The Poisons in Pet Food
Dr Wendell O. Belfield, D.V.M. - "Their pets may have diarrhoea,
increased flatulence, a dull hair coat, intermittent vomiting or prolonged
scratching. These are common symptoms associated with commercial pet foods."
In 1981, as Martin Zucker and I wrote How to Have a Healthier Dog, we discovered
the full extent of negative effects that commercial pet food has on animals.
In February 1990, San Francisco Chronicle staff writer John Eckhouse went
even further with an exposé entitled "How Dogs and Cats Get Recycled
into Pet Food". more
Contaminated
Pet Food Affected 39,000 Cats And Dogs Nationwide. According to the latest
reports released by one of the nation's largest chains of veterinary hospitals,
nearly 39,000 cats and dogs were sickened or killed nationwide following
the recent reports of pet food-contamination with an industrial chemical.
The data, which was released by Banfield, The Pet Hospital, was reportedly
compiled from records collected by its more than 615 veterinary hospitals.
more
on the recall ---
Listen to holistic veterinarian Dr. Jane Bicks D.V.M." Do
You Really Know What's In Your Pet's Food?"l
-- Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against
Pet Food Companies
Despite
the appealing blandishments of pet food advertisements with their claims
of providing "complete and balanced nutrition," if you're not exceedingly
circumspect, you may end up feeding your pet chicken heads, road kills,
spoiled or moldy grains, cancerous material cut from slaughterhouse animals,
tissue high in hormone or pesticide residues, and even shredded Styrofoam
packaging, metal ID tags and minced flea collars.
A growing number of veterinarians state that processed pet food (kibbles
and canned food) is the main cause of illness and premature death in the
modern dog and cat. In December 1995, the British Journal of Small Animal
Practice published a paper contending that processed pet food supresses
the immune system and leads to liver, kidney, heart and other diseases.
Dr. Kollath, of the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, headed a study done
on animals. When young animals were fed cooked and processed foods they
initially appeared to be healthy. However, as the animals reached adulthood,
they began to age more quickly than normal and also developed chronic degenerative
disease symptoms. A control group of animals raised on raw foods aged less
quickly and were free of degenerative disease.
The
pet nutrition industry is a multi-billion dollar industry full of hype
and false claims. Consumers are being duped into believing that they are
feeding their pets healthy foods, when in actuality they are feeding nothing
more than inferior meat meals, cheap grains (including corn and soy), fillers,
by-products, pesticides, preservatives and
toxins.
Never before has the pet-food industry been rocked by widespread contamination
and rampant recalls. In all, more than 5,600 products by dozens of pet
food makers have been recalled, from chain supermarket brands to prescription-only
foods. This is a staggering number of products, and is unprecedented in
this business. Thousands of deaths are due to the contamination, and many
thousands more have suffered illnesses. We shudder to think of the long-term
impacts of the compromised liver and kidney function and how this will
affect thousands of companion animals in America. Leading experts believe
that the severe reactions experienced by some cats and dogs were the result
of an interaction of chemicals, between the melamine and a list of other
culprits, including cyuranic acid. Read
the latest about the pet food recall. Thousands of
Cats and dogs suffered kidney failure, and many died after eating the affected
pet food.
Dr. Don E. Lundholm,
D.V.M. - "We are seeing disease
conditions in animals that we did not see years ago. Many of these may
be traced to
nutrition as the source..."
The primary ingredient in many dry commercial pet foods is not protein
but cereal. Corn and wheat are the most common grains used but, as with
the meat sources, the nutritious parts of the grain are generally present
only in trace amounts. The corn gluten meal or wheat middlings added to
pet foods are the leftovers after the grain has been processed for human
use, containing little nutritional value. Or they may be grain that is
too moldy for humans to eat, so it's incorporated into pet food.
Mycotoxins, potentially deadly fungal toxins that multiply in moldy
grains, have been found in pet foods in recent years. In 1995, Nature's
Recipe recalled tons of their dog food after dogs became ill from eating
it. The food was found to contain vomitoxin, a mycotoxin. Harmful chemicals
and preservatives are added to both wet and dry food. For example, sodium
nitrite, a coloring agent and preservative and potential carcinogen, is
a common additive. Other preservatives include ethoxyquin (an insecticide
that has been linked to liver cancer) and BHA and BHT, chemicals also suspected
of causing cancer. The average dog can consume as much as 26 pounds of
reservatives every year from eating commercial dog foods.
Rendering plants process decomposing animal carcasses, large roadkill
and euthanised dogs and cats into a dry protein product that is sold to
the pet food industry. One small plant in Quebec, Ontario, renders 10 tons
(22,000 pounds) of dogs and cats per week. The Quebec Ministry of Agriculture
states that "the fur is not removed from dogs and cats" and that "dead
animals are cooked together with viscera, bones and fat at 115° C (235°
F) for 20 minutes".
The US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine
(CVM) is aware of the use of rendered dogs and cats in pet foods, but has
stated: "CVM has not acted to specifically prohibit the rendering of pets.
However, that is not to say that the practise of using this material in
pet food is condoned by the CVM."
Some of these dead pets - those euthanised by veterinarians - already
contain pentobarbital before treatment with the denaturing process. According
to University of Minnesota researchers, the sodium pentobarbital used to
euthanise pets "survives rendering without undergoing degradation". Fat
stabilisers are introduced into the finished rendered product to prevent
rancidity. Common chemical stabilisers include BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)
and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) - both known to cause liver and kidney
dysfunction - and ethoxyquin, a suspected carcinogen. Many semi-moist dog
foods contain propylene glycol - first cousin to the anti-freeze agent,
ethylene glycol, that destroys red blood-cells. Lead frequently shows up
in pet foods, even those made from livestock meat and bone meal. A Massachusetts
Institute of Technology study, titled "Lead in Animal Foods", found that
a nine-pound cat fed on commercial pet food ingests more lead than the
amount considered potentially toxic for children.
"Vegetable protein", the mainstay of dry dog foods, includes ground
yellow corn, wheat shorts and middlings, soybean meal, rice husks, peanut
meal and peanut shells (identified as "cellulose" on pet food labels).
These often are little more than the sweepings from milling room floors.
Stripped of their oil, germ and bran, these "proteins" are deficient in
essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants. "Animal protein"
in commercial pet foods can include diseased meat, roadkill, contaminated
material from slaughterhouses, faecal matter, rendered cats and dogs and
poultry feathers. The major source of animal protein comes from dead-stock
removal operations that supply so-called "4-D" animals - dead, diseased,
dying or disabled - to "receiving plants" for hide, fat and meat removal.
The meat (after being doused with charcoal and marked "unfit for human
consumption") may then be sold for pet food.
In 1981, as Martin Zucker and I wrote How to Have a Healthier Dog, we
discovered the full extent of negative effects that commercial pet food
has on animals. In February 1990, San Francisco Chronicle staff writer
John Eckhouse went even further with an expose entitled "How Dogs and Cats
Get Recycled into Pet Food."
Eckhouse wrote: "Each year, millions of dead American dogs and cats
are processed along with billions of pounds of other animal materials by
companies known as renderers. The finished product... tallow and meat meal...
serve as raw materials for thousands of items that include cosmetics and
pet food." [See sidebar, ''The Dark Side of Recycling," Spring 1990 ElJ.]
more
John Anderson -"110 Million Sick Pets?—There are an estimated
55 million dogs and 63 million cats living in American households. Given
the appalling condition of most commercial pet foods, it’s a wonder
there are any healthy pets walking around anymore. "Nature never designed
canine or feline kidneys to handle the volume of impurities that come their
way," states veterinarian Al Plechner, DVM, author of Pet
Allergies: Remedies For An Epidemic" The result is fatigued,
irritated, damaged and deteriorated kidneys after several years
of life. Left untreated, the toxic buildup leads to vomiting, loss of appetite,
uremic poisoning and death."
