Pets Information Channel:
|
||
|
||
What does doing natural preventative care mean? I thought vaccinating, prevention medicines, and premium kibble was natural preventative care. Hardly.
Unfortunately the pharmaceutical companies and the pet food industry have really pulled the wool over everyone's eyes -but the wool is coming off! People are frustrated with the way traditional care has let them down and are seeking alternatives to help them not only give their pets more quality of life but longer lives. It seems as though we barely get our pets to a "settled" place in our lives before they're gone. It doesn't have to be like this.
Please don't misunderstand, mainstream care does have its place but it should not be the only choice people and their pets have. In fact, I think it's the imbalanced lean towards allopathic medicine rather than including homeopathic and naturopathic and alternative therapies that is a big part of the problem. At some point where do we stop and say, what happened to "first do no harm"?
Okay, so let's start with what preventative, natural, holistic care means with a definition of the words holistic, preventative and natural which I obtained from my American Heritage Dictionary: 1. Holistic: ?2) emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts. 2. Natural: 1) present in or produced by nature; not artificial or man-made; 3) pertaining to or produced solely by nature or the expected order of things 3. Preventive: 1) designed or used to prevent or hinder; acting as an obstacle; precautionary. 2) Thwarting or warding off illness or disease. When we put all these definitions together: the whole of the parts working interdependently, without artificial ingredients or synthetics, in the natural order of things you will then ward off illness or disease! Now that we have the definition of natural pet care in place, let's go deeper into the how to do this and thereby lowering the costs of your pet care and increase the longevity of your pets lives.
The first place to always start is with nutrition and that starts with what you are feeding your pets. My initial answer will be as species specific as you can get in a domestic setting. For dogs and cats that means that meat needs to be the primary ingredient of their food. Not kibble. Kibble isn't fit for anything or anyone to eat. There a couple I will recommend in the light of a very reluctant pet owner not being able to stomach the idea of feeding raw meat to their dog or cat, but I will say that as long as you adhere to kibble your pets will experience the problems associated with food that their bodies weren't designed to digest.
There are many different forms of feeding natural for example in dogs you can choose a B.A.R.F. diet which translates to Biologically Appropriate Raw Food and can also stand for Bones and Raw Food. This diet consists of all raw meats, veggies, dairy products, and nuts. Some adhere to strictly feeding raw meat. Some to a cooked diet of meat and vegetables. I think that you've got to decide what will work in your household and do that and any of these, including the cooked diet is far better than any form of a kibble diet. Think of animals in the wild - they do not get kibble or pellets. Our domestic pets don't need those things either!
I feed my dog a cooked meat diet along with a natural whole food liquid supplement. I also use essential oils to thwart parasites and help with the pain in his forelegs. He came to us as a very abused, starved, neglected nearly 5 month old puppy. Through trial and error we've found what keeps him healthy, strong and happy and he is completely natural. We do homeopathic for heartworm prevention. He actually runs with me and traditionally his breed is not a running breed - or so it's thought! So you also need to include some precautionary nutrition along with natural feeding. For horses you always need to be concerned with worms but there are natural ways like using food grade (ONLY use food grade) diatomaceous earth -this also works well in cats, dogs and other warm-blooded animals but I prefer to use essential oils in my dog.
Next I would consider why vaccinating seems to be so important to your pets health. Let me give you just a few examples of why that could be the very thing that is harming your pets rather than helping them (information from www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com):
"Routine" vaccination has adverse side-effects, either short or long term. With vaccines that are repeated year after year, the frequency and severity of these side-effects in our pets has increased dramatically. Most of the problems involve the immune system. After all, the immune system is what vaccines are designed to stimulate. But they do so in a very unnatural way that can overwhelm and confuse the immune system." Donna Starita Mehan DVM. I believe that Dr. Mehan is saying here that while vaccinations stimulate the immune system and that is supposed to rev it up, the vaccine actually not only does this unnaturally as Dr. Mehan stated but it also causes so much confusion in the immune system that much more harm than good is done by vaccinating.
