4 Healthy Oils To Add To Your Dog's Diet by Andrew Daniels (very important news especially for dogs with immune issues or skin conditions....also, these oils will boost immunity.

By Andrew Daniels

Just like you, your dog may not be getting all the necessary nutrition he needs from eating his regular diet. While standard dog food can certainly come packed with plenty of essential nutrients, you can supplement your dog’s dietary regimen with certain healthy oils—jam packed with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids—to promote optimum heath. 

In this simple guide, we’ll show you how to pick these natural oils for dogs, and offer best practices and feeding tips.

What are the healthiest oils for dogs?

Fish oil: Fish oil contains EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that help arthritis, and also has some anti-cancer effects, says Nancy Scanlan, DVM, CVA, MSFP, and executive director of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation. Fish oil can also improve your dog’s memory.

“The primary reason I recommend fish-oil based omega-3 fatty aids is to yield a natural anti-inflammatory effect that can help reduce overall inflammation in the body and potentially decrease my patients’ reliance on medications aimed at reducing inflammation and pain,” says Dr. Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA, CVJ, and a certified veterinary acupuncturist with California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness (CPAW).

Krill oil: While fish oil usually comes from fish higher on the food chain, like salmon, krill oil hails from tiny shrimp-like organisms that rank a little lower. This makes krill oil less likely to be contaminated with mercury, Dr. Scanlan says. It also contains EPA and DHA, and will help give your pet healthier joints and skin, in addition to other benefits.

“All dogs are omnivores that lean towards the carnivorous side, so they best absorb non-vegetarian-based oils like fish and krill,” explains Dr. Mahaney.

Coconut oil: Extra-virgin coconut oil has become a popular choice for humans because it’s a healthier alternative to more processed saturated and trans fats, and the same applies to dogs. Coconut oil has also been shown to help dogs lose weight, give them more energy, and offer relief to dry skin. Bonus: It will help improve your dog’s bad breath!

Flaxseed oil: This oil is high in alpha linolenic omega-3s, which puts it in the same ballpark as wild fish when it comes to boosting heart health. Like many of the other healthy oils, flaxseed oil also helps with mobility for arthritic dogs, and can aid inblood pressure and kidney function.

How can I serve my dogs healthy oils?

Most oils come in either capsule form or free oil. “But a jar of oil, once opened and exposed to the air, can become rancid—so capsules are usually a better way to go,” says Dr. Scanlan.

However, it could depend on your dog’s taste preferences. “Hearty-eating dogs may readily consume a capsule or allotted portion of liquid out of their food,” says Dr. Mahaney. Most liquid oils mix best with moist food, but you can still pour them over dry food like kibble, he adds.

Capsules also tend to best be consumed out of moist food. “Pets that are unwilling to consume the capsule may take it in liquid form if the capsule is pierced, squeezed, and mixed into the moist food or a soft treat,” Dr. Mahaney says.

Do these oils have any negative effects for dogs?

Too much of any oil can cause weight gain, says Dr. Scanlan. “A large dose of oil all at once can cause pancreatis in a susceptible individual—especially if they are fat,” she adds.

Too much oil can also lead to a vitamin E deficiency if you don’t properly supplement with some additional vitamin E.

Fish oil can prolong the time it takes blood to clot, so if your pet is going to have surgery, it’s best to stop the oil for at least five days before and five days after the operation, Dr. Scanlan says.

What’s the best way to tell quality when looking for these oils?

Companies that have the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal are required to show that their products have been tested in labs to have the right kind and amount of oil in each capsule, says Dr. Scanlan. Look for this seal.

How do I know if oils are right for my dog?

If your dog is consuming a commercially available pet food and is suffering from skin conditions (like skin flaking or a dull coat), inflammation diseases (such as arthritis and cancer), or organ system damage, then talk to your vet about potentially adding oils that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 nutrients to your dog’s diet, says Dr. Mahaney.

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Happy 2016!

SAVING BELLA UPDATE: Bella's seizures have stopped...

we don't know why or how except to say she's in a new living space away from the floor she's clawed at, seems like she KNEW and we mere humans couldn't figure it out.  Her last seizure was 3 months ago. She's happy and healthy, itchy, but a soothing bath does the trick and we can never ever discount the services of Eva Armfield, DVM a holistic vet whose intervention helped so much. All of you folks looking for another approach, see Dr. Eva at Patchogue Animal Hospital...no more unnecessary vaccines...titers instead, Bud and Bella did not need vaccines this year. Both dogs are doing well, Bella is now 3, Buddy will be 3 in November and I could never thank TEAM BELLA...our Saving Bella FB site has been taken down by FB because we need to transform it into a "cause site" and we will. Saving Bella became possible because of a YIN based group of animal lovers in Florida and here in NY, from vets to pet shop owners, from strangers to friends, from the Goddess to music to
a ton of love, clothes, a pillow to sleep on and wonderful people who decided to help her live.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
thank you

some transformation, right?

a major breakthrough for Buddy and Bella comes when we meet Dr. Eva Armfield of Patchoque Animal Hospital in Suffolk County, NY

It was a fluke that Dr. Armfield and I met. I was simply crossing Northern Blvd in Queens when I saw a vet was new to the block. Honestly, Bella's seizures were always on my mind and how I could use non traditional therapies to avoid medication. That day I saw Dr. Armfield's location, my first thoughts ere, "Oh my goodness, the Universe has brought me the answer!" There was no sign on the building that said she was a holistic vet, just a hunch.