Recent studies have shown processed foods to be
a factor in increasing numbers of pets suffering from cancer,
arthritis, obesity, dental disease and heart
disease, comments Dr Wysong. Dull or unhealthy coats are a common problem
with cats and dogs and poor diet is usually the cause, according to many
veterinarians and breeders. The AAFCO nutrient profiles may play a role
here, in the "balanced" nutritional levels they recommend may be inadequate
for an individual animal. Life's Abundance
is a quality healthy kibbles for dogs and cats that
do
not use these practice
It is estimated that up to two million companion
animals suffer from food allergies. Dr Plechner
believes that the commercial pet foods are a primary cause and can
contribute to a host of health problems. "Among pets, there is a widespread
intolerance of commercial foods," he states. "This rejection can show up
either as violent sickness or chronic health problems. It often triggers
a hypersensitivity and overreaction to flea and insect bites, pollens,
soaps, sprays and environmental contaminants."
Feline urological syndrome, a chronic condition
similar to cystitis in humans (characterized by frequent urination with
blood in the urine), is an increasingly common and potentially fatal illness
in cats. It has been linked to elevated levels of ash and phosphorus, two
substances commonly found in commercial pet foods. High iodine levels
are seen as a contributing factor for thyroid tumors in cats. "New diseases
are being discovered that are linked to ‘100% complete’ diets," states
Dr Wysong. These include "polymyopathy (a muscle disorder) from low potassium
levels, dilated cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disorder) from low taurine
levels, arthritic and skin diseases from acid/base and zinc malnutrition
and chronic eczema from essential fatty acid malnutrition," he reports.
Given the high possibility that your favorite pet foods may be slowly poisoning
your cat or dog, it’s crucial that you find brands you can trust to be
animal friendly."Class
Action Lawsuit Filed Against Pet Food Companies
The Following Practices are Used by Some Pet Food Manufacturer:
POOR PROTEIN SOURCES Soybean Meal, Wheat, Corn Glutens, Corn Meal, Whole Corn, Crushed Corn
and Ground Corn are commonly used for their protein content in many pet
foods. These ingredients are generally poor sources of protein vs.
meat.
CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin are found in many pet foods. Scientific studies
have proven that these chemicals can be harmful. In fact, they have
been shown to promote liver disease and other medical problems.
FOOD COLORING Food colorings are still commonly used in pet foods today despite the
fact that they are not necessary and some have been linked to medical problems.
BY-PRODUCTS By-products can vary ... they can consist of the internal parts of
animals such as necks, heads, undeveloped eggs, feet, intestines, lungs,
spleen and liver.
WHAT LABELS DON'T REVEAL Condemned parts and animals rejected for human consumption can be rerouted
into commercial pet foods. These condemned parts are referred to
as the 4 D's: dead, dying, diseased or decayed. We believe
this is one of the most despicable practices in the pet food manufacturing
industry.
Some manufacturers have a lower standard regarding the quality of ingredients
they use to make pet food. A recent example of this practice is the
discovery of Pentobarbital in major pet foods, including supermarket brands.
Pentobarbital is a chemical used to euthanize animals. Many holistic
veterinarians feel that daily ingestion of pentobarbital can be harmful.
Many manufacturers cut costs by using the cheapest ingredients available
at the time a food is made. Since costs rise and fall, some manufacturers
will vary ingredients from batch to batch .. resulting in changed nutrient
values for each batch and possible digestive illness.
Some manufacturers have lower standards regarding the freshness of ingredients
they use to make pet food. You can not determine the freshness of
ingredients by reading a label; you must trust the pet food manufacturer.
Do
You Really Know What's In Your Pet's Food? Listen to Dr. Jane
Bicks holistic veterinarian 12 minute FREE audio presentation to
learn more about how you can improve the health, well-being and longevity
of your cherished pet.
NOTE: The
Healthy Pet Company believes that your companion animal deserves
the very best. Their veterinarian-formulated products include only human-quality
ingredients, to ensure the health and well-being of dogs and cats. These
healthy pet food contain no wheat, corn, potentially harmful
chemical additives, artificial colors or flavors. Their holistic foods
are made with an exclusive “fast-cook” process, to lock in natural flavors
and nutrition, in order to help build a strong foundation for a long and
healthy life for your pet. Choose a food that reflects your love for your
companion animal.
A must read for all veterinarians, and for all pet owners! "We need
to pay attention to what we are feeding our animals. Not only as this book
says, with the food, but also we need to support their
immune systems. In Super Nutrition for Dogs n'
Cats extra information is provided on all the illness caused by malnutrition,
mineral and enzyme deficiencies that we normally don't think of. Ever wonder
why there are so many vets?...too many sick pets because of the food and
lack of proper nutrients. Everyone ought to pay attention!" An
amazon.com reviewer.
From an amazon.com book reviewer:
"Ann Martin's investigation into the commercial pet food industry has become
a classic. This is the book I often recommend when people ask me what's
wrong with (most) commercial dog and cat foods. However, I can't recommend
this book without pointing out some of the errors in the second part of
the book, the part that focuses on feeding a homemade
diet. First of all, it needs to be said that while cooking the meat
can indeed destroy bacteria and parasites (as well as destroying valuable
enzymes and changing the meat's molecular structure), cooking does *not*
destroy the antibiotics, pesticides, artificial growth hormones, etc.,
as Martin claims. The only way to avoid these harmful substances is to
stop supporting factory
farming and buy ethically raised, organic meats. Yes, such meat is
more expensive, but personally I'd rather pay more and know that I'm not
supporting the needless torture of animals and the destruction of the environment.
At this point you may wonder why we feed our dogs meat at all. Well, the
humans in our house are indeed longtime vegetarians, but dogs are carnivores
and while they can survive on a properly supplemented vegetarian diet,
such a species inappropriate diet is far from ideal. Our family's GWPs
have been thriving on a diet based on raw meats and bones for thirty years
now. While it's been my experience that raw diets are indeed preferable
for most dogs, there are certainly cases where cooked diets are more appropriate.
Some dogs -- usually due to certain medical conditions -- simply do not
do well on a raw diet, and in such cases a homecooked diet is the best
option.
Unfortunately the recipes offered by Ms. Martin are not properly balanced.
For instance, while she is clearly aware of the correct calcium to phosphorous
ratio (as well as of the damage caused by calcium deficiencies), her recipes
do not contain nearly enough calcium to balance out the high phosphorous
levels of the meat and, to a lesser extent, the grains. She seems to be
under the impression that one can use yogurt or cottage cheese as a calcium
supplement; however, while dairy products are good sources of calcium,
they also happen to contain plenty of phosphorous (some types of cottage
cheese actually contain more phosphorous than calcium), so obviously dairy
products cannot be used to balance the meat's high phosphorous levels.
The best way to supplement calcium is to feed the meat with plenty of raw
bone (nature's way of balancing calcium and phosphorous) or by adding
ground eggshell powder to boneless meats. Feeding a properly balanced homeprepared
diet really isn't as difficult as the pet food industry and their supporters
would have us believe, but getting the Ca:P ratio right is important. My
suggestion: Read Ms. Martin's book to find out why it's not a good idea
to feed processed pet foods (if you don't already know), but then get yourself
another book to learn how to prepare a balanced homemade diet for your
animals. read
an excerpt
Wendell O. Belfield DVM - "In 1981, as Martin Zucker and
I wrote How to Have a Healthier Dog, we discovered the full extent of negative
effects that commercial pet food has on animals. In February 1990, San
Francisco Chronicle staff writer John Eckhouse went even further with an
expose entitled "How Dogs and Cats Get Recycled into Pet Food." Eckhouse
wrote: "Each year, millions of dead American dogs and cats are processed
along with billions of pounds of other animal materials by companies known
as renderers. The finished product... tallow and meat meal... serve as
raw materials for thousands of items that include cosmetics and pet food."
[See sidebar, ''The
Dark Side of Recycling," Spring 1990 ElJ.]"
