Understand that tartar is a great breeding ground for bacteria and bacterial toxins.    These bacteria and toxins are easily absorbed into you  pet’s circulation  where they pass, via the blood stream, to the liver, kidney, and heart.   Once reaching these vital organs,  the toxins produce unseen damage on a regular day after day basis.    In the begining no symptoms  are noticed but after 5 or 10 years of progressive toxic  damage, organ injury reachs the point  where  the organ  can no longer function properly.    At first there are only abnormal blood tests with no symptoms but as damage progresses  physical symptoms appear.    It often appears to  care giver  that their pet just became sick when, in truth, he or she had been sick for several years.

My point is that daily home dental care is essential in reducing toxic and free radical damage to your pet’s vital organs.     If you simply rely on the annual professional dental prophylaxsis to get rid of your pet’s tartar and do nothing in between  you will have allowed considerable irreparable  damage to occur in the interim.  

You response to my above recommendation might be,  ”Dr. Simon, that’s all well and good but I don’t have time to struggle with my dog or cat on a daily basis”.   My reply is that there are a number of  approachs  that make daily dental care easy.    The one I recommend is that my clients use a product known as “Maxigaurd Oral Gel”.   The gel is really a solution of zinc vitamin C which when simply smeared on the upper gums will reduce the build up of tartar,  bacteria and their toxins.   Once getting use to using it,  the process should take no more than 30 seconds.   This daily dental hygiene is part of our overall dental program that includes an annual dental cleaning.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

From the beginning  of life free radicals in the form of airborne, food and water toxins begin to destroy healthy cells and tissues.     Providing healthy air,  food and water  may require extra work but will greatly reduce toxin and free radical damage.    The most healthy diets are free of toxins,  provide nutrients that support  liver function and detoxification, and avoid nutrients that lead to a leaky gut syndrome.      Broadly speaking dogs and cats should be fed a homemade, rare/raw  meat, no grain diet.     Ideally, the meat should be organic and grass fed while veggies should b e organic, colorful and steamed or grated.   If homemade diets are not an option for you then  feed a high quality commercial diet that is over 40% meat by dry weight and contains a minimum of grain.    It is impossible, even for a veterinarian,  to determine the percent meat in a commercial diet by simply looking at the bag.      You must call the company and ask the nutritionist this question,  “On a dry matter basis, what percent of the food is meat protein”.    Understand that grains and veggies also have protein so the percent protein on the bag does not tell you how much is meat protein.     Finally, adding supplemental digestive enzymes, probiotics, trace minerals and omega fatty acids to either a commercial or homemade diet will plug many of the nutritional holes resulting from poor farming practices and commercial processing of food.  Regretfully, because of space limitations we can not go into all of the other factors that must be considered when choosing the optimal commercial diet.    Therefore, you may want to go to my website Doc4pets.com and click on  the nutrition heading for a much more comprehensive write up on pet diets.

Next to good nutrition regular dental hygiene is the most important thing owners  can perform  in order to provide their  dog or cat a longer healthier life.   Because tartar  is a breeding ground for bacteria, by keeping tartar to a minimum fewer bacterial toxins will get into the blood stream and damage the liver and kidneys.    Daily home dental care combined with a yearly professional dental prophylaxis will make a hug difference in the health of your pet during his or her senior years.  

We all live in a toxic world and as hard as we may try we can’t elimininate them all.   However any effort we make to minimize our pets exposure to environmental toxins will pay off big time in terms of extending their life.   Environmental toxins involve such hazards as household cleaning products, lawn pesticides,  radon, cigarette smoke, paint fumes, fumes from no stick cooking utensils,  automobile fumes, poisonous plants, rat poisons and spilled antifreeze.      Keep in mind that pets are much closer to the ground than we are and therefore more exposed to many environmental  toxins.    Bird owners should know that their feathered friend is much more sensitive to airborne toxins and therefore every effort should be made to keep them away from fumes resulting from paint, no stick cook ware, tobacco smoke,  house hold deodorizers and even fireplace fumes.     If you must apply weed and insect killer to your lawn try to use organic products keeping in mind that if you apply non organic chemicals  than pets that get outside will walk through the grass and then lick the residual chemicals off their feet or ingest these toxin  when they nibble on the grass.   There are now a number of companies that manufacture non toxic home cleaning products that can replace those toxic products you many now be using.   Once again space restraints limit this discussion on environmental toxins so if you have further interest to learn more please visit my website Doc4pets.com  and go to my blog and look through the archive of articles till you find the ones involving environmental  toxins and detoxification.

Avoiding toxins is one thing but getting rid of them once already in the body is a whole different issue.    Toxins accumulate in our pets body slowly and without producing symptoms until the concentration of toxins destroys enough tissue to produce outward disease.   Of course the idea is to be proactive and get rid of these toxins before symptoms become obvious.      The process of detoxification can be accomplished in several ways ie. homeopathy, herbal, and nutritional.      I recommend all my patient go through a homeopathic detox twice yearly.     Most toxins are also free radicals that steel electrons and damage vital tissue.   Adding a number of antioxidants to the daily diet will help neutralize these free radicals, prevent cellular damage and  provide additional years of normal function for important organ systems.     Vitamin C,  Vitamin E,  Selenium, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and resveratrol  are examples of nutritional antioxidants.   Milk Thistle,  Burdock  root,  and            are herbal anti oxidants.

