Jan23

We are going to get back into the swing of things next month

by admin on January 23rd, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Posted In: Dog, video

until then, I am going to leave you with this cute video.

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Jan12

How to naturally treat an ear infection.

by admin on January 12th, 2012 at 11:31 am
Posted In: All Natural Remedies, Dog, health

If your dog has been shaking his head and scratching at his ears, then he likely has an ear infection. Ear infections in dogs are very common but often very frustrating; they can quickly and often do re-occur leaving you wondering if you can ever get rid of them. This article will go over the most common causes of ear infections, and give you the most effective at home remedies to finally stop your dog’s ear infection.

Most pet owners can easily tell if their dog has an ear infection by looking into and their dog’s ear. A normal ear is light pink, not tender and easy to examine. In dog ear infections you will see a foul-smelling black, yellow or brown discharge. The ears may be very red and tender.

Most ear infections are caused by an underlying allergy. Some are caused by water in the ear after bathing or swimming. Dogs with large floppy ears, such as Basset Hounds, are prone to infections as their ear canals have poor air circulation, trapping moisture and allowing bacteria and yeast to grow.

Dogs with ear infections caused by yeast usually have a black discharge; this is commonly second to an allergy. Dogs with bacterial ear infections often have an organism called Staphylococcus; in rare cases a more serious infection is caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas.

White vinegar (acetic acid) is very effective at removing debris from the ears and killing the yeast and bacteria responsible for ear infections. The vinegar is anti-fungal, so in many cases it alone can resolve your dog’s ear infection. If your dog has red, open wounds, do not use this as it will be painful. You need to use a soothing topical first (i.e. olive oil and Vitamin E). Dilute the vinegar with water 50:50, pick up a syringe from your local pharmacy and put 5 ml of the vinegar solution per 20 lbs of body weight into the affected ear. (Your cat would get 2.5 ml or 1/2 a tsp). Grab the ear where it attaches to the head (at the ear base), gently squeeze your thumb and forefinger together, rubbing the solution deep into the ear canals. Wipe the inside of the ear well with cotton balls to remove debris coming from the ear canal. Continue to do this daily for 5-7 days. For dogs with recurring infections, this can be done weekly.

Healing oils are especially helpful if your dog’s ears are inflamed and difficult to touch. You can use a mixture of 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil combined with 1 capsule of Vitamin E and crushed garlic. Insert that into your pets ear. Let it soak for 5 minutes, then rub the base of the ear well and wipe out excess debris with a cotton ball. The garlic is anti-fungal, so often helps with recurring ear infections.

For dogs that get recurring ear infections it is important to try a less allergenic diet. It should include a completely different protein with minimal added ingredients. One example commercial diet is made of fish and sweet potato.

Essential Fatty Acids are a must for any allergy that triggers recurring ear infections. The therapeutic dog dose is 1000 mg per 10lbs of body weight daily. An inexpensive option is to use flax oil, the dose being 1 tablespoon per 50lbs of body weight daily.

A common remedy most pet owners have around their home are antihistamines. Benadryl is the most commonly used antihistamine. It is given at a dose of 1 mg per pound of body weight, 2-3 times a day. It is best to consult your veterinarian before using these medications. It often takes 14 days of using these to see if they are helping.

Most ear infections produce red, inflamed ears, so it is important to decrease the inflammation. Aloe and Calendula can be applied topically in the ears twice daily to decrease inflammation. These have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, and in many cases successfully resolve the ear infection.

You should now better understand what causes dog ear infection, and be able to recognize this in your own dog. You can now clean your dog’s ear at home, using natural remedies to treat yeast and bacteria. Lastly you should now implement a few of these at home solutions to prevent your dog’s ear infection from recurring.

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Nov16

3 questions to ASK before you give ANYTHING to your dog

by admin on November 16th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
Posted In: All Natural Remedies, Animal Health, Dog

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1. Is it SAFE?
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This should be your number one question- in regards to whatever is being put into your dog. I ensure the safety on my supplement in a number of ways.

Extensive 3rd party testing – of all ingredients prior to being blended, of the supplement while the ingredients are all added, and after the supplement is formulated. It is manufactured in a GMP facility, using Human Grade, primarily regionally sourced ingredients.

We have a adverse reporting system, and to date with over 10,000 bottles sold, there have been less than 10 dogs with side effects- they were all stomach issues, as can often happen with a new food.

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2. Is it NATURAL? Does Holistic MATTER?
——————————————–

YES and YES.

