holistic. Some practitioners<br />
call themselves holistic while they<br />
commonly prescribe side effect causing antiinflammatory<br />
drugs, steroids and species inappropriate<br />
processed food.<br />
Instead of trying to convince a vet to do<br />
things your way, you will have much better<br />
luck if you find one who is already there.<br />
5<br />
Step<br />
SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES<br />
Your vet is your service provider; he is an expert<br />
but he is not your parent or your boss.<br />
Your vet should understand that you care<br />
about your dog and should not judge or criticize<br />
you just because you disagree with his<br />
or her opinion or don’t choose every single<br />
treatment or test.<br />
Your vet’s job is to provide you with treatment<br />
options and answer your questions so<br />
you can make the best possible choice.<br />
6<br />
Step<br />
LEARN ABOUT THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF DRUGS<br />
As much as this step seems to be common<br />
sense, not many people are informed about<br />
the adverse effects of drugs prescribed.<br />
Remember that in medicine, “less drugs”<br />
is always a better choice. Adding a chemical<br />
substance means the body has an extra<br />
task in addition to healing: it will also need<br />
to detox.<br />
7<br />
Step<br />
GET AN ESTIMATE<br />
Vet bills are another sticky point and there is<br />
no doubt that veterinary service can be expensive.<br />
It may change your perspective to<br />
know that most vets are able to keep around<br />
$20 from every $100 you pay.<br />
However, a good vet has to have an ability<br />
to focus fully on the best choice for your pet<br />
instead of trying to pay his rent or mortgage.<br />
Requesting a written estimate before a procedure<br />
is always a good idea.<br />
If you say, “doctor, do anything it takes,” you<br />
may expose yourself to unnecessary tests<br />
and procedures if your vet is in a financial<br />
crunch. On the other hand, be reasonable<br />
and try not to nickel and dime. I have seen<br />
the other extreme too, seeing people scrutinizing<br />
every dollar just because they want to<br />
buy an expensive car or flat screen TV.<br />
8<br />
Step<br />
REQUEST A STEP BY STEP APPROACH<br />
Frequently, diagnostics and treatments can<br />
be done in sequence instead of all at once.<br />
For example: If your dog is suffering from<br />
diarrhea but appears to be fine otherwise,<br />
it may be safe to give some probiotics and<br />
feed a diet of squash and chicken broth after<br />
a half day fast. If the problem doesn’t go<br />
away, then fecal tests and blood work may<br />
be needed and if there is no improvement,<br />
perhaps IV fluids, medication and a fecal<br />
culture may be necessary and then an ultrasound<br />
or X-ray.<br />
21
Way too often, I see a full battery of tests being<br />
run and unnecessary drugs being given<br />
when 90% of dogs would recover with much<br />
less intervention and at a much lower cost.<br />
Step<br />
CHOOSE A VET WHO DOESN’T FAKE IT<br />
No matter how experienced and knowledgeable<br />
a vet is, there are still a lot unknowns<br />
in medicine. A good vet will be able to help<br />
you by using a blend of knowledge, experience<br />
and intuition and he or she will not be<br />
afraid to say “I don’t know.”<br />
I once asked a colleague why he recommended<br />
running a whole battery of tests<br />
when running only a few would likely yield<br />
the same results. He answered, “If I didn’t<br />
run them all, people would think I was stupid!”<br />
His answer made me really think about why<br />
are we so afraid of not knowing. Perhaps it is<br />
the result of schooling where one always has<br />
to have an answer.<br />
In reality, all we need to do is to look to a<br />
clear night’s sky to confirm that, in the grand<br />
scheme of things, we do not know all. However,<br />
we can still make a big difference with<br />
what we do know and strive to learn more<br />
with an open mind.<br />
Step<br />
PROGNOSIS<br />
Getting a prognosis is an important part of<br />
an appointment. It comes back to making<br />
sure that your own expectations are aligned<br />
with the reality of the situation. If you do<br />
not like what you hear, it may be a good idea<br />
to ask more questions or get a second opinion.<br />
Recently, one of my patients who I have<br />
been treating for a form of oral cancer for<br />
two years, injured his neck and was taken to<br />
a vet in Ontario. My client was told to put her<br />
dog down because the vet thought that the<br />
cancer had spread into the spine. How lucky<br />
that she didn’t listen to that advice: confirming<br />
with a second vet showed that indeed,<br />
her dog had injured his neck muscles.<br />
As to giving a prognosis, I disagree with giving<br />
the exact number of weeks, months or<br />
years of life expectation. As far as I know,<br />
animals do not come with an expiry date<br />
22<br />
9<br />
10<br />
and estimating their time left can be tricky.<br />
Instead, ask if your dog’s problem is easy to<br />
solve, moderately serious, serious or very<br />
serious. In serious and very serious cases,<br />
the prognosis may change on a daily or even<br />
hourly basis.<br />
Step<br />
BE AWARE OF GUILT<br />
When it comes to dogs, most of us experience<br />
guilt. Life is busy and complicated and<br />
we can’t always spend as much time and<br />
money on our dogs as we would like. Your<br />
vet should provide you with a safe way to express<br />
your feelings and concerns and respect<br />
the possibility that you can’t always do it all.<br />
Focus on the well being and quality of life of<br />
your pet and ask yourself if you would regret<br />
it if you didn’t go with the suggested step. If<br />
the answer is yes, reconsider whether your<br />
financial worries are reasonable or if you<br />
just are worrying about money without a<br />
real cause.<br />
Never agree to a test or procedure to please<br />
your vet because, sooner or later, you will<br />
regret your decision.<br />
Step<br />
11<br />
12<br />
BE REASONABLE<br />
We live in a world of quick fix medicine that<br />
can temporarily provide relief through drugs.<br />
Celeste Yarnall, Ph.D<br />
~<br />
Author of:<br />
~ The Complete Guide to ~<br />
Holistic Cat Care<br />
~ Natural Dog Care ~<br />
~ Natural Cat Care ~<br />
~ Cat Care, <strong>Naturally</strong> ~<br />
However, the best way of treating a disease<br />
is prevention. Delaying treatment until the<br />
condition becomes chronic, and then using<br />
drugs to get a quick fix, can be compared to<br />
spending on credit. Like the interest charges<br />
on your credit card, the health consequences<br />
can be unexpectedly large.<br />
Some people do not have the patience to<br />
give the treatment enough of a chance.<br />
Jumping from practitioner to practitioner<br />
often creates chaos and confusion and less<br />
than optimal results. Most chronic conditions<br />
usually take months and years to develop<br />
and they may take months and sometimes<br />
years to be cured.<br />
There is so much more that could be discussed;<br />
however I hope that this information<br />
will make your future veterinary visits easier<br />
and less costly. f<br />
For more information, questions and articles<br />
visit www.peterdobias.com If you have any<br />
questions, you can visit Dr. Dobias at www.<br />
facebook.com/drpeterdobias or www.drpeterdobias.com<br />
You can also register for<br />
his Healing Newsletter for more information.<br />
Dr. Peter Dobias has been in veterinary practice<br />
since 1988. In 2008, he decided to sell<br />
his thriving holistic veterinary practice in<br />
Vancouver, BC, Canada to dedicate his future<br />
years to disease prevention and transforming<br />
the face of veterinary care to less invasive<br />
and more natural treatment methods.<br />
He believes that we can create a healthy and<br />
long life, naturally.<br />
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<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
the<br />
Apothecary<br />
Hypericum<br />
Well-known by its herbal name, St. John’s Wort, Hypericum is best<br />
known for its use in nerve injuries.<br />
There are many remedies available for<br />
acute injuries in dogs, including Hypericum.<br />
For acute and general bruising<br />
and soreness and shock, Arnica usually<br />
fits the bill. For acute muscle and tendon<br />
strains, bone bruises or joint injury<br />
Ruta is an excellent fit and Rhus tox may<br />
also be considered. For more persistent<br />
symptoms, there is Calcarea carb.<br />
Hypericum is in a different class from<br />
these remedies. It is a great remedy for<br />
wounds to the nerves, especially in the<br />
toes and nails. Other nerve-rich areas<br />
include the face, mouth and tail. These<br />
types of injuries can include bites or<br />
puncture wounds, crushing injuries or<br />
torn nails.<br />
Both Hypericum and Ledum are similar in<br />
their makeup and should be considered<br />
when an injury is inflammatory and in<br />
a nerve-rich area. In puncture wounds,<br />
Ledum might be considered a better fit<br />
whereas Hypericum would be considered<br />
for lacerations, especially in nerve-rich<br />
areas.<br />
Rhus tox and Calcarea are often considered<br />
for back pain, but when the pain is<br />
acute, Hypericum will be indicated.<br />
Studies at New York University show that<br />
Hypericum has anti-viral properties. It is<br />
important in preventing tetanus in puncture<br />
wounds (Ledum will also have this<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
quality but has an earlier preventive action).<br />
Injuries that might respond well to Hypericum<br />
include:<br />
• A paw or tail mistakenly closed in a<br />
door<br />
• Torn dewclaws<br />
• The pain from bleeding nails when<br />
the quick is mistakenly cut when<br />
clipping nails<br />
• Any bite wound, especially lacerations<br />
and wounds to nerve rich areas<br />
such as the mouth, face, feet or tail.<br />
© west-crete.com<br />
• Can be considered for head injuries,<br />
especially with convulsions<br />
• The first remedy to consider for<br />
acute injuries to the spine<br />
• Surgical incisions, especially after<br />
spay<br />
• Painful boils or abscesses without<br />
pus<br />
• Broken or painful teeth<br />
• First and second degree burns<br />
If you are building an emergency kit of<br />
homeopathic remedies, make sure it contains<br />
Hypericum. Either a 30C or 200C<br />
potency should work in most cases. f<br />
23
dog parks to go or not to go<br />
by: Debra Ekman CPDT<br />
Dog owners envision our dogs romping gleefully<br />
with doggy friends at our local dog<br />
parks. Not every dog enjoys being at a dog<br />
park however, and those that do may still not<br />
belong there. Moreover, there are hazards at<br />
dog parks that we should all be aware of.<br />
more harm than good?<br />
Canine Health Risks: Dog parks, where other<br />
dogs may or may not be healthy, can expose<br />
your dog to contagious diseases and parasites.<br />
Even apparently healthy dogs can carry<br />
disease. The canine influenza virus sheds before<br />
a dog shows any symptoms, and it can<br />
survive for up to two days on contaminated<br />
surfaces. Giardia, a water illness, may be lurking<br />
silently in shared water containers. And<br />
injuries and accidents are possible whenever<br />
unfamiliar dogs get together.<br />
Human Health Risks: Humans are vulnerable<br />
to diseases that spread to people from dogs<br />
(or from environments where dogs gather).<br />
Tapeworms, roundworms, ticks, fleas and<br />
mites can all be transmitted. People at dog<br />
parks have been bitten or knocked over. Children<br />
do not belong at dog parks. They are no<br />
match for strong, running dogs and can entice<br />
dogs to chase them when they run or scream.<br />
Human Inattention and Lack of Understanding:<br />
Different dogs have different play styles<br />
(chasing, wrestling, body slamming, biting,<br />
etc.) that may not be compatible. Some tension<br />
among dogs, especially when aroused, is<br />
24<br />
inevitable. Most dog owners can’t read the<br />
signals their dogs give each other and find<br />
distinguishing play from aggression particularly<br />
difficult. Some people bring treats, toys<br />
or balls and then get upset when nearby dogs<br />
go after them. Many don’t pay attention to or<br />
are defensive about their own dogs. People<br />
have kicked, hit or thrown another person’s<br />
dog because they thought that dog’s behavior<br />
inappropriate, even when it was normal<br />
dog behavior. When something like this happens,<br />
you are on your own. There is no staff<br />
monitoring most dog parks.<br />
Myths and Misconceptions: At dog parks,<br />
you see dogs that jump on their humans, hide<br />
behind them, stay near the fence, cower or<br />
move away when another dog comes near.<br />
They are doing everything they can to tell<br />
their people that they don’t want to be there.<br />
But so many of us think it’s good for them or<br />
that they are actually enjoying themselves<br />
and we ignore their pleas to leave. You cannot<br />
make your dog like other dogs by forcing<br />
him to be around them, especially in a busy<br />
dog park where anything can happen.<br />
Bullying: Most owners believe that all dogs<br />
should get along; so why not go to a dog park!<br />
But there are some dogs that bully other dogs<br />
and others that have never learned polite dog<br />
interaction. These dogs approach head-on,<br />
stare or don’t heed another dog’s warning to<br />
back off. When your dog enters a dog park,<br />
the others surround him while other dogs<br />
may form a loose pack and roam the dog<br />
park, menacing others. Anyone who has a<br />
?<br />
dog that intimidates other dogs, for whatever<br />
reason, should stop going to the dog park and<br />
find a few compatible playmates instead. If<br />
your dog is enjoying himself at the expense of<br />
others, it’s time to leave.<br />
Predatory Drift: Some dogs are more predatory<br />
than others. They were bred to chase<br />
and kill other animals. At some point, when<br />
they are chasing that furry looking dog (that<br />
may resemble a rabbit or squirrel to them),<br />
their animal instinct may kick in. The dog may<br />
pick up and shake another dog as if it were<br />
prey.<br />
Arousal: Compatible playmates take turns<br />
chasing or jumping on each other. They periodically<br />
stop their play, and then start again.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> at dog parks don’t have the same opportunity<br />
to calm down, as they encounter<br />
one dog after another. Heightened arousal<br />
can quickly turn into aggression. <strong>Dogs</strong> can<br />
be bitten, injured or, in some cases, just plain<br />
terrified. <strong>Dogs</strong> that are encouraged to play<br />
without breaks (“to tire them out”) are constantly<br />
on alert, even when they’re away<br />
from the dog park. When on leash, they tend<br />
to chafe at being restricted and may have<br />
trouble approaching dogs politely.<br />
Long-Term Consequences: If your dog has a<br />
bad experience at the dog park – he is scared,<br />
bitten or a fight breaks out nearby – your<br />
dog’s behavior can be affected from then<br />
on. Some dogs become more reactive as a<br />
defense to keep other dogs away. Others become<br />
more frightened and withdrawn.<br />
Photo: Vic Neumann<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
instead of dog parks<br />
Arrange play dates with dogs you know are<br />
compatible. Keep in mind, though, that even<br />
best friends can become overly aroused,<br />
leading to aggression in an instant. So, help<br />
them calm down every few minutes. Bring<br />
your dog away from the other dog and have<br />
him focus on you while getting some treats.<br />
When both dogs settle down, let them return<br />