William Pollak D.V.M - "In the wild, no one cooks for the coyote
or wolf; no one brushes their teeth. Their foods are raw and unprocessed."
more
The
Healthy Pet Company believes that your companion animal deserves
the very best. Their veterinarian-formulated products include only human-quality
ingredients, to ensure the health and well-being of dogs and cats. These
healthy pet food contain no wheat, corn, potentially harmful
chemical additives, artificial colors or flavors. Their holistic foods
are made with an exclusive “fast-cook” process, to lock in natural flavors
and nutrition, in order to help build a strong foundation for a long and
healthy life for your pet. Choose a food that reflects your love for your
companion animal.
For those who have
never had a home business and love pets, this is a fun way to get started.
You will find an "ease of engagement" because people love to talk about
their pets and will do just about anything for them. And, there is virtually
no competition. For those who have tried a home business before and maybe
the timing was not right and you would like to get going again, you will
also find this fun and enjoy the same "ease of engagement". For those of
you that already have a home business, don't quit what you are doing. Think
about adding this business and introducing the products to your existing
customers. After all, if you ask, most of them probably have pets and they
already believe in you and what could be better than that.
Whether you have
an interest in the business or you just care about pets, you may be interested
in learning about what's
really in your pet food.
Testimonial "I
want to thank you for Life's
Abundance. This food may very well have saved my dog's lives!
In the last several years I've tried every "top" brand of dog food on the
market - nothing but the best for my Eskies! It didn't seem to matter what
food I fed them, in no time they were developing vomiting and diarhea.
In fact, I don't think my male Eskie, Ashira, EVER had a normal stool.
I began researching pet foods on-line and stumbled onto your website.
After reading about commercial foods in comparison to your product, I knew
I had to try it. In fact, I was beginning to suspect either an allergy
or sensitivity to gluten. All I knew was my dogs were not able to properly
digest the foods I was giving them.Life's Abundance arrived the day after
I ordered it and that evening I gave them a taste test to see if they liked
it. You'd have thought they were eating candy! Without bothering to "wean"
them off the Wellness (which was the latest brand they were eating), I
plunged ahead with the LA. They gobbled it down and actually seemed
satisfied after eating their normal portions (something my female never
did). The next time Ashi had a bowl movement it was BEAUTIFUL!
And in the last week since the new food was introduced there has been no
indication of vomiting, diarhea or constant begging for treats. Thankyou..thankyou...thankyou!
I've already started two neighbors on Life's Abundance and plan to let
everyone I know about it. I also volunteer for Eskie Rescuer's United
and plan to send out an all points bulliten about this marvelous product.
Dr. Bicks...you deserve a medal for this!" Mary Rogers, Bradenton
FL
Juliette de Bairacli Levy has
experienced eight decades of living a life dedicated to the "natural rearing"
of her children and animals. She speaks the wisdom we long for, the knowledge
of good health and a long happy life that is our right. Yet, somehow these
details got lost, buried or ignored by the "scientific" community. Juliette
is a champion of the health and loving treatment of cats, dogs, children,
bees, and the gypsies. Her presence is a gently formidable figure in our
modern world. Juliette says that the two most important aspects of natural
animal rearing are:
fasting and raw diet. learn
more
In
her wonderful book, Wild Health: How
Animals Keep Themselves Well and What We Can Learn From Them, Cindy
Engles, Ph.D., documents that for millennia humans have observed
animals in the wild eating plants and minerals and applying naturally occurring
topical antitoxins from the same sources to combat infectious wounds, parasites
and internal disorders. Herds of elephants risk injury and death in a perilous
journey to hidden salt caves where they supplement their sodium
deficient diet. Monkeys rub poisonous millipedes on their fur to repel
biting, disease-carrying insects. Birds line their nests with parasite-resistant
herbs. Engel details a world where nature is the pharmacy and every animal
is its own practitioner.
Dr. William Pollak D.V.M. - "Recent studies
have shown processed foods to be a factor in increasing numbers of pets
suffering from cancer, arthritis, obesity,
dental disease and heart disease. Dull or unhealthy
coats are a common problem with cats and dogs and poor diet is usually
the cause, according to many veterinarians and breeders. "Dogs,
cats and other animals live for years on foods that come out of bags, cans
and boxes. But do these foods promote health? If they did, our companion
animals would enjoy long, happy lives free of arthritis, hip dysplasia,
eye problems, ear problems, fleas and other parasites, gum disease, lick
granulomas, thyroid imbalances, skin and coat problems, personality disorders,
birth defects, breeding problems, diabetes, cancer and other major and
minor illnesses. Before World War II, most North Americans fed their pets
raw bones and table scraps. Today, everyone uses convenience foods, and
pet food companies are industry giants. Diet isn't the only thing that
has changed. So has life expectancy, with the life span of many breeds
now less than half what it was two or three decades ago. Skin and coat
problems are so common that we accept them as unavoidable, and today's
vets routinely treat conditions that used to be unusual or even rare."
more
United Kingdom
Raw Meaty Bones Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons: Letters have been written to
the RCVS, outlining our concerns over the continued promotion and sale
of processed pet food by the majority of veterinary surgeons. We have expressed
our concern about the influence of pet food manufacturers within the veterinary
colleges. We have pointed out the huge inadequacies of manufactured pet
food, and the harm it does to our pet carnivores. We have told them of
the huge health improvements that we have seen in our own pets, since changing
them to a raw meaty bone diet, and explained that this is seen around the
world by other dog, cat and ferret owners when they change their pets to
a natural diet. more
Soy in Pet food
A quick scan of supermarket dog and cat food labels indicates
that about half of the commercial dry pet foods have soy as the main protein
source, with soy appearing as the first ingredient after corn or (in some
very high protein products such as kitten food) as the first ingredient.
This article is provided as a public service by the
Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, in cooperation with
the UAF research community. Dr. Sue Ann Bowling is an Associate Professor
of Physics at the Institute.
Pity the poor cheetahs! These speedy spotted cats managed
to survive one population crisis, which left them the most inbred wild
animal known. Then human inroads on their habitat and hunting for their
fur shoved them toward a second population crisis, which seemed headed
off by captive breeding. Now it appears that the zoo diet in North America
is simultaneously killing them off with liver disease and preventing them
from breeding effectively.
In 1985, 29 American zoo cheetahs died and only 18 were
born, and 7 of the 18 died before adulthood. Only about 10% of North American
adult female cheetahs have been producing live cubs in the last 5 years,
compared with 60 to 80 % in other countries.
Since North American cheetahs mostly eat a commercial
feline diet based on horsemeat and soy, while the cheetahs living and breeding
more successfully elsewhere are being fed whole carcasses, a group of researchers
in Ohio decided to look at the zoo cheetah's food. They found that the
soybean part of the diet (the same textured soy protein and soy flakes
used increasingly as a meat extender in human diets) contained natural
plant estrogens, chemicals akin to mammalian female hormones and having
some of the same effects. When these chemicals were injected into immature
female mice, they caused damage to the mice's uteruses.
Experiments were carried out at the zoo as well as in
the lab. When four cheetahs in the Cincinnati Zoo were switched to a diet
based on chicken meat without soy, their liver function improved. Right
now we don't know whether they will breed again or whether permanent damage
has occurred.
What does this mean in terms of other soy consumers? Cheetahs
are likely to be exceptionally sensitive to problems of any kind because
they are so inbred. On the other hand, soy made up a relatively small percentage
of the cheetahs' diet, and apparently all cats are rather poor at getting
rid of extra estrogens. Our pets might face some problems.
A quick scan of supermarket dog and cat food labels indicates
that about half of the commercial dry pet foods have soy as the main protein
source, with soy appearing as the first ingredient after corn or (in some
very high protein products such as kitten food) as the first ingredient.
As a dog breeder I would hesitate to maintain my breeding stock on a commercial
diet that used soy as the primary protein source, or listed soy as one
of the top three ingredients. But other questions need to be answered,
as well.
How about the human consumption of soy? At the present
time, our western diets don't contain all that much soy, though what they
do contain is often in the form of textured soy protein, which has over
twice the estrogen content of soy flakes. This in itself indicates that
the method of preparing soy may affect the estrogen content of the final
food. Oriental diets have used soy for far longer than have Western ones.
