In my book, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, I list “grooming” as one of the steps necessary to have a healthy pet. It's an overlooked but vitally important part of pet care for several reasons. First, any time spent with your pet increases the bond the two of you share, which is important for [...]
One of the more commonly employed natural therapies for human health involves chiropractic manipulation. While not as commonly used in pets (probably due to the lack of availability of properly trained veterinary chiropractors,) it is a viable therapy, especially for pets with musculoskeletal problems. Chiropractic medicine uses manipulation of the vertebrae in the spine to [...]
One of the more common behavior problems for which I am consulted involves anxiety-related issues in dogs and cats. The problems range from simply being anxious when going to the doctor’s office or grooming shop, and thunderstorm phobias, all the way to severe separation anxiety. Behavior modification is very important in dealing with any type [...]
One of the most common classes of nutritional supplements prescribed by veterinarians is antioxidants. Certain supplements, including vitamins and minerals, function in the body to reduce oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical process that occurs within the body's cells as a normal result of cellular metabolism, detoxification, and energy production. Inflammation in the body represents a [...]
A genome study at Uppsala University in Sweden found ten genes that help dogs to digest starches. Lab work suggested that changes in three of those genes make dogs better than meat-eating wolves at splitting starches into sugars and then absorbing those sugars. According to geneticist Kerstan Lindblad-Toh, the rise of farming, beginning around 10,000 [...]
This 2009 study was the first to demonstrate the potential for a meat-free diet to be nutritionally adequate for exercising dogs. In a 16-week controlled experiment, a meat-free diet maintained haematological characteristics in sprint-racing sled dogs (Siberian huskies). Importantly, these findings pave the way for commercial pet food manufacturers to produce nutritionally adequate meat-free diets [...]
Dog oral hygiene is really important but something that tends to get overlooked. As a result, many dogs are dealing with plaque on their teeth, which over time can lead to pain, gum disease or even heart disease. Many conventional dog dental treatments contain harsh chemicals, preservatives and artificial colors and flavors [...]
Flaxseed has been a valued crop for thousands of years, having been cultivated since the beginning of agriculture and currently consumed globally. It's name in Latin, Linum usitatissimum, literally means "very useful". While ancient healing systems including Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine have recognize its virtues for millennia, it's just in the past few decades that [...]
As a holistic veterinarian, I have developed 5 simple goals to keep my patients happy, healthy, and living a long life. These are preventing disease, saying NO to drugs, healing the pet rather than treating disease, offering “Hope for the Hopeless” and saving money on pet care. Follow these plans and watch your pets thrive [...]
There are many choices of diets for pet owners to consider when trying to decide what to feed their pets. These include homemade - raw and cooked, and of course processed wet food and kibble. As a practicing veterinarian, I try to be flexible with my clients. I want them to choose the best food [...]