to play. This will help keep the arousal level<br />
low and will teach your dog that he doesn’t<br />
have to be manic in the company of other<br />
dogs. Your walks should be much more pleasant<br />
as your dog learns to be calm, instead of<br />
jumping around and tugging, when seeing another<br />
dog along the way.<br />
Trips to the dog park are not the only way to<br />
tire your dog. Blow bubbles for him to pop;<br />
play hide and seek; move around a Chase<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
‘N Pull toy (a sheepskin on a flexible rod);<br />
or teach your dog to “find it” (run around<br />
looking for hidden treats). Most of us don’t<br />
realize that when our dogs use their brains,<br />
it tires them just as much as physical exercise<br />
and is equally important. Practice training<br />
cues, use interactive toys (where the<br />
dog has to pull, drop, roll or tug the toy to<br />
get food to fall out) or teach your dog tricks.<br />
Your dog can have fun, exercise and use his<br />
brain without risking his health and well being<br />
at a dog park. Sign up for a positive training<br />
class; check out meet-up groups; try dog<br />
sports; or make time for dog friendly events.<br />
After you meet some well-suited people and<br />
dogs, organize your own group adventures.<br />
if you insist on going ...<br />
Make sure your dog is healthy. Don’t go to<br />
a dog park if your dog is ill or on medication<br />
that suppresses the immune system. Take<br />
your own water and bowl to avoid waterborne<br />
diseases.<br />
Before taking your dog to the dog park, go<br />
alone. Observe the park at the time you are<br />
most likely to visit. Chances are the same<br />
dogs and people will show up at the same<br />
time each week. Watch for possible concerns:<br />
• Is the dog park crowded?<br />
• Do any dogs seem to be bullies?<br />
• Are humans paying attention to their<br />
dogs?<br />
• Is there a separate small dog area?<br />
• Is the enclosure secure, double gated<br />
and well maintained?<br />
When you take your dog, check out the dogs<br />
and people already inside. If anything you observe<br />
concerns you, go home. If the dogs look<br />
well-matched, let them notice your dog while<br />
you are still outside to avoid getting mobbed<br />
when you enter. If the holding area is unoccupied,<br />
open the first gate and make sure you<br />
close it behind you. Check that your dog’s<br />
collar or harness isn’t loose enough to trap<br />
another dog’s paw and cause a panic. If the<br />
area immediately outside the second gate is<br />
congested, politely ask owners to move their<br />
dogs out of the way. Close the second gate<br />
behind you after you enter the dog park.<br />
While you’re there, walk around every few<br />
minutes to encourage your dog to follow you<br />
and take play breaks. Be responsible for your<br />
own dog’s behavior. Before you leave, clean<br />
your dog’s paws to minimize the risk of parasites<br />
or disease from the soil.<br />
the bottom line<br />
it would be lonely without you<br />
Don’t miss a single issue of <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong>.<br />
Your mailing label tells you when your subscription expires<br />
Renew online at www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com<br />
Or call 877.665.1290<br />
If you insist on going to a dog park, promise<br />
yourself that if you have any doubts about<br />
whether your dog or others are acting appropriately,<br />
the play is getting too rough or<br />
your dog is not having fun, you will leave.<br />
Don’t discount the importance of playtime at<br />
home with you. After all, you are your dog’s<br />
best friend, protector, and most sought-after<br />
companion. f<br />
Debra Ekman founded and runs Your Dog’s<br />
Friend, a non-profit organization, based in<br />
Maryland, whose goal is to help keep dogs<br />
out of shelters by educating and supporting<br />
dog owners. Your Dog’s Friend (www.yourdogsfriend.info)<br />
provides behavior and training<br />
advice; sponsors free seminars on topics<br />
of interest to both new and experienced dog<br />
owners; offers a variety of training classes;<br />
and gives out The Shelter and Rescue Dog<br />
Book, which Debra wrote, to local adopters,<br />
shelters and rescues.<br />
25
Prolotherapy for stifle injuries<br />
26<br />
by: Deva Khalsa DVM<br />
Sally was young, in Rottweiler years, to be diagnosed with a<br />
cranial cruciate injury in her right knee. She was only four years<br />
old. Sally was one of those outgoing, exuberant and loving Rottweilers<br />
whose tail seemed to wag her whole body. She loved<br />
life but her painful knee was putting a crimp in her desire to live<br />
it to the fullest.<br />
Sally’s owner opted for surgery to repair the torn ligament and<br />
this course of action was successful. But in less than a year,<br />
her left knee began giving Sally problems. Her owner was very<br />
careful with her exercise and couldn’t remember an incident<br />
where she could have injured her left knee. Sally was holding<br />
her left rear leg off the ground for the first few steps and then<br />
tiptoed on it while she walked. Finally, after many minutes, she<br />
began cautiously walking on her left hind leg.<br />
We were concerned that Sally was putting too much weight on<br />
the right leg which had already undergone surgery. This time,<br />
her mom opted for Prolotherapy to treat her left knee. We’ll<br />
talk more about Prolotherapy, but let’s first find out what’s really<br />
happening in our dogs’ knee joints and why we’re seeing so<br />
many knee problems.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Webster’s New Collegiate dictionary defines Prolotherapy as:<br />
“the rehabilitations of an incompetent structure, such as ligaments<br />
or tendons, by the induced proliferation of new cells”.<br />
Ligaments provide stability to the complex knee joint. Two of<br />
the knee’s four ligaments are attached in a crosswise fashion<br />
and called the cranial and caudal cruciate ligaments. These ligaments<br />
act together with the lateral collateral ligament to maintain<br />
stability of the stifle through its full range of motion.<br />
In the past, veterinarians attributed cruciate ligament damage to<br />
sports injuries but recent research has found that cruciate injuries<br />
are not as simple and straightforward as once thought. It’s<br />
been found that dogs over four years that are spayed or neutered<br />
are considerably more likely to suffer cruciate tears than dogs<br />
that remain sexually intact. Cruciate ligament damage is seen<br />
much more frequently in overweight, neutered, middle-aged<br />
dogs. A much smaller group of genuine sports injuries do occur<br />
in dogs who push the physical limits of their bodies through<br />
over-exertion. An example of this is jumping high to catch a<br />
Frisbee and landing over and over on the same hind leg.<br />
Surprisingly, most cruciate problems do not appear suddenly –<br />
after a sudden twisting movement or jumping from an elevated<br />
location. Even when a cruciate tear appears to be acute, inflammation<br />
and weakness in the area more often than not precede<br />
and contribute to the injury. Researchers agree that something<br />
more than a simple accident is to blame because it’s very common<br />
for a dog’s other knee to go out not long after the first one.<br />
Another group of dogs that suffer from this disease are those<br />
receiving corticosteroid medications for long periods. It’s uncertain<br />
if these pets develop the problem because they gain weight<br />
or because corticosteroids decrease the strength of their ligament.<br />
These observations indicate that the endocrine system and<br />
internal hormones play an important part in maintaining joint<br />
health.<br />
Homeopathy for Knee Issues<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
The thyroid hormone would also play a part in this. In The Canine<br />
Thyroid Epidemic, Dr. Jean Dodds states, “Hypothyroid<br />
animals can also experience loose joints, which lead to patellar<br />
subluxation (partial dislocation of the kneecap) from weakened<br />
or torn cruciate ligaments.” The intricate hormonal interactions<br />
within our dogs’ bodies are affected by early neutering, the xenoestrogens<br />
present in commonly used garden products such as<br />
Round Up and the toxic effect that many topical flea and tick<br />
products have on the canine thyroid gland.<br />
Ligaments are fibrous tissues that connect bone to bone to make<br />
a joint. If you look at a fresh ligament, it would appear as a<br />
white sheet or band. Its appearance is white because there is<br />
very limited blood supply to ligaments; therefore, they heal very<br />
slowly. When they do finally heal, they are never as strong, often<br />
at only 20% of their original strength, making them more prone<br />
to re-injury.<br />
Getting back to Sally, her mom had several choices for her treatment,<br />
one being rest and NSAIDs. This was part of the therapy<br />
that she had chosen for Sally’s right knee but before long, Sally<br />
needed surgery. When a dog injures his knee, the pain forces<br />
him to rest it. If we humans hurt our knee and then take a drug<br />
to kill the pain, we know that we must continue to protect that<br />
knee. Our dog however, will run on the knee and further injure<br />
it when he is given a pain killing, anti-inflammatory drug.<br />
Both steroids and NSAIDs have been irrefutably proven to retard<br />
healing. The injured is continuously re-injured. The consequence<br />
of all this may be expensive knee surgery.<br />
Moreover, recent research shows that some types of NSAIDs,<br />
COX-2 inhibitors, can also have an adverse effect on bone healing<br />
and impair ligament healing. This would include popular<br />
NSAIDs such as Rimadyl® and Metacam®.<br />
Sally’s mom also had the option of a combined mix of holistic<br />
options including rest with acupuncture treatments, herbs and<br />
Remedy Potency Indications Dosage<br />
Ruta grav 6x or 30x ligament injury - especially in the knee 3 to 4 times per day<br />
Arnica 6c to 30c acute musculoskeletal injuries 4 times per day<br />
Bryonia 6c to 30c lameness that is worse after exercise 3 times per day<br />
Rhus tox 6c to 30c lameness that is worse after resting 3 times per day<br />
Gelsemium 6c or 6x luxating patellas 2 times per day<br />
27
homeopathy. This can be very successful but the hard part is<br />
keeping an active dog quiet for several weeks. The minute most<br />
dogs feel and look better, both he and his owner give a big sigh<br />
of relief, stop leash walks and - bada boom bada bing - that ligament<br />
is once again strained and damaged.<br />
Certain homeopathic remedies are excellent for helping with<br />
ligament tears. The chart on page 27 presents several homeopathic<br />
remedies that are helpful with knee problems, along with<br />
their indications.<br />
Because Sally had a history of knee problems, her owner opted<br />
for Prolotherapy. Prolotherapy has been practiced for well over<br />
50 years. It’s both inexpensive and effective. Research with rabbits<br />
in the 1950’s showed that damaged ligaments treated with<br />
Prolotherapy increased almost four times in size.<br />
Prolotherapy treatment is simple and straightforward. Injections<br />
of a specific mixture of proliferant substances are placed<br />
in the ligaments around the joint, stimulating them to regenerate.<br />
The fluid also stimulates new cartilage growth in the joint.<br />
Prolotherapy is effective in the repairing of collagen, ligaments<br />
and connective tissue.<br />
After I became certified in Prolotherapy, it soon became my<br />
treatment of choice for cruciate injuries. The effects are often<br />
seen immediately and healing is vastly accelerated. While it’s<br />
still a good idea to keep your dog quiet after the first treatment,<br />
the healing is so accelerated that the quiet period is shortened to<br />
a few days. In some cases only one treatment is needed. In others<br />
two to three treatments may be necessary. Some veterinarians<br />
do it without sedation or anesthesia. I decide along with the<br />
owner whether light anesthesia should be used by evaluating the<br />
patient and his individual personality and pain tolerance.<br />
After the Prolotherapy, Sally did beautifully! I also prescribed<br />
the Chinese Herb Ligament Repair by Jing Tang Herbal along<br />
with the homeopathic remedies Ruta grav and Rhus tox. There<br />
was one last thing we had to fix however. The knee she had surgery<br />
on the year before was bothering her. It had been stressed<br />
because she had shifted all of her weight to that leg when the left<br />
one was injured. My associate did a special type of gold bead<br />
procedure on her called gold wire.<br />
Dr. Grady Young pioneered gold bead implants in the early<br />
1970’s. It works incredibly well for hip dysplasia, with a 98%<br />
success rate for dogs under seven years of age. The procedure<br />
consists of tiny gold beads or wires inserted through a needle<br />
into acupuncture points between the muscles or under the skin<br />
while the patient is under anesthesia or sedation.<br />
The gold wire procedure performed on Sally was slightly different.<br />
Tiny gold wires were placed in just a few acupuncture<br />
28<br />
points and this could be done while Sally was awake. It’s usually<br />
even more successful than the gold bead technique and it<br />
worked great for Sally.<br />
Sally’s story has a very happy ending. She still wags her whole<br />
body with her tail and is one of the most active and playful dogs<br />
I have ever met. She has not lost her puppy-like enthusiasm for<br />
life. But now she can enjoy the rest of her life without daily pain<br />
medication for her knees.<br />
Holistic healing has many faces, but the bottom line is a stronger<br />
and healthier body and Sally is a shining example. f<br />
Since beginning her holistically oriented veterinary practice<br />
over 25 years ago, Dr. Khalsa has been incorporating homeopathy,<br />
acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, nutritional advice, allergyelimination<br />
techniques such as N.A.E.T and also J.M.T. into her<br />
approach. She coauthored, ‘Healing Your Horse: Alternative<br />
Therapies’ (Howell Book House, 1993), and most recently authored,<br />
‘Dr. Khalsa’s Natural Dog’ (Kennel Club Books, 2009),<br />
a book best described as a ‘holistic bible’ for dog owners. Dr.<br />
Khalsa is a Fellow and Professor of the British Institute of Homeopathy.<br />
She has lectured both nationally and internationally.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
CANINE<br />
Sports Injuries<br />
by: Julie Mayer DVM<br />
A dog doesn’t have to be a competitive athlete to sustain a sports<br />
injury. Even a backyard dog shows his athleticism by chasing wildlife,<br />
fetching toys, fence fighting, jumping on or off things, playing,<br />
etc.<br />
The causes of sports injuries are many. Reasons for injury can<br />
include genetics, nutritional status, body condition, pre-existing<br />
metabolic diseases (diabetes, Cushings), repetitive motion, explosive<br />
behavior, accidents, etc.<br />
Here are some of the more common sports injuries that I see in my<br />
canine rehabilitation practice:<br />
Shoulder Instability<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> do not have a clavicle to help anchor<br />
the front limbs to the frame like<br />
humans do. There is no bony or joint<br />
attachment of the front limbs to the<br />
torso. This means that the muscles,<br />
their tendons and fascia are the only<br />
structures holding the front limbs onto<br />
the body. These tissues also help<br />
support the shoulder.<br />
At the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint,<br />
there are many tendons, ligaments<br />
and muscles that work together to<br />
provide smooth movement between<br />
the scapula and the humerus. If the<br />
dog is not accustomed to quick running<br />