I entered and there stood this lovely woman who just happened to be Dr. Armfield. I asked her if she was holistic and she said she was. Imagine my surprise and I am used to things like this but I always revel in the Universe's endless surprises and its benevolence in helping me solve complex issues by having the right person at the right place....enter stage right, Eva Armfield, DVM.

She helped resolve numerous issues for both Bella and Buddy always using care and caution, no vaccinations without titers so if you are concerned about endless vaccine's and the damage they do your pets immune system, Dr. Armfield is the right vet for you. Neither Buddy or Bella required vaccines this year, except, of course, rabies to comply with the law. Bella is taking an herbal product which has helped her avoid phenobarbital. Bella is an exceptional dog, truly, she is a fine judge of character and she loves Dr. Armfield. Who could help it?

This is a woman who loves animals, has compassion for them, is not looking to rip anyone off with an array of tests, unneeded vaccines, expensive medications, etc. This is a woman who is an old fashioned type of vet who places care of her patients first using great care and caution about their wellness and owners bank accounts. Her fees are so realistic and pet owner friendly. Her
love for the critters? Unmistakable!

Though I met Dr. Armfield in Queens, she is now  the new owner of the Patchogue Animal Hospital, a quaint and cute cottage on Medford Ave in Patchogue in Suffolk County, Long Island, NY. If you live in the tri-state area and need someone who thinks outside of the traditional box and will see your pet in many was Eva Armfield, DVM is someone you should consider. Dr. Armfield is located at:

Patchogue Animal Hospital
214 Medford Ave.

Patchogue, NY 11772

Phone: (631) 475-5110

Email: vet@patchogueanimalhospital.com

Clinic Hours:

Monday: 9am – 6pm

Tuesday: 9am – 6pm

Wednesday: 9am – 12pm

Thursday: 9am – 6pm

Friday: 9am – 6pm

Saturday: 9am – 12pm

Sunday: closed
http://www.PatchoqueAnimalHospital.com

I am told she grew up in New York always having dogs and cats as pets and being inspired to be a veterinarian. Working as a veterinary assistant in undergraduate college (University of Rochester) and then veterinary school  she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Armfield graduated from the Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 then attending the Chi Institute and became a certified veterinary acupuncturist. Dr. Armfield later became trained in holistic medicine and herbal treatment at the Chi Institute. Dr. Armfield is also a certified Stem Cell therapist. Her training allows her to provide alternative treatment to her patients in addition to traditional veterinary medicine.

To those who have a bait dog, a pet facing unusual and complex issues, those needing alternative and adjunct vet care along with traditional vet car, your prayers have been answered just like ours. Call Dr. Armfield for a special approach to holistic and alternative pet centered vet care along with all the traditional care and something really unusual in this world of ours...a vet that really cares about you and your pet and places you pets' welfare above anything else.

She's a cautious practitioner, one who prefers over the counter medications when possible, incredibly refreshing, thorough, caring and so very knowledgeable, so diverse in her approach and one of the sweetest, most loving people you could ever meet. Bella rates her #1 and Bella has seen plenty of vets but no phenobarbital fore seizures? AMAZING thanks to Chinese herbs!

Dr. Eva Armfield is THE ONE! Call her at (631) 475-5110 and tell her Bella and Irene sent you.

tell her Bella sent you :-)



Bella, found at 8 weeks old, fractured skull, blind in one eye, spinal fluid leaking through her cracked skull, backside ripped off, a few bite marks, weighing 8 lbs and 8 weeks old; they said she probably would not live, please see her lying in a stupor on a pink blanket below; note the swelling in the skull:

