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Calcium requirements for canines

Calcium is an essential mineral and one of the most abundant ones found in the canine body.  Bones “collect” or “hold” calcium and when the body needs more, it is released into the bloodstream.  Deficiencies are often difficult to pin point because a dog can lose up to forty percent of their bone calcium before a deficiency will show on a blood test.

Calcium is needed by the body to maintain healthy bones and teeth, activate digestive enzymes, help with blood clotting, regulate the muscles and heart, as well as a number of other critical functions.  Most high quality, balanced commercial dog foods contain adequate amounts of calcium, but the lower quality foods often do not.  Also, many unbalanced home prepared diets are deficient in calcium and supplementation is required.

The best way to ensure you dog is getting an adequate amount of calcium in his diet is to provide a high quality, balanced diet.  Raw, meaty bones are the best source of calcium followed by canned sardines, salmon, and mackerel.  Other sources include dairy products such as yogurt and cheese.  Supplement sources include ground egg shells, bone meal, calcium carbonate, and calcium citrate.

The entire diet must be reviewed to ensure it is balanced and to determine the amount and type of calcium needed through supplementation.  It is very important to remember, too much calcium in the diet can be just as dangerous and not enough.

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Medicinal Mushrooms

There are thousands of different types of mushrooms, hundreds that are used for food and over fifty different kind (and the list continues to grow) that offer medicinal benefits.  Mushrooms are rich sources of minerals, vitamins, amino acids and many offer cancer fighting properties. There have been numerous studies that link the immune enhancing properties of certain mushrooms to cancer fighting at the cellular level in the body.

Animals as well as people can benefit from the immune enhancing, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antiviral properties of medicinal mushrooms such as Reishii, Shiitake, Cordyceps, and Turkey Tail.  The list is long and these are just some of the mushrooms that have been proven to be safe and effective when used properly.

Of course all things are not created equal.  Some mushrooms are best taken as supplements others cooked and then eaten.  Many supplements are made with a blend of several types of mushrooms and have been formulated to support various health conditions.  All supplements are not manufactured the same and there is a wide range of both quality of ingredients and processing methods that make the difference in effectiveness.

As with most things, its best to consult with a knowledgeable health care provider prior to taking supplements yourself or giving them to your pets.

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My thoughts on vaccinations

Vaccination and immunization are not the same thing.  Your dog or cat is perfectly capable of creating immunity all by itself and once it does, the immunity likely lasts for a lifetime.  The body has a highly functional immune system that works very well in most cases.  The very best thing we can do is support the immune system to keep it strong and functioning properly.

Vaccines do not immunize, they sensitize.  Their job is to introduce small amounts of disease to the body, so the body is able to form immunity.  Often times, puppies and kittens are vaccinated too early, too often, and with too many vaccines at once.  When this happens, the vaccines suppress the immune system instead of supporting it and this can set the stage for disease to develop.  In some cases, vaccines can cause an over-stimulation of the immune system and the body can begin to attack its own cells (autoimmune disease).

When animals are very young, they are protected from disease by ingesting their mother’s first milk, called colostrum.  This rich milk contains maternal antibodies against infectious disease, which is passed onto the offspring.  An animal’s immune system is not fully mature, or active, until it is around six months of age, so the maternal antibodies provide passive immunity.  When an animal with a high enough amount of maternal antibodies is vaccinated, the maternal antibodies will inactivate the vaccine, just as they would a real virus.  The reason puppies and kittens receive series of vaccinations during their first year is because the veterinarian is trying to time when the maternal antibodies are low enough for the vaccination to be effective.  Since they don’t know or typically test for immunity they repeat the vaccination.  A different approach is to hold off on all vaccinations until at least six months of age.  Another and even better approach, is to not vaccinate at all or at least weigh the risks and only vaccinate for high risk diseases or where the law dictates such as in the case of the rabies vaccine.  Annual titers can then be used to monitor immunity.

Very few veterinarians take a realistic and scientific look at the best time to vaccinate or discuss the risks of vaccinations with pet owners.  For example, why do we need to vaccinate puppies for self-limiting diseases such as coronavirus and adenovirus, which are really only dangerous in puppies who are too young to effectively vaccinate anyway.

