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My interest in nutrition began in 1979, when my dog show handlers recommended I use some vitamin supplements, plus add some fresh food daily. Their explanation was that show dogs have a higher stress level and need better nutrients for performance and health. I complied with their advice, and also began research on dog nutrition.
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| At that time, there was very little information, so I also began studying human nutrition. In 1984, I had a four year old Black and Tan Coonhound diagnosed with renal failure, and my vet felt there was no hope, and we decided to put Ike to sleep. When I brought him to the clinic, my vet stated he had been to a veterinarian seminar a month ago, and the possibility of intravenous vitamin C therapy was discussed. He asked if he could try this, and had me sign a waiver. |
| Of course, I was willing to try anything! It was amazing, in that half way through the 25,000 mg drip bag of ringers mixed with the vitamin C, Ike began wagging his tail! When the treatment was completed, he jumped off the table, ready to go home. Ike lived 5 more years, with yearly treatments of the vitamin C. Since that point, I have researched and used acupuncture, chiropractry, natural supplements and fresh food diets. |
| For this newsletter, I would like to share some of the combinations of supplements and fresh food that I have used on my dogs with very good results. I always recommend you get a veterinarian’s diagnosis and treatments before you try any of these. These are not substitutes for good veterinarian care, merely tips to keep your dog healthy and have a healthy life style along with regular veterinarian care. |
Bravo’s Itchy Skin
Bravo had terribly itchy skin that would erupt into oozing sores and scabs periodically. She itched so bad, she started wearing her teeth down! These tended to appear seasonally, and caused her great discomfort with the scratching and loss of hair. Here is what she takes today, and she rarely has an outbreak anymore; and if she does, it last one or two days, compared to weeks and months. |
| Tasha's Skin & Hair Support Formula Bravo takes this at the beginning of each new season, and I give her half a dropper for two weeks. This is an herbal blend with some flower essences. |
| 1,000 mg Salmon Oil per 20 pounds of body weight |
| 1 cup oatmeal soaked in yogurt in the morning (not cooked). |
| Yucca Intensive, giving during an outbreak. Yucca is a natural steroid supplement, without the side effects of prescription steroids. |
| 2,000 mg of Powdered Vitamin C with Bioflavanoids twice a day. Vitamin C acts as an antihistamine in therapeutic doses. |
| A weekly bath with Oatmeal Shampoo. I have never seen anything work better on Bravo than this shampoo, it is great! |
| 1/2 teaspoon of Tea Tree Oil to one pint of distilled water, rinse after bathing and I leave it on her. It acts as natural antibacterial and kills yeast over growths. |
| Thayers Witch Hazel with Aloe, applied to Bravo’s sores and irritation helps to heal the affected areas and stop the itchiness. |
Tommy’s Sore Hip
Tommy is a Rottweiler that I bought as a show dog. He was crabby, and never liked showing or being in crowds. When I had his hips checked, I discovered he was severely dysplastic. So, Tommy was neutered, and I quickly researched to find the best things to relieve his discomfort and pain. Today, Tommy is seven years old, and is still able to leap and play! He isn’t so crabby anymore, either! |
| 1/2 teaspoon of Flexile-Plus daily. This is a combination of glucosamine (helps replace synovial fluid in the joints), chondriotin sulfate (bovine cartilage) (which helps repair and rebuild cartilage) and manganese. |
| 2,000 mg of Powdered Vitamin C with Bioflavanoids twice a day (helps relieve pain in therapeutic doses) |
| 10 drops of Yucca Intensive daily. This helps with inflammation in Tommy’s joints. |
| 1/2 teaspoon of Alfalfa Powder twice day, for relief from arthritis pain. |
| I also use Botanic Choice White Willow Bark if Tommy is showing difficulty getting up. It contains bark from the willow tree, which helps with pain like aspirin, without the stomach upsets. |
| A mix of 1/2 tablespoon of raw honey and Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. Folk remedies often talk about Apple Cider Vinegar’s ability to help with arthritis, and it appears to help Tommy, and it also helps keep his urine acidic and helps with calcium uptake, without adding any. |
Callie’s Yucky Ears
Callie started showing ear problems when she was a year old. She would tilt her head, and shake her ears. When examined and cultured, it was discovered Callie had chronic yeast infections in her ears. Even after treatment, this ear problem would continually reappear. So, I looked for ways to naturally combat the yeast over growth, and keep her ears and system acidic. This is what was developed for Callie, and she hasn’t had a problem in several years! |
| 1/8 teaspoon of Ultra ProBiotic Powder, to increase the acidolphilus in Callie’s system. Acidophilus is a ‘friendly’ bacteria that makes the environment lethal for yeast. |
| 2,000 mg Powdered Vitamin C with Bioflavanoids twice a day. This helps with Callie’s immune system (vitamin C is an antioxidant) and helps keep the system acidic. |