It took weeks to find out the balance that would do what the Blue Pearl Vet Center in Forest Hills recommended: GAIN WEIGHT AND GROW FAST. We turned everything including water into a source of nutrition by adding water from boiling chicken for chicken salad...we got the chicken, she got the water. We consulted with an expert on what to feed her, we added raw ingredients slowly and within a month Bella had gained a whopping 16 pounds. Her skull healing as she grew. Bait puppies have special physical, emotional and spiritual needs; it would appear that the more injured the puppy the less emotional trauma; seemingly that energy is consumed in healing. Bella loves music. It helped. She loves the feel of sensual soft fabric, she loved having her torn up butt lightly sprayed with warm water for hydro-therapy and to keep her feces-free, there was damage to her outer rectum from skidding across pavement, the vet believed she was hit by a car or thrown from one. I held her 30 minutes 6 times a day, I sang to her, I played low impact games with her like using pieces of kibble to shoot across the floor which she chased and ate. Saving a bait puppy is hard work, its creative work, its heavy duty research into nutrients, its building a team, its prayer, its a challenge but its worth it. If you have a recovering animal and need help from my Saving Bella Team, please contact me through this blog and I will put you in touch with a Reiki master that sent Reiki to Bella. And it made a huge difference. Television's Dr. Oz recommends all heart patients have Reiki before, during and after heart surgery. Dr. Larry Dossey, an Austin, TX internist prays for his patients every day. He's author of Healing Words and has scientifically proven PRAYER WORKS. Prayer, Reiki, creativity, etc., saved Bella. Saving Bella is ongoing as she has epilepsy and we have been successful without using tradition vet medicine in reducing seizures so far. We'll be sharing this info when we collect enough data to make an impactful point. Please consult your vet for all your pets needs. Bella has overcome mange, allergies, fractured skull, blindness, digestive issues, nutrient issues, etc. in record time by using mainstream vet care and alternative / adjunct modalities! Here's Bella now at age 2

Keywords: Saving Bella, Reiki for pets, adjunct modalities for pets, dogs, cats, Dr. Oz Reiki pets, dogs, cats, healing therapies for dogs, energy healing for dogs, Reiki for dogs, bait puppies special needs, creative approaches for animal wellness, power healing for sick or injured animals, Reiki for cats, distance Reiki, in home boarding upper west side of Manhattan, distance healing, grief counseling for pet loss, holistic approaches to animal wellness, holistic strategies for pets and people, Queens, NYC, Manhattan, Reiki sessions

learning to understand dogs suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, all bait dogs suffer from this depending on the scope of injuries and its just as real as people PTSD

Both Bella and Buddy have issues....physical issues and emotional issues that stem from their injuries and more: 1) genetic disorders: truthfully, many bait pups come from back yard breeders where they are bred to be disposable surrendered to horrible deaths as bait. Because of interbreeding there may be any number of biological disorders that are passed down. Bella had a nutrition issue and allergies which were finally resolved with fish oil, digestive enzymes, probiotics and spirulina. 2) PTSD: example: Buddy weighing 2 lbs was apparently fed to a fighting dog in training. He was bitten, his ears were shredded and he had several deep puncture wounds on his neck, back and on a hind leg. Now at 90 lbs he finds the world a terrifying place to live. He's a lap dog and a growler and he has fear aggression. He has not bitten anyone nor nipped. He responds to his fear by growling, snarling and, eventually, running to hide in his crate. He will not walk on a leash further than 1/2 block from where he lives. If he is taken for a car rise he will not allow the vehicle to get out of his sight. The little cottage he lives in has been his refuge while fighting for his life. Its all he knows and the world is a very scary place for him. Bait dogs often don't trust the world around them. This fear detracts from Buddy's quality of life. He's Daddy's boy and without Daddy he is still basically a whimpering, whining, injured 2lb puppy of age 3 weeks without a mother and having only a human to care for him. 3) Life altering injuries: Bella was found with a fractured skull, she is blind in one eye, had a horrible injury on her backside from a suspected hit by a car after she was dumped on the north shore of Long Island. She now has epilepsy from brain trauma. We know of 3 bait puppies tossed in the streets on the north shore. Bella and Buddy are two, the other was hit by a car and dyed in the arms of the person that picked him up. Buddy has physical scars, emotional ones and a digestive system issue with some regurgitation of food sporadically. Over the counter stomach acid pills have helped a lot but it is something that's still in progress of receiving proper care. 4) Large vet bills: attachment to a bait dog usually results in vet bills for any number of issues. We have not conquered this issue totally but we certainly advise those having a bait animal to get a page on Facebook and merge interests with various animal rescuers. We would not have been able to save Buddy and Bella without the help of strangers from Facebook. 5) If you find a bait puppy, and want to save its life, please ask the vet to help you save the life of the puppy by helping with lowering fees. If you have an established vet, that will work better, but, it cannot hurt to ask. We tried to find a nursing mother for Buddy by calling rescues. No one wanted him, he was running a fever, he was so hungry and he was injured. He needed a prescription dog food.....what would you do? Right, what can you do? Buddy will be 2 in November. Bait puppies on Long Island, Bella and Buddy, fortunately won a years supply of dog food which really helped while the vet bills were steep.

Bella and Buddy, injured bait puppies found on Long Island, at one year old after months of illness, post traumatic stress disorder, many vet visits, research, probiotics, fish oil, vitamind D and E, a long haul but worth it

Here they are with Dad being micro-chipped at Pet Supplies Plus in Nassau County, NY. Pet Supplies Plus has a very friendly price for those concerned with their dogs being lost or stolen. Chipped for only $10 per dog!