Do traditional Oriental methods of preparing soybeans for consumption remove
some of the plant estrogens? I asked one of the researchers, and he replied
that tofu has far less plant estrogens per unit weight than does textured
soy protein. No measurements had yet been made, however, based on the ratio
of estrogens to protein.
Agriculturists and plant breeders need to look at soybean
estrogens, too. Do drought, temperature, soil fertility or day length affect
their concentration? Do different varieties of soybeans differ in how much
of these substances the beans contain? Can low-estrogen varieties be developed?
The cheetah study has raised more questions than it has answered -- not
an uncommon result of scientific research! Cheetahs
and Soybeans from the Alaska Science Forum
How about the human consumption of soy? "Dr Fitzpatrick's literature review uncovered evidence that soy consumption
has been linked to numerous disorders, including infertility, increased
cancer and infantile leukemia; and, in studies dating back to the 1950s,
that genistein in soy causes endocrine disruption in animals."
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD - "The soybean contains
large quantities of natural toxins or "antinutrients". First among them
are potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other
enzymes
needed for protein digestion. These inhibitors are large, tightly folded
proteins that are not completely deactivated during ordinary cooking. They
can produce serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic
deficiencies in amino acid uptake. In test animals, diets high in trypsin
inhibitors cause enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas,
including cancer. Soybeans also contain haemagglutinin, a clot-promoting
substance that causes red blood cells to clump together. Trypsin inhibitors
and haemagglutinin are growth inhibitors."
Following is an excerpt from chapter 8 "Let Food be Thy Medicine"
from 'Shock
to the System' by Catherine O’Driscoll
Tom Lonsdale, a wonderful vet who has sacrificed
his career in order to campaign to return carnivores to their natural fare,
believes that dogs, cats and ferrets should be given a diet mostly based
on raw meaty bones – whole carcasses, a small amount of vegetable matter,
and some table scraps.
Unlike Tom, Ian Billinghurst – another raw meaty bone vet - believes
that carnivores should also be given supplements. Juliette de Baircli Levi,
the pioneer in holistic healthcare for dogs, advocated the feeding of grains
and raw meat to dogs. Pat McKay, another expert, believes that grains for
dogs are not a good idea. Ann Martin, who wrote Food Pets Die For believes
that raw meat is dangerous for dogs, that we should cook their food. And
the big multinationals believe that their complete and balanced commercial
food in a can or a bag is, um, all your dog will ever need.
After many years of lapping up all of the advice on what to feed my
dogs, I believe that all of the above are right! Even though they disagree
with one-another to a greater or lesser extent. I suppose I’m in trouble
again. My reason for agreeing with them all is based upon the following
exceptional experiences.
After Oliver and Prudence died, and my other dogs were suffering from
thyroid disease, arthritis, allergies and autoimmune disease, I read an
article in an Australian dog magazine about raw meaty bones for dogs. It
was as though a lightbulb went on in my head: I had been starving my dogs
to death with a complete dry dog food that wasn’t sustaining life. I immediately
switched my dogs to the raw meaty bone diet, and my dogs thrived. Our vet
bills dropped by 65% and, when we surveyed CHC members who had switched
their dogs to the RMB diet on our advice, they reported an 85% drop in
veterinary visits. People wrote to us to tell us how healthy their dogs
were on raw food – glossier coats, more vitality, skin problems clearing
up, lovely clean teeth, clean breath, and in some cases, medication was
no longer required. We were so enamoured by the positive changes in our
dogs’ health, that we invested a great deal of time and money in promoting
raw feeding for dogs. That diet is now used by thousands of delighted animal
guardians around the world. I believe this to be true: the vast majority
of carnivores thrive on the food that Nature has designed over millions
of years to sustain life. That is, prey animals like rabbits, rats, deer,
mice, lambs, hens, and so on, uncooked. Dogs, being scavengers, also thrive
on eggs, berries, fruit and the food that they might find in the prey’s
stomach, such as grains and vegetable matter. You should see Edward on
walks around the country estate we live on. He picks raspberries from the
bushes and jumps to pick apples from the trees. He also enjoys catching
and eating rabbits.
One day, something happened to modify my view. My friend Sally Cronk
came to visit for a week, bringing her German Shepherd Etta with her. Etta
hadn’t eaten raw meaty bones before, but Sally was keen for her to try
the natural diet. So Etta had raw chicken wings alongside my own dogs.
When Etta got home, Sally had to take her to the vets, where she stayed
for several days on a drip. The reason, it transpired after some deduction,
was that Etta could not tolerate the energy – the life force – in raw food.
Countless generations of breeding and artificial food had modified the
dog so that she could not tolerate real food.
Then, when my own Sophie reached the age of 15, she started to develop
diarrhoea. I tried everything to help her: homoeopathic remedies, antibiotics,
herbs – all to no avail. I happen to be extremely fortunate in that I have
a friend who is a medical intuitive who is also very knowledgeable about
canine health. In desperation, I telephoned her on Sophie’s behalf, only
to be told that Sophie could no longer, at her great age, tolerate the
energy in raw meaty bones. I was advised to switch Sophie to a tinned senior
dog food and, after a while, I could revert to real food, but this time
cooking it for Sophie. Gosh darnit, but my friend was right.
Principles were thrown to the wind, and the tinned food halted Sophie’s
diarrhoea. After a while I was able to cook her chicken, white fish and
vegetables, and she lived to a good age of 17. Then I read about a dog
in the media who made it to 21. Unbelievably to me, this dog had been a
vegetarian since she had been rescued as a puppy! Her owner phoned me one
day so I was able to ask questions: the dog wasn’t vaccinated every year,
but her owner was a serious vegetarian who studied the protein requirements
of her canines and gave them the nutrients they needed by adding vegetable
protein sources to the diet.
Another lady came to me with her aggressive dog. The dog was eating
a dry food and I wondered whether this might be the source of the problem
(since some of the commercial processed foods can provoke aggression in
dogs). After much deduction, it transpired that this dog actually did very
well on the dry food. Her owner had tried raw, but the result had been
huge digestive upset. The difficulty, it transpired, was that the dog wasn’t
sure of her place in the family, and she was behaving aggressively to balance-out
her owner’s overly meek behaviour. So once again I will repeat: most dogs
thrive on a natural raw diet, with some rare exceptions.
Quite a few years ago I was invited to attend and speak at a holistic
dog camp run by a wonderful woman called Wendy Volhard. Wendy’s knowledge
and understanding of canine dietary requirements is awesome. Her knowledge
is backed by around forty years of science: she has consistently advised
her followers to take blood samples for analysis from their dogs, enabling
them to ascertain whether the diet is producing health or ill-health before
unwanted consequences arise.
Most importantly, Wendy advocates muscle testing so that owners can
work out the specific dietary requirements of their animals. And so do
I. Some dogs, it transpires, fare better with lamb than beef, others better
with chicken than lamb, and so on. Just like humans, dogs are not all uniform
in their requirements. No individual, of whatever species, is anything
other than unique.
Take a simple example: some humans (and individuals of any species)
need more food than others. We know this because some lucky blighters can
eat anything they like and stay slim. Others who try to get away with eating
the same amount pile the weight on. Rob and I are a prime example (sob).
We walk the dogs together, so our exercise levels are pretty similar. Rob
is like his mother and I, sadly, am like my mother. Genetically, Rob is
skinny, and I am not.
Our dogs, Edward, Dannie and Gwinnie, also have differing dietary requirements.
Gwinnie is prone to putting on weight – she gets less to eat than the boys,
much to her disappointment. She also fares better on white meats and good
amounts of vegetable matter. Dannie tests positive for high purine foods,
like beef and liver. Edward, bless him, at the age of nine, needs to avoid
high purine foods. Edward’s limbs ache in the evenings, showing symptoms
somewhat like gout. Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the body.
Uric acid results from the breakdown of purines. The excess can be caused
by either an over-production of uric acid by the body or the under-elimination
of uric acid by the kidneys. Also, the ingestion of foods high in purines
can raise uric acid levels in the blood and precipitate gout attacks in
some ‘people’.
