IS YOUR PET TOXIC??
Back to Basics Human Grade Food for Pets
All Life Stages Formula
Chances are, if you are giving yearly vaccines, heartworm medication, antibiotics, or flea treatments, your pet is quite toxic. This means that he cannot remain in a true state of health. His immune system is compromised and he is more susceptible to disease, skin problems, and fleas. Before we get into how to clear the toxins and rebuild a healthy immune system, let's understand some of the factors harming the immune system.
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VACCINES, FRIEND OR FOE? I would say "both", depending on how the vaccines are used. Given their overuse today, they are more likely to fall into the "foe" category. Vaccines, as we know, are meant to introduce the disease into the body and the body is supposed to fight it off, building an immunity to that disease. Immunity to disease is obviously good, but there may be some unpleasant riders on that bill.
When you give a vaccine, toxins and preservatives are also introduced into the body. Now the world isn't perfect and dogs do drink out of toilets, so a few toxins and preservatives don't outweigh the good of vaccines. However, I want you to consider what 4-way, 5-way, and up to 8-way (combination) vaccines are really doing to the body. You are introducing 4,5, or up to 8 diseases into the body at one time. The body can fight one disease (toxins added) and win the war for the greater good. Introduce a group of well-meaning bad boys (i.e. combination vaccines) and your pet begins to loose ground with health. Now, remember that we are doing this to an immature, growing, developing body and we have compounded the problem/assault. If we do it year after year, we begin to see a myriad of problems that seem to increase with each generation. Am I suggesting that vaccines are the culprits for all of our health problems? No, but I am suggesting that instead of having the vaccines work for us, we have allowed them to work against us through over-use.
A moderate recommendation is to give only 1 killed Parvo vaccine to pups at 6 weeks old and homeopathic nosodes (preventative) for canine disease from then on. Not everyone is comfortable giving nosodes until they know someone who has used them for an extended period of time. You must feel confident about how you choose to protect your pet. So if you aren't ready for nosodes, adhere to the following rules:
- Never give a Modified Live Parvo Vaccine - only Killed
- Never give a vaccine in conjunction with another vaccine (e.g., Parvo & Distemper).
- Never give anything with a rabies vaccine.
- If your pet is not in top health (you know him better than anyone) do not give any vaccine.
- Give at least 2 weeks between vaccines.
- Do not give Lyme or Bordella Vaccines.
- Do not give vaccines after the age of 2 years (other than those required by law).
If concerned, have a titer for the disease done by your veterinarian rather than give an unnecessary vaccine. A titer is a test taken to see if your pet has an immunity to the tested disease.
Remember that children do not get vaccines every year, therefore, we should question why we would give annual vaccines to our pets.
NOSODES vs. VACCINES
What are nosodes? There are two answers to this question, one is a detailed in-depth explanation and the other is very simple. We will go with the latter. Nosodes are a homeopathic version of a vaccine or a preventative. A nosode introduces the disease through molecular memory. Therefore, when the pet comes in contact with the disease, the body recognizes and rejects it. With nosodes, there are no toxins or preservatives introduced to the body. Nosodes work with the antibodies in the mother's milk, rather than against them as with conventional vaccines.
This is an interesting point to consider. Puppy vaccines are given in a series up to 16 weeks of age. The vaccine is fighting with mother's antibodies that were meant to protect her babies. So, the vaccine is given and a war is waged. The vaccine takes over initially and holds it's own until mom's antibodies take over again, then, zap!, re-vaccination, and the battle rages on once again. The period of 0 to 10 days after giving a vaccine is when your pet is at his greatest risk. Typically, mom's antibodies have handed the baton over to the young puppies or kittens themselves whose immune system should be strong enough at 16 weeks old to take over. Instead, what happens only too often is that another vaccine is given, inhibiting the immune system at a very crucial time in a young animals life.
The nosode, on the other hand, assists mom's antibodies helping to support and strengthen the immune system.