Birthday portrait of bait puppies now healing and one year old

Lovely Bella, what a charmer, a celebrity already as her fans cheer her on her walk, A recovering bait puppy found on Long Island, hit by a car, blind in her right eye, bitten, terrible wound on her back side leaking feces for weeks. She was 8 weeks old and weighed 8 lbs. The cure for her fractured skull? Vets said make her grow as fast as possible to stop the leaking spinal fluid from seeping between her skin and her skull...that's what began this pursuit of looking into nutrition. Bella gained 14 pounds in 30 days and while her skull is deformed, she's normal though both Buddy and Bella have the scars of abuse from being bait puppies for dog fighting dogs in training. REPORT DOG FIGHTING...where you find torn up puppies, there is a dog fighting ring in the area.

Beautiful Buddy today at one yr old. Bait puppy weight 2 lbs taken away from his mother at 2 weeks old and used as bait then discarded in the streets as many bait puppies are and some in some very affluent neighborhoods. He was found near death, 2 weeks old, starving, bitten with deep puncture wounds and neck...the scars are still there physically and emotionally. He was bottle fed and today he is a clumsy, goofy, funny, enthusiastic lab pit mix weighing nearly 70 lbs

holistic vet care vs traditional vet care...shocking! Read Dr. Karen Becker's article about the dymanics in a vet pratice and take note from Dr. Mercola's site

A Real-Life Vet Conflict with Vital Implications for Your Pet's Care October 30, 2013 |13,039views by Dr. Becker Recently, I came across a rare article in a veterinary industry journal that provides a real-life example of the sometimes wildly different methods used by traditional vs. holistic veterinarians when it comes to patient care. The title of the article: "Holistic vs. FDA-approved: Two veterinarians take divergent approaches." The article tells the story of two vets, one with a conventional approach to treating patients (let’s call him Dr. T), and the other, more holistically oriented (we’ll call him Dr. H). Apparently, Dr. H filled in for Dr. T while he was on vacation, which is where the story gets interesting. Dr. H Steps in to Care for One of Dr. T's Patients in His Absence Dr. T has been practicing veterinary medicine for 31 years. He owned his practice until about five years ago when a corporation purchased his clinic. These days, Dr. T works as part of a team of DVMs at the clinic. One of Dr. T’s patients is a 10 year-old Golden Retriever he has been seeing since the dog was a pup. The dog, we’ll call him Buddy, came in for his yearly checkup the day before Dr. T was leaving for vacation. Dr. T ran a senior blood profile and ordered x-rays of the dog’s pelvis and spine. Buddy’s owners are committed to staying one step ahead of any health problems their beloved senior pet might be developing. Since Dr. T was leaving for vacation the next day, he told Buddy’s owners that one of the other vets at the clinic would contact them with their dog’s test results. As it turned out, Buddy’s blood test results showed elevated liver enzymes. In addition, his urinalysis showed that his urine was on the alkaline side with scattered struvite crystals, and his x-rays suggested some mild degenerative joint disease in both hips and early lumbar spondylosis (arthritis of the spine). Based on the test results, in Dr. T’s absence Dr. H called Buddy’s owners and said that while the dog’s issues were fairly common in older large breeds, they should be addressed. He recommended what he considered a safe, holistic approach to addressing Buddy’s situation. Dr. H recommended glucosamine for the arthritis, cranberry extract to acidify the urine and manage the struvite crystals, and SAM-e for the elevated liver enzymes. Buddy’s owners picked up the supplements and started their dog on Dr. H’s holistic protocol. Dr. T Returns from Vacation and Is Incensed at Dr. H’s Treatment Protocol for Buddy When Dr. T returned from vacation, he reviewed Buddy’s test results and Dr. H’s recommended treatment plan, and he was infuriated. This was not the way he would have approached Buddy’s health challenges, and he was very much against “untested and unapproved holistic medications.” Dr. T only prescribed medications that were FDA-approved. Dr. T dressed down Dr. H for treating his patient in a “reckless” manner, and he called Buddy’s owners to tell them he wanted to modify their dog’s protocol. Since the owners were long-time clients of Dr. T, they honored his wishes but also told him that they felt Buddy was doing very well on Dr. H’s natural protocol. The two veterinarians then met to clear the air. Dr. T, while appreciative that Dr. H pitched in with Buddy while he was away on vacation, was nonetheless adamant that his patients should not receive holistic treatments for medical issues. Dr. H, of course, did not agree and felt that as long as he discloses to clients the “untested” yet anecdotal success of the use of holistic remedies, he is within his ethical and professional boundaries. Dr. T decided they would have to agree to disagree, and he let Dr. H know he no longer wanted his help with his patients in his absence. Despite Dr. T’s Disapproval, Dr. H Was Well Within His Professional and Ethical Boundaries in His Treatment of Dr. T’s Patient According to Dr. Marc Rosenberg writing for dvm360, Dr. H: “… was well within his rights as a licensed practitioner to prescribe holistic medications for [Buddy], as long as he also informed the pet owners that these were not FDA-approved products. This is not to say that they would not work but rather that they had not been subjected to the FDA scrutiny required to achieve approved status.” Dr. Rosenberg goes on to say that he uses both mainstream and holistic medications in his own practice. He talks with pet owners about the differences between the two types of medications and they make the decision together as to the best way to proceed. Needless to say, my approach in this case would be similar to Dr. H’s. His suggestions were excellent. I would also recommend physical therapy and perhaps acupuncture or chiropractic to help with Buddy’s arthritic hips and spine. Why I Almost Always Start with Natural Healing Therapies, and View Prescription Drugs as an Option of Last Resort Since Buddy’s health problems were relatively mild and certainly not life threatening, I would recommend natural remedies and therapies first and continue to closely monitor the dog’s liver enzymes and urine pH, along with his mobility and quality of life. If Buddy’s liver enzymes were headed in the right direction on his follow-up blood tests, if his urine pH also dropped into a healthy range, and if his arthritis was being well managed, I would consider his natural healing protocol a success. Then I would continue to routinely monitor his progress and overall health. If, on the other hand, part or all of my recommended protocol was not having the desired effect, I would try other combinations of natural remedies and possibly further diagnostics, if warranted. Sometimes it takes several different combinations of therapies and protocols before healers find the combination that unlocks the body’s innate healing mechanisms. As long as Buddy’s health remained stable and he was comfortable, I would only move to traditional “FDA-approved” drugs if all my efforts failed or Buddy’s condition seemed to suddenly worsen or his quality of life plummeted. In my experience, it’s very rare for an animal with Buddy’s mild, age-related health issues to be completely unresponsive to natural therapies. If a health condition can be resolved or well-managed with natural treatments that have no known side effects, why take risks with synthetic pharmaceuticals that almost certainly come with side effects? One of the tremendous benefits of Dr. H’s approach, and mine, is that if we can reverse or manage a disease process with safe, natural treatments, we are able to avoid the inevitable, often significant side effects of those FDA-approved medications Dr. T swears by. Most importantly, many holistic modalities treat the root causes of disease, not just the symptoms, which are most commonly addressed with traditional drug protocols. From my point of view, traveling the safer, more natural route first is the essence of this statement from the Hippocratic Oath: "I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous". First, do no harm.