bursts, he may suffer muscle strain that<br />
results in shoulder pain. If any of these<br />
tissues are compromised, the joint will<br />
become unstable, and pain, inflammation<br />
and lameness may ensue.<br />
The degree of lameness can range from a slight change in weight<br />
bearing to a severe head bob when the limb contacts the ground<br />
(in the case of a front end injury, the head will bob up).<br />
Therapeutic exercises and low level laser can help strengthen the<br />
tissues around the joint and prevent excessive motion.<br />
30<br />
Scapula<br />
Rib cage<br />
Shoulder joint<br />
Humerus<br />
Biceps Tendonitis<br />
The bicipital tendon is one of the most important structures of the<br />
shoulder. It comes off the scapula, passes through the shoulder<br />
joint and then over the top of the humerus, becoming part of the<br />
biceps muscle which attaches down the limb on the radius and<br />
ulna.<br />
Contraction of the biceps muscle flexes the elbow and extends the<br />
shoulder joint and helps to stabilize the shoulder joint. Overuse injuries<br />
are common in this tendon. Symptoms usually include lame-<br />
Biceps muscle<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
ness, especially after exercise, which may be intermittent and then<br />
gradually become chronic. When this happens, the tendon may<br />
become mineralized, which will permanently interfere with the<br />
function of the leg. Mineralization will result in decreased range of<br />
motion and the resulting loss of function in the glenohumeral joint<br />
will interfere with performance.<br />
When inflamed, the bicipital tendon will be sensitive to the touch<br />
near the point of the shoulder. Treatment typically includes rest,<br />
therapeutic ultrasound and/or low level laser directly at the site<br />
and other pain management modalities like acupuncture and electromagnetic<br />
therapies.<br />
Carpal Hyperextension<br />
The carpus (wrist) has seven<br />
small bones in it that are all<br />
held in place by ligaments. The<br />
carpus is suspended in position<br />
by the flexor tendons on the<br />
underside of the joint. These<br />
flexor tendons originate from<br />
the muscles of the forearm<br />
and cross over the carpus to insert<br />
onto the bones of the paw.<br />
carpus<br />
High velocity descents from<br />
jumping, landing hard on firm<br />
surfaces or just repetitive<br />
jumping can cause wear and<br />
tear on the carpal tendons and<br />
ligaments. Eventually, these soft tissue structures will lose their<br />
tensile strength and begin to weaken. When this happens, there<br />
is increased laxity of the carpus and it begins to bend backwards,<br />
resulting in a pronounced angulation when the dog is weight bearing.<br />
When severe, this can result in the wrist constantly contacting<br />
the ground, and pain, inflammation, and arthritis will follow.<br />
When symptoms are mild, carpal support wraps will be of some<br />
benefit. Also, electro-stimulation to the flexor tendons across the<br />
wrist and electro-acupuncture has helped tremendously coupled<br />
with therapeutic exercises. Sometimes, when all the supporting<br />
structures have failed, the only treatment option may be carpal<br />
arthrodesis. This is a surgery that will force all the bones in the<br />
carpus to fuse together. The end result is a wrist that has no motion<br />
at all.<br />
Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture<br />
There are two ligaments, the cranial and caudal cruciate ligaments,<br />
inside the stifle (knee) joint. They connect the femur to the tibia.<br />
They work together to stabilize the knee. The cranial ligament is<br />
most often injured.<br />
The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) prevents the tibia from gliding<br />
forward under the femur and prevents internal rotation of the<br />
tibia. Unlike humans, this ligament rupture is typically not the re-<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
sult of trauma in dogs. There usually is some underlying catalyst<br />
causing degeneration which weakens the ligament and causes the<br />
rupture. The fibers of this ligament may fray over time from wear<br />
and tear, and if there is chronic, mild inflammation in the joint,<br />
enzymes will create tissue deterioration. Some dogs also have a<br />
genetic predisposition.<br />
When the CCL is torn, there is typically acute three-legged lameness<br />
or toe-touching and barely any use of the limb. The veterinarian<br />
will usually diagnose a rupture by manipulating the femur<br />
and tibia and detecting the degree of instability in the knee. Non<br />
surgical treatment is preferable, (see page 36) but if the knee is<br />
very unstable, surgery with post-op rehabilitation may be required.<br />
Iliopsoas Strain<br />
Another common injury of rear lameness is a strained iliopsoas.<br />
This muscle group spans along the underside of the lumbar vertebrae<br />
and over the groin area to attach to the inside of the femur.<br />
The purpose of this muscle is to flex the lumbar spine and flex the<br />
hip joint, bringing the upper leg forward.<br />
When excessive force acts on the Iliopsoas muscle, it may become<br />
injured and will usually spasm. This prevents extension of the hip<br />
and leads to lameness and toe touching while standing – the muscle<br />
will also be sore to touch.<br />
This injury can be a primary injury or secondary and may look<br />
identical to a CCL rupture. It is not uncommon to find dogs with<br />
iliopsoas strains that also have other orthopedic problems, or that<br />
have recently undergone surgical treatment for another orthopedic<br />
condition, such as CCL rupture. It is important that the veterinarian<br />
examining your pet feels this muscle when there is acute<br />
rear limb lameness as it can be easily missed.<br />
Treatment typically includes ice, rest, low level laser, therapeutic<br />
massage, natural muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories. Acupuncture<br />
may also be helpful to assist with pain control and to<br />
Psoas muscle<br />
31
promote healing. Pain-free, passive range of motion and home exercises<br />
are also recommended.<br />
Surgically releasing or reattaching the tendon may be necessary in<br />
some cases. Surgical intervention should be considered when the<br />
injury recurs at regular intervals or does not respond to medical<br />
treatment or rehabilitation therapy. Ultrasonography, a CT Scan,<br />
or MRI can diagnose the damage to the muscle.<br />
Sacrotubercle Ligament Tension<br />
There is a deep ligament on both sides of the tail base that connects<br />
the sacrum to the pelvis. There are muscles and fascia that<br />
attach to this broad ligament and nerves that cruise around it and<br />
then run down into the rear leg. When the pelvis and sacrum are<br />
out of alignment, this ligament will become tight. Over time, it<br />
will become inflamed and sore. When this happens the sciatic<br />
nerve, which is in close association to the ligament, will become<br />
entrapped and inflamed. Also, tendons attached to this ligament<br />
and their associated muscles will become affected. This all leads<br />
to lameness and possibly anal gland issues and an awkward tail<br />
carriage on the affected side.<br />
The symptoms are similar to a cranial cruciate rupture and this injury<br />
can be easily misdiagnosed. When the practitioner palpates<br />
the ligament, there will be an intense pain response.<br />
32<br />
Julie Mayer DVM CVA CVC CCRP<br />
INTEGRATIVE VETERINARIAN<br />
Holistic Healing Acupuncture<br />
Homeopathy Nutrition<br />
Rehabilitation Chiropractic<br />
Herbs Mach Morsels<br />
Sports Medicine Reiki<br />
Flower Essences Seminars and Webinars<br />
Integrativeveterinarian.com<br />
Dr.julie@integrativeveterinarian.com<br />
Treatment typically includes rest, chiropractic manipulations to restore<br />
the alignment, low level laser to decrease the inflammation,<br />
and massaging the ligament to relieve the tension.<br />
Spondylosis<br />
This is a syndrome that results in fused connections of the spinal<br />
vertebrae, preventing normal movement and communication of<br />
the vertebral segments. Ligaments connect the spinal vertebrae to<br />
each other and help hold the segments in unison with the flow of<br />
movement. The ligaments must be strong but also flexible to allow<br />
the spine to move in many different directions.<br />
If these ligaments get weak from wear and tear, they will not be<br />
able to support the alignment of the vertebrae, resulting in excessive<br />
motion between the segments. In an attempt to stabilize the<br />
spine, the body will lay down the hardest material available in the<br />
body: calcium. The ligaments then become calcified and ultimately<br />
fuse like a cement bridge.<br />
Calcification will interfere with the hole (foramen) in the vertebra,<br />
where the nerve root exits from the spinal cord, so a pinched<br />
nerve will result. Most dogs have some form of spondylosis and<br />
don’t show symptoms. Usually the dog will have a stiff back and<br />
less muscle mass along the spine. When spondylosis becomes advanced,<br />
neurological deficits will result, weakness of the rear limbs<br />
will occur with changes in the gait, and sometimes the dog can lose<br />
control of his bowels or bladder.<br />
Chiropractic, low level laser, and therapeutic exercises are all beneficial.<br />
If there is severe mineralization at the lumbosacral joint,<br />
then surgery can be performed to help remove some of the material<br />
to make room for the nerve roots to pass through.<br />
Prevention<br />
Foramen<br />
Vertebrae<br />
Calcification<br />
Normal Joint Spondylosis<br />
Prevention of sports injuries begins with sound nutrition. Good<br />
quality ingredients in your dog’s food is key. “Garbage in equals<br />
garbage out”! Avoid chemical laden, processed foods and opt instead<br />
for fresh, organic human-grade choices: the nutrients will<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
e more bioavailable to the dog’s body. If dietary protein is insufficient,<br />
this reduces the body’s ability to respond quickly to infection,<br />
injury or trauma.<br />
You should supplement the diet with nutraceuticals because tissue<br />
degradation is accelerated in athletes and the body’s own natural<br />
supply cannot always keep up with the demand. Good choices include:<br />
Glucosamine - a form of amino sugar that is believed to play a role<br />
in cartilage formation and repair.<br />
Chondroitin sulfate - part of a large protein molecule (proteoglycan)<br />
that gives cartilage elasticity.<br />
Cetyl-myristoleate - an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever which<br />
also acts as an immune system modulator.<br />
Essential Fatty Acids, EPA/DHA - reported to enhance oxygen uptake<br />
and are anti-inflammatory.<br />
Branched Chain Amino Acids - energy-rich, help reduce fatigue, reduce<br />
post exercise muscle damage, easily absorbed, and good for<br />
the immune system function.<br />
Free radicals are produced during exercise which can injure cells<br />
and DNA, and cause cancer. Antioxidants are necessary to neutralize<br />
these free radicals. Adaptogens help the body maintain homeostasis<br />
when it is subject to stresses like exercise, training and<br />
trauma. Fresh veggies and fruits are the best source of antioxidants<br />
and adaptogens.<br />
Core strength, passive range of motion, warm ups and cool downs<br />
will help prevent common sports related injuries. Research shows<br />
how human runners with poor core stability are predisposed to<br />
injury. Core strength can prevent arthritis and spondylosis because<br />
a strong torso will allow normal active range of motion of<br />
healthy joints, which will improve nutrition to and encourage a<br />
healthy environment in the joints. The nervous system becomes<br />
more efficient and the reflexes quicken with increased muscle firing,<br />
resulting in better balance and coordination. Tone ligaments<br />
and tendons are less prone to sprains and strains. Strong muscles<br />
are powerful and support the skeletal system.<br />
Conditioning exercises for any pet will improve endurance, the<br />
cardiovascular system, maintain a strong musculoskeletal system,<br />
stimulate the nervous system, manage weight and improve mental<br />
health. Be careful to avoid fatigue when exercising your dog: reflexes<br />
will be slower and the dog will not be able to react as quickly,<br />
making the soft tissues more prone to injury.<br />
The recovery period is just as important as the workout. Inadequate<br />
recovery may increase the risk of developing illness or becoming<br />
injured.<br />
I use regular acupuncture treatments in my practice to enhance<br />
performance by increasing circulation and oxygen to the tissues,<br />
hasten recovery from intense exercise or injury, prevent injury by<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
tonifying tissues, improve balance and agility, reduce pain, relieve<br />
muscle spasms, sprains, strains, boost the immune system, decrease<br />
performance anxiety and for stress relief.<br />
Regular chiropractic treatments will help keep the musculoskeletal<br />
system in alignment, restore proper biomechanical and neurological<br />
function, and help prevent compensatory injuries. Studies<br />
show that subluxation-free human athletes react faster, coordinate<br />
better, and can execute fine movements with improved accuracy<br />
and precision. This leads to better performance, fewer injuries and<br />
quicker recovery. Chiropractic is a natural health care method that<br />
stresses the importance of keeping all the systems of the body<br />
functioning efficiently so the athlete enjoys peak performance,<br />
minimal injury risk, and fast recuperative powers. A chiropractor<br />
also prescribes a range of exercises aimed at overall fitness for the<br />
canine athlete.<br />
If your dog is active, it is important to treat him just like a human<br />
athlete. Their bodies are just as susceptible to overuse and injury<br />
and your best friend deserves nothing less! f<br />
Dr. Julie Mayer has been practicing veterinary medicine since 1991.<br />
She has dedicated most of her career to holistic medicine and rehabilitation.<br />
Dr Mayer most recently received the 2010 Iams Eukanuba<br />
AARV Award for excellence in the field of Veterinary Rehabilitation.<br />
She is the creator of Mach Morsels, performance fuel for<br />
canine sprinters www.integrativeveterinarian.com/mach-morsels.<br />
html.<br />
33
Canine Diabetes<br />
Prevention and Treatment<br />
by: Stephen Blake DVM<br />
Diabetes usually occurs when a dog is seven to nine years old.<br />
I have only seen a few cases of juvenile diabetes in the past 37<br />
years with most cases being in older dogs.<br />
Female dogs are more at risk than males because of the changes<br />
in their reproductive hormones every time they go through<br />
a season. Breeds that are prone to developing this disease include<br />
Miniature Pinschers, Cairn Terriers, Dachshunds, Poodles,<br />
Beagles, Miniature Schnauzers and Keeshonds. The genetic<br />
makeup of these dogs makes them more prone to developing<br />
diabetes than other breeds.<br />
The incidence of canine diabetes is one out of every ten dogs<br />
worldwide. The sad story is that it is slowly increasing over time,<br />
just as it is in the human population. It is interesting to note<br />
that over the past 37 years of practice, I’ve also seen the rate of<br />
cancer increase from 5% to 55% in both dogs and cats - as well<br />
as an exponential increase in autoimmune disease in general.<br />
Throughout the years, I’ve noted an increase in better diets on<br />
the market. I also notice that people are being more careful<br />
with chemicals for themselves and their pets. In spite of their<br />
efforts, their pets are still suffering this increase in chronic and<br />
autoimmune disease. I believe the common denominator in all<br />