The process of detoxification is enhanced by supporting those organs which are most instrumental in removing toxins from the body.    Of those organs the liver is the most important.     Dimethylglycine, SAM-E, MSM, Detox Kit and liver glandular are a few examples of  nutraceutical which support the liver.

Constant emotional stress can steel years from Excessive emotional stress is truly a toxin in that stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous  system which inturn causes inflammation, tissue damage and free radical damage..   Early obedience training will go along way in reducing emotional stress  because a well behaved dog   is a contribution family whereas a dog that misbehaves, bitesl, barks excessivel or destroys family property  will result in repeated reprimands and in family upsets and discontentment.     If behavior training has failed we can provide homeopathic, herbal , and  nutraceutical s that will calm the dog hopeful end unacceptable behavior.  

Regular exercise is an important part of maintaining good health because it not only helps to main a slim muscular appearance it also relieves boredom and allows the pet to get rid of pent up energy that otherwise might be vented by destructive behavior such as chewing on shoes, furniture or lamp cords.   Walking or jogging with your dog is great for both of you.     Playing fetch the ball or Frizbee  are other  fun activities.   Agility training, hunting and visits to the dog park are additional approachs to getting rid of energy and reducing unwanted behavior.   Exercising with your pet is a great way to strengthen the human animal bond

Chiropractic care is something most pet owners never consider until their pet is lame or injured.    However   semi annual  proactive spinal adjustments are important not only in maintaining a healthy neuromuscular skeletal system but is also very effective in keeping internal organs functioning properly.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

We need to accept unfortunate truth that we and our pets live in a toxic world that is constantly trying to steal a little bit of our health .     The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the psychologically stressful  nature of our lives continually threatens our health and that of our pet.     Consequently,  none of us are healthy as we might believe.   We are all carrying a toxic load in the form of both chemicals and psychological stress.     On top of this, as a result of poor farming practices, and food processing techniques,  the food that we and our pets eat  is almost always deficient in essential nutrients  like trace minerals, essential  fatty acids, digestive enzymes, and antioxidants.    Unfortunately, these deficient nutrients are essential in helping our pet’s body mount an attack to remove these toxins and cleanse our bodies.    The point is that we are all toxic to some degree and probably becoming more toxic every day.     The problems is insidious and each day little by little  our health is being stolen from us.    Since it is impossible to totally avoid toxins in our day to day life,  what we can do is  slow down the toxic degeneration of our bodies by minimizing exposure and following a program of detoxification.   In the following paragraph I will briefy  mention the important steps a pet caregiver can take to help their pet live a longer and healthier life.   I apologize for not having the space to go in to much detail but  If you are interested in a greater depth of understanding you may visit my website  Doc4pets and then click on my blog.    

Maximizing nutrition and minimizing toxins in your pet’s food can be accomplish best by feeding your dog or cat a homemade, meat based diet either raw/rare or lightly cooks .      Of course organic ingredients and grass fed meat are best for your pet  if you can afford them.    Whether homemade of commercial,  diets should contain at least 40% meat by dry weight.  Avoid grains and feed colorful steamed (not raw) veggies which contain lots of antioxidants.     Grains tend to be hard for carnivores to digest and promote the development of a “Leaky Gut Syndrome”  which  allows intestinal toxins to leak into blood stream  and  overwhelm the livers ability to cleanse the blood.    Soaking food ingredients in hydrogen peroxide or  grapefruit seed extract will help reduce external toxins that might be present in the food.    Adding digestive enzymes supplements to the pet food will maximize availability of the nutrients while at the same time  minimize the likelihood of  food allergies.

Next in importance is minimizing house hold and yard toxins that your pet could be exposed to .    Because our pets are closer to the ground than we are they are more exposed to toxic  chemicals.  Non toxic  home cleaning supplies are now easy to obtain..   If  pesticides are used  in the house or yard make sure they  are non toxic to your pet.    Check you garage and basement for chemicals your pet can ingest.   Have your basement tested for Radon.     If you have a bird don’t cook with non stick utensils as these items can be toxic to them.     Don’t smoke inside your house and don’t jog with your pet by busy streets where car fumes are more likely to be inhaled.

Routine dental care is extremely important in reducing your  pets toxic exposure.    Dental tartar is a great breeding ground for bacteria and bacterial toxins which are easily absorbed into the general circulation and which then damage the liver, kidney, heart and lungs.   The importance of  home dental care and a yearly professional  dental exam, cleaning and polishing is next, only to good nutrition in its importance to  your pet’s good health.

Finally,  see your veterinarian at least once yearly.   Senior pets should be seen twice yearly.    He or she can advise you on how  to prevent contagious viral and bacterial toxins.    Early detection of intestinal parasites such as roundworms, whipworms, hookworms and tapeworm can minimize damage done by these parasites.    They can also detect blood parasites such a heartworm disease and recommend ways to prevent these intestinal and blood parasites.     Blood and urine testing can help detect disease before and symptoms  become apparent.   At Woodside we are now carrying a homeotoxicologic “Detox Kit” which contains remedies to be placed in the pets drinking water and is used for one month twice yearly.  

Take the time , ideally once weekly, to give your pet a health evaluation which includes a home physical exam and careful observation of the animals breathing, urinating, and defecating.    When you look at your pet check for a bright energetic personality,  a good weight for the breed, a shiny hair coat, an absence of odor,  a good appetite, a firm daily stool,   effortless breathing, defecating, and urinating.