According to the American Medical Association, purine-containing foods
include anchovies, sardines in oil, fish roe, herring, yeast, organ meat,
beans, peas, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, and cauliflower. Foods that
may be beneficial to people with gout, however, include dark berries, white
meats, fatty acids, salmon, and white fish. A herbal blend containing garlic,
artichoke, turmeric, milk thistle and yucca can help lower uric acid levels
in the body. Aloe vera and vitamin C can also reduce inflammatory reactions
in the body. Basically, Edward needs more vegetables and fruits than Dannie
does, and supplements that Dannie doesn’t need. This is reflected by the
fact that Edward helps himself to fruit in the environment, and Dannie
doesn’t. When I eat an apple, Edward wants some; Dannie isn’t interested.
This isn’t to say, of course, that we should always follow our, or our
animals’, likes and dislikes when it comes to food. I just love chocolate
and puddings, but these aren’t necessarily foods. They are designed to
excite the palate – different function. We can also be addicted to the
foods we are allergic to. This is why I believe we all need to find a diagnostic
tool to help us work out the best diet for ourselves, and for our animals.
Then, once we have established the best diet, we need a rudimentary understanding
of using foods as medicine (since they can’t legislate food away from us,
even though they might try to rob us of our right to use vitamins, minerals
and herbs therapeutically).
I am not going to tell you in this book how to dowse or muscle test.
The reason for this is that I don’t believe you can learn it on a page.
You need to find someone to teach you, in person. Actually, I’m offering
you a precious gift: the chance to go and meet interesting and knowledgeable
people who are a little further along the road than you. You’ll get direct
proof that dowsing and muscle testing is more than airy fairy unscientific
nonsense. You’ll find it works. In a year or a few months, you will be
where they are now: you’ll be your own expert. Go to your local health
shop and ask them to recommend someone who is a Kinesiologist or a dowser.
Ask around. You will find them near you. Enrol on a course or have a few
one-to-one sessions. We do, incidentally, teach both muscle testing and
dowsing during our Foundation in Canine Healthcare course.
There
are also many books on animal nutrition which you can read. These are given
in the recommended reading list. I would, however, like to illustrate some
broad concepts for you to consider. It is, if you like, the skeleton over
which you can add the meat.
'Shock
to the System' by Catherine O’Driscoll is a sequel to 'What Vets Don't
Tell You About Vaccines'. It covers the latest information on the vaccine
issue, and puts the other pieces of the puzzle into the picture. Diet,
environmental toxins, pharmaceuticals and stress all play a part in the
health of companion animals. This book will make you cry and
aware of the scam that is the mainstay of the veterinary field. It is well
researched and written. The truth about the terrible suffering of pets
and their owners and what can be done to protect your animals from the
drug companies and ignorant vets. This information can save your animals
and give you the facts to present to your vet if he/she does not keep up
with current science. A must for anyone who loves animals and wants to
keep them safe and healthy.
Many pet owners are beginning to question the validity of conventional
methods used by veterinarians and are concerned about the health of their
dog or cat. Processed foods and drugs have seriously depleted the natural
vitality and immune systems of many pets. Though natural health care for
animals has been virtually non existent in the past, it is rapidly growing
in popularity as a cheaper, more effective alternative.
Sadly, it os often those who care most for their pets who, through ignorance,
can do the most harm. By closely identifying with their dog or cat, pet
owners tend to imagine that what is good for them will also be good for
their pet. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Dogs and cats
are anatomically very different to humans. Their intestinal tract, for
example is only about half as long as a human's, and food is therefore
processed and assimilated very differently. Whereas large amounts of red
meat can cause cancer in humans, a lack of raw red meat in an animal's
diet can lead to serious health problems.
Animals require the enzymes, amino acids and other nutrients in the
raw meat in order to stay healthy. Many skin and coat problems are a direct
result of a lack of raw animal fat in the diet - fat which humans often
believe is bad for their pet. Animals need at least 30% raw fat, and their
systems are not designed to handle cooked meat or cooked fat. Restaurant
grease has become a major component of feed-grade animal fat over the last
15 years. Often held in 50-gallon drums for weeks or months in extreme
temperatures, this grease is usually kelp outside with no regard for its
safety or further use. The rancid grease is then picked up by fat blenders
who mix the animal and vegetable fats together, stabilize them with powerful
antioxidants to prevent further spoilage, and then sell the blended products
to pet food companies. Rancid, heavily preserved fats are extremely difficult
to digest and can lead to a host of animal health problems, including digestive
upsets, diarrhea, gas, and bad breath. In the wild, a panther or jackal
does not barbecue, grill or smoke its prey. It definitely does not walk
to the local supermarket to buy dry food either. Yet most pet owners recoil
at the thought of feeding raw meat to their dog or cat, concerned about
bacteria or parasites. However, dogs and cats don't get salmonella poisoning
because their digestive system is so acidic (or at least it should be)
that it kills everything. This is why a dog can bury a bone and dig it
up two weeks later and eat the rotting meat. Humans on the other hand,
can pick up parasites more easily because their digestive tract is nowhere
near as acidic as that of a carnivore. For more information: Will
Eating Raw Meat Give My Pet Parasites? --
enzymes
and animal health
The meat contained in canned pet food is cooked, devoid of 'real' nutrients
and usually contains many potentially harmful preservatives, colourings
and additives. Dry and processed canned food also lack the natural teeth
cleaning properties of fresh raw meat. Without the natural cleansing action
of the meat on the teeth, unhealthy bacteria builds up in the mouth, causing
infection and foul smelling breath. The high salt content in some pet foods
can cause animals to become unnaturally high strung and nervous.
For a return to health, pets require a diet which strengthens the immune
system and most closely resembles that which they would get in the wild.
It's really easy to do. Essentially, you feed your pet a combination of
certain raw meats and select from a host of raw vegetables. Then by being
aware of a few animal nutrition guidelines, you've made your pet the best
diet it can eat!
The best type of food you can feed your dog or cat is food you make
yourself. It is the most natural, most nutritionally balanced, most easily
digested and of much higher quality than canned or dry food. Many commercially
produced pet foods contain preservatives such as BHA, BHT, or even MSG
which can cause birth defects, liver and kidneys problems, baldness and
brain defects. They may also be carcinogenic and what is really scary is
that humans eat these preservatives also in such foods as breakfast cereals.
The salt content of many pet foods can be as high as 1000 times more
salt than what your pet needs in one day. The excess salt can cause high
blood pressure and heart disease in animals. Epilepsy is now more common
in dogs than in humans. Semi-moist pet food usually contain as much as
25% sugar which can come in many forms such as sucrose, corn syrup, beet
pulp, and caramel to name a few. Other foods can contain up to 10% propylene
glycol. Both sugar and propylene glycol are linked to obesity, allergies,
tooth decay and other problems like forms cancer. Propylene glycol sister
ethylene glycol is used in the making of anti-freeze and to think it's
in the food we feed our pets. Once again, our foods like common salad dressings
contain propylene glycol also (just read the label). A relatively new ingredient
in pet food is ethoxyquin which has been implicated with thyroid problems,
hair loss and reproductive disorders. A component of ethoxyquin - quinoline
- is regarded by some in the scientific community as the ultimate carcinogen.
Ethoxyquin is made by Monsanto, the same company that makes the lawn pesticide
known as Roundup, the Bovine Growth Hormone and Monsanto also makes the
chemicals sprayed onto new carpets. Ethoxyquin which was originally created
as a rubber hardener has also been used as a pesticide and at one point
was deemed 'harmful and deleterious', but in 1958, Monsanto had its lobbyists
influence politicians. The result was Monsanto had the laws changed. Monsanto
must have had good lobbyists because in order to get the laws changed,
it took an Act of Congress known as 'The Food Additive Amendment of 1958'.