of these chronic diseases is vaccines as we know them today.<br />
Vaccines have been medically proven to have the potential to<br />
trigger autoimmune disease in all animals.<br />
I advise all of my clients not to vaccinate their animals, especially<br />
if they have any chronic issues, including but not limited to<br />
dermatitis, ear infections, urinary tract infections, irritable bowel<br />
disease, arthritis of any kind, liver, pancreas or kidney disease<br />
of any kind, allergies, food allergies, eye or ear discharge of any<br />
kind, behavior issues, breeding issues, cystitis, nail issues, coat<br />
issues, digestive issues of any kind, seizure issues, neurological<br />
issues of any kind or musculoskeletal issues.<br />
That’s a pretty lengthy list, but it’s important to note that it<br />
states right on the vaccine handout “only give to healthy animals.”<br />
All of the symptoms I listed are seen in an unhealthy<br />
animal; ergo, do not vaccinate!<br />
34<br />
Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are lethargy, unexplained<br />
weight gain or loss, increased water consumption and<br />
excessive urination. If you see any of these symptoms, you can<br />
have the urine checked by your local veterinarian or get some<br />
glucose test strips to test your dog’s urine at home. I recommend<br />
doing multiple samples over a period of a few days, before<br />
and after eating, to make sure you do not miss a spike in<br />
the blood sugar.<br />
Most diabetic cases require the use of injectable insulin to help<br />
control the dog’s glucose levels. You will need to be under the<br />
care of a veterinarian to establish the correct amount of insulin<br />
for your pet. Every case of diabetes that has come to me has<br />
been on insulin.<br />
The most important part of any treatment protocol is to stop<br />
labelling the dog as diabetic. Where your intentions go, energy<br />
flows! Make sure your energy flows from your heart with the<br />
vision of your dog being healthy, not diseased. <strong>Dogs</strong> pick up on<br />
your thoughts and actions, so make them always positive!<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
I have been able to get a few dogs off the insulin or at least<br />
reduce their requirements by using the following treatment<br />
protocol:<br />
• Place the dog on a grain free diet<br />
• No vaccines ever<br />
• No topical flea, tick or spot on products<br />
• No heartworm preventative drugs<br />
• Never give cortisone. Almost all of the cases of canine<br />
diabetes I have seen were on cortisone prior to diagnosis<br />
- and of course vaccinated as well<br />
• Massage cinnamon essential oil daily on the pads of<br />
their feet<br />
• Put them on bovine colostrum - the insulin-like growth<br />
factors help with regulating blood sugars<br />
• Give Standard Process Canine Intestinal Support and<br />
Canine Whole Body Support in each meal<br />
• Provide filtered water, preferably a charcoal filtering<br />
system<br />
• Give the gemmotherapies fig tree, hedge maple and<br />
European walnut - 5 drops of each with each meal for<br />
support of the pancreas and GI system<br />
• Provide a homeopathic simillimum that fits their particular<br />
case.<br />
• Provide plenty of exercise<br />
I recommend home testing rather taking the dog into the hospital<br />
for monitoring their insulin needs. The exception would be<br />
if they are brittle and you are unable to do so at home. The new<br />
testing devices work well on the ears of dogs and cats and you<br />
get a more accurate reading because of the absence of stress<br />
they experience in the veterinary clinic.<br />
I also recommend the use of the essential oil frankincense applied<br />
to the pads of the rear feet. I call this aroma-acupuncture.<br />
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the meridians for<br />
the spleen, pancreas and stomach come out on the toes of the<br />
rear feet. I have the caregiver massage a few drops into their<br />
dog’s feet once per day, as long as the dog goes along with it. If<br />
not, then diffuse the frankincense in the room where he sleeps.<br />
This is an excellent remedy for helping the body remove scar<br />
tissue. This often forms in diabetic cases where there is a history<br />
of pancreatitis prior to the overt diabetes.<br />
My personal feeling about diabetes is that it is simply an acute<br />
manifestation of chronic disease. By this I mean there is a predisposing<br />
condition underlying the diabetes that allowed this<br />
animal to come down with these particular symptoms. Allopathic<br />
medicine has no tools for dealing with chronic disease<br />
and can only try to manage the symptoms with no real hope<br />
of cure.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
My advice for prevention is to do your best to avoid putting<br />
anything in your friend that has the potential for causing harm.<br />
I have listed above what I feel are the main triggers for any<br />
chronic disease. Remember the quote, “an ounce of prevention<br />
is worth a pound of cure!”<br />
In closing, I would like to share a quote from one of my favorite<br />
people in history, Dr. Albert Schweitzer. “What great doctors do<br />
is awaken the doctor within.”<br />
The goal in caring for any being who is out of balance energetically<br />
is to help him come back into balance and awaken the<br />
healer within. Remember our goal is to always prevent suffering<br />
and always do no harm! f<br />
Stephen Blake practices small animal medicine in San Diego, California.<br />
Dr. Blake has been a lecturer at the American Holistic Veterinary<br />
Medical Association national conventions for the past 10<br />
years. He has given many lectures on Homeopathy, Aromatherapy,<br />
Bach Flowers, Gemmotherapy, Oligotherapy, nutrition and Bovine<br />
Colostrum. He has just finished writing and illustrating his first<br />
book, The Pet Whisperer, which is available through The Pet Whisperer<br />
Publishing Company at www.thepetwhisperer.com.<br />
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35
CRUCIATE<br />
TEARS<br />
The Non-Surgical Approach<br />
by: Debbie Gross Saunders, DPT, MSPT, OCS, CCRP<br />
Any active dog owner has heard the news of either their dog or a<br />
friend’s dog suffering a cruciate tear – or a knee injury. If you are<br />
involved with dogs, it is inevitable that you have heard about the<br />
cruciate, CCL, or cranial cruciate ligament of the knee or stifle.<br />
The CCL – the cranial cruciate ligament – is a primary stabilizer<br />
of the dog’s knee. There are two ligaments that cross in the dog’s<br />
knee (cruciate means cross in Latin) and help stabilize the knee and<br />
prevent osteoarthritis or arthritis from occurring. The cranial cruciate<br />
ligament, which is equivalent to the ACL or anterior cruciate<br />
ligament in humans, is the one of the two cruciate ligaments often<br />
injured.<br />
Unlike humans, the CCL is often injured atraumatically in dogs –<br />
meaning not associated with trauma. Most people tear their ACL<br />
as an acute injury, such as skiing or playing soccer. Cruciate tears in<br />
dogs do not tend to be traumatic and are often the culmination of<br />
events. Factors contributing to CCL tears in dogs include obesity,<br />
hormones, structure, breed, age, activity and strength level. Any<br />
dog can suffer a CCL tear, but some breeds are more prone to tears<br />
than others. Overweight dogs who are not in optimal strength are<br />
also more prone to CCL injury.<br />
The cruciate ligament consists of fibrous bands – or strands – that<br />
run from the upper leg to the lower leg. What commonly occurs with<br />
a CCL injury is that one of the strands tears and creates increased<br />
movement in the knee. The increased movement places stress on<br />
the knee, and this in turn creates pain and inflammation. The pain<br />
and inflammation send a signal to the muscles to stop working, so<br />
weakness or atrophy begins to settle in. This further weakens the<br />
knee and begins to lead to more inflammation and pain, and potentially<br />
more damage to the fibrous bands in the ligament. The cycle<br />
can keep going until a complete tear occurs. As more strands go, the<br />
knee becomes more unstable and osteoarthritic changes occur. The<br />
cycle needs to be broken through the reduction of pain and inflammation<br />
and encouragement of strength.<br />
36<br />
Ligaments do more than hold joints together: they assist with balance<br />
and proprioception. Proprioception is the process by which<br />
our brain determines where a body part is in space. For example,<br />
proprioception helps us place our foot down as we step off a curb<br />
on a street. Many of us have sprained an ankle at some point in<br />
our life and are reminded of that sprained ankle with poor balance<br />
and difficulty negotiating turns after the sprain. Once a ligament is<br />
damaged, the ligament only comes back to sixty percent of its normal<br />
strength. This may be assisted with balance and proprioceptive<br />
exercises. Proprioception is an unconscious action that gives us the<br />
sense of position of the joints in our body and is therefore very important<br />
to aid in the rehabilitation of a CCL tear.<br />
When a dog tears his cruciate ligament – especially a partial tear<br />
– surgery may not be the only option. Conservative physical rehabilitation<br />
may be of benefit, as long as continuous progress is being<br />
made and no damage is occurring.<br />
The treatment is aimed at reducing pain, inflammation and improving<br />
strength. The improvement of balance and proprioception is<br />
also a key component of the rehabilitation process for, as previously<br />
mentioned, ligaments assist with balance and proprioception.<br />
The first step is to treat the pain and inflammation. This is typically<br />
approached with anti-inflammatories and pain medication,<br />
but homeopathic and natural solutions can work well without the<br />
harmful side effects of drugs. Topical agents such as Speed Gel, Zeel<br />
and Traumeel can be applied. Zeel and Traumeel may also be taken<br />
orally. Physical therapy and acupuncture are also options and modalities<br />
including laser, ice and heat may be applied to control pain<br />
and inflammation. Once the pain is under control, it will be noticeable<br />
as the dog will place more weight on his rear limb and walk<br />
more functionally.<br />
There are two types of muscle fibers in everyone’s body, including<br />
dogs. The fast twitch fibers are used for running and movement.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
The slow twitch fibers, or the postural fibers, assist with postural control, standing and core strength. The postural fibers atrophy or weaken<br />
quickly and it is often the reason the dog with a CCL injury can run at high speeds; but when standing, will not place all of the weight on<br />
the affected limb. Initial phases of rehabilitation will focus on increasing the strength of the postural fibers and will incorporate balance<br />
and standing exercises.<br />
Figure 1<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
Balance and proprioception exercises will be the most important<br />
component of the rehabilitation program. As mentioned, ligaments<br />
assist with balance and proprioception, and when they become<br />
injured, the movement deficits are noticeable, but can be improved.<br />
It is therefore important to work on continuous balance<br />
exercises with the dog with CCL deficits.<br />
Balance exercises are simple to perform – and actually look easier<br />
than they really are. Some balance exercises people do to assist<br />
with ankle sprains and recovery from CCL injuries include standing<br />
on one foot for periods of time and then adding in head movements<br />
and altering floor surfaces to further increase function.<br />
For dogs, balance exercises can begin with weight shifting exercises.<br />
While the dog is standing, his weight may be shifted from<br />
side to side. The goal is to place weight on each hind limb and shift<br />
the weight from side to side, so the weight is transferred on each<br />
limb. The weight shifting (figure 1), will assist with balance and<br />
proprioception, as well as strength of the large core muscles of the<br />
limb. This should be performed until the dog is tired (he will usually sit down), and should be repeated throughout the day. The more it is<br />
repeated the better, so I encourage owners to perform this exercise as often as possible.<br />
Another exercise is to place the dog in a standing position and lift the opposite hind limb up one inch to increase the amount of weight<br />
placed on the limb. Once the dog starts to have difficulty balancing, the limb should be placed down. This may be repeated up to ten times,<br />
in three or four sets (figure 2).<br />
It is important to not over-fatigue the dog. The progression will be to eventually lift the front leg on the same side and the opposite hind<br />
limb. The opposite hind limb and forelimb will be lifted approximately one inch off the ground – trying to keep the dog in a straight position<br />
and not allowing too much movement in the spine. Both limbs should be held up for a few seconds and then placed down as soon as<br />
the dog begins to get tired. This may also be repeated ten times for a few sets per day.<br />
To increase the challenge of both these exercises, the surface may be altered to further increase the dog’s balance and proprioception. These<br />
exercises may be performed on any uneven surface, such as grass, dirt, carpet and sand. They may also be performed on discs, foam pads<br />
and peanuts or donuts (figures 3 and 4). Standing on a peanut or<br />
two donuts will work on the static muscle fibers as well as balance<br />
and proprioception.<br />
Regular walking – outside or on a treadmill – is a wonderful way<br />
to work on strengthening the leg. The goal will be to make sure the<br />
activity does not increase or aggravate the knee or leg. Quality must<br />
prevail over quantity. The dog can walk controlled on a leash as<br />
long as there is no lameness during the walk and for up to 24 hours<br />
afterward.<br />
The distance or duration of the walk will depend on the dog. Outside<br />
walking should be performed on an appropriate surface with<br />
the dog controlled on a leash, and not running around without con-<br />
Figure 2<br />
37
38<br />
Figure 3<br />
The goal is to slowly walk up the hill so the dog is using each of his hind limbs independently<br />
from each other – no bunny hopping or double stepping. He should<br />
be slowly walked up the hill for about one hundred feet, and then walked down<br />
the hill. If the dog has any front limb issues, he should be walked down in a<br />
zig-zag fashion. The walk up the hill should be repeated three to five times, a<br />
few times per week. As with any activity, if this causes any lameness or pain, the<br />
activity should be discontinued.<br />
Walking up hills is one of the more advanced exercises. The downward walking<br />
on the hill may place stress on the knee or stifle, so caution should be applied.<br />
Backward walking on all fours is another great exercise to do and one that is easily<br />
trained. Backward walking also focuses on the muscles in the back of the leg. If<br />
your dog cannot walk backwards, try standing in a hallway with something he really<br />
loves – such as a piece of cheese or meat – and walk directly at him. When he<br />
starts to walk backwards, place a command with it or click it if you clicker train.<br />
Once he understands the command, encourage him to do it throughout the day.<br />
For example, before going outside, have him walk backwards. Before he gets his<br />
dinner, have him walk backwards. Making the exercises a part of your day makes<br />
it easier to stay compliant and focused.<br />
trol. Flexi leads are not recommended because they do not allow<br />
control of the dog.<br />