In conclusion don’t assume your dog or cat is perfectly healthy just because your pet is not displaying obvious symptoms.      Toxins are constantly  undermining your pet’s  health and damage may develop slowly and unnoticed until enough injury occurs to cause organ failure.    Therefore, be vigilant, proactive  and never take your pets good health for granite.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

It is my opinion  much of the arthritis our dogs experience could be eliminated by changing their diets from a grain based food to a more meat based recipe.   Just because the first ingredient on the ingredient list is meat does not make the diet meat based.   The only way to distinguish if a food is meat based is to asked the company’s nutritionist (not customer support person) “what percent of their  food is meat when measured on a dry matter basis ?”  Judged on this basis, most pet foods are no more than 20% meat.   Grain based diets are hard for carnivores to digest and the poorly digested large grain protein molecules act as allergens which damage the intestinal lining and result in a “leaky gut syndrome”.    This leaky gut allows grain protein molecules to get into the blood stream where they can migrate to the pet’s joints and set up an inflammatory reaction.   Feeding a meat based diet helps to prevent the above sequence of events.   Supplementing the diet with digestive enzymes, fish oil, and antioxidants will help reduce the likelihood of arthritis.

If your dog has already developed arthritis there are a number of ways to help slow the progression and reduce the discomfort from the disease.   Injections of  “chondroprotective” substances which increase joint fluid production and  encourage cartilage repair can be very effective arthritis remedies.   Personally I am not a big proponent of  using non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) to reduce inflammation and pain because their long term use may result in gastro intestinal, liver, and kidney disease.   It has also been shown that long term use of NSAIDs in humans actually results in cartilage degeneration.   Providing glucosamine, chondroitin , MSM, Gerizyme, Adequin, Legend, Zeel , systemic enzymes, hyaluronic acid,  Comfort Zone  and antioxidants in place of NSAIDs can help restore joint integrity and, in my opinion, is a much preferred approach.

Other ways to treat advanced arthritis include physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, “infra-sonic therapy”,  “pulsed magnetic therapy”, prolotherapy, gold bead implants, cold laser therapy, Electro Crystal  Rebalancing  and massage therapy.   Teaching pet owners how to massage their pet and provide passive range of motion can be very helpful in extending and enhancing their pets quality of life.

Finally, I want let my readers know about a very exciting advance in arthritis therapy.    Adult stem cell technology is now available to help treat advanced arthritis.   The stem cells are harvested from the patients own fat.  These stem cells can be injected intravenously or directly into joints.   These injected primitive cells will develop into connective tissue and cartilaginous cells which will help to rejuvenate the damaged joint.   This technology is has already been used successfully in hundreds of dogs and horses and although still on the expensive side is now available to the family pet.   Presently I am one of the few veterinarians certified to provide such therapy.

Detecting the early signs of arthritis and instituting early treatment can make a huge difference in the  success of therapy.   Providing a high quality meat based diet, with omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants along with weight management can help prevent the onset of arthritis and help extend both the quality and quantity of the pet’s life.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a bi monthly holistic pet care column for  ”Natural Awakening ” magazine.

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, White lake and Toledo

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Feed a high quality,  low protein diet prescription kidney diet available from all veterinarians– Or — feed a home made kidney diet by following a receipe that we  make available. The diet will decrease the formation of waste protein toxins, discourage obesity and reduce the work load of the kidney.

 Encourage your dog or cat to drink more by providing lots of fresh water throughout the day or by adding more water directly to the pet’s food.   Doing this will encourage better hydration while at the same time flush the kidneys and reduce accumulating protein waste toxins.    Because pets in kidney failure have kidneys that can not concentrate urine they will eventually become dehydrated unless they drink much more water than normal .    If a pet becomes dehydrated he or she will need to be given subcutaneous or intravenous fluids.   These fluids can be given in the veterinary hospital or the owner can be taught to do this at home.

 Make sure your dog or cat receives a regular dental prophylaxis to reduce oral bacteria  which are injurious to the animal’s kidneys, liver, and heart.  Home dental care is probably more important for dogs and cats than  for their caregivers because pets build tartar much faster and receive much less professional dental care.    Supplement your dog’s or cat’s diet with  veterinary recommended anti-oxidant enzymes, vitamins, minerals,  and glandulars to reduce tissue injury from free radicals and to stimulate natural immunity.  Omega 3 fatty acids are also important supplements that promotes kidney health.    Coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, and  lipoic acid are three  other important nutrients that support kidney function

 Have your veterinarian perform semi annual blood and urine testing to monitor your dog’s or cat’s kidney function and to provide an early warning system for the development of other degenerative disease.  Recently a new urine test, the ERD micro albuminuria test, has become available.  The ERD test requires only a small amount of urine and can detect kidney disease much earlier than blood tests.  Any dog or cat over the age of 6 years old should be routinely tested with an ERD test because not only does it detect kidney disease but  also is a screen for inflammatory disease of  other organs.   Any dog or cat that is found to be drinking or urinating more than normal should have a blood screen and urinalysis performed              

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, White lake and Toledo

.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The present conventional theory of cancer is that both humans and pets are continually producing cancer cells in their body, however, a healthy body will have an efficient immune system which is on constant alert for the development of  cancerous cells and will quickly destroy these cells before they can form as cancerous mass,  more commonly referred to  as a tumor.   Unfortunately,  if we are not in the best of health and our immune system is not receiving the raw materials it needs to fight off emerging threats , the cancer cells will get a foot hold and grow into a tumor that may become life threatening.