As a concerned dog owner, you should be avoiding as many
‘un-natural’ ingredients as possible. Your dog has enough to deal with in terms of environmental toxins and the like.

At my old veterinary practice, I compared a certain veterinary supplement which has both artificial color and preservative- these are common, and so you won’t know unless you read the label.

Here is what you should be looking for in a Quality,
natural supplement:

1.In choosing a natural supplement, ensure that none of
these are on the label: No wheat, No Soy, No Dairy,
No Sugar, No Artificial Ingredients, No additives and NO
fillers.

2.The ingredients should be derived from Natural Sources-
if you can’t pronounce them, then they probably are NOT
natural. Some of the more common Natural ingredients,
include Vitamins, Minerals, Flax, Fish Oil, Amino Acids-
plus both naturally derived animal and plant related
components. This includes ingredients such as Herbs,
Mushrooms, Colostrum, Glucosamine, and Digestive enzymes.

3.Ensure that the supplement is NATURALLY preserved.
Vitamin E and being ‘air tight’ is the preservative of
choice. AVOID BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin.

4.Natural flavor and color- If the supplement is chemically
flavored or colored DON’T use it.

My Ultimate Canine Health Formula is NATURAL, without artificial color, flavor and preservatives.

———————————
3. Does it WORK?
———————————

If you are going through the expense, and time of giving your dog a daily supplement, you really need to know this.

Arthritis relief

My Joint Support Blend of Glucosamine HCl,
Chondroitin Sulfate and MSM (methylsulfonyl methane)
are considered by many to be the most important ingredients in halting arthritis progression

These have millions of client testimonials PLUS
scientific studies to back up their claims:

* Increases the amount of cartilage
* Recent studies have shown it has anti-inflammatory properties
* Glucosamine Hydrochloride is the most bio-effective form

Allergies? – You need this in your dog’s diet

Allergies require a multi-faceted approach, meaning you have to use many things. Currently the most important supplement is the omega 3 fatty acids.

Probiotics are increasingly being used for dog with allergies, and in some cases they appear to be decreasing the incidence of seasonal allergies.

Bovine colostrum is being advocated as another supplement to help normalize the overactive immune response as seen in allergic pets.

Ultimate Canine contains high levels of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Probiotics, and Bovine colostrum.

Concerned about your dog’s immune system?

There are a number of specific ingredients that
I advise clients to utilize to boost the immune system.

Essential Fatty Acids.

Probiotics.

Bovine Colostrum.

Immune boosting mushrooms.

Lysine- an amino acid that is used for it’s
superior anti-viral activity.

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Testimonials
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More importantly here, you should be seeing what other dog owners like you are finding when they get on my supplement..

“…Helped her live 3 yrs after diagnosis of cancer…”

“The absolute best thing to help your pet be as healthy as they can be! I have had my dog on Dr. Jones’ Ultimate Canine supplement for close to 3 years now. Her arthritis clear up like overnight when I began dispensing the supplement and has never reappeared! She has fought bladder cancer w/o surgery and while other holistic treatments have been used for the cancer Dr. Jones’ supplement has no doubt played a large part of her overall heath to help her live 3 years after diagnosis of the cancer. My vet is actually pretty amazed as she gave my dog 6 months to live after first being diagnosed with the cancer. Thank you Dr. Jones!”

Judith Conigliaro, Michigan, USA

“…No more dry skin and itchy spots…”

“My golden retriever Max has been on your canine health mixture for about 2 years now but I noticed almost immediately an increase in vitality and more importantly his coat is shiney and full. No more dry skin or itchy spots. Also I recently rescued another golden and she was a mess when I got her with bad skin sores on her leg and some other maladies. 2 weeks on the canine formula has her coat looking great and her sores healing.

thank you Dr. Jones for caring. ”

Joseph Cipriano, California

“… have been able to take him off the Metcam …”

“I just started Max on your supplement about 2-3 weeks ago. I was giving Max Metcam for his pain. He has a spiked/fused spine and has been having difficulty climbing up the stairs. He also has muscle spasms. He is still labouring going up the stairs BUT… I have been able to take him off the Metcam! What a relief!…I can hardly wait to see what the other benefits will be as time goes on. I’m hoping his muscles spasms with stop. Thank you so much Dr.Jones. I am so very greatful. ”

Marianne Ferenczy, Ontario

Ultimate Canine is SAFE, NATURAl and EFFECTIVE.

You can get the 75% OFF special, plus FREE shipping at:

http://www.thedogsupplement.com/special

Heal your pet at home!