This ammendment was passed making the words in the law say that exthoxyquin
was safe even though studies showed its toxicity! The real scary part about
ethoxyquin is that it is undectable and so even though a label may not
read it has ethoxyquin, it could be there.
Homemade pet food is not only free of such harmful additives, but has
the added benefit of containing natural remedies for common ailments. Garlic
for example, contains sulfur which acts as a natural flea repellent. The
acidity of raw meat creates an environment in which mucous in which worms
thrive disappear. Since the worms cannot survive in a healthy body, homemade
pet food has the added advantage of increasing the animal's vitality and
subsequently reducing veterinarian bills for the owner.
How you care for your pet's coat can be just as important as the diet.
Any shampoo that is intended for external use only or is meant to kill
fleas, should be avoided. If the label reads 'domestic' and has a guarantee
on the label, it means it is a pesticide for home use and is therefore
still a poison. These shampoos are absorbed through the skin and can damage
the liver and kidneys; weaken the immune system, and will ultimately not
even kill fleas. Only a strong immune system will keep your pet free of
fleas. Fleas, like many parasites build up resistance to insecticide shampoos.
So, the application of such products can only be harmful to your pet.
Providing natural and simple health care to your pets brings numerous
benefits to both humans and pets. Those who do not feel they have time
to prepare homemade food will be happy to know that it really only takes
a few minutes a day and a week's worth of food can be made and frozen.
Sadly, most people wait until their pet is sick before they take action.
It's so easy to see your pet as being healthy on the outside, but if only
we could see the inside. So get informed today because after all, your
pet is a living being and your pet depends on you to take care of him or
her!!!
Editor's Paw Note: The Vigilante Guardian by Jesse Dallas was first
published in the June, 1995 edition of the Vancouver magazine called 'Shared
Vision' and had an absolutely phenomenal reception. The information, although
written 2 years ago, is still pertinent in 1997 and we hope you have enjoyed
it as much as all those who read it in 1995.
Raw
Feeding Calculator As a general rule, a normal active dog require
about 2% of its body weight per day. A highly
active dog may require about 3% of its body
weight per day. No two dogs are alike in their metabolic rates, age, or
activity levels Puppies can use up to 10%
of their growing body weight. Use the online calculator
to calculate the amount of food needed by body weight.
Raw
Meaty Bones - Tom Lonsdale, a graduate of the Royal Veterinary College
in London, admits he was slow to recognize problems associated with feeding
canned and dry pet foods. 'The truth is rarely pure, and never simple'
said Oscar Wilde, but this book lets the truth speak for itself as it lifts
the lid on the pet food industry/veterinary profession alliance. You owe
it to your pet to read this book to find out what happens to dogs and cats
if their diet is inadequate.
Some
breeders and trainers prefer to feed their dog twice a day to avoid stressing
their digestive system. I
have been feeding Shasta strickly raw food once a day to give her digestive
track a chance to rest which keeps her healthier and never overweight.
No two dogs are alike or have the same feeding requirement. It is entirely
to the dog's owner to decide what is best for their dog. If I were to feed
my dog twice a day and wanted to give kibble AND raw food, I would not
mix the two together. It takes 18 hours for a dog to digest kibbles and
only 6 hours to digest raw food. To prevent fermentation in the stomach
which in turn causes my dog (and other dogs) to have gas, muchi and malodorous
stools, I avoid mixing kibbles with raw food. I would give the raw
food in the morning and 6 hours later I would give the kibble. My
friend, Pat Hartman, who is a
German Shepherd expert also recommends to never feed dry kibbles to GSD.
Instead, soak the kibbles first..Click
here to view the commercial dog food comparison chart
Concerned
about Zoonosis? Zoonosis is an
infectious or parasitic disease, which is naturally passed from vertebrate
animals to humans, and vice versa, e.g. tuberculosis, rabies or brucellosis.
"Dogs and especially cats can shed Salmonella organisms in both their feces
and saliva, meaning that transmission can occur via licking." more.
- A pet dog or cat licking your hand is a very common occurrence.
Sometimes a pet may lick the face of a child, helping germs spread more
easily. Animal saliva contains many pathogenic agents. more
-- If you have these concerns, learn about the healthy alternatives
to feeding raw food, you can feed your pet healthy kibbles with all natural
ingredients....
Healthy Alternatives to Feeding
Raw Food Natural dog and cat food with only natural, wholesome
ingredients and nutrient dense with vitamins, minerals, fats and fatty
acids which are essential for the optimal health of your dog or cat. No
harmful chemicals are used in these pet food!
They are made from the highest quality
ingredients with all-natural preservatives
anddo
not contain meat or grain by-products, color additives, or chemical
preservatives. Learn more about these natural
pet foods
Do
You Really Know What's In Your Pet's Food? Listen to Dr. Jane
Bicks holistic veterinarian 12 minute FREE audio presentation to
learn more about how you can improve the health, well-being and longevity
of your cherished pet.
Domesticated animals (including ferrets and rodents)
suffer from minerals and vitamin deficiencyOur
soil, plants, and especially commercial foods are woefully deficient in
key nutrients. Scientists theorize that mineral deficiency subjects
us, and our animals, to more diseases, aging, sickness and destruction
of our physical well-being than any other factor in personal health. Domesticated
ferrets, like our domesticated dogs and cats, are prone to suffer from
minerals and trace mineral deficiency which makes them prone to diseases.
A good source of naturally occuring trace minerals and vitamins for ferrets
and other pets are:
Marine
Phytoplankton Dr. Jerry Tennant, M.D. says that marine phytoplankton
contains almost everything one needs to sustain life and to restore health
by providing the raw materials to make new cells that function normally.
Marine phytoplankton has been called "the most nutritionally dense foods
on the planet". Containing a wide range of trace elements, amino acids,
vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, enzymes and cellular materials, marine
phytoplankton promotes and maintains optimum health by boosting and supporting
all systems within the body.
Seaweed
(kelp). Sea Vegetables (Spirulina - Kelp - Chlorella) have been
acknowledged as a detoxifyer, a balanced nourishment and a miraculous healing
plant. Ocean / Sea algae are the richest natural source of minerals, trace
minerals and rear earth elements.
Fulvic
minerals consist of an immense arsenal and array of naturally occuring
powerful phytochemicals, biochemicals, supercharged antioxidants, free-radical
scavengers, super oxide dismutases, nutrients, enzymes, hormones, amino
acids, antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungals
Bee Pollen
contains all the essential components of life. The percentage of rejuvenating
elements in bee pollen remarkably exceeds those present in brewer's yeast
and wheat germ. Bee pollen corrects the deficient or unbalanced nutrition,
common in the customs of our present-day civilization of consuming incomplete
foods.
Flaxoil:
holistic veterinarians are beginning to recommend to their clients that
they supplement their animals diet with a daily dose of flaxseed oil and
other nutrients for optimum health and vitality. The vets are finding remarkable
results in clearing up skin conditions, relieving arthritic and inflammatory
pain, as well as improved over all pet health. (Suzie
Zeeman gives flaxoil to her ferrets. She says that their fur
looks shinny and thick, and feels soft and smooth since on flaxoil."
Transfer
Factor Plus - Canine and Feline Formulas are advanced immune support
supplements formulated or dogs and cats (also good for ferrets).
According to veterinarians, the powerful and proprietary blend of ingredients
work together to activate and enhance the immune system's ability
to respond to the many pathogens may pets come into contact with. more
Barley
Dog is the original "green" supplement made from the juice of organic
Barley grass with a hickory smoked flavor. It provides active enzymes,
vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, amino acids, chlorophyll, proteins and
essential trace minerals. Regular use can promote healthy skin and coat,
reduce bad breath, improve digestion and restore energy levels.
Optimum Pet Nutrition "The results of a clinical trial suggest that 74.7% of common diseases
in dogs and 63% of common diseases in cats can be eliminated without medical
intervention over a period of one year with proper diet modifications and
an understanding of the healing process as exhibited through healing episodes.
Approaching disease from the perspective of health is the most powerful
means of eliminating disease. Poor fuel makes for little momentum in life.