Any time you notice a lump or swelling on your pet have it promptly checked out by your veterinarian.    Although veterinarians can often make a good guess as to whether the lump is benign or malignant he or she can never be certain without first obtaining a biopsy sample that is then sent to the veterinary pathologist for a definite diagnosis.   The biopsy may be obtained with a needle, key punch device, biopsy forceps or  by excising the whole growth or a portion with a scalpel blade.    When the biopsy is taken with a needle and syringe it is called “an aspiration biopsy”.   Although  aspiration biopsies are perhaps the most common approach to identifying malignancy  they do provide more chance for misdiagnosis because of the small size of the sample.    Any new growth should be biopsied even if it looks like a benign fatty tumor.    Benign fatty tumors (lipomas) can not be  distinguished from malignant mast cell tumors by physical exam alone.    At a recent oncology seminar I attended the speaker made the following very important point:   “Do not wait to see if a mass continues to grow before  biopsying it to determine whether it is malignant.”

Of course there are many cancer growths which can not be seen because they involve internal organs.   Cancers like hemangiosarcomas of the spleen, may get huge before they produce obvious outward symptoms.  Below are what many veterinary sources consider to be possible signs of cancer.:    weight loss for no apparent reason, loss of normal appetite, bleeding from a body opening like the nostril,  a foul odor from the mouth, difficulty eating and swallowing,  difficulty breathing,  non healing wounds,  lameness that persists.

So what can we do to protect ourselves and our pets from cancer and how can we treat them once they are diagnosed with cancer?   Think holistic, holistic, holistic.   Keeping our pets bodies in optimal health by providing them a healthy diet,  healthy environment and life style, and plenty of exercise is the foundation for a strong immune system .   Please visit my website Doc4pets.com for details on how to feed a healthy diet .    As for a healthy environment, this would include minimal exposure to poisonous plants and  chemical toxins on the grass, in the house, and in the garage.   Radon levels in the basement should be checked.   Don’t smoke around your pet.   Second hand smoke has been shown to increase the incidence of cancer in cats.   With regard to a healthy life style,  this  should include plenty of companionship and minimal stress.    Even psychological stress due to isolation can suppress a pet’s immune system and make him or her more susceptible to cancer.   So try not to leave your dog alone in the house for extended periods.   Spend quality time with your pet.  Exercise can be  in the form of jogging, fetching, hiking or competitive sports  such as “fly ball”training or chasing a laser light.   Take your pet to a holistic veterinarian who can serve as  your partner and coach in helping you reduce your pets toxin load, and in supporting his or her immune system.

Conventional treatment of pets diagnosed with cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.   Alternative / holistic  approaches include organic rare meat diets, liver support and detoxification,  antioxidants therapy, herbal  formulas, acupuncture, and immune stimulants,  oxygen therapy,  Neoplasene therapy and life style enhancement.

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, invasion and destruction of surrounding tissues.  Some cancer remains a localized problem but others spread (metastasize) to other locations via the blood and lymphatics.    Cancer affects people and pets of all ages.   The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer is “oncology”.   Nearly all cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genes of these abnormal cells.   These abnormalities may be due to the effects of carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, and infectious agents (viruses) to name a few.  Other causes of cancer may result from random errors in gene replication or are inheritied and present in all cells since birth.    Conventionally cancer diagnosis is made by the microscopic exam of a biopsy specimen although the initial indications of malignancy may come from radiographic abnormalities.   The progression of many cancers can be slowed down and in rare instances disappear.    The prognosis depends on the type of cancer, the location of the cancer and stage of the cancer.     Upon confirming the diagnosis, cancer is usually treated conventionally with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation.

The following is information on the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer:

Squamous Cell Carcinoma – Cancer that occurs in the mouth, underneath the tongue or along the gums of the middle-aged and older cats. Common signs of squamous cell carcinoma in cats includes difficulty eating, interest in food but not wanting to eat, drooling and odor from the mouth. Osteosarcoma – Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone tumor in dogs. Osteosarcoma beings in the bone but can spread throughout the bloodstream very early in the course of the disease (metastasis).   The most common areas for this cancer to appear are the wrist, shoulder, knee and hip. The first sign of bone cancer is lameness due to pain from the cancer.   Swelling often occurs at the tumor site. Transitional Cell Carcinoma – Tumors usually form at the bladder opening and can cause blockage and  painful urinartion. Pets often strain while trying to urinate. Transitional Cell Carcinoma can be difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms such as straining to urinate, blood in the urine or frequent urination are often due to a urinary tract infection. This can delay the discovery of the cancer, especially since antibiotics can often result in some improvement of symptoms. Thus, at the time of diagnosis, bladder cancer can be fairly far advanced and have spread to other parts of the body.    Adenocarcinoma – Anal sac adenocarcinomas are tumors araising from the apocrine glands present on either side of the rectum. These tumors can range greatly in size from a very small mass that can be found only after a rectal examination or a large mass protruding from the rectum. While the tumor appears locally, it is quite common for them to metastasize,  often to the lymph nodes inbetween the spine and colon. Symptoms vary depending upon the gender of the pet and can include increased thirst, weakness, persistent licking at the site, difficulty defecating, decreased appetite.

The incidence of cancer is increasing in both humans and animals     Certain cancers are more prevalent in in certain breeds ie.  Golden retrievers with lymposarcoma, boxers with mastocytoma,  Great Danes with osteosarcoma, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers with hemangiosarcoma.  Irresponsible  breeding to achieve  nothing more than looks at the expense of health is probably the cause for such breed predispositions.   If you are thinking of purchasing a new pup check out the breed to find out what health issues the breed is proned to.