Daddy's boy...he tried to steal the bracelet too

the bracelet caper...Bella and her instatiable urge for JEWELRY

Bella wanted this bracelet so badly. She was pulling it off my wrist. I hid it in my bra...she still wanted it and was pulling on my clothes, by this time I am hysterical laughing saying (while laughing so of course, she's super obedient), "BELLA NO" BELLA STOP"...she wouldn't give up so I figured let me try and capture this on film..and here it is. We are going to Tiffany's next week. Buddy and Bella are always so nosey and I call them the purse snatchers because the love the smell of peppermint gum I keep in my purse, it drives them wild and they want some...lol Picture 2

Picture 3 SUCCESS! The heist is complete:

My son lives just off the beach on the North Shore and here's pictures we took of Buddy and Bella's trip to the beach....Buddy tried to bite the incoming waves and Bella was bobbing for seaweed

AVOID GETTING YOUR DOG CAUGHT IN THIS PROFIT MACHINE: DOGS NATURALLY

Here’s a great business model (but a good one to not be a part of!): 1. Sell a product, in fact, better yet, give it away in the package plan you sell so it looks like an amazing bargain. Brand the plan with the word “Wellness.” 2. Tie into a profession that’s widely looked up to as purveyors of animal health who fully buy in to this product. So much so, that they push it as well, and make their living by pushing it. 3. When that product creates long term health problems in those who partake, sell a specialized product that addresses them. Make it expensive, “scientific” and high tech, and have a line of that product sold by the animal health profession itself. Add to their bottom line. See #2. 4. Claim product #1 has nothing to do with creating disease, (and have the profession widely decry the very idea of it — “It prevents disease!”) but explain how #3 will cure the disease (that it’s created). 5. Smile all the way to the bank. You’ve made money creating a problem and “fixing” the same problem! Variations of this business model live and thrive in many circles of society now, but one that affects you, dear pet owner, is purveyed by the Mars company. It sunk in over the past week, since I posted about their “fix” of selling chicken feathers as protein in their version of the best dog food: Royal Canin. Oh, and product #1? Vaccinations. For everything imaginable. Unraveling the Scheme So, who’s the Mars Company? Purveyors of diabetes and cavities, through their Milky Way, Skittles, M & M’s and such. Yes, they are a candy company, at least that’s where they got their start. One famous for their secrecy. Mars branched out in 2007 to own Banfield, The Pet Hospital. Who sells a “Wellness Plan” that includes “free vaccinations!” when you sign up. Often twice a year. Ahem. You know that frequency of vaccination is excessive, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past twenty years. And, you know it’s risky. But that the profession here, conventional veterinary medicine, runs on its profits and Dr. WhiteCoat isn’t going to stop pushing vaccinations if he has any say in the matter. Which he does. He can do anything he wishes in the name of “professional judgment.” And Banfield is a collection of corporate Dr. WhiteCoats, who vaccinate repeatedly in the name of “wellness.” Now, through Mars’ subsidiary, Royal Canin, they’ll sell you a high end, laboratory made diet with this “novel protein” source: chicken feathers. To cure the allergies they’ve created by repeatedly vaccinating every animal that comes through the doors of the Banfield machine. Is your head starting to hurt, yet? Drop Out, Quick! You are the only one calling the shots (sorry, bad metaphor. Wait: maybe not) for your animal’s health. They don’t vote. They eat what you offer, go to the vet when you say they’re going, and take whatever you agree to in the name of “prevention” or treatment. I submit that, unless you are keeping your eyes open and are willing to think outside the medicine box, your animals will become health statistics. If you follow this brand of “prevention,” it’s not a matter of “if my animals get sick” but rather, “when.” I’d hate to see you visiting your vet because you’ve got an allergic pet, one of the top three reasons the average consumer brought their animal for veterinary services in 2012. Because that’s a long, suffering road, with no cure in sight, if you stick to what Dr. WhiteCoat recommends. [There are better options, if you get stuck in this machine.] Be smarter than that. Choose your natural path carefully, eyes wide open, ears wide open, and learning all you can before making health decisions for your animals. Some Brilliant Words for Dr. WhiteCoat When you are in for an exam, and something is recommended to you, especially more vaccinations in one already vaccinated, try these words out: “Doctor, let me get back to you on that. I need to do my research before I decide.” Wow. Did you see how you just took control of that situation? Powerful stuff. This is the intellectual property of DOGS NATURALLY Magazine, please subscribe to it? Much is changing in pet care...get the jump on it with wonderful articles like the above!