The commercial food we are feeding' is the disease we are treating---so
treat on and on, curing one disease after another, again and again." William
Pollak D.V.M.
Sample Recipes of Home Made Rawfood
Diet for Animals Your dog’s behavior, happiness, health, longevity and overall well-being
are inextricably intertwined with what you feed him. Dogs, just like everyone
else, have specific nutritional needs. And, not to complicate matters,
the needs of individual dogs
I add Fulvic acids to Shasta's raw food diet.
Fulvic neutralizes toxins and can eliminate food poisoning within
minutes. When it encounters free radicals with unpaired positive or
negative electrons, it supplies an equal and opposite charge to neutralize
the free radical. fulvic acid acts as a refiner and transporter of organic
materials and cell nutrients. According to A. Szalay, fulvic acid has the
ability to dramatically detoxify herbicides, pesticides, and other poisonsthat
it interacts with – this includes many radioactive elements. This detoxification
process may extend to animals and humans. Shirley
Animals
are not the only creatures on earth who can benefit from raw foods
Learn about the Incredible healing power of raw foods
for humans (Including personal accounts of cancer cures) Most
human illnesses and diseases are due to a deficiency of vital nutrients.
When you supply your body with the proper nutrients, in a form that your
body can use, it knows how to repair itself!"
The American Living
Foods Institute more SICK OF DRUGGING YOUR PET? There
is a better way to bring your pet to health and keep it healthy.
For years dog health supplies have included toxic materials to artificially
maintain dog health as a temporary measure. The time has come to change
to a more natural approach toward animal health. Natural remedies have
been shown to achieve more immediate, more complete and longer lasting
health, vitality, quality and longevity of animal lives. Learn about herbal
remedies and other safe alternatives to drugs, chemo, radiation and surgery
Michael Dym, VMD - "Over the past 40 years and 17 generations
of dogs and, cats we are seeing tremendous increases in chronic ill health
in our pets that was rare back in the early 1960's. Most of these illnesses
revolve around breakdown in our pets' immune systems, and include chronic
skin/ear allergies, digestive upset, thyroid/adrenal/pancreatic disorders,
seizures, gum/ teeth problems, degenerative arthritis, kidney/liver failure,
and cancer across all ages and breeds. We are also seeing a record number
of behavioral and emotional disorders including alarming and unexplained
fears/aggression., as well as difficulty focusing/training and paying attention.
The analogy of these compared with escalating immune/behavioral diseases
in children is quite disturbing. The two biggest factors in our pets' population
health decline over these generations has been the severe overuse
of multiple vaccines and nutrient poor and toxin
filled commercial pet foods. We have also failed to address the underlying
cause of disease by only sup pressing symptoms with antibiotics,
cortisone
and related drugs, so the disease progresses and goes deeper. Homeopathy
offers a viable alternative in truly curing pets and making their bodies
healthier."
Will Falconer, DVM - "Most of the chronic diseases we commonly
see in animals (and humans) have an immune basis, e.g. diabetes, allergies,
asthma, thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, repeated ear infections,
cancer, etc. While they can be cured through the careful use of homeopathy,
the road to cure can be a long one -- often years if the animal has had
years of disease. Transfer factors can significantly shorten the course,
by giving a much needed balancing effect to the immune system. If the immune
system is overactive as in allergies, ear infections, asthma, diabetes,
or hypothyroidism, Transfer Factor can balance this overactivity so the
system is not attacking its own organs, overreacting to things that shouldn’t
be perceived as a threat. If, conversely, the immune system is under-active
as in mange, parasites, viral infections, or cancer, Transfer
Factor Plus can clearly stimulate it to better meet the challenges
it needs to be alert to." Prevaccination
Protection Dr. Falconer D.V.M. explains how to protect your animal
from vaccines damage
Sam Jones, DVM - "Two cats, both about 8 years old, had severe
diabetes. It was impossible to get the insulin requirements adjusted. They
had lost weight to a point that they were skin and bones. Both cats had
no quality of life left. After one week of being on transfer
factors; we were able to get their insulin requirements adjusted. It
is now 6 months and they have regained their weight and have a great quality
of life and health."
Just like humans, domesticated animals like dogs and cats are affected
by the health hazards of modern living. Pollution, poor nutrition, stress
and unhealthy lifestyles can lead to a variety of illnesses and conditions
that are very similar to those experienced by humans. These days, emotional
and psychological problems like depression, anxiety, ADHD and behavioral
problems are just as prevalent in pets as they are in their owners.
Similarly, physical ailments such as diabetes,
arthritis, chronic fatigue, digestive disorders, cystitis, kidney and liver
disease, skin disorders, obesity, thyroid dysfunction and other problems
are becoming more and more common in domesticated animals. Many, if not
most of these conditions can be prevented by helping your pets to live
a healthier lifestyle. For pets already suffering from existing conditions,
a combination of lifestyle changes and natural medicine can work wonders!
Dr. John Hanover, DVM - "Young puppies and kittens with
respiratory infections are given Shipibo
Treasure Tea which they will lap up even when they will not drink water.
I frequently recommend Amazon Herbs for my patients, especially geriatric
animals and our Search and Rescue dogs.” more...
Dr. Jerry Tennant, M.D.
says that marine phytoplankton contains
almost everything one needs to sustain life and to restore health by providing
the raw materials to make new cells that function normally. Learn
how phytoplankton saved a dog's Life
CHLORINATED
and FLUORIDATED WATER.... A BIG NO-NO !!! There
is a perception among many people that bottled water is somehow more healthy
or pure than water from their tap. This is simply an illusion of marketing.
A four-year study by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), released
in 1999, found that one-fifth of the sampled bottled waters contained known
neurotoxins and carcinogens such as styrene, toluene and xylene. Another
NRDC study found that, out of 103 brands of bottled water, one-third contained
traces of arsenic and E. coli. This means that out of a sample of 1,000
bottles sold in the U.S., at least 300 would have some level of chemical
contamination. It is well known that the average city water today contains
over 500 chemicals that do not belong in it. Part of this is due to the
fact that most delivery systems in the U.S. include cement, asbestos pipes,
cast iron, PVC (porous to certain solvents, herbicides and pesticides)
and that lead, cadmium and other toxic metals leach out of valves and couplings
of pipes between a water treatment plant and a faucet in the home. Why
Purified and Distilled Bottled Water are Bad For You and Your Animals
Safe,
toxin-free, Ionized,
Energized, Drinking Water helps to naturally flush toxins and acidic
waste from the body and is a powerful antioxidant. Ionized Water makes
more oxygen available to our cells than distilled, reverse osmosis, filtered
only, bottled or tap water and is the best possible drinking water. "Disease
and early death is more likely to be seen with the long term drinking of
purified water. Avoid it except in special circumstances." Zoltan P.
Rona M.D
Although the suppressive therapies are hard on the body, they do not
compare with he rampant idiocy of using antibiotics for viral infections.
Thankfully some measure of sanity appears to be returning to the medical
profession. More and more doctors are avoiding prescribing antibiotics
for colds and flus. Several critical observations must be made here.
First, antibiotics are totally ineffective against viruses. The excuse
most often heard for prescribing antibiotics in a viral illness is to prophylactically
protect the body against a secondary bacterial infection. This is an idea
proven to be false decades ago. In the United States, of the 5 most common
antibiotics prescribed, three are broad spectrum. That's a problem!
Second, the basis of antibiotics is mold. Through millions of years
of evolution, bacteria and mold have coexisted in nature - in the soil,
plants and animals. When one of them developed an evolutionary edge over
the other and began to shift the balance in favor of itself, the other
must have rapidly learned to defend itself against this new attack. If
this were not true, we would only have either bacteria or molds but not
both. By using mold, we thought we could slay one step ahead of bacteria
in the evolutionary scale because we're so smart. Well, the yolk is on
us, the bacteria are winning, and at a record pace. So in our attempt to
wipe out bacteria, we forced them into a revolutionary evolutionary change
and we damaged our immunity so badly that we become easy prey for viruses.