When a pet or   person is diagnosed with cancer the  question that needs to be asked is, “Why did it happen?”   The present thinking is that we are all developing cancer cells all the time.   If our body is healthy and its immune system is efficient then these renegade cancer cells will be identified and destroyed before a solid tumor results.     When a tumor develops, at some level the immune system failed to perform effectively.    So the question is where and why did the failure occur.   As the overall causes of cancer first you have genetics.   Second you have the affects of diet and thirdly the effects of a toxic environment and life style (which includes psychological stress).

Cancer is not something you or your pet contract it is something that often happens to you slowly, in a step by by step progression.  The unfortunate fact is that cancer  is the all too often  the end result of living in a toxic world.   Environmental  toxins occur as excessive sunlight, chronic electromagnetic field exposure, geopathic stress, sick building syndrome, ionizing radiation, nuclear radiation, pesticide/herbicide residues, industrial toxins, polluted water, chlorinated water, fluoridated water, household cleaners and even possibly vaccines.   Food toxins occur as pesticides, parasitacides, antibiotics, hormone, texturizers, flavor enhancers,  food colorings, and allergens.

Anything that produces a damage to the intestinal lining can results in a leaky gut syndrome where bad bacteria, bacterial toxins,  yeast, and large grain protein molecules  are able to enter the liver’s hepatic circulation and eventually exhaust the livers ability to detoxify.    When toxins enter the body they challenge both the immune system and the detoxification system.     Toxins, which  often act as free radicals  stimulate:   1) the immune system to produce a protective  inflammatory response  and  2) the antioxidants defense system to neutralize the free radicals.     If the immune system is too busy dealing with a heavy toxic load  it may become so overwhelmed that it does not have the time or man power to protect the body from spontaneously occurring cancer cell.   Also, toxins and free radicals can damage cellular DNA and be the cause of many of the spontaneously occurring cancer cells .

Under more optimal environmental circumstances where toxins are not so abundant,  mutated cancer cells are quickly recognized by the immune system such that the cancerous cell’s uncontrollable growth  elicits an immune response which will send  macrophages (phagocytic white blood cells) to the region for cellular phagocytosis and removal of the mutated cells (Walters, 1993).

Besides a toxic environment, nutritional deficiencies may also predispose the body to cancer.   If the raw materials the immune system and the detoxification process requires to do its job are not present then the cancer may not be discovered and or destroyed.    The cells will then grow into a malignant mass.

It starts to become apparent that cancer must be considered a whole body, systemic disease rather than a   localized phenomena.    Conventional medicine treats cancer as a localized disease and recommends  the “cut, slash, and burn” approach to cancer therapy.   That is they treat cancer more as a localized disease that must be either surgically cut out, slashed out by irradiation, or burned out by chemical destruction.   Most conventional oncologists do not emphasize the importance of  the elimination of food and environmental toxins or enhancing overall nutrition.   He or she rarely recommends nutraceuticals to  stimulate the immune system,  support the liver, encourage detoxification,  and remove destructive free radicals.

On the contrary, holistic cancer therapy begins by  emphasing optimal general nutrition consisting of  homemade diets made up of  a wide variety of fresh  organic meats and veggies,  trace minerals,  omega fatty acids.   To this foundation of great general nutrition, the holistic approach adds nutraceuticals providing digestive enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics, mega vitamin and trace mineral therapy, whole food concentrated antioxidants,  immune stimulants,  detoxification and liver support.    Next the  holistic approach commonly adds nutriceuticals that help to change “the biological terrain” to  one that is inhospitable for the  growth of cancer.    Cancer loves sugar and acidity,  but hates oxygen and an alkaline environment.   By changing the bioterrain to one that discourages cancer growth we hope  to prevent  both local growth and metastasis to other sites.   Trace minerals encourage an alkaline bioterrain where stabilized oxygen supplements, dimethylglycine,  and Megahydrate support a highly oxygenated terrain,  both of which discourage the progression of cancer.

Perhaps the most important organ to support in a cancer patient is the liver since it is the major organ of detoxification.    The more overwhelmed and exhaused the liver is the more toxic the body becomes.   The more toxic the body the poorer is its overhall immune system function.   Therefore supporting the livers detoxification capactiy will help cleanse the body and encourgage a better functioning immune system.   Herbs like milk thistle and nutrients like MSM,  n acetylcysteine, alpha lipoic acid, dimethyglycine, SAM-E and selenium all help the liver to better detox the body by stimulating the production of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase which is the most important  antioxidant of the liver.

Nutrients, herbs, and homeopathics that support the immune system include  medicinal mushroom, astragalus, zinc, iodine, selenium thyroid hormones,  thymus extracts, beta glucans, essential carbohydrates, and systemic enzymes etc.

Next there are a number of specific nutrients and herbs that block the progression of cancer at various stages of development.  Resveratrol  is an example.  Finally there are specific herbs and nutrients,  that are lethal to cancer.   These include IV vitamin C, Laetrile, Artemesinin, and hydrogen peroxide.

The big difference between conventional cancer therapy and  the above nutritional, nutraceutical,  and   mega nutrient holistic cancer therapy is that the later does not: damage healthy cells,  produce destructive free radicals, or suppress the immune system.   Since we know that the immune system is instrumental in removing cancerous cells ,  anything that damages its effectiveness would be unwanted.  A final note is that even when the holistic approach does not cure cancer at least it does no harm.   So keeping thinking holistic, holistic, holistic!