ANTIBIOTICS & YOUR DOG: please read DOGS NATURALLY Magazine for some great articles about a more holistic and less traditional approach to pet care

Most pet owners know that antibiotics kill off both the harmful and the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Those beneficial bacteria are a crucial part of the immune system, protecting our pets against viruses, bacterial and fungal infections, as well as parasites. Intestinal bacteria also manufacture essential vitamins (including vitamin K as well as several B vitamins) and a great many other compounds scientists are only just beginning to recognize. Because we want to restore those good bugs after antibiotic use it’s common to follow a course of antibiotics with a round of probiotics to restore the colony of beneficial bacteria and bring the body back to balance. What if this didn’t happen? Recent research shows this is just the case. Martin Blaser of New York University’s Langone Medical Center argues that antibiotics’ impact on gut bacteria is permanent and so serious in their long term consequences that medicine should consider whether to restrict antibiotic prescribing to pregnant women and young children. Early evidence from my lab and others hints that, sometimes, our friendly flora never fully recover. These long-term changes to the beneficial bacteria within people’s bodies may even increase our susceptibility to infections and disease. Overuse of antibiotics could be fuelling the dramatic increase in conditions such as obesity, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma, which have more than doubled in many populations. Like their human counterparts, dogs are often subjected to more than a few rounds of antibiotics in their lives. Now that researchers are actively investigating antibiotics and understanding their long term impact not just on the intestinal flora, but in creating antibiotic resistant superbugs, it’s a good time to look back to more natural antibacterial solutions that are kinder to the beneficial bacteria. Here are five natural antibiotics you can consider for your dog: Goldenseal Native Americans used this herb for centuries for infections, venereal disease, and ulcers. That’s probably because goldenseal prevents bacteria from adhering to cell walls so it can’t grow. It works particularly well for diarrhea and respiratory infections. Garlic A natural antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral agent, garlic is best known for its sulphur compounds, particularly allicin. These are the main phytochemicals that boost immunity and act as natural antibiotics. Oregano Oil Researcher Paul Belaiche conducted exhaustive studies of aromatherapy oils in his three volume work, “Treatise on Phytotherapy and Aromatherapy”. He reported that oregano oil killed 96% of all pneumococcus bacteria. Oregano oil was also shown to eliminate 83% of streptococcus, which is linked with strep throat, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, toxic shock syndrome, cystitis, and wound infections. Oregano oil has also been successfully used to replace antibiotics for poultry producers. Olive Leaf Extract Professors at the Department of Biomedical Science at CHA University in Korea found that olive leaf extract was potent against various bacterial microbes. Bonus: Their research showed olive leaf exhibited free radical scavenging abilities. Free radicals are linked with aging and disease. Honey In third world countries, wild honey is spread over wounds and burns. These heal with minimal scarring and few infections. Tea with lemon and honey is a time honored drink when a human cold or the flu has hit. Munaka honey sold in health food stores, has a higher concentration of antibiotics than other honeys. There are many more natural antibiotics, including Oregon grape and coconut oil. What you feed your dog is also crucial to his intestinal health and bacterial balance. The processed, heated and extruded foods we feed our dogs are devoid not just of harmful bacteria, but also those good bugs the body needs to stay in healthy balance. The big problem with the Western diet,’ Stephen O’Keefe, a gastroenterologist at the University of Pittsburgh, told me, ‘is that it doesn’t feed the gut, only the upper GI [gastrointestinal tract]. All the food has been processed to be readily absorbed, leaving nothing for the lower GI. The beneficial bacteria found in foods (especially fermented foods like kefir), have been shown to calm the immune system and reduce inflammation, shorten the duration and severity of colds, relieve diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, reduce allergic responses, stimulate the immune response, possibly reduce the risk of certain cancers; and improve the health and function of the gut. Sometimes antibiotics can’t be avoided and they can absolutely save lives. Given recent research, it might be best to save them as a last resort, rather than a first line of attack. Better yet, their use can often be avoided altogether with a fresh, whole food diet and natural herbs and foods. the above is the property of DOGS NATURALLY MAGAZINE, please subscribe to this wonderful publication.