Additional side effects of antibiotics are immune suppression and the increased
susceptibility to parasites.
The long term effects of the breakdown of the immune system can be seen
in increased infections, auto-immune disorders and tumor formation. The
body's last ditch effort to compensate for the loss of internal defenses
is to hyper activate the depressed immune function. What it may do is over
stimulate the immune function, sacrificing the "self" - "not self" regulatory
mechanisms. The defenses then perceive its own organs and systems as "not
self" and begin to mount defenses against them. This starts the precipitous
march toward auto immune disorders such as SLE, MS, RA, and possibly CFS.
--- Why
elimination of the symptom is NOT the same as elimination of the
disease
Frustrated with the Failures of Conventional Veterinary Medicine:
"After
10 years of traditional veterinary practice I became tired of having no
treatment for chronic disease, incurable conditions, and a plethora of
allergic maladies which seem to plague all veterinary practices. I was
frustrated with giving animals cortisone because I had no other solutions,
or using antibiotics for infections which I knew were of viral origin."
Dr
Charles E Loops DVM
Homeopathy for Animals:
Why use barbiturates for
pain relief Why let an Animal Suffer? A growing number of veterinarians
are turning to homeopathic veterinary medicine as a safe and effective
alternative to conventional veterinary practice.
if you'd like to copy, print or send to a friend a summary of the
information about holistic animal health click here
Holistic
veterinary: testimonials of amazing cures Read other people's testimonialsof amazing animal health improvements
and cures of cancer and other chronic disease with natural, alternative
health care and optimum nutrition. This is a collection of emails I received
over the years and for which I received the permission to publish on my
site. With each testimonial you will find an email address to facilitate
correspondance, feedback and support.
Alternative Therapy for Our Animals Read about FDA's alledged abuse of power toward pet store owner who
supplied litterature claiming that vitamins would keep pets healthy. The
article, written by James DeMeo, Ph.D. can be found atThe
FDA - Who Do They Really Protect? Anti-Constitutional Activities and
Abuse of Police Power by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other
Federal Agencies.
Improving Your Animal's Immune System
and Overall Health with Nutritional Support A groundswell of nutrition conscious veterinarians are beginning to
recommend to their clients that they supplement their animals diet with
a daily dose of flaxseed oil and other important nutrients.When the diets
of animals were fortified with flax, within three weeks their coats developed
a beautiful sheen, and dandruff was greatly diminished. There are amazing
testimonials about animals recovering from cancer, diabetes and other severe
degenerative illnesses with a nutritional product called Transfer Factor.
Dr. Charles W. Brown,
DVM - "My colleagues and I have found this product
(transfer
factor) to be very effective in modulating the immune system. Transfer
factor is a "soup" of immune-modulating factors, which contains a leukocyte-type
molecule that can passively transfer immunity from one mammal to another
by stimulating cell-mediated immunity and is antigen specific. Richard
Bennett, Ph.D., an Infectious Disease Microbiologist and Immunologist from
the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, believes
this could be the most significant development in animal health care in
decades. We have a great number of veterinarians and clients who are experiencing
very positive results in a broad area of disorders, including periodontal.
"more
A growing number of veterinarians state that processed pet food is the
main cause of illness and premature death in the modern dog and cat. In
December 1995, the British Journal of Small Animal Practice published a
paper contending that processed pet food supresses the immune system and
leads to liver, kidney, heart and other diseases. Dr. Kollath, of the Karolinska
Hospital in Stockholm, headed a study done on animals. When young animals
were fed cooked and processed foods they initially appeared to be healthy.
However, as the animals reached adulthood, they began to age more quickly
than normal and also developed chronic degenerative disease symptoms. A
control group of animals raised on raw foods aged less quickly and were
free of degenerative disease. For a return to health, pets require a diet
which strengthens the immune system and most closely resembles that which
they would get in the wild. It's really easy to do. Click
here to learn
Home:
ShirleysWellnessCafe.com (aka: MyWellnessHouse.com) is a free educational
site site dedicated to help promote holistic health for you, your family,
and your animals.
Deadly,
Contagious Dog Flu Virus - Dr. Cynda Crawford, an immunologist
at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine who is studying
the virus, said that it spread most easily where dogs were housed together
but that it could also be passed on the street, in dog runs or even by
a human transferring it from one dog to another. Kennel workers have carried
the virus home with them. Read
what Dr. Falconer D.V.M. recommends to protect your pet from
the Canine Flu disease
Do
you have a question about holistic animal health or need assistance?
or call 206-984-3009 or 323-389-0560
Veterinary Secrets
Revealed!
E-book Veterinary
Secrets Revealed is the bible for solving your pet health problems
with natural, at home remedies. Dr. Jones shows you more ways to treat
your pet at home than I knew existed.
"These are all practical
remedies that really work. No pet owner should be without this e-book."
Dr. Jeff Serfas, Forestburg Animal Hospital
Dr. Steven Slagle, DVM
- "Transfer
factors have turned out to be the most effective and versatile
products I have ever used in my 32-year veterinary practice. A cat with
leukemia, an oral tumor, and posterior paralysis due to a spinal tumor,
was very ill and emaciated. One month after transfer factors there was
some regression of the oral tumor, restored appetite with some weight gain,
and increased sociability. Five months later, she continues to improve,
regaining normal weight, 80% regression of her oral tumor, and regaining
use of hind legs and tail." more
Dogs
love Dr. Miller's Holy Tea too! Dogs enjoy drinking Dr. Miller's Holy Tea because it helps improve their digestion, thus
eliminate bad breath and body odors. The tea also helps flush toxins and assists
in cleansing waste and compacted fecal matter from the colon. learn more.
Dr. John Hanover, DVM
- "Young puppies and kittens with respiratory infections are given
Shipibo
Treasure Tea which they will lap up even when they will not drink water.
I frequently recommend Amazon Herbs for my patients, especially geriatric
animals and our Search and Rescue dogs.” More...
Watch
these Free Videos:
‘We
Become Silent" A must see documentary about the threat to medical freedom
of choice. The Last Days of Health Freedom' details the ongoing
attempts by multinational pharmaceutical interests and giant food companies
to limit the public’s access to herbs, vitamins and other therapies.
Prescription
for Disaster in-depth investigation into the relationships between
the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA, lobbyists, lawmakers, medical schools,
and researchers, and the impact this has on consumers and their health
care.
Video
library(whistleblower doctors)
Dr.
Jerry Tennant, M.D.
says that marine phytoplankton contains almost
everything one needs to sustain life and to restore health by providing
the raw materials to make new cells that function normally. Learn
how phytoplankton saved a dog's Life
Share
this information - send this page If you have friends that
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Toxic
Pet Food (kibble and canned comercial pet food)
Contaminated Pet Food Affected 39,000 Cats And Dogs Nationwide. According to the latest reports released by one of the nation's largest chains of veterinary hospitals, nearly 39,000 cats and dogs were sickened or killed nationwide following the recent reports of pet food-contamination with an industrial chemical. The data, which was released by Banfield, The Pet Hospital, was reportedly compiled from records collected by its more than 615 veterinary hospitals. more on the recall --- Listen to holistic veterinarian Dr. Jane Bicks D.V.M." Do You Really Know What's In Your Pet's Food?"l -- Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Pet Food Companies
Some
breeders and trainers prefer to feed their dog twice a day to avoid stressing
their digestive system. I
have been feeding Shasta strickly raw food once a day to give her digestive
track a chance to rest which keeps her healthier and never overweight.
No two dogs are alike or have the same feeding requirement. It is entirely
to the dog's owner to decide what is best for their dog. If I were to feed
my dog twice a day and wanted to give kibble AND raw food, I would not
mix the two together. It takes 18 hours for a dog to digest kibbles and
only 6 hours to digest raw food. To prevent fermentation in the stomach
which in turn causes my dog (and other dogs) to have gas, muchi and malodorous
stools, I avoid mixing kibbles with raw food. I would give the raw
food in the morning and 6 hours later I would give the kibble. My
friend, 