There is no one, holistic “right way” to treat  a  cancer patient in humans or pets .   The treatment will depend not only on the type of cancer  but also on the individual patient and caregiver.   It will also depend on how long the cancer has been present and what medical treatment has already been prescribes.   Some cases are so advanced that I don’t recommend much treatment other than nutritional therapy.    In such cases it is usually best to focus on and enjoy the time you have left  together with the patient rather than complicating the patients life with stressful supplement regiments.       No matter what stage of cancer the patient is in they can  benefit from an improved diet loaded with vitamin/antioxidants like Vitamin A, C, and E and the mineral selenium.   Blood cleansing herbs and detoxifiers are usually in order.    So think holistic, holistic, holistic!

Categories of holistic anti cancer supplements

1) Holistic supplements which enhance cellular immunity

Astragalus, Echinacea, Aloe mucopolysaccharides, Omega3, carotenoids,

mushroom and yeast extracts,  Green tea polyphenols,  reduced glutathione,

vitamin C

2) Holistic supplements which minimize oxidative stress and destroy free radicals

Resveratrol, reduced glutathione, green tea, quercitin , curcumin,  megahydrate,

Selenium, vitamin C and E, Lipoic acid, hydrogen peroxide,

3)  Holistic supplements which support the liver and detoxification process .

 Reduced glutathione, N acetylcysteine, Curcumin, Resveratrol, SAM-E, E, milk  Thistle,

4)  Holistic supplements that normalize the clock of the  cell cycle

Resveratrol, , tocotrienols, curcumin, green tea polyphenols, vitamin D,

CoQ10,   reduced glutathione, Quercitin

5)  Holistic supplements that enhance cancer cell differentiation

Vit D3,  caratenoids,  Ganoderma,  Quercitin

6)  Holistic supplements that encourage apoptosis

Green tea polyphenols,  quercitin, CoQ10,  Ganoderma,  Curcumin

7)  Holistic supplements that are anti angiogenic ( inhibit new blood vessel proliferation) supplements

Omega3, Green tea polyphenols,  Aloe Vera, shark cartilage,

8)  Holistic supplements that kill malignant cells by stimulating intercellular production

of  H202

Vitamin C, Artemesinin, H202,

9)   Holistic supplements that create an inhospitable biologic terrain for cancer cells to

live in.  They increase alkalinity, oxygenation, 

Megahydrate, Ultimate pH Balance,  H202, NaHC03 & honey

10)   Holistic supplements blocking cancer cell initiation, promotion and progression

Resveratrol,  Selenium,  garlic, catechins and polyphenols from green tea,

Cruciferous vegetables (Brassica),  quercitin, Ascorbic acid, omega 3 fatty

Acids, vitamin E, proanthocyanidins

11)  Miscellaneous holistic supplements

Glucosinolates from cruciferous veggies, sprouts, cabbage,

homeopathic therapy

The following are a list of terms with definition that are important to know when you are reading or researching cancer:

Tumor:   A swelling, lump, or mass.

Neoplasm:   An abnormal proliferation of genetically altered cell.  A mass formed by an abnormal proliferation of genetically altered cells.  Synonymous with the word tumor

Malignant Neoplasm:  Synonymous with cancer.

Benign Neoplasm/tumor:  A tumor that stops growing by itself, does not invade other tissues and does not spread to other tissue (metastasize).

Pre malignant tumor:  A neoplasm that is not invasive but has the potential to progress to cance

Stage of cancer:   a number on a scale of 4 developed by the oncologists to describe the degree of invasion of the body by the tumor.

Carcinoma: Malignant tumor derived from epithelial cells

Sarcoma:  Malignant tumor derived from connective tissue

Lymphoma and Leukemia:  Malignancies derived from hematopoietic (blood forming) cells.

Blastoma:   A tumor which resembles an immature or embryonic tissue

Symptoms of cancer may be divided into 3 groups:

1)  Local symptoms= lumps, bumps, or swelling, bleeding, pain,  ulcerations

2) Symptoms of metastasis= enlarged lymph nodes, cough, enlarged liver, bone

pain, fracture of affected bones, neurological symptom

3)  Systemic symptoms = weight loss, poor appetite, fatigue, anemia

The general scenario of cancer development occurs this way

1. “Induction” of genetic instability
2.  Abnormal “Expression” of genes:  too many cancer promoting genes and too few cancer inhibiting  genes
3. Abnormal “Signal Transduction”:  Signals that come from outside the cell and go to the nucleus stimulate proliferation of malignant cells
4. Abnormal “cell to cell communication”:  In cancer cells the mechanisms controlling communication with other cells doesn’t work
5. Induction of “Angiogenesis”:  growth of new capillaries
6. “Invasion and metastaisis”: spread via lymph and blood
7. “Immune  evasion”: cancer cells learn to shield themselves from the immune system

Basic Premises about cancer

1. Failure of immune surveillance to detect cancer due to:
   1. nutritional deficiencies causing hypofunction;   dietary toxins
   2. GI and liver damage which allows toxin into body resulting in immune stress
   3. Exhausted by environmental stress
   4. Exhausted by psychologic or physical stress

2.    Cancer loves sugar

3.    Cancer hates oxygen

4.   Cancer loves an acidic environment.  Toxins are acidic.  Free radicals are acidic

5.   Cancer loves iron

6.   Oncovirus damage DNA

7.   Free radicals damage DNA therefore antioxidants can help prevent cancer.

8.   Cancer is a  result of an energy blockage that orginates in the etheric field — eastern concept

9.   Unlike healthy cells cancer cells can not make the enzyme catalase which is needed to destroy intercellular toxic hydrogen peroxide.   Vitamin C therapy stimulates intercellular hydrogen peroxide.