Can a dog who has had nosodes come in contact with and contract Parvo? Yes Can a dog who has had vaccines come in contact with and contract Parvo? Yes
Now, again this touchy immune system "thing" comes into play. The body that has had the nosode is not impaired, thus giving that pet a much better chance of recovery. The pet that has had vaccines and contracts Parvo is in real danger. If a vaccinated pet comes in contact with and contracts Parvo, this says the immunity that was supposed to have developed, via the vaccine, did not develop. Therefore, the disease that was introduced with the vaccine itself has a foothold. This, in effect puts the pet that had the vaccination at a much greater risk than the pet that received a nosode. The immune system is probably not in top shape and this pet will need to fight very hard to survive.
Note About Nosodes: Do not put any pellet that has touched your hand back into the bottle as it will contaminate the bottle. Store homeopathics away from electromagnetic fields such as those given off from TV's, refrigerators, microwaves, and sunlight.
HEARTWORM MEDICATION, DO YOU HAVE DOUBTS? Many breeders will not give heartworm medication to any breeding animal. Is this valid? Are they putting these special dogs at risk? Once again, we are back to weighing the pros and cons. Lets look at why we are giving heartworm medication. We obviously love our animals and don't want them to get heartworm. The treatment for heartworm is expensive and perilous. So, because we care so much and are reacting from a base of fear, we have chosen to give our special pets a poison on a monthly basis for something that they do not have. Does this sound like a good idea to you? As a breeder and canine professional, I feel that the damage to the body far outweighs the risk of heartworm, not only will I not give it, I strongly advise my puppy buyers not to give heartworm medication either.
Are there any alternatives? Yes. In herbology there are may avenues open to us. In homeopathic medicine, you can get a heartworm nosode from a licensed veterinarian who is holistic. It has shown to be as efficacious as the allopathic heartworm medications and does not damage the body in any way.
I must mention that an animal in a true state of health should naturally fend off heartworms. So, our well-meaning treatment demeans their overall state of health and puts them at greater risk for everything we fear. Are you beginning to feel you want to get off the merry-go-round? An added bonus is that homeopathic nosodes (after the initial dosages) are given 1 tablet by mouth every 6 months and a 5 year supply for one dog is going to cost you less then $20.00.
ANTIBIOTICS The "pros and cons" way of thought is especially important with antibiotics. Any healer that only uses one practice (i.e. allopathic vs. holistic), to the exclusion of all others, is not doing the best they can for those that come to them for help. We have become a drug-based society and the art of healing has been squashed by the penchant for prescribing. We have all heard about the serious consequences of over using drugs, especially antibiotics.
Ask yourself if what you are dealing with is life threatening. If the answer is "yes" then you may wish to palliate or suppress the symptoms. This buys you more time to work on a cure. Often this is where antibiotics are a blessing and a gift. Remember, antibiotics retard the healing process, impugn the immune system and do not work on anything viral. Antibiotics are not the answer in all cases. They are, in fact, the answer in a rather limited number of cases. But, when they are indicated, they can be life saving.
If the answer is "no", it's not life threatening, then please learn to school yourself to give the body a chance to do it's job. Do not treat what you do not see. Find ways of assisting the body in it's journey to a cure. This is where a holistic practitioner or holistic veterinarian will be invaluable to you.
Knowing which modality to use can be intimidating. There is so much information to impart, and since space conservation dictates forgoing the long-winded version, I hope the following list of basic rules helps:
- If it isn't life threatening, assist the body with nutrition or one of the holistic modalities indicated before antibiotics are used.
- If it is a skin problem, steer clear of antibiotics. Holistic methods are almost always more effective with skin problems.
- Think "health and cure" not "quick fixes".
FLEAS I have to make mention of the whole flea situation because the way we deal with these pests is almost comical. These "masters of the itch" have many of us in a state of anxiety. Let's talk about fleas. If I lined up 10 animals and released a bucket of fleas then examined the animals, the fleas would not have gone to each pet equally. Without further examination I can tell you the pets with the most fleas have a slightly elevated temperature, this is because something is going on in their bodies (i.e. their immune system is down). There are factors that can make a pet very attractive to fleas- foremost being diet. However, maybe the animal is very stressed, or tired, or has an earache, or the animal's immune system has been under attack by many of the things listed through out this article.