this is Amber, a special needs cat found on Craigs List offered by the rescue Kitty Shock Wave in Brooklyn....Amber has C hyperplasia but she's perfect for us, she loved Bella, she cannot jump ion counters so we provided a step ladder to help her teach herself better balnce...a wonderful pet, rescued right before Christmas at 1 day old

C. hyperplasia cat with no limitations to a good life. Kitty Shock Wave bestowed Amber to us on the spot after visiting my son and myself. We had never owned a C hyperplasia cat before....Amber is a treasure. Don't shy away from this kind of neurologically impaired cat...they are perfect in many ways and there are no draw backs except the little wobble they have which grows more intense when stressed...she can run, jump, do tricks and is a very fun girl. WE LOVE HER! Meet Amber: a cuddle bug!

Meet our special needs dogs...a gift from God for sure...both rescued from certain death right before Hurricane Sandy and right after Bella, blind in one eye from being a bait dog (see below for posts about her condition)...poses no challenge to her as she's a super star. She's been seen by a specialist and she's fine...a loving dog, knows loyalty and love and is a mush ball. She is officially my tiny weeny 47 lb lap dog! Want to make Bella happy? Let her run laps with her friend Meeka also a put bull. Bella is faster than a speeding bullet!

Here's Buddy, taken away from his Mom at 3 weeks old....taking time to help him feel safe, but, what a wonderful fellow, a great support and so loving. He loves to lay in my lap. He's a lab pit mix

our thanks to Dr. Jack Biederman, the Blue Pearl, Vet's Choice, Pet Lovers USA and all the people who helped, prayed, gave advice and support to make this miracle happen including CJL, a dear friend, 106 St Tire Jessica Pickens, Elizabeth Lehman, NuVet, and many others

those bashing craigslist on FB...it is NOT CRAIGSLIST...it's that people do not understand how to use Craigslist to ascertain a legitimately good homefor their dog or cat from predators and predators are everywhere, bait animals on Craigslist, adopting from Craigslist how tos, Craigslist no free animals allowed, Craigslist adoption how tos, save guard your pet on Craigslist

Re: Craigslist and banning free pets… from the NJ Humane Society! Shortly after we found Bella and Buddy, I had a conversation with the above about Craigslist. The Humane Society had developed a list of SHOULD DOs for posting any animal on Craigslist to deter or eliminate predators searching for bait or other horrible things: 1) no animal should be given away free but don’t be fooled as people using animals (kittens, rabbits, dogs, cats, hamsters, rats, whatever) as bait who are willing to pay a substantial amount of money for your pet. Dog fighting is very lucrative and a puppy from a good fighting dog can cost $20,000 OR MORE so its unlikely that giving you $50 for your animal is going to bring about a good home. Money cannot be the criteria for a good home. What to do? Make the adoption difficult! 2) get the name, home address, work address, phone numbers (check them all, too), photo ID like a copy of a driver’s license from the would be adopter 3) check references, (get a work reference or two, personal references, etc) and especially a vet reference and CALL EVERY SINGLE ONE and tell them why you are calling. 4) do an in-home check before the animal is surrendered 5) make sure you have the right to visit your pet after adoption 6) make it difficult to adopt you furbaby and those who are not sincere or who have unscrupulous motives will simply find someone else who is an ease mark 7) post the above on in the PETS SECTION on every Craigslist across the country so people know. Raise people’s consciousness about what’s involved and WHY. Thanks and please share? Meet Craig Newmark of Craigslist at http://starlightnetworknews.com/craig.htm Contact Craig on FB Craig Newmark...he's a very warm, kind, caring man. I interviewed him in 2005 see the link about

your dog's gut...what you need to know:

I have been told that what goes on in the gut of a mammal, ourselves included, effects health tremendously. Bella was constantly bothered by ear infections and skin issues and my research demonstrated that its a well established fact that if there is an allergy (many affected by immunity, immunity is compromised in the gut, mange is an immunity issue which leads back to the gut which is where 70% is health issues start...PEOPLE TOO?) I bet so, but, animal folk...I am not an MD not a DVM, I am a frustrated owner like you trying different things since my dog, unlike the people I know, only eats what I give her. When the summer started Bella and Buddy had a fascination with our garden....particularly parsley but they also loved raw pepper, carrot, spaghetti and clam sauce, ooops, sorry, that's not a health food unless its Barilla high fiber pasta-it was-or you are Italian. I am. The parsley thing was really a mind blower as my parakeet was more likely to go in pursuit of parsley but Bella and Buddy loved it. Recently, reading Dr. Mercola's site (he has Dr. Becker, a vet writing for him as well) there was talk about our guts and Dr. Becker likewise was talking doggie guts. She said there were ways to help boost immunity from the gut. Our pups were on a great vitamin but it wasn't enough for Bella. Then Bella got yet another ear infection...... I stopped, I thought.......I read and reread. Hmmm, something else was going on here. She had been treated a number of times with antibiotics and I figured out that this was not a germ we were fighting this HAD TO BE YEAST. So I called around and found out where I could get cytology on Bella's ears. I found it...they found it. YEAST! I KNEW IT, had to be...all that medication destroying the normal flora. Bella had been on probiotics for about a month already but the thing is how to get the yeast out of her ears. We switched the approach. We cleaned her face and ears with an RX antimicrobial wash...we dabbed her chin, wiped her ears and chest. VIOLA` suddenly things got better for Bella in days. We are giving her acidophilus in between her probiotic mix from Mercola and its been miraculous. Well, I continued to read the Mercola site to find the doctors there recommending quercetin as something to help with immunity and the gut.........GUESS WHAT? It's found in parsley! Bella without reading the Mercola site and running on instinct knew what she needed while granny is here saying DUH........... Remember, the topics we are writing about pertain to my dog and are based on vet advice. Anything written here is NOT meant to be, NOR IS IT a replacement for licensed vet care. My vet, Jack Biederman, DVM is very open to adjuncts and alternatives and helped Buddy recover from the mange in a flash by answering my question, "Dr. Jack, is there anything else I can do to help Buddy get well?" Dr. Jack suggested that anecdotally there was evidence that fish oil helps. He was right...of course he was right, he's a professional and all health matters for people and animals belong in the hands of a professional. However, today, most mainstream healthcare professionals are very conversant in things like the above...ask the question...do some research and be able to ask a more intelligent question. And while on this topic, folks, you can do the dame with your medical doctor. I was vitamins D deficient and if I had not asked my doctor to run the test, he would have never known what was wrong with me. Communication with professionals is essential for wellness. Ask the questions, you will be surprised at how receptive your doggie doctor and your MD are ;o) So Bella created her own break through and I just happened to catch up with her in this past week. xox i

Bella, Bella, Bella...any living thing that feels better when I SING has got to be madly in love with me...my voice could shatter glass - lol

yesterday I visited Bella as I do at least once a week....she's always so delighted to see me...now at 45 pounds she still thinks she's a little puppy, the puppy I rocked and sang to, the puppy I hand fed, the baby I thought would die, the pup I held close for 30 minutes 5 or 6 times a day..... she lived as I gave her everything I had emotionally and physically. We had a wonderful visit as always with her on my lap most of the time licking me...she's happy where she is, she has my son and Buddy and yet she misses me as I do her. Sadly, she lived in this apt with me (against the rules here) when Hurricane Sandy left my son flooded and no place for Bella while she was healing. Now, she's back with him with a yard, has a playmate, etc. But, yesterday when I was leaving to come home I said "bye Bella" and hugged her and petted her...I could see her deflate with sadness. It made me cry especially when I think of all the dogs and cats that go through this and people don't think it matters to the animal. I know it does. Please folks, adopt a shelter animal. Love matters to an animal. DON'T BUY...ADOPT, the life you save may be your own!

common cat illnesses you can work at avoiding?

The vets say that the prevalent diseases among cats are: urinary tract issues This can help: mix a little water in to canned food, canned food is a better bet to avoid the bladder issues and avoid the gum and teeth issues of dry food, How to get going? Got a new kitten? A litter of new kittens? Start them on canned food with a teaspoon of warm water mixed in...gradually increase water as the cat grows. Water is a big help in avoiding bladder issues. Use broths for older cats. Gums and teeth: Kind of tied into the above....get your cat used to drinking more. When the cat chews dry food, particles of the dry food can get caught up in between teeth. You can try and teach a new kitten to allow you to brush their teeth ... however, that might be quite a daunting task for adult cats....leaving you with a new nick name, Stubby. Use chicken broth, beef broth, or whatever is HEALTHY and is mostly water. Also cats love to drink from the table top fountains...and its great feng schui for other 2 legged members of the household as well. Dry food can be used but do not give a lot. Thyroid issues NO FISH TALES...avoid feeding your cat any fish as the iodine is not good for them. Also, please, avoid meat by products and LIVER...liver is an internal organ charged with cleaning toxins out of the blood of mammals. Your cat is a mammal...do you want to feed your mammal other mammals toxins? Just some ideas....please ALWAYS consult your licensed vet for proper vet care. This information comes from K. Becker DVM on Dr. Mercola's site. We are using his products for both Buddy and Bella. Take the advice of the pros and look into you pets gut...70% of the issues lies there according to the professionals. Meow...Bella loves cats.

Buddy, bait puppy, rescued will be one year in November

rescued bait puppy, Bella, 2 weeks away from being one!