Vaccines may seem technologically advanced, but when given randomly and for no good reason, they are at best useless and at worst dangerous.  Vaccine manufacturers are constantly trying to improve the safety of vaccines, but there will always be an inherent danger when injecting pharmaceutical products, along with their toxic chemicals, into our animals.

 

 

 

 

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Preventing Health Issues Through Good Breeding

Some common genetic disorders that affect dogs:

  • Undescended Testicle at Birth
  • Dwarfism
  • Eye Disease
  • Hearing Disorders
  • Temperament Issues
  • Heart Problems
  • Immune System Diseases
  • Skin Problems
  • Allergies
  • Extreme physical characteristics such as oversized dogs, excess sloping of the spine, extra large head, disfigured ears,….
  • And unfortunately many, many more

The focus of some purebred breeders has been put on looks and appealing physical features, with little regard for the original intent and function of the breed.  The perfect “show dog” characteristics sometimes take precedence in the breeding program.  These animals may look good, but they cannot perform and they often suffer from many health problems that could have and should have been prevented.

There has been an increase in health problems in both purebred and mixed breed dogs.  The seriousness of the illnesses has been on the increase and is affecting younger dogs more than ever before.  Chronic diseases such as cancer are on the rise and no longer diagnosed in just older dogs; it is affecting dogs of all ages.  Poor immune systems, allergies, skin problems, and behavior problems are affecting many dogs without regard to age or breed.

Mixed breeds are suffering as much as purebreds these days due to poor breeding practices, low quality commercial pet foods, over vaccination, environmental exposures, and the everyday stresses in life.  These exposures can also cause genetic problems which have been present in the offspring of the breeding dogs.

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The ancestral diet for dogs

A considerable amount of research has been done to date regarding the proper diet for canines.  By studying the diets of the dog’s wild relatives such as the wolf, coyote, and fox we are able to learn a lot about the ancestral diet of the domesticated dog.

  •  We know the diet likely varied depending on the environment and what was available given the different climates and geography.
  •  The staple of the diet of carnivores includes other animals, it contains mostly meat, flesh, and bones with occasional fruits and grasses.
  •  Scraps, carcasses, rotten greens, fruits, and discarded seed and grains were eaten.
  • Wolves prefer freshly killed prey, but if that is not available, they will eat just about anything that at one point was considered edible.
  • Wolves generally eat the entire prey including the bones, skin, and organs.
  • Wolves prefer fish especially salmon when available.
  • The ancestral dog’s diet was high in protein, moderate in fat, and low in carbohydrates

Protein – 49.5% of calories (123 grams per 1000 kcal)

Fat – 44% of calories (49 grams per 1000 kcal)

Carbohydrates – 6% of calories (16 grams per 1000 kcal)

Protein from meat contains balanced amino acids and a complete range of protein type nutrients including taurine and carnitine.  Plant based proteins do not contain the same range of nutrients.  Fats are an important part of the ancestral diet because they represent a broad category of nutrients.  It is important to have a moderate amount of balanced and complete fats in the diet for optimal health.  A small amount of plant based carbohydrates in the diet would also mimic the ancestral diet, but these must be raw and pulverized to ensure they are highly digestible and the animal is able to utilize their nutrients appropriately.

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Clinical Pet Nutrition

Nutrition for Our pets, LLC offers clinical pet nutrition consultations for dog and cat caregivers.  We are well versed in homemade diets, herbs, vitamins, homeopathy, and complimentary care for companion animals.

Clinical pet nutritionists are trained in the use of food as medicine.  We help pet parents select an optimal diet for their dog or cat based on the animal’s individual needs.  We start with a biologically appropriate diet to help build and maintain health.  We can select from commercially available foods or teach you how to make a homemade, balanced diet for your animal.  When needed nutritional supplements can be used to nourish the body and/or correct nutritional deficiencies.

Whole foods, herbal supplements, vitamins, and many holistic modalities have been used successfully for thousands of years to support both humans and animals maintain health.  Although we are becoming more advanced in our society, we are continuously reminded that nature has provided us many of the tools needed to deal with our everyday environment.  As we move further away from nature we see a greater decline in health and an increase in the development of disease and discomfort.

There are many alternatives and we can help you to choose what is right for your animal, while supporting your lifestyle and budget.  Knowing that we are all vulnerable to different things, a holistic approach is taken to ensure all aspects of health are considered and a custom, written plan is provided to each client.  Your holistic health assessment includes our continued support.  We work with you until the defined objectives are met and improvement is achieved.