A treadmill may be used to work on strength and endurance. The<br />
treadmill should be appropriate for dogs with a long enough belt to<br />
allow full extension, or a full stride length. With the exception of<br />
large and giant breeds, most dogs will do well on a human treadmill.<br />
Treadmill walking is more intense than outdoor walking, primarily<br />
because the dog is not able to start and stop as he naturally would.<br />
So, treadmill walking time should be less than outdoor walking time.<br />
Whether outside or on a treadmill, a moderate to fast walk should<br />
be the goal. Some dogs may last five minutes, others may be able to<br />
walk for an hour or more. The key is to always make sure the activity<br />
does not cause increased lameness or pain.<br />
Walking uphill is a wonderful way to work on strengthening the<br />
hamstrings, or the rear muscles of the hind limb. It is important<br />
to strengthen this group of muscles in dogs with CCL injuries. A<br />
hill of approximately one hundred feet in length, with a fairly steep<br />
gradient should be located.<br />
Figure 4<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Figure 5<br />
The ultimate goal is to return the dog to a normal lifestyle. Sometimes,<br />
it is a modified life style with a continued program of exercises.<br />
As progressions are made with rehabilitation, more functional<br />
activities can be started. If the dog has not demonstrated any lameness<br />
for four weeks, and strength is improving, we can start introducing<br />
them back to whatever normal activities might be for the<br />
individual dog. For example, this is the stage where we may begin<br />
jump grids for the dog that has normally been active with agility.<br />
Activities are introduced slowly – we want to watch the activity and<br />
look for any signs of lameness, but also look for signs of problems<br />
afterward. If the dog is demonstrating any sign of lameness after<br />
the activity, the activity was too much and needs to be reduced in<br />
the future.<br />
Ice or Cryotherapy can be applied to the knee any time swelling or<br />
inflammation is present. Typically, icing for approximately 15 min-<br />
Figure 6<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
utes will reduce any inflammation or pain that is present. An ice<br />
bag, a bag of frozen vegetables or another form of ice will work and<br />
is a good idea to keep on hand.<br />
Stretching the hip flexors (figure 5), and hamstrings (figure 6), will<br />
be important for the dog with a CCL problem. These stretches<br />
should be performed before and after activities. Each stretch should<br />
be held for fifteen to twenty seconds and repeated three to five times.<br />
Stretching will increase and maintain the range of motion of the<br />
hind limb.<br />
A good diet, chrondroprotectants, joint supplements, and regular<br />
care are huge components for the dog with a damaged cruciate ligament.<br />
Weight loss, if necessary, is paramount to the success of the rehabilitation.<br />
We are currently working with a dog who tore her cruciate<br />
ligament. Ricki became lame about two months before she started<br />
rehabilitation. She began holding up one of her back legs and did<br />
not want to walk with her owner and became more sedentary. She<br />
is twenty pounds overweight, so the surgeon opted to send her to<br />
rehabilitation first to work with her leg and also begin a weight loss<br />
program.<br />
When she started rehabilitation, she could not put her weight on her<br />
leg. Her owner could not take her for a five minute walk without her<br />
becoming three legged lame. We began with laser therapy to reduce<br />
the pain and inflammation, balance work, homework for the owner,<br />
and the underwater treadmill. Six weeks into her physical rehabilitation,<br />
twice a week, with homework, she has lost seven pounds and<br />
is walking with no sign of a limp. The surgeon has cancelled surgery<br />
because she is doing so well functionally – and her owner is now<br />
able to take her on 90 minute walks without any problems. She still<br />
has weight to lose, but she is doing extremely well.<br />
The goal is to always progress with a conservative treatment program<br />
first. Unfortunately, any damage to the cruciate ligament leads to a<br />
higher incidence of arthritis. But proper strength, weight, supplements<br />
and proper nutrition all assist with the progress. Balance and<br />
proprioceptive exercises will always be a part of the dog’s program.<br />
With a diligent owner, good dog, and good exercises, there are definitely<br />
options other than surgery for a dog with a cruciate tear! f<br />
* Photos courtesy of Vic Neumann<br />
Dr. Debbie Gross Saunders has been rehabilitating and conditioning<br />
dogs for over sixteen years. She is one of the pioneers in the world of<br />
canine physical rehabilitation. She has recently introduced an entire<br />
line of supplements, K9 Select, designed through her intricate work<br />
with dogs of all activity levels. Read more about her and her facility,<br />
Wizard of Paws Physical Rehabilitation for Animals, LLC, on her<br />
website wizardofpaws.net.<br />
39
As each New Year gets underway, many of us<br />
develop resolutions and cultivate good intentions<br />
to live by for the twelve months ahead.<br />
We all have mixed successes in how well we<br />
actually live out our New Year’s Resolutions,<br />
but here are a few that aren’t too difficult to live<br />
with; even following just a couple can help you<br />
and your canine family live healthier, a little<br />
greener - and save money too!<br />
1. Limit vaccinations<br />
Many vets recommend annual booster shots<br />
for a wide variety of diseases but many pets already<br />
have protection from their puppy shots<br />
and over-vaccination can be detrimental in<br />
the long term. Some conventional vets even<br />
admit that they question whether these annual<br />
boosters are actually necessary – but rely on<br />
them anyway, as a means to get clients into the<br />
office, and generate some revenue. The annual<br />
exam itself is a good idea, but nixing the vaccines<br />
is a wiser choice for most dogs.<br />
Invest in a titer test to determine if your dog<br />
still has immunity from any previous shots (or<br />
naturally from his own immune system). A<br />
titer can help you avoid unnecessary vaccinations.<br />
Ideally, consult with a holistic veterinarian<br />
to get a second opinion on which diseases<br />
your pets are really at risk for, based on your<br />
geographic area, your pet’s lifestyle and specific<br />
legal requirements. Save money by not vaccinating<br />
for every disease under the sun!<br />
40<br />
Nutrition with Lucy<br />
By: Lucy Postins<br />
New Year’s Resolutions<br />
to benefit your Dog, You and Our Planet<br />
Many vaccines cause harmful side effects and<br />
are administered for diseases that are not especially<br />
serious or life threatening. Discuss the<br />
options with a reputable holistic vet. Eliminating<br />
or limiting vaccinations saves resources<br />
and offers a holistically healthier solution for<br />
your pet as well.<br />
2. Think prevention<br />
Invest in annual checkups to catch any looming<br />
health problems in the making. Uncovering<br />
problems early can save money in the long<br />
run because it’s often possible to use less invasive<br />
treatment approaches.<br />
Taking the time to find out what health problems<br />
may be on the horizon for your dog can<br />
also shed light on preventive measures, such as<br />
different food or supplements, which can slow<br />
down the progression of a disease like arthritis,<br />
and prevent using costly prescription drugs.<br />
This approach is holistically better too – many<br />
prescription drugs recommended by conventional<br />
vets have adverse side effects, which in<br />
western medicine, would be countered with –<br />
even more costly prescription drugs!<br />
3. Take a walk<br />
If your dog likes to join you while you run errands,<br />
try walking instead of hopping in the<br />
car. You can save money on gas, reduce your<br />
ecological paw print – and you’ll both get<br />
some much needed exercise. You may even<br />
meet some new human and canine friends<br />
along the way.<br />
Take a hike – heading out to the trails in your<br />
local area is a great way to explore natural habitats<br />
and benefit your health. Plus you get to<br />
spend quality bonding time with your hound<br />
– and it’s usually free of charge!<br />
The pet obesity problem in this country has<br />
reached epidemic proportions and weight<br />
problems (along with their associated health<br />
implications like diabetes and bone and joint<br />
pain) are among the top reasons dogs are taken<br />
to the vet. Keeping your dog trim by getting<br />
active in the big outdoors can help reduce the<br />
risk of obesity and lead to a longer life expectancy<br />
too.<br />
4. Fewer baths<br />
Weekly baths aren’t necessary for the vast majority<br />
of dogs It can be hard to refrain from<br />
lathering up your pup so frequently when<br />
you’re in the habit, but the benefits are plenty.<br />
Firstly, the natural oils in the coat will be allowed<br />
to replenish themselves, which can result<br />
in less itchiness and sensitivity. One bath<br />
per month is usually plenty for most pets, and<br />
many dogs only need to be bathed three or<br />
four times a year.<br />
Invest in a good quality natural shampoo when<br />
you do bathe your dog. Natural, high quality<br />
bathing products tend to have fewer chemicals<br />
like sodium laureth sulfate and parabens. Natural<br />
shampoos and conditioners are made with<br />
healthier ingredients, like oatmeal, which help<br />
to nourish the skin and coat. Cheap shampoos<br />
are very often a false economy, because they<br />
contain substances that aggravate the skin and<br />
cause itching – which in turn creates a need for<br />
other products to calm the skin.<br />
Fewer baths will help you save water, which<br />
reduces your water bill and the planet will<br />
thank you too. Many regions of the United<br />
States contend with water shortages every year<br />
and as populations continue to rise and snow<br />
packs lessen with the effects of global warming,<br />
water becomes a more and more precious<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
commodity. With the money you save, you<br />
could still pay a visit to the local pet wash and<br />
support them by purchasing a new herbal tincture,<br />
supplement, natural food or some juicy<br />
raw beef marrow bones instead.<br />
5. No pesticides<br />
These topical preparations are laden with pesticides<br />
that can harm your dog in more ways<br />
than one. They deplete the immune system<br />
and compromise overall health. In fact, they’re<br />
so toxic that people shouldn’t come in contact<br />
with them at all – plus, they cost a lot of money.<br />
Flea and tick medications contain chemical<br />
pesticides that leach directly into your dog’s<br />
body and can cause terrible long-term damage<br />
to the liver and other organs. Try adding<br />
brewer’s yeast and garlic to your companion’s<br />
meals or use an essential oil combination to<br />
repel unwanted bugs. Pennyroyal is an excellent<br />
herbal repellent but should never be used<br />
around pregnant pets or peeps. Boric acid is a<br />
great product to help reduce flea infestations<br />
in the home. <strong>Dogs</strong> who eat a healthy, whole<br />
food diet are also much more resistant to flea<br />
infestations too.<br />
6. Buy local<br />
Support your local pet store and shop in your<br />
own neighborhood. This not only keeps your<br />
money in your local community, but helps to<br />
reduce pollution by reducing the miles driven<br />
in your car. Your pup would love it if you took<br />
him with you to the local pet store to stock up<br />
on supplies.<br />
If you have pet supply (and other) items<br />
shipped to you, try to plan ahead and make<br />
use of lower rates on ground shipping. This<br />
not only saves money but is considerably more<br />
eco-friendly. Having items shipped to you by<br />
air-freight costs much more and results in a<br />
much bigger carbon footprint for the item you<br />
bought.<br />
7. Eat well<br />
Invest in good food for your animal companion.<br />
Downgrading to a cheaper diet may seem<br />
like an obvious way to save money, but it is almost<br />
always a false economy. Lower grade pet<br />
foods are laden with by-products, chemicals<br />
and fillers, which take their toll on your dog’s<br />
liver, kidneys and other organ systems. Cheap<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
foods filled with grains like wheat, corn and<br />
soy can also trigger allergies in sensitive pets –<br />
like itching, ear infections and GI upset – that<br />
warrant trips to the vet for treatment and end<br />
up costing more in the long run.<br />
Good food is probably the single most important<br />
influence on total health over the long<br />
term, and investing in a fresher, better quality<br />
whole food diet is well worth the investment.<br />
8. Save electricity<br />
If you feed a frozen raw diet, consider turning<br />
up the thermostat on your freezer by a degree<br />
or two if you can. Many households operate<br />
their freezers and refrigerators on the coldest<br />
possible setting and often, the temperature<br />
could actually be raised slightly without any<br />
detrimental effects – helping to reduce electricity<br />
usage quite significantly.<br />
The same goes for household heating and cooling.<br />
Your dog’s health and skin condition will<br />
be better without extreme heat and air conditioning<br />
and moving the thermostat three degrees<br />
down in winter and up in summer can<br />
prevent the emission of nearly 1100 lbs of carbon<br />
dioxide per household annually.<br />
9. Make Your own treats<br />
Invest in some good quality ingredients (or use<br />
some that you already have on hand) and prepare<br />
some homemade cookies for your dog.<br />
Not only does this save money on unnecessary<br />
packaging, but homemade treats are usually<br />
healthier for your dog too.<br />
By making your own treats, you can tailor the<br />
recipe to suit your dog’s particular food sensitivities<br />
or dislikes – and you’ll know exactly<br />
what’s in them. Plus, homemade treats are infused<br />
with love and good intention – and will<br />
be so much more appreciated by your dog;<br />
you’ll know it by the way he sits and gazes at<br />
you while you’re mixing and baking for him.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> have an uncanny way of intuitively<br />
knowing something is for them!<br />
10. Eliminate chemicals<br />
There are so many toxic chemicals present in<br />
products we use around the home as well as in<br />
our yards, it’s no wonder so many of us end up<br />
with chronic headaches and our pets become<br />
plagued with unexplained itching. Not only<br />
are these chemicals bad for our dogs and ourselves,<br />
they wreak havoc on the environment<br />
too.<br />
Pay particular attention to the detergents you<br />
use for your dog’s bedding (as well as your<br />
own laundry). Reducing the chemicals in your<br />
companion’s immediate living space can help<br />
combat contact allergies when he sleeps on<br />
surfaces that have been cleaned with chemical<br />
products. Itchy feet and a red belly can be a<br />
sign that something in the immediate environment<br />
is aggravating your pet.<br />
Environmentally safe products are non-allergenic,<br />
non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic.<br />
They’re much safer and less likely to cause<br />
health problems like dermatitis and inhalant<br />
allergies – not to mention being less toxic<br />
if you have an especially inquisitive dog who<br />
likes to taste things that aren’t meant to be<br />
eaten.<br />
While eco-friendly and green products used<br />