How do we combat the dreaded "fleas"? First, we apply chemicals inside and outside our homes, then we bathe them with more chemicals, and finally (the greatest insult) we administer yet another chemical to the body directly. Lets think about what we are giving to our pets, something that makes their bodies so toxic that when a flea bites them, the flea dies. All along what your pet was saying to you is that things aren't perfect with his body. Our response would be much more appropriate if we evaluated his diet, increased certain vitamins, and cleared the toxins. Think about this, if we "nuked" the planet, the fleas would survive, so, isn't our present approach a bit silly? [Not to mention counter productive.]
If you have a flea problem there are many ways to deal with it. First and foremost, evaluate what's going on with your pet. Build their immune system and rid your environment of the fleas. Garlic is a great, it is a natural flea repellent, it is good for the immune system and is considered a natural antibiotic. Add tea tree oil (from a health food store), approx. 10 drops, with your regular shampoo and wash your pet. Daily, spray your dog with a mist of water and apple cider vinegar, which makes him less attractive to the flea. As a bonus the vinegar is good for the coat. If you have skin and coat damage from itching, the vinegar will help heal it. Give him a dose of homeopathic sulphur 30c twice daily for a week, then once a day for another week. A dose is 3 to 6 pellets by mouth, given 1/2 hour away from food. As for the environment itself there are many viable avenues. I have used Diatomaceous Earth with success. Use only the food grade, as the pool grade has been treated with a chemical and can be hard on your lungs if inhaled. This is actually a small sea urchin that has sharp points. When a flea crawls over one it cuts the fleas' shells and they dehydrate. So sprinkle (it is a white powder) Diatomaceous Earth over all floors, bedding, and furniture that you wish to rid of fleas. It takes a couple of days and sometimes more than one treatment, but it does work and it doesn't hurt your animal.
NUTRITION Nutrition is the cornerstone of health and unfortunately most dog foods on the market are of very poor quality. In defense of this problem here are the basics to follow so that you can make informed choices.
ONLY FEED: All Natural , Human Quality, Low Protein, High Fat
NO By-Product of any kind
NO Chemical Preservatives
NO Beet Pulp
NO Fillers (Brans, Hulls, Gluten meals, Flours)
YES Chelated Minerals
YES Digestive Enzymes
YES Balanced proteins, fats, carbohydrates
Clearing Toxins, Building a Strong Immune System Once your animal is on a healthy diet, the next step is to clear the toxins from their system, which is `actually the easy part. Armed with knowledge and desire we can all help our pets have longer and fuller lives. You can get the following from a health food store or a homeopathic vet. [It does not matter if they chew the pellets, swallow or just let them dissolve in their mouth]
Homeopathic Sulphur 200c
- Give 1 dose (3-6 pellets) by mouth, one time, it helps clear toxins and is excellent for the skin. Wait 2 weeks then give...
Homeopathic Thuja 200c
- One dose by mouth one time clears toxins, especially vaccine toxins. Now we are going to do a few things to build up the immune system.
Echinacea Tincture (liquid)
- 5-6 drops in water bowl daily for about a month; natural antibiotic and builds immune system.
Fresh Garlic or Garlic Gel Capsules
- Natural antibiotics, add to the food.
Vitamin C
- The form that dogs can assimilate is either Sodium Ascorbate, Calcium Ascorbate or Ester C. Sodium Ascorbate, is the least expensive, 1tsp. is 400mg. Do not give ascorbic acid, the vitamin C we take. Pets do not metabolize it well and it can be tough on their stomach.
Vitamin C
- A great immune system builder. It should be given on a daily basis for optimum benefits and is a must during times of stress, illness, or recovery. Give it in the food or water. Vitamin C only stays in the body for about 4 hours, therefore give smaller does a couple times a day. Dosage is based on weight and should be listed on the label.
Vitamin E
- An enabler for everything else to work better with the body.