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Acupressure for animals

Acupressure is similar to acupuncture except instead of using needles the fingers are used to apply pressure to specific points along the meridian lines.  It has been used for thousands of years on both people and animals with great success.  As with acupuncture it can be used on dogs, cats, horses, and other animals to reduce pain, inflammation and to address many other health conditions.  It is gentle, noninvasive, and most animals tolerate it well.  It can be used alone as a proactive part of your wellness plan or as a complement to other modalities to address specific health concerns.

Acupressure is also a good choice for addressing behavioral issues in animals such as aggression, fear, and anxiety.  When done properly, it has a calming effect and when used regularly it can resolve many problems that otherwise do not have a cure.

Complementary or alternative medicine is a good choice for those who prefer to use natural means instead of medicines when applicable.

 

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Acupuncture for dogs and cats

Acupuncture is based on the concept of qi which loosely translates to “energy”.  In both humans and animals, the qi or energy affects how well the body functions overall.

Acupuncture needles are inserted into the body at specific locations along the meridians of energy.  The needles stimulate the sensory nerve endings and send impulses up through the spinal cord to various parts of the brain.  By stimulating these points, normal energy flow is restored and the body’s natural ability to heal itself is restored over time.

Acupuncture can put an animal’s energy back in balance regardless of the medical condition.  It can reduce pain, enhance the quality of life, and even extend life for cases where other treatments have failed.  Acupuncture can improve the function of the kidneys, restore hearing loss, treat acute as well as chronic disorders, treat anterior crucial problems, and also be used as preventative healthcare and maintenance.

  • Pain relief – many veterinarians say it provides the best pain relief, especially for chronic conditions.
  • Relief of musculoskeletal problems such as arthritis, disc disorders, lameness, and back problems.
  • Neurological problems such as hindquarter weakness, partial paralysis, and epilepsy.
  • Gastrointestinal disorders such as chronic vomiting and diarrhea.
  • Enhances the immune system.
  • Postponement of surgery in high risk cases by helping the body to gain strength.
  • Postsurgical healing such as pain relief and restoration of motion.

For more information or to locate a veterinary acupuncturist in your area, see below:

American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association:  http://www.ahvma.org/

International Veterinary Acupuncture Society:  https://www.ivas.org/

 

 

 

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The importance of protein in dog/cat diets

Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids.  There are 22 different amino acids that can be arranged in various ways.

Dogs and especially cats should eat protein daily because protein is needed for proper body function and tissue repair.  Protein and amino acids cannot be stored like fat so daily intake is needed to prevent the breakdown of muscle and/or tissues.

High quality animal proteins are highly digestible and provide an assortment of amino acids in adequate amounts.  When the animal is getting an appropriate amount of proteins in its diet, you should see this through the following:

  •  A shiny and abundant coat.
  • A lot of stamina when training and competing.
  • Overall healthy appearance.

Performance dogs need more protein than non-working dogs because of the following:

  1.  Training and exercising increases synthesis of plasma (blood) proteins.
  2. Training increases the number of red blood cells.
  3. Competitive dogs have higher numbers of contractile proteins in their muscles.

 

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Arnica for pets

The homeopathic remedy Arnica can safely be used on pets who are suffering from an injury.  It speeds up the healing process for closed-tissue injuries.  It can also be used topically to open up peripheral capillaries and lymph ducts, and increase circulation of tissues that are filled with fluids.  When used immediately after an injury, dramatic results can be achieved.  Arnica helps to speed the healing process by moving waste fluids out and moving cleaning fluids and platelets into the affected area.  Arnica can be used both topically and orally.  However, when using orally, proper dosing must be used to as large quantities may be toxic.

Caution must be exercised when using arnica with felines.  It can be used successfully on cats, however it should be used with caution and a small test should be done first on the skin to ensure there are no negative reactions such as redness or other signs of irritation.  Many cats tend to be sensitive to arnica’s volatile oils and are more prone to allergic reactions as compared to dogs or horses.

The proper use of Arnica has many benefits for animals as well as humans, but the correct dosage is imperative.  When using orally, proper dosing must be used as large quantities may be toxic.  Internal bleeding may occur if large enough quantities are ingested.  Also, long term topical use is not recommended because it can cause a rash on the animal when overused.