| I rinsed Callie’s ears with a solution of 1/2 teaspoon of Tea Tree Oil to one pint of water. I placed a capful of this solution in Callie’s ears three or four days in a row, and repeated in a week. I use this after bathing her as well as rinsing her whole body with the solution. |
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| Again, the ever popular raw honey and Organic Apple Cider Vinegar mix, at one half tablespoon. |
| 1 clove of fresh garlic, chopped and added to food once daily |
| 1/2 cup of whole milk yogurt. Yogurt contain acidolphilus naturally, and the whole milk yogurt contains much more the low or non fat varieties. |
Iris’ Cystitis
Iris was born with an inverted vulva, which is nuisance for catching bacteria and yeast. When she was very young, she had chronic cystitis (frequent need to void urine). It is not uncommon for young females to have cystitis, but Iris was a special case, with her physical problem. This is what I did for Iris, and she is fine today, (and a heat cycle fixed her other problem!) |
| 2,000 mg of Powdered Vitamin C with Bioflavanoids twice a day, to acidify the urine. |
| 1/2 dropper of Kidni Biotic a day, a blend of herbs to help cleanse and purify the urinary system. |
| 1/2 dropper of Kidni Kare a day, to help with the irritation and soothe the membranes in the urinary system |
| One teaspoon of Berte’s Immune Blend to help boost Iris nutritionally during this stress period |
| 1/8 teaspoon of Ultra ProBiotic Powder, to give Iris acidophilus that she is losing from her infections and ‘leaking’. |
| 1 clove of chopped garlic to Iris’s food. Garlic has good antibiotic features. |
| I also feed these dogs the fresh food diet I have posted on my recipe section of this web site. These recipes are designed to use either entirely as a fresh food diet, or to incorporate along with kibble use. |
Summer Related Dog Problems
Two areas are more prone to summer than winter. One is traveling with your pet, and the other is flea and tick control. |
Traveling With Your Dog
It is good socialization to bring your dog on vacation with you, and I always suggest some obedience classes, as it is so important your dog is lead trained for his adventures of exploring the rest stops! I also make sure their vaccinations are up to date, and bring along proof of this. |
| I travel with distilled water for my guys, as to not have any stomach upsets due to the change in water from place to place. A crate is a good idea, as long as it can fit in your car. It is so much easy to get hotel accommodations with a crate, and it will make your relatives grateful too. |
| If your dog is prone to car sickness, there are many solutions to this. This first is to not feed your dog in the morning, and feed him when the day’s traveling is done. Give water in small amounts, several times over the day. |
| I have a dog named Decker, who is notorious for getting sick no matter what. I have used this product for him, with terrific results! One is Tasha's Traveler Formula It is a blend of herbs and flower essences especially designed for the dog who suffers motion sickness. |
| Another good item for dogs that travel, and stay in hotels or with friends, is Rescue & Relief Essence or Tasha's Easy Does It Formula. These products are great for the dog who is feeling stressed, barks when left alone or over excited in new situations. Both are also wonderful to use if you need to ship a dog by airplane. |
Fleas and Ticks
Generally, fleas and ticks are more attracted to dogs who immune systems are down or suppressed. It is important to make sure your dog is in good health and receives good nutrition. |
| However, even the best fed dog can become infested with these parasites, in hot humid conditions. I have used two simple items in the dogs food to stop flea and tick infestation. |
| One is putting a clove of fresh chopped garlic in my dogs food once a day. The fleas and ticks do not like the smell of garlic, and it repels them. Garlic also helps boost a dogs immune system. The other ingredient I give my dogs is a mix of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and raw honey (not pasteurized), at about a half a tablespoon twice a day during the flea and tick season. This also helps repel fleas and ticks, and keeps the dogs system acidic as well. |
| It is also important to keep the dogs area clean, including any bedding, blankets, the carpets and floors. I also bath my dogs weekly during this time with a good neutral oatmeal shampoo, and then rinse with a solution of 1/2 teaspoon Tea Tree Oil to a pint of water. Leave this rinse on the dog. It is also a great repellent, and keep the dog’s skin soft and cleanses the coat. |
| Please feel free to email me at lewolson@earthlink.com if you have any questions, I will try to answer each note personally. I appreciate feedback! |
| The products I have mentioned above are some of my favorites, and I am continuing to research and find the best products I can, for the best price. If any of you have any suggestions, please let me know. I am always looking for new things! I do not carry any homeopathic remedies, as I feel this should be individually diagnosed by a licensed practitioner, who is knowledgeable about the dynamics of homeopathy. |
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