to mean ‘ineffective’ years ago, they’ve come<br />
a long way in recent times and environment<br />
(and pet) friendly household products can<br />
now be found almost everywhere conventional,<br />
polluting products are sold. They are often<br />
more concentrated (which means less packaging<br />
and a reduced carbon footprint) and made<br />
with an array of natural and safe ingredients.<br />
If you haven’t done so already, begin incorporating<br />
more conscientious products into your<br />
home as soon as you can.<br />
Weed and insect killers used in the yard can<br />
adversely affect your pet’s health and have a<br />
detrimental effect on wildlife, too. A wonderful<br />
alternative is to introduce natural predators<br />
to the bugs you want to eliminate. You can<br />
purchase beneficial predator insects to release<br />
in your yard or encourage them by planting<br />
a variety of flowering plants, especially<br />
ones with small flowers rich in nectar. Mix<br />
up your plants so those that attract beneficial<br />
insects are near those that need protection.<br />
Place plants close together to provide a moist,<br />
shaded environment for beneficial insects that<br />
dehydrate easily. f<br />
Lucy Postins is a companion animal nutritionist<br />
and founder of The Honest Kitchen, a natural<br />
pet food company in San Diego, CA. More<br />
nutritional resources are available on www.thehonestkitchen.com<br />
or (866) 437 9729.<br />
41
y: Andrew Jones DVM<br />
Let me introduce myself - at least to those of you who don’t know me.<br />
My name is Dr Andrew Jones, and I was a practicing veterinarian for<br />
over 17 years.<br />
I’m a pretty regular kind of family guy. A lovely wife (Catherine), two<br />
wonderful children (Liam and Aliza), two dogs, two cats, some neighboring<br />
chickens, a big mortgage, some close friends, nearby family,<br />
and dishes, laundry and smelly litter boxes waiting to be cleaned.<br />
I had a job as a veterinarian in a small mountain community in British<br />
Columbia called Nelson. My work as a veterinarian comprised much<br />
of what you probably have experienced with your veterinarian: the<br />
regular dog and cat visits, vaccines, spays, neuters, emergency toxins<br />
and surgeries to mend broken legs. I spent many a night on emergency<br />
calls, at times being on the phone offering advice to worried pet owners,<br />
or suturing up a large wound on a Labrador injured in a cougar<br />
attack. There were the visits to clients’ homes including house call<br />
euthanasias.<br />
It wasn’t much unlike the many thousands of veterinarians in North<br />
America.<br />
But then of course, some of what I have done is different - because<br />
those veterinarians are still practicing whereas I no longer am.<br />
This is my story; how I came to question conventional veterinary medicine,<br />
how I began to educate pet owners who were open to the benefits<br />
of holistic veterinary care, and how my public writings resulted in<br />
no longer being able to practice veterinary medicine.<br />
This serves as a tale of what is currently wrong with health care for<br />
our dogs and cats. It’s a warning that should draw attention to how<br />
large drug companies, food companies and corporate veterinary medicine<br />
are harming your pet. It’s a wake up call to pet owners who don’t<br />
know how veterinary associations are persecuting holistic practices<br />
and practitioners.<br />
Making a change<br />
I began to question conventional veterinary medicine in 2003, after<br />
my dog Hoochie died from a spleen tumor bleed at the age of eight.<br />
Hoochie’s illness was a catalyst in helping me understand the major<br />
mistakes I had made with his care.<br />
42<br />
closed for BUSINESS<br />
one vet’s fight for holistic health care<br />
Hoochie received annual vaccinations - just like those I recommended<br />
for my patients - which I now know contribute to many serious health<br />
issues, including cancer. I fed him a “complete” veterinary food - full<br />
of chemical preservatives which undoubtedly contributed to his ill<br />
health. And when he started showing signs of arthritis, I put him on<br />
NSAIDS, which can cause very serious damage to internal organs.<br />
Researching the probable causes of Hoochie’s death set me on a path<br />
toward more natural, holistic treatments, which I then began writing<br />
about on my website and in a reference guide I published for pet owners.<br />
Veterinary association challenges<br />
So what really happened to me? I resigned from the College of Veterinarians<br />
of British Columbia on November 30, 2010.<br />
Even though I owned a veterinary clinic, The Nelson Animal Hospital,<br />
I couldn’t work in it. No surgery. No more examinations of sick dogs<br />
and cats. No more diagnosing unusual health conditions and no more<br />
specific treatment of any kind.<br />
The British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association first began investigating<br />
me on December 1, 2005. An inquiry committee was struck<br />
and on April 20, 2010, this committee found that I had committed various<br />
offenses under the College Bylaws and Code of Ethics.<br />
I was found guilty of professional misconduct.<br />
I was fined $30,000, and required to pay $9,500 for the inquiry committee<br />
costs. I was also told that if I did not take remedial actions<br />
within the allowed time, I would be suspended from membership.<br />
In order to keep practicing, I would have had to pay the large fines,<br />
thus admitting that I agreed with their decision. More importantly it<br />
would also have meant effectively muzzling myself, no longer saying<br />
anything ‘self laudatory’ or ‘unverifiable’ or using words such as ‘safe’<br />
when writing about natural health care treatments because this would<br />
contravene the Code of Ethics and Bylaws.<br />
So option A was to suck it up, pay the fines, and no longer say anything<br />
to upset my veterinary college. More than a few of my colleagues suggested<br />
this.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Option B was to stand up for what I believe in, continue writing about<br />
the benefits of natural health care, and resign from the college.<br />
I chose option B. As you read this article, I am no longer able to practice<br />
veterinary medicine.<br />
The Inquiry Committee’s findings<br />
I was found guilty of violating numerous sections of the Code of Ethics<br />
and Bylaws with respect to marketing my Natural Dog and Cat Health<br />
Internet Business.<br />
The inquiry committee claimed:<br />
“Dr Jones’ marketing material is a serious example of his unprofessional<br />
behavior in that his marketing material has an all–pervading<br />
persistent theme of denigrating other members of his profession in<br />
order to draw attention to himself. In his self laudatory statements,<br />
Dr Jones’ constant harangue serves to throw the veterinary profession<br />
into disrepute.”<br />
The entire report is available on the College of veterinarians of British<br />
Columbia website here:<br />
http://www.cvbc.ca/cfm/index.cfm?It=903&Id=33<br />
Here are just a few examples of the specifics found in the report:<br />
In 2007, under the heading “Vaccinate or not?” I answered a reader’s<br />
question about the vaccines he was being advised to give his 14 month<br />
old Rottweiler - Bordetella booster, Rabies Can 3 yr expiration, Parvovirus<br />
Booster (DHLPP) and DHLPP Booster-Adult.<br />
“So much of this depends on the age of your dog, the area where you<br />
live and whether or not your local veterinarian is progressive. Ask your<br />
veterinarian when was the last time he or she saw a case of Distemper,<br />
Adenovirus or Leptospirosis – if never, then you’ve got to wonder<br />
about the logic of vaccinating for this yearly. Then ask your veterinarian<br />
whether or not they have seen vaccine reactions. My guess is<br />
they have seen many vaccine reactions and zero cases of distemper.<br />
Yet many in my profession continue this yearly barrage of vaccines???”<br />
The panel found the above section of my response “not objective...<br />
capable of misleading, and denigrating to the profession”.<br />
In ”The top 25 pet problems and herbal solutions,” under “Diabetes”,<br />
I wrote:<br />
“A number of herbs are used in diabetes. These include Gymnema,<br />
Fenugreek, and Ginseng. These herbs can be found in specific diabetic<br />
herbal combinations. Ginseng is the most effective of these herbs. It<br />
has been shown to lower blood sugar in people and is believed to do<br />
the same in animals. The dose is 30 mg per pound of body weight<br />
twice daily of the dried herb or one drop her pound of body weight<br />
twice daily of the tincture.”<br />
The panel determined that this paragraph contained “misleading<br />
statements and statements which could not be verified”.<br />
In 2007 in “BIG Business and Veterinarians” I stated:<br />
“The Big Whigs of the Veterinary Community will claim that the profession<br />
is not influenced by these BIG corporations. But how could they<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
not be? Conferences are expensive. If you are to present information<br />
contradicting these companies, then they would pull the financial plug.<br />
P.S. To get the unbiased information that goes against the grain, you<br />
should really check out some of what I have to offer. I guarantee that<br />
it is NOT sponsored by any DRUG or PET FOOD COMPANY. In fact they<br />
would love me to just go away.”<br />
The panel found this material to be self laudatory and unverifiable, and<br />
in violation of the Code of Ethics (Bylaws).<br />
The panel also took exception to my use of the words “safe” and<br />
“safely” in a piece I wrote about Acupressure, containing details of the<br />
theory of acupressure, including terminology and diagrams of acupressure<br />
points. I described how owners can perform it at home, stating:<br />
“Acupressure on the other hand is something every pet owner can<br />
safely perform at home. Acupressure is very safe! Even if you do not<br />
press on the exact point, coming close to it will provide some relief,<br />
and definitely you will do no harm.”<br />
In “The Truth About Pet Vaccinations.” I wrote:<br />
“Most veterinarians just choose to ignore the research because either<br />
they still feel the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risk, or they don’t<br />
want to lose the income from giving booster shots to all those animals<br />
each year.”<br />
Once again, the panel concluded I contravened the Code of Ethics (Bylaws)<br />
with this statement.<br />
Penalties imposed by the Council<br />
The College of Veterinarians Council met on September 20, 2010 to<br />
determine the penalties to be awarded to me, and issued the following<br />
ruling:<br />
“Taking into account the findings of the Inquiry Committee, the submissions<br />
to the Council by the CVBC prosecutor and the Respondent<br />
and his legal counsel, Council believes that a significant fine is needed<br />
in this case of significant misconduct to deter Dr Jones and others from<br />
repeating such conduct therefore the Council thereby orders that the<br />
following penalties and costs be imposed upon the Respondent:<br />
a. a formal reprimand;<br />
b. a formal warning against future violations of the CVBC Bylaws<br />
including the Code of Ethics;<br />
c. a penalty of a fine of $20,000.00 for Charge #1 for violating<br />
the BCVMA marketing guidelines in a manner repugnant to the<br />
Inquiry Panel and Council and drawing Dr Jones’ colleagues and<br />
his profession into disrepute;<br />
d. a penalty of a fine of $10,000.00 for Charge #2 for violating on<br />
two occasions his personal undertakings to the BCVMA regarding<br />
his marketing practices as a veterinarian;<br />
e. 100% of the costs of the inquiry, such costs to be assessed by a<br />
registrar of the Supreme Court;<br />
f. the penalty for Charge #2 ($10,000.00) must be paid forthwith<br />
while the remaining monies ($20,000.00 for charge #1 and the<br />
costs of the Inquiry) must be paid on or before <strong>January</strong> 31, 2011.”<br />
I spent many sleepless nights reflecting on this report, and the Council’s<br />
penalties, before making my ultimate decision. I was tired of<br />
fighting, and I no longer wanted to face further disciplinary action for<br />
43
stating what I believed to be truths. My Veterinary College could have<br />
proceeded with actions against me again as I was continuing to publish<br />
and promote alternative pet health information and market my internet<br />
business in ways not to their liking.<br />
I was especially disheartened with the conclusions of the Inquiry committee<br />
as I do not hold an over-arching ‘disparaging attitude towards<br />
my colleagues and profession’, as is claimed by the authors of the Inquiry<br />
report. Clearly the College of Veterinarians wanted me to stop<br />
publishing on the internet, especially alternative dog and cat health<br />
information.<br />
I had been in veterinary practice in Nelson for over 12 years, and during<br />
that time, I had zero client disciplinary complaints. In my opinion,<br />
the College of Veterinarians directed disproportionate resources towards<br />
prosecuting me, and further muzzled any current practicing veterinarians<br />
who are inclined to speak out. I am not the only victim: the<br />
College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (formerly known as the<br />
BCVMA) has been in the news frequently with many lengthy and costly<br />
legal battles with other veterinarians. As a result, veterinarians in BC<br />
have the highest annual dues across Canada, and the College has had<br />
to demand multiple levies (additional fees) to cover their legal bills.<br />
I agonized over this decision, and I strongly regretted having to leave<br />
my clients, my veterinary practice, and my profession.<br />
Ultimately, someone has to make a stand, and I am frankly tired of the<br />
College of Veterinarians being the big bully on the playground that no<br />
one is willing to stand up to. I feel that the public deserves better. Pet<br />
owners need someone to champion their rights, and competent veterinarians<br />
should not be prosecuted for being outspoken about what<br />
is wrong with the veterinary profession.<br />
So what am I doing now, you may be wondering? Well, since my decision<br />
to resign, I have had many months to ask questions. Did I make<br />
the right decision? Would I not be happier helping animals as a practicing<br />
veterinarian?<br />
44<br />
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As with many things in life, the answer isn’t always clear cut - it’s shaded<br />
with grey. Yes, most of the time I feel I made the correct decision<br />
to stand up to my veterinary college. I do miss being ‘the vet’ and the<br />
immediate gratification of saving a dog or cat’s life with surgery. Surprisingly<br />
though, many positives have come from this. I have received<br />
thousands of emails of support from concerned pet owners. My family<br />
is very happy to have me so much more present in their lives; even<br />
my pets seem more content. Even more importantly, I am now able<br />
to impact and potentially help thousands more pet owners by writing<br />
about what has happened to me; sharing my message of becoming an<br />
empowered dog and cat owner.<br />
Animals really do enrich our lives in so many ways, and they deserve to<br />
be treated better. I want to leave you with the words of Mahatma Gandhi:<br />
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged<br />
by the way its animals are treated.” f<br />
Dr. Andrew Jones was raised on a farm in British Columbia, Canada.<br />
He grew up reading James Herriot books about the life of a mixed animal<br />
veterinarian in rural England. These humorous stories inspired the<br />
young Dr. Jones and painted a picture of a dedicated vet and a fulfilling<br />
life.<br />
Since graduating with his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan in<br />