10.   The liver is the most important organ to support when treating cancer because it is the major organ of detoxification.

A few more remarks on common canine cancers:

Hemangiosarcoma – Most commonly found in the spleen, liver and heart and the prognosis is determined by the location of the disease. The cancer arises from the blood vessels and results in the production of abnormal blood vessels that can be weak and prone to leaking. As the cancer progresses, the cancerous vessels can rupture and results in blood loss. As the spleen is the organ most commonly affected by this type of cancer, rupture can lead to blood loss into the abdomen. This is an emergency situation and can result in weakness and collapse. Many pets with hemangiosarcoma often require a splenectomy.

Mast Cell Tumors – Mast cell tumors are among the most common tumors in dogs and are the most common type of skin cancer found in dogs. The most common location to find mast cell tumors is, by far, the skin, followed by the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. Both normal and cancerous mast cells contain chemicals that can be released into surrounding tissues. When these chemicals (particularly histamine) are released into the normal surrounding body tissues, side effects can include digestive problems (for ex: bleeding ulcers), skin rashes, shortness of breath and other symptoms. Mast cell tumors vary greatly in their size, shape, appearance and texture. The only way to definitely identify them is with a biopsy and pathology report.

Lymphoma – is cancer of the lymphatic tissue. The lymph system is a core part of the body’s immune system. The lymphatic system is an extensive drainage network that defends the body against infections. It is comprised of a network of lymphatic vessels that carry lymph (a clear, watery fluid that contains protein, salts, glucose and other substances) throughout the body. The lymphatic system also serves as a low pressure drainage system that collects interstitial fluid throughout the body and returns it to the bloodstream. The most common sign of lymphoma is a painless enlargement of the lymph nodes.

                                         ****************************************************

Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.   He is a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and a past board member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

 The two most common causes for the above symptoms and  history  are:   1) a “petit mal”  or “grand mal” seizure  or  2) a syncopal episode.   When most people think of an epileptic seizure they think of a “grand mal” seizure. This is a seizure where the entire body becomes rigid, the neck arches backward, the teeth are clenched shut, and the whole body trembles violently. There is, however, a second type of epileptic seizure which is much quieter and less violent.  This type of seizure is called a “petit mal” seizure and is characterized by a momentry loss of consciousness. The cause of an epileptic seizure, grand or petit,  is the misfiring of neurons in the brain.    Syncopy or a ”syncopal episode” may be mistaken for a ”petit seizure because it causes a momentary loss of consciousness but unlike seizures it is caused by a heart problem producing a momentary loss of blood to the brain.            

Regardless of which of the two above possibilities is the actual cause of the problem it is very important that you take your pet to your veterinarian to have a diagnostic workup performed so that he or she can come to a definite conclusion and treat the specific diagnosis accordingly. Both of the possible causes can develop into life threatening conditions and therefore you should not wait until the problem becomes worse before seeking veterinary care.  Your veterinarian, after performing a detailed physical exam, will most likely want to send a sample of your pet’s blood and urine to the laboratory for  a general diagnostic screen and urinalysis.  He will , no doubt,  also perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) in an attempt to distinguish any heart condition that may be the basis of the problem.  He may even decide to take chest and abdominal radiographs.

If the blood report, urinalysis,  the ECG, and the radiographs all turn out to be normal then your veterinarian will, through a  process of elimination, diagnose your pet with epilepsy.  If the diagnosis actually is epilepsy then oral anticonvulsant will be prescribed.  If the problem turns out to be a heart related problem such as an “arrhythmia” a medication to regulate the heart rate and rhythm will be prescribed.

Because anti-convulsant drugs such as Phenobarbital often cause pets to change personality and appear drugged pet owners often stop the therapy or reduce the dose to below therapeutic levels.  Consequently the seizures are poorly controlled.   Pet owners should know that there are alternative, non drug methods of preventing epilepsy.  Herbal therapy, neuro transmitter therapy and nutritional supplements  can be used alone or in combination with drugs to help control seizures, lower drug dosages and minimize  drug related behavioral effects.   Acupuncture and gold bead implantation in the pets head and ears are additional ways of controlling seizure.

                        ****************************************************

Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.   He is a past president of  the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and has served on the executive board of both the Southeastern Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Just as with people, dogs and cats itch and scratch for many reason.    Discovering the cause of the itching and scratching can be a difficult and time consuming process.     Careful attention must be paid to history, clinical examination, and laboratory findings.    The most common diseases that can cause itching and scratching include bacterial infections, allergies, food hypersensitivities,  sarcoptic mange mites, demodectic mange mites, fleas, yeast, ringworm infections,   autoimmune diseases, and hormonal and metabolic  disorders. Sometimes it is easy for the veterinarian to diagnose the cause of itching and scratching , for example,  when a pet has fleas crawling all over his or her body    At other times,   as with allergies,  the diagnosis can be much more difficult to arrive at .  Consequently, pet owners should understand that their veterinarian may not always be  able to diagnose and prescribe  the  total treatment for the pet’s itching and scratching on the initial visit.   

 One of the major reasons the  diagnosis of a pet’s itching and scratching can be difficult is because more than one cause of itching and scratching can be present at the same time.      For example,  a dog or cat may have a primary allergy infection  that  allows a secondary bacterial or yeast infection to develop.    Unless both the primary and secondary causes of itching are diagnosed and treated, the scratching may lessen but it will not stop completely.  