Best Wishes,

Dr Andrew Jones, DVM

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Nov06

How to Make Organic Flea Dog Shampoo

by admin on November 6th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Posted In: All Natural Remedies, Aromatherapy
By Yvette Pryce

Overview
Bathing your dog with a chemical-laden flea shampoo may get rid of fleas but may not be the healthiest option for your dog or your household. Pet shops now sell high-end organic flea shampoos infused with essential oils, but that might not be the best option for your pocketbook. However, you can combine affordability with health by mixing up your own organic flea shampoo, which will repel fleas while leaving your dog smelling fresh.

Step 1
Bring 2 cups of distilled water to a boil. If you have no distilled water, you can use filtered water, but the shampoo won’t clean as well as if you use distilled water.

Step 2
Put 1 ½ tbsp. of dried soapwort root to the water. If the soapwort you are using is whole, chop it. This will help the soapwort release its cleansing compounds into the water.

Step 3
Turn down the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Let it simmer for 20 minutes, then take it off the stove and let it cool to room temperature, which should take about an hour.

Step 4
Pour the mixture through muslin and into a jar to remove the soapwort. Discard the soapwort and retain the liquid, which is your organic flea shampoo base.

Step 5
Select organic essential oils to add to the shampoo that have natural flea-fighting properties, such as cedar, citronella, citrus, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, mint or rosemary essential oils. You can add a single type of essential oil to the shampoo or you can blend them. Either approach works well for flea control.

Step 6
Mix 20 drops of essential oils total into the flea shampoo base. Place the lid on the shampoo jar and shake it to combine the oil with the shampoo. Refrigerate it until you need it. It will last about two weeks in the refrigerator.

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Oct21

Pumpkin for Pets

by admin on October 21st, 2011 at 12:51 am
Posted In: Cats, Diet, health

 

Tasty Digestive Remedy for Your Furry Friends

Morieka V. Johnson
 

Like kids who clamor for every tidbit in a candy store, Val Clows’ Great Danes have their choice of flavorful, high-quality dog kibble. But they still can’t wait to get their paws on new deliveries of pumpkin-based granola arriving at her Holistic for Pets shop in Sarasota, Florida. She reports that her two-legged customers enjoy eating the pumpkin product, too. “Everybody is looking for something tasty that’s low calorie and high fiber,” says Clows, smiling.

Traditionally reserved for grocery store aisles, pumpkin is now showing up in pet stores, too, as human food-grade animal treats, dried kibble and simple puréed goodness. A growing array of pet food products, from granola to dog biscuits, touts pumpkin for its vitamin A and fiber content.

“We’ve been using pumpkin for a long, long time at our house,” remarks Clows. “But about two years ago, I started seeing pumpkin products labeled for pets, as well as pet treats that are pumpkin based. My dogs particularly love canned pumpkin, laced with a touch of cinnamon and ginger.”

As with all good things, use pumpkin in moderation, suggests Dr. Jennifer Monroe, of Eagles Landing Veterinary Hospital, in McDonough, Georgia. “Pumpkin is good for pets with digestive issues, especially those on a hypoallergenic diet, because it doesn’t typically appear in pet foods,” she says. “But it’s best in small doses, in order to prevent weight gain.” The low-calorie gourd comes loaded with carbohydrates; one cup of puréed, canned pumpkin has as much as eight grams.

Monroe observes that pumpkin has been a go-to item for pets with digestive issues since she was in veterinary school in the mid-1980s, primarily because it is a relatively inexpensive and readily available item. Bland, white rice is another popular home remedy for settling pets’ stomachs, she notes, but its high fiber content typically makes pumpkin the better choice. Before stocking up on pumpkin, Monroe recommends starting with prebiotic and probiotic products, which have been tested extensively for their health benefits.

When diarrhea strikes, Veterinary Doctor Alice Martin, of Eagles Landing, says it’s best to consult a professional before attempting any home remedies. Monroe adds that cats with constipation need no more than one to two tablespoons of pumpkin per can of cat food. For dogs, the amount of pumpkin should be at least 10 percent of the day’s total caloric intake.

As autumn temperatures drop and pumpkins become readily available, many pet owners prefer the all-natural, do-it-yourself approach. Monroe likes to grow and purée her garden pumpkins as a good-tasting aid to ensuring a happy, healthy home.

Morieka V. Johnson is a freelance writer in Atlanta, GA. Reach her at Morieka@gmail.com.

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