1992, Dr. Jones had been practicing as a small animal veterinarian and<br />
has treated thousands of animals. He has a special interest in a variety<br />
of alternative, non-traditional remedies for pets, and publishes a daily<br />
newsletter on alternative pet health care. He has authored numerous<br />
digital books, articles and reports, has created a Home Study Course<br />
for dog and cat owners, hosts an online Pet Health Member Site, and<br />
has recently developed a complete nutritional supplement for dogs.<br />
Dr. Jones’ pets, Lewis, Cleo and Trent, are a part of his family. Dr Jones<br />
is a strong advocate of safe, natural home care for dogs and cats, and<br />
works to empower pet owners worldwide to become more active in<br />
their pets’ health. For more information about Dr. Jones, visit www.<br />
theinternetpetvet.com.<br />
Visit us at www.foryourk9.com for Class Schedules, Fees, Special Events and more...!<br />
www.facebook.com/foryourk9 @foryourk9<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
10 Minute Trainer<br />
GETTING BEHAVIOR YOU WANT<br />
Most traditional training methods of dog training work to suppress behavior.<br />
Today’s training methods do the opposite: they encourage the<br />
dog to offer behavior! Once a dog offers you different behaviors, then<br />
you are in the happy position of communicating which ones you would<br />
like him to do more often (by rewarding them), and which ones you<br />
wish he wouldn’t do as often (by ignoring them). Here are three ways<br />
to encourage your dog to give you the behaviors you want to reward.<br />
Capturing – Clicking/rewarding when your dog offers a behavior on<br />
his own.<br />
For example, to capture a down, you might sit on the couch and wait until<br />
your dog lies down naturally, then CLICK and toss him a treat that he<br />
gets to chase. You would click every time you see him lie down. Once<br />
he figures out what is earning him the click, he will begin to lie down<br />
immediately after he gets the reward. That is when you can add the cue<br />
“down” because you can be certain he will lie down after you say it.<br />
Another example is ringing the door bell to get your dog to bark and<br />
clicking when he barks. This is where I will put in a warning: beware<br />
of what you teach! Behaviors that are reinforced will increase, and until<br />
you’ve taught the dog to bark ONLY when you say “Speak” you could<br />
get a lot of random barking. Also your dog could decide that barking is<br />
really fun and start to bark more often…<br />
Shaping –Clicking/rewarding small steps or approximations, until you<br />
get the final behavior.<br />
First, you need to decide what you want to train. For example, “I want<br />
my dog to get onto the bed and then lie down.” You would start by just<br />
clicking the dog for looking at the box. Next you would click/reward for<br />
taking a step toward the box, then two steps, stepping onto the bed with<br />
one foot, then another, then all four, and finally laying down on the bed.<br />
Shaping is a very wonderful way to tire your dog out with mental stimulation<br />
and it is really thrilling to be able to see your dog’s mind at work!<br />
TIPS:<br />
• Set very reasonable criteria so your dog is motivated to play. At<br />
first, he should earn lots of treats and often.<br />
• Make a plan! If you can’t say what you want your dog to do in one<br />
simple sentence, then your dog will never know what you want<br />
him to do.<br />
• If your dog is confused and frustrated (or if you are frustrated!),<br />
go back a step.<br />
• If you have decided on one thing to shape and have been working<br />
at it for a while, for instance pawing at a box, and your dog does an<br />
amazing back flip, IGNORE IT! And focus on your plan; changing<br />
your criteria on the fly will only confuse your dog.<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
Luring – Using food or a target to encourage the dog to move or change<br />
positions.<br />
Example: You lift a treat over the dog’s head; he looks up and feels a<br />
strain on his neck so he sits down to make himself more comfortable.<br />
You click the movement of his hind legs folding and feed him while he<br />
is still sitting.<br />
When luring, always give a different treat rather than the one in your<br />
hand. As soon as possible (after 3 successful lures), pretend to have a<br />
treat in the hand that you lure with, then click the behavior and then<br />
feed from your other hand or the counter top. This basically tells your<br />
dog, you don’t need to see or smell your reward to know that you will get<br />
it. If you feed your dog the treat that you lure him with, you can create<br />
a dog that will ignore an empty hand or when you don’t smell or look<br />
like you have food.<br />
Now that you have three techniques to choose from, decide exactly what<br />
you want the dog to do and how, don’t be chintzy with the rewards and<br />
train your dog to do some amazing things! f<br />
Pamela Johnson B.S., M.A., CPDT-KA has a background in education<br />
and she is a natural teacher of all things. Pamela’s family consists of a<br />
Husky Mix (Isabelle), Two Border Collies (Bandit & Twix), Cat (Sabrina)<br />
and husband (Marxsen). Pamela is also the owner of Pam’s Dog Academy<br />
www.pamsdogacademy.com<br />
45
46<br />
across the pond<br />
with: Catherine O'Driscoll<br />
when there’s nothing else you can do<br />
Many years ago, my young nephew Robert let his budgie out of<br />
the cage in his bedroom and went to the bathroom for a shower.<br />
He didn’t realize that he’d left the bedroom window open, and so<br />
the budgie flew out of the window. He and his sister Rebecca were<br />
distraught as they knew that the bird would die outside. They were<br />
both in tears.<br />
I didn’t know what I could do to help them, so I suggested that they<br />
pray for the bird to come back. I was young myself and didn’t have<br />
much experience of successful prayer, so part of me feared that I<br />
was offering them false hope and setting them up for disappointment<br />
– but the suggestion just popped out of my mouth, and what<br />
else could anyone do? They stayed together that night and prayed<br />
that ‘Chips’ would come home.<br />
Rebecca awoke the next morning with the bird sitting on her nose.<br />
What are the odds that a budgie would fly back home, through<br />
a small window, around 12 hours after he had left? Would you<br />
consider that to be a miracle?<br />
Suzannah telephoned me last week because she could think of<br />
no one else to turn to. She had attended one of my workshops a<br />
couple of years earlier, and I had touched on Emotional Freedom<br />
Technique and Reiki as energy healing modalities. She asked if I<br />
could do some Reiki for her Shi-Tzu, Barnie.<br />
Barnie was in the veterinary hospital with perforated and inflamed<br />
intestines. The vet thought he must have eaten something corrosive.<br />
She had opened him up and found the damage too extensive<br />
for successful surgery. He was on a drip, but the vet was reluctant<br />
to put him to sleep as he still had some life in him. She felt he<br />
should be given a chance to fight for life, although the odds were<br />
very slim.<br />
Suzannah was naturally in a terrible state. Barnie was only three<br />
years old and she was very distressed and tearful. Most of all, she<br />
found it very difficult to sit and do nothing. So I suggested she<br />
pray for her friend. I also suggested she contact her friends and<br />
relatives and ask them to pray for him, too, as my experience tells<br />
me that the more energy we put into healing, the more healing<br />
takes place.<br />
“But there is a way to pray,” I advised her. “When you pray, you<br />
need to visualize a positive outcome.”<br />
The world, according to the ancient Vasishthas, is an illusion created<br />
by the mind. New healing techniques, such as The One Command<br />
and Theta Healing, use the power of the mind in its theta<br />
brainwave state to change the illusion – the world we generate<br />
with our creative minds. When we pray we can also go into theta.<br />
Meditation has also demonstrated measurably positive effects on<br />
the wider society.<br />
However, it seems to me that if we pray as an act of desperation,<br />
tearfully and desperately fearing the worst, then the prayer has<br />
little chance of success. If we pray with faith that the outcome will<br />
be good, then who knows?<br />
Suzannah was true to her word. She and her husband sat together<br />
and prayed for Barnie, and I prayed too. When I tuned into Barnie,<br />
I received very favorable impressions. I didn’t feel he was ready to<br />
die, and I could see his intestines surrounded in golden light.<br />
A few days later, Suzannah telephoned with great joy in her voice.<br />
The vet said Barnie was a miracle dog. He was perky and sitting<br />
up, interested in the world, and he was eating again. He wasn’t out<br />
of the woods yet, but he had made what seemed to be a miraculous<br />
recovery. Suzannah was told that if he continued like this, Barnie<br />
would be able to come home. Of course time will reveal the ultimate<br />
outcome for this little dog.<br />
I have prayed for my friends and loved ones many times, but I<br />
haven’t always been able to report miracles like this.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
When Samson started to lag behind on walks, for example, I burst<br />
into tears because I knew he was leaving me: he had already told<br />
me some months before. We were on a film shoot for a TV programme<br />
demonstrating that dogs know when their owners are<br />
coming home (Samson was one of the research dogs who proved<br />
this). He was an absolute star on the day of filming. He acted for<br />
the camera as if this was what he had been born to do, repeating<br />
take after take as if I’d trained him for the screen.<br />
At the end of the shoot I looked at him with pride and he said, “I’ve<br />
done what I came here to do; I’ll be leaving soon.” I knew from<br />
that moment that Sammie wouldn’t be with me for long. So when<br />
he started to lag behind on walks, I prayed not for him to live, but<br />
for the strength to help me cope with his loss. He had completed<br />
his mission, and it was his wish to pass to the Great Mystery.<br />
There is a Sanskrit prayer which, translated, says: “This is perfect,<br />
that is perfect, perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect from perfect,<br />
the remainder is perfect. May peace and peace and peace be<br />
everywhere.” Despite what we want to happen, and despite what<br />
we think should happen, I have to believe that everything is unfolding<br />
according to a perfect plan. Death, after all, is a form of<br />
healing if the spirit lives on, as I know it does.<br />
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<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
As the animals are our teachers, perhaps they come to teach us that<br />
there is no such thing as death, and that prayer can create miracles?<br />
Samson said to me: “We come to our beloved humans through<br />
choice, knowing full well the circumstances in which we arrive and<br />
will live. Knowing we are spirit, we act as an anchor for humans<br />
who are co-creating the illusion. We animals are so proud to be<br />
part of the plan. We are so grateful to be given the chance to work<br />
with you as you struggle to build heaven on earth.”<br />
Some people use prayer as a last desperate resort, but perhaps we<br />
have it inside out and upside down? Perhaps praying is the most<br />
powerful, most healing thing you can do for yourself and your<br />
loved ones? f<br />
Catherine O’Driscoll’s e-book, The Animals’ Agenda, can be purchased<br />
through Amazon. Catherine runs the Canine Health Concern.<br />
She recently spearheaded a campaign to force the British government<br />
to put an end to the normal practice of annually vaccinating<br />
dogs in the UK and asks her fellow dog lovers to lend their voices to<br />
the campaign. Contacts and template letters for you to send are also<br />
carried on the CHC site. Visit: www.canine-health-concern.org.uk<br />
Pay it forward...<br />
Dr Blake and Dr. Louie ask you to read and share our website.<br />
www.thepetwhisperer.com<br />
47
Dog People<br />
Bette Schubert of Bravo!<br />
We recently talked with Bette Schubert, who is the Co-Founder<br />
of Bravo! Raw Diet. Bravo! was one of the first frozen premade<br />
raw dog foods, and continues to be one of the fastestgrowing<br />
raw diet companies in the US.<br />
How did you get into the raw pet food business?<br />
I was in a completely different industry at the time - I worked<br />
at the Post Office. I was feeding my dogs a commercial dry dog<br />
food which had a product recall. When I fed the replacement<br />
bag of food to Babe, my six year old Golden/Labrador Retriever,<br />
she became extremely ill with aflatoxin poisoning. Within<br />
days, she suffered liver failure and had to be euthanized. The<br />
food manufacturer paid me compensation of $69.83, which<br />
was the cost of the euthanasia; they also offered me another<br />
bag of food for my other dog! That was in 1995.<br />
<strong>Naturally</strong> I started researching other food options, since I no<br />
longer trusted commercial foods.<br />
Did you start feeding raw immediately?<br />
Initially, I prepared home cooked meals - at least I knew what<br />
was in them. But within three weeks, after I read Juliette de<br />
Bairacli Levy’s book, I started raw feeding, following her recipes.<br />
In 1997, I read Ian Billinghurst’s book and when he came to<br />
the US the following year, I attended one of his talks. During<br />
his lecture he explained exactly how to make the B.A.R.F. diet,<br />
in case anyone was interested in producing it on a large scale.<br />
Raven at 17<br />
48<br />
By that time I had six dogs and had developed a network of<br />
raw meat wholesalers and slaughterhouses where I could buy<br />
food economically; I “traded bones” with friends and acquaintances,<br />
who would pay my gas expenses in exchange for meat.<br />
One day my meat grinder broke and I had a litter of Golden<br />
Retriever puppies to feed. I went to a local butcher and asked<br />
him to grind chicken necks for me. He looked at me as if I had<br />
three heads and asked what I was going to do with it. I replied<br />
“If you can produce 15,000 lbs of this, I can sell it”. I have no<br />
idea where that number came from - it just popped into my<br />
head. But we sold 17,500 lbs of it in the first month.<br />
How did you market that first batch?<br />
Oh, we didn’t have any packaging - or even a name. We just<br />
sold it to friends and others in my network of dog owners, in<br />
a clear bag with a white label and a rubber band. Gradually<br />
we started developing the business and I paid everyone in dog<br />
food. One friend came up with the Bravo! name - it stands for<br />
“Bones, Raw Meat, All Natural, Vegetables and Organ Meat”.<br />
She was paid in dog food too.<br />
Please tell us a little about your various formulas<br />
We started out selling just a mixture of ground bones, raw<br />
meat, vegetables and organ meats (as the name indicates),<br />
and that’s what we still produce as Bravo! Blends. The Blends<br />
formula is designed to be used with the addition of recommended<br />
supplements (for dogs we advise fish body oil or other<br />
Omega-3 fats, digestive enzymes, probiotics and Vitamin E).<br />
Over time we’ve found that dog owners have varying preferences<br />
and we try to meet their needs through the addition of<br />
three other products. For people who prefer the convenience<br />
of an all-in-one solution, we offer Bravo! Balanced formula,<br />
which has vitamin and mineral supplements already added.<br />
Our Bravo! Boneless foods can be used to supplement kibble<br />
or as part of a rotational feeding program; and Bravo! Basics,<br />