Dr. Ronald D. Schultz, Ph.D..- "Annual revaccination provides no benefit and may increase the risk for adverse reactions. The percentage of vaccinated animals (those vaccinated only as puppies) protected from clinical disease after challenge with canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus and canine adenovirus in the study was greater than 95%." Current and Future Canine and Feline Vaccination Programs. Dr. Ronald Schultz is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine, UW-Madison. Schultz, R.D. - Current & Future Canine & Feline Vaccination Programs. Vet Med 3: No. 3, 233-254, 1998 more. A chart provided in the report shows immunity levels for all vaccines currently given to dogs lasting a minimum of 5 years with most lasting 7-15 years! Don Hamilton, DVM -Yearly "boosters" are unnecessary, provide no benefit if given (will not increase immunity). Thus boosters are either a legal issue (Rabies) or a manipulation issue (inducing clients to come in for examination rather than directly suggesting an examination). Charles E Loops DVM - "Homeopathic veterinarians and other holistic practitioners have maintained for some time that vaccinations do more harm than they provide benefits. Vaccinations represent a major assault on the body's immune system.... Vaccine induced chronic diseases range from life-threatening conditions such as auto-immune crises to conditions destroying the quality of life of an animal as in chronic skin allergies."
These are just a few examples with veterinarians leading the way in sharing this information which I find interesting since vaccinations and surgeries are their bread and butter. A few of the holistic/homeopathic vets I know started in mainstream medicine and became frustrated and moved into the holistic arena so they could do their patients the most good. Feed correctly with proper back up supplementation and your pets will have natural immunities that protect them naturally from disease.
Another thing to do is to keep your pets stimulated mentally through exercise, play and training. Animals love to have a job and they love to be useful. The key to a good interaction here is training according to the natural interaction of the animal you own. What does that mean? For a dog it means approaching him or her using the "pack" mentality. For the horse it means approaching the horse the way another horse would. It all makes common sense really. Good practical common sense, do away with all these synthetics, using the natural order of things, and all the parts working together means you don't treat an illness, you treat the pet. I like what I saw Dr. Shawn Messonnier write recently to one of the groups I belong to, "I don't treat crystals in the urine, I treat the pet". That's what holistic means: all the parts working together interdependently. So not treating the symptoms but caring for the entire animal is the answer to lowering your veterinarian costs and increasing the longevity of your pets lives.
Article originally published on and for http://www.Suite101.com under the Holistic Pet Care topic.
Kim Bloomer is a preventative pet care consultant. She offers natural products and a business opportunity. She is partnered with a dog breeder and internationally known master dog trainer in their online audio pet care classes, All God's Creatures. Visit her website for details Aspenbloom Pet Care and her dog's blog Bark 'n' Blog
RELATED PET ARTICLES FROM THE PET INFORMATION CHANNEL::
Is Nail Trimming Time A Battle? Does the idea of trimming your dog's nails send chills up your spine? After all, Giving poochie a bath - no problem. You might even be ok sticking a tooth brush in Lassie's mouth. Aromatherapy for Pets Pets can enjoy the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy as much as humans can. Aside from possibly eliminating bad odors and giving your pet a pleasant perfume, essential oils also serve many practical functions such as boosting your pet's immune system, fighting off bacteria and viruses, preventing the growth of yeasts and molds and repelling insects. Five Snake Care Tips for Beginners If you're looking for an unusual, eye-catching pet, it's hard to go wrong with a snake. They're exotic enough to catch people's interest, yet hardy enough to require minimal care. Guinea Pigs Health Guinea Pigs make great pets and are fairly easy to care for. They love to be touched and cuddled. So You Want an American Pit Bull Terrier? You've made up your mind, it's the American Pit Bull Terrier you want as your companion. Are you ready for this breed? Read this article and then decide if you want to go ahead with your decision. Tank Requirements For Discus Fish For Discus fish, there are 2 consideration in tanks - tank depth and volume. Because of their size and swimming habits, a minimum of 18" is needed for tank depth, the deeper the better. Old Fashioned Flea Control Fleas have plagued dogs, cats, and their owners since time began so ways to kill or repel them has been a constant search. Today, with the shake of a can, the spray of a bottle, or a flea dip fleas are more easily controlled. Bark Collars: Stop Unwanted Dog Barking Bark CollarsMany pet owners become lost as to what to do when their dog is barking and nothing seems to stop him. Maybe it doesn't even bother the pet owner himself, but the neighbors are complaining. Feeding Bettas Knowing how to feed your betta is fundamental, because doing it wrong can have big consequences for your betta's health. Nothing is more stressful than dealing with a sick fish, right? So, let's do it right, and not have a calamity! Here are