containing meat and bone, or meat, bone and organ meat, can<br />
be used as the foundation of a home prepared raw diet. We<br />
use a total of 12 protein sources - chicken, turkey, beef, lamb,<br />
pork, ostrich, duck, rabbit, elk, salmon, buffalo and venison -<br />
but our formulas are all single protein. If it says ostrich, it’s all<br />
ostrich! Unlike some other brands which may contain 30 or<br />
more ingredients, our recipes are all very simple and our core<br />
products contain no more than five ingredients.<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
How do you ensure the nutritional value of your foods?<br />
We never compromise on quality. We are absolutely committed<br />
to all-natural ingredients. Our red meat products are grassfed<br />
and hormone free. Our poultry is antibiotic free, and our<br />
raw vegetables are Grade A fresh, and washed before processing.<br />
We never use grains, preservatives, additives or artificial<br />
ingredients or colors. We manufacture to human food standards<br />
(USDA or New Zealand Safety Authority).<br />
What really distinguishes us from other raw diet makers is that<br />
we and our New Zealand partner operate our own plants, instead<br />
of using third party processors. This allows us to maintain<br />
total quality control as well as highly competitive pricing,<br />
because we are not paying a middleman.<br />
What is your greatest satisfaction in having built this company?<br />
The greatest reward is learning about pets whose health has<br />
been dramatically improved through Bravo! diets. We hear so<br />
many stories from our customers about conditions that have<br />
been helped by our foods - from allergies and severe skin conditions,<br />
to hip dysplasia and arthritis, or even just an improvement<br />
in energy and vitality. And of course my own dogs have<br />
benefited too. When Babe died, my other dog Raven, a Chow-<br />
Shepherd mix, was four years old. Raven lived to the amazing<br />
age of 17-1/2!<br />
In the end, I’m not a corporate executive; I’m just a dog owner<br />
and trainer who was driven - I believe divinely driven - to help<br />
our treasured canine and feline companions. f<br />
Bette with Scooter<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
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Better Life makes the safest, most powerful, and genuinely green household cleaning products on<br />
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only plant derived ingredients; it is safe to use around your pets (and chidren!) and will not damage<br />
fabrics such as carpet and upholstery. It incorporates a botanical deodorizer to neutralize odors as<br />
it cleans. 2am Miracle is a safe and effective product for cleaning up and deodorizing any type of<br />
spills, soils or messes around the house. Find a retailer or purchase direct at www.betterlife.com.<br />
The Animals’ Agenda is a revolutionary new e-book from Catherine O’Driscoll that illustrates how<br />
humans, with their advanced cerebral cortex, get caught in programmed patterns of behavior that are<br />
destructive to their lives. Animals operate mostly from their heart and don’t get stuck in the mind<br />
traps that humans do. As such, animals have helped humans to find peace since the beginning of<br />
time. The Animals’ Agenda comes in three parts. Part one looks at human pain and dysfunctionality,<br />
offering those ‘aha’ moments to explain why we humans are like we are; part two communicates with<br />
animals to learn how they, especially dogs, help humans to love themselves and improve their lives;<br />
and part three shows you how to use Emotional Freedom Technique for humans and animals for a<br />
happier, more peaceful, life. Available in Kindle format from Amazon: www.amazon.com<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Everyday <strong>Dogs</strong>:<br />
A Perpetual Calendar for Birthdays and Other Notable Dates<br />
What do Gertrude Stein, John Muir, Jack London, and Queen Victoria, and your next-door neighbor all<br />
have in common? <strong>Dogs</strong>. The cherished unbreakable bond of friendship between canine and human graces<br />
all of our days. Everyday <strong>Dogs</strong>: A Perpetual Calendar for Birthdays and Other Notable Dates couples literary<br />
quotes about canines with historical images to create a timeless keepsake that echoes a resounding<br />
truth: through it all, our dogs will be there. For orders: email Anna Pritt: orders@heydaybooks.com or call<br />
(510) 549- 3564, ext. 304<br />
Sound Dog Viscosity by Herbsmith<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
Freeze Dried Raw Green Tripe by K9 Natural<br />
K9 Natural Freeze Dried Raw Green Tripe makes feeding green tripe as pleasant as it can be! It’s a high<br />
quality product sourced from grass fed lamb that are ranch raised in New Zealand and exported to the<br />
world including the US, Canada and Asia. <strong>Dogs</strong> love this smelly stuff and it’s good for them. Green tripe<br />
contains natural probiotics and digestive enzymes which help maintain a healthy digestive system. If<br />
you’re switching your dog onto a raw diet, feeding raw freeze dried green tripe for a week can assist with a<br />
smooth transition. Contact info@k9natural.com with questions, or find a retailer at www.k9natural.com.<br />
Curcumin 97% Vet, by Ayush Herbs<br />
Herbsmith makes excellent veterinarian-developed supplements based on traditional Chinese<br />
theories of health and wellness. Sound Dog Viscosity contains a highly concentrated blend<br />
of active ingredients in a tasty chew that is easy to administer to your dog. It’s a complete<br />
joint support formula containing Glucosamine, Hyaluronic Acid, MSM, Chondroitin, and<br />
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manages aches and discomfort as well. Receive 10% off your order of Sound Dog Viscosity<br />
with coupon code DNatural, at www.wholehealthypet.com and www.holisticanimalsupply.<br />
com, through 3/31/12.<br />
Ayush Herbs has been making high quality Ayurvedic herbal supplements for humans and pets<br />
for over 20 years. Their organic herbs are grown naturally in their pristine Himalayan habitat,<br />
without the use of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. Curcumin 97%<br />
Vet, commonly referred to as turmeric, helps maintain your dog’s healthy inflammatory and<br />
metabolic responses. It has important antioxidant benefits, and supports healthy brain tissue<br />
as well as the body’s natural detoxification and hepatic function. Curcumin is a broadly useful<br />
supplement that can help maintain a healthy inflammatory response by blocking inflammatory<br />
pathways in the body. Visit www.ruved.net to purchase directly or find a retailer.<br />
Tasman’s Bison Leather Pet Bed<br />
If you’ve been looking for an orthopedic bed for your senior dog, but don’t like the<br />
style options, here’s the answer. We drool like Bloodhounds over these luscious Bison<br />
Leather Pet Beds, and they come in sizes big enough to accommodate two or<br />
three of them at once. In eight rich leather colors from Blood Red to Prairie Brown,<br />
and five sizes from Extra Small to Jumbo, these beds include a orthopedic memory<br />
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Upgraded Cover. Order at www.naturesbestrawhide.com.<br />
51
holistic vets<br />
Integrative Veterinarian<br />
Dr. Julie Mayer certification in veterinary acupuncture,<br />
veterinary chiropractic, canine rehabilitation,<br />
Reiki Practitioner.<br />
Holistically treats companion animals<br />
dr.julie@integrativeveterinarian.com<br />
Seaside Natural Health<br />
Patricia Jordan DVM Swansboro, NC<br />
Skype dr-jordan 1<br />
seasidenaturalhealth@gmail.com<br />
www.dr-jordan.com/<br />
holistic health care<br />
Mother Nature MD 4 Pets<br />
Jan Litza<br />
Natural health for your dog with Young<br />
Living Essential Oils. Enhance their lives<br />
naturally!<br />
j.litza@comcast.net (219) 670-1163<br />
www.mothernaturemd4pets.org<br />
Karen Duewel<br />
Young Living Essential Oils - embrace health<br />
and wellness NATURALLY!<br />
wehavecomefullcircle@gmail.com<br />
(847) 772-0212 www.synergyiskey.com<br />
Animal Reiki Source Kathleen Prasad<br />
369B Third St., #156 San Rafael, CA 94901<br />
(415) 420-9783 info@animalreikisource.com<br />
http://www.animalreikisource.com/<br />
Enlightened Animals LLC<br />
Ellen Kohn 566 Meadow Vista Drive Evergreen,<br />
CO 80439 (303) 670-1023<br />
horsegal52@aol.com<br />
http://www.EnlightenedAnimals.com<br />
groomers<br />
52<br />
classified section<br />
Salon Fido & Mud Puppy, LLC<br />
1807 Main Street<br />
Cross Plains, WI 53528<br />
(608)798-4464 www.salonfido.net<br />
schools<br />
Animal Spirit Healing & Education® Network<br />
Animal Healing Arts training and Professional<br />
Mastery Programs. Teleclasses, Webinars, On-<br />
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Dogwise<br />
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animal communicators<br />
Carol Schultz Animal Communication<br />
Interactive and compassionate Consultations<br />
& Healing for all animal species.<br />
www.CarolSchultz.com Founder/Director<br />
www.AnimalSpiritNetwork.com online learning<br />
institute.<br />
holistic pet supplies<br />
Metro Pet Market<br />
1637 Victoria Avenue<br />
Regina, SK S4P 0P8<br />
(306) 352-9663<br />
www.metropetmarket.ca<br />
PAWS-itive Health<br />
Maureen Tate<br />
51 Sarah Crescent<br />
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2W4Z2<br />
(902)435-2528 divineaire@gmail.com<br />
The Neighborhood Pup<br />
4230-D 4th Avenue<br />
Whitehorse Y1A 1K1<br />
http://www.theneighborhoodpup.com<br />
<strong>Naturally</strong> 4 Paws<br />
Silverdale, WA<br />
360-337-2444<br />
www.naturally4paws.co<br />
Classified ads can be listed for $25 per issue or $50 for 3 issues.<br />
Market Place ads start at just $75 per issue.<br />
To list your business or kennel in <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> contact us at 877 665-1290<br />
or email at advertise@dogsnaturallymagazine.com<br />
Pawsitively Heaven Pet Resort<br />
10051 Kitty Avenue<br />
Chicago Ridge, IL 60415<br />
708-636-DOGS<br />
www.pawsitivelyheavenpetresort.com<br />
online stores<br />
Holistic Pet Info<br />
www.HolisticPetInfo.com<br />
(877)573-8227<br />
rescues<br />
Journey’s End Ranch Animal Sanctuary<br />
Forever home for abused & abandoned<br />
animals<br />
Consults in holistic care,nutrition,detox,Lyme<br />
www.jersanctuary.org<br />
breeders<br />
Fallriver Labrador Retrievers<br />
<strong>Naturally</strong> raised show and specialty winners,<br />
obedience and field dogs and couch warmers.<br />
Ontario, Canada<br />
(905) 729-1189<br />
www.fallriverlabs@gmail.com<br />
Zen Golden Retrievers<br />
Shannon Gervais<br />
<strong>Naturally</strong> Reared since 2002<br />
Hudson N.H 03051( USA)<br />
zengoldens@hotmail.com<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
DOGS NATURALLY SUBSCRIPTIONS<br />
Moving?<br />
It can take a few weeks for changes of address to be recorded, so<br />
please try to submit changes before you move. Call, write or email us<br />
your new information.<br />
Missing or Damaged Issue?<br />
Contact us if your issue is damaged and we will replace it immediately.<br />
Remember that delivery time for periodical mail can vary, so<br />
please be patient and wait till the end of the issue month to report a<br />
missing issue.<br />
Contact <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong><br />
US and Canada: (877) 665-1290<br />
Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm EST<br />
subscribe@dogsnaturallymagazine.com<br />
Reg’d Labrador Retrievers<br />
* Specialty winners<br />
* Obedience and eld<br />
* Blacks and chocolates<br />
* <strong>Naturally</strong> reared<br />
* Home raised<br />
* Stud service<br />
for <strong>2012</strong> litters<br />
plans, visit:<br />
www.fallriverlabs.com<br />
<strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
<strong>Naturally</strong> reared<br />
since 2002<br />
Litter plans<br />
Winter <strong>2012</strong><br />
Shannon Gervais<br />
Hudson, NH<br />
Golden Retrievers<br />
www.zengoldens.com<br />
53
Turmeric<br />
54<br />
Secret Garden<br />
Turmeric, or Curcuma longa, is a member of the ginger family.<br />
Turmeric has been used for over 6000 years in India. In Ayurvedic<br />
medicine, Turmeric is considered to be one of the most important<br />
herbs. The most common uses of Turmeric in Ayurveda<br />
are to purify the blood and remedy skin conditions.. The principle<br />
organs that it treats are the skin, heart, liver and lungs.<br />
Turmeric has also been used for at least 1000 years in Chinese<br />
Medicine to stimulate and purify, and as an antibiotic, anti-viral,<br />
and analgesic.<br />
The active ingredient in Turmeric is curcumin. It also contains<br />
large amounts of vitamin A and other vitamins and minerals. The<br />
rhizome, or root, is the part used.<br />
Turmeric has long been used as an anti-inflammatory agent, especially<br />
in arthritis. In fact, research shows that Turmeric can<br />
be just as effective an anti-inflammatory as NSAIDs but without<br />
the side effects. Turmeric is also a natural pain killer and COX-2<br />
inhibitor.<br />
Turmeric is also useful in inflammatory skin conditions. This may<br />
be because it has antioxidant properties and also works as a<br />
natural liver detoxifier. For cuts and burns, Turmeric is an antibacterial<br />
and also speeds wound healing and helps remodel<br />
damaged skin.<br />
Turmeric has some important cardiovascular effects. It can<br />
lower cholesterol and prevent platelet accumulation. It has also<br />
been shown to prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s<br />
disease by removing amyloid plaque buildup in the brain.<br />
Perhaps one of the more interesting - and much studied - qualities<br />
of Turmeric is as an anti-cancer herb. Studies support its<br />
ability to prevent or slow the growth of prostate cancer. It was<br />
also shown to prevent breast cancer from spreading in mice,<br />
prevent and treat melanoma, reduce the risk of childhood leukemia,<br />
prevent and treat pancreatic cancer and prevent metasta-<br />
ses from occurring in many different forms of cancer. Research<br />
has shown Turmeric to stop the growth of new blood vessels in<br />
tumors. Turmeric may even boost the effects of some chemotherapy<br />
drugs and lessen their unwanted side effects.<br />
Adding to its already long list of important actions, Turmeric has<br />
also been shown to slow the progression of Multiple Sclerosis in<br />
mice.<br />
Turmeric may cause inflammation and irritation of the stomach<br />
lining if taken in very high doses. It is also contraindicated for<br />
dogs with gallstones or bile obstruction. Although considered<br />
safe for pregnant dams, professional advice should be sought as<br />
turmeric can be a uterine tonic.<br />
Turmeric can be taken as a pill or in powdered form. Because of<br />
its wide range of highly therapeutic actions, try sprinkling some<br />
turmeric on your dog’s food. f<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2012</strong> | <strong>Dogs</strong> <strong>Naturally</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
Brand<br />
new!<br />
Introducing two new grain-free<br />
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Love <br />
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Ingredients: Dehydrated beef, sweet<br />
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organic coconut, parsley, dandelion<br />
greens, papaya, cranberries, pumpkin,<br />
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Grace <br />
for adult cats of<br />
all breeds and sizes<br />
Ingredients: Dehydrated turkey, eggs,<br />
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greens, cranberries, rosemary, vitamins<br />
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To learn more, please visit thehonestkitchen.com/love<br />
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