some golden rules for feeding your betta: First, select the proper foods. Five Fast Facts About the Cavalier King Charlies Spaniel Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are not cheap. On average you can expect to pay $2,000-$3,000 for one. Horse Training Facts And Maxims To the uninitiated horse owner, there are timely facts about horses they should know. In fact, when someone first gets a horse these timely facts should be studied and learned. Adopting A Dog You know what it's like. You see a cute curly haired puppy in the pet store, with big brown eyes begging for your attention. The Positive Benefits of Dog Day Care Dog day care programs benefit the dogs of owner's who have busy lives and are not able to socialize and exercise their dogs. Owners benefit from a guilt free day of work or play and can come home to a calm, relaxed pet. Dog Behavior Problems: Help! My Dog is a Nuisance When he Misbehaves! How many times have I hear fellow dog owners say, "I hate it when he barks non stop? or he utterly embarrassed me when he mounts people's leg". Dog owners usually have no problems to fill in tons of their dog behavioral problems into the above statements. Life Long Nutrition A Comparison of Dog Foods This article discusses two foods in particular. For the puppy stage, Eagle Pack Puppy food and for the adult stage, Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Puppy Nutrition. When deciding on the nutritional components that will determine the diet of my pups it is important to recognize and keep the following key factors at the forefront:- The pups will mature quickly, meaning that they will need the best diet possible to allow them to safely grow with the aid of the necessary amounts of the 6 major nutrients present- Starting at birth and lasting for the first 5-6 weeks of life, my pups will need a high quality Colostrum based formula due to them not being able to wean at birth. Teach a Dog To Swim You want your dog to swim?We're going to try to give some advice on how to teach a dog how to swim and some general safety issues. As always check with your vet on any medical questions. The 7 Stages of Puppy Development Let's take a look at the different stages, but before we do, keep in mind that these stages are generalizations - each dog will progress at its own pace.Stage 1: The Transitional Stage 2-3 WeeksThe Transitional stage generally lasts from age two to three weeks, and it's during this time that your puppy's eyes will open, and he'll slowly start to respond to light and movement and sounds around him. Have an Itchy Dog? Consider These Grooming Tips Before Turning To Chemical Treatments Many dogs today suffer from itchy skin caused by a variety of factors. Dogs actually have more sensitive skin than humans, and are often exposed to a variety of irritants in their environment. The Case AGAINST Raw Frozen Pet Foods For some 25 years I have alerted the public to the dangers of exclusively feeding heat processed foods. Companion animal feeding has progressed - actually digressed - from table scraps and real foods the family could spare to today's "100 % complete" processed foods in primarily kibble form, with some canned and semi-moist also available. The Humble Hamster: A Great First Pet for Your Child Thinking of getting a pet for your little ones? How about a hamster? They're cute, inexpensive, easy to care for, and a great first pet that will teach your child how to be more responsible. Here are some things I learned during my experience as a hamster owner. |
Find used office equipment in Ohio at www.OfficeJax.Has.It Find the best fleamarkets at www.FleaMarketWorld.Has.It Find electric powered vehicles at www.NoGas.Drives.It Anonymous and Confidential U.S. Mail Drops - No ID Required reship worldwide Katrina's pet sitting and house sitting services Akron Ohio Find homes for rent
Closeouts
|
Northwest Veterinary Practice
Tallmadge, Ohio
|
[Back to Top]
auction news and listings for Akron, Ohio Akron crafts and hobby news center The Akron blogging news center Akron Ohio web site design news |
|
akron ohio pet supply pet store littlest pet shop pet store supply pet shop adoption pet insurance pet grooming pet pet virtual pet services pet shop groomers pet care pet medication pet adopt pet food pet product cemetery pet sale health pet animal pet bed pet carrier pet name pet door pet nutrition pet wonder general pet memorial pet scan boarding grooming pet teacher pet plus supply gate pet friendly hotel pet exotic pet medicine pet discount pet sound pet tag dog pet supply wholesale pet hotel pet rescue bird pet sitter pet boarding pet online pet store boarding pet sitting pet care salt water aquariums fresh water aquariums pet health pet meds pet classifieds pet id pet tag dog free pet puppy pet loss pet related services animal pet rabbit pet turtle pet sex little pet shop exotic pet store dubai pet travel pet place own pet services sitting flea dip pet pharmacy food natural pet products pet training pet shelter pet finder animals pet rat clothes pet pet stroller pet shampoos health insurance pet fish pet lost pet grooming mobile pet banfield hospital pet hospitals free pet stuff pet finder pet supermarket pets allowed pet kennel pet contest pet photo free pet online pet edge pet grooming pet cat pet holistic veterinarian pet care for your pet sitting eye nose ears pet finder dog clothing Westminster dog show online pet store dog eating feces? bad dog behavior problems? puppies for sale Westminster kennel dog itchy itchyitchydog baghdad dog insider dog training tips remedies report reviews recommended procedures |