To help sort out all the possible causes of a dog or cat’s itchy skin one or more laboratory tests are often needed.   One of the most common tests performed on a pet with itchy skin is a “skin scraping”.   The skin scraping is placed under the microscope and examined for the presence of mites and fungus.    Another test called an “impression smear” is performed by pushing a glass slide firmly against the affected skin, staining it with a dye, and examining it under the microscope for bacteria, white blood cells,  yeast and mites.    A third test called a “trichogram” requires plucking hairs and examining them under the microscope for fungus and mites.    If a fungus is suspected as a cause of the scratching, a ”fungal culture” is performed on hairs harvested from affected areas.   If fungal elements are present they will grow in the culture within 3 weeks.    For the very difficult cases, diagnosis may necessitate surgical removal of a small core of skin so that it can be sent to the pathologist for microscopic exam.   This surgical procedure is known as a “key punch biopsy”.     If a food allergy is suspected as cause of a pet’s scratching,  a “limited ingredient diet” should be fed for several weeks to see if it results in relief from the itching.    If airborne allergens are suspected blood or skin testing should be performed in an attempt to discover  the specific offending allergen.  Unfortunately both airborne and food borne allergies are often  present at the same time.    

To further complicate diagnostic efforts, understand that yeast and bacterial infections may be either a primary or secondary cause of a pet’s scratching, whereas allergies, mites or fleas are usually the primary cause.     The reader should understand that getting rid of the most primary cause will not always stop the itching if the secondary cause is not addressed and eliminated.    Furthermore,    it is not always possible to find a flea on a dog with fleas or a mite on a dog with mites.   If this is the case then “therapeutic testing “is necessary to make the diagnostic connection.   For example, if giving a mite dip or flea medicine stops the pets itching then a diagnosis of fleas or mites is made by association.  However, if the pet with fleas or mites has a secondary bacterial infection the scratching may only be reduced but  not disappear. 

 When treating mites or bacterial infections the veterinarian must always consider the possibility of an underlying immune deficiency predisposing the animal to such infections.     Consequently, a thyroid test should be run to see if a “hypothyroid” condition could be suppressing immunity.     Also, consider that nutritional deficiencies could be producing an immune deficiency, so evaluating the pet’s diet is very mportant. 

Besides the above more common causes of scratching there are a number of less common causes that include hyperadrenalcorticism, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, liver disease, Mast cell tumors, Cutaneous lymphoma,  Inflammatory Mammary Carcinoma,  and maldigestion. 

Of course the treatment for pruritis (itching) depends on the diagnosis, however improving nutrition and reducing toxins will be beneficial regardless of the diagnosis.   Along this line, feeding food with a minimal amount of grain will reduce the likelihood of the pet developing a leaky gut syndrome.   A leaky gut will allow intestinal toxins and allergens to enter the liver circulation, overwhelm the livers detoxification capabilities and consequently enter systemic circulation.   This will overstimulate the immune system and make allergic response more likely .   

I addition to eliminating dietary grain, food trials that begin by feeding a limited ingredient diet consisting only of a single novel protein and single novel carbohydrate will help greatly in minimizing allergic skin disease.   Feeding a limited ingredient diet will make it  less likely for food allergens to be  present.   Once the allergy symptoms are controlled by this limited diet other food ingredients should be added one by onei n an attempt to identify what foods are allergenic and which are safe.  This approach to treating allergic itching and scratching is know as a “food trial”.  Once the allergenic foods have been identified a healthier diet can be formulated  and  used in place of the limited ingredient diet.   For those not wanting to go through  the above food elimination process  predigested food are commercially available.  By predigesting the food the protein molecules are broken down into much smaller molecules which are then no longer allergenic. 

In order to identify airborne and environmental allergens a sample of the pet’s blood can be sent to a laboratory that performs allergy testing.     In about 2 weeks the laboratory will send back a report on what environmental allergens the pet is sensitive too.   This same company can prepare  a hyposensitizing serum containing all of the identified allergens.    This serum will then be used to perform hyposensitizing therapy on the allergic animal.   Such serums are injected according a predesigned  schedule .     The protocol provides continually higher doses  be given.    At first the injections are given every few days but eventually they may only be given monthly.   Unfortunately hyposensitizing injections are not always the solution and it may take up to 9 months to see if the the therapy is effective.     

Up to this point most of  the recommendations and therapies discussed have been entirely conventional.   I will now discuss more alternative therapies.   To begin with, providing digestive enzymes to a meat based low grain diet will help minimize allergens.  Then providing nutraceuticals to heal any damaged areas of the intestine and  support liver function  will help the pet repair his or he leaky gut.   Systemic enzymes should be given on an empty stomach so that they will be absorbed into the blood stream and circulate in the blood and act as a blood cleanser thereby destroying  circulating immune complexes.  Omega 3 fatty acids are important for overall skin health and to provide anti inflammatory support.  Next anti inflammatory herbs and antioxidants nutrients can be given to further reduce inflammation and minimize itching and scratching.   Natural cleansing shampoos should be given at least weekly to remove airborne allergens on the pet’s skin.   These shampoos should be followed with a cream rinse that contains a local skin anesthetic, colloidal oatmeal, and skin moisturizer.   Skin sprays containing aloe, calendula, tea tree oil, and oil of lavender are very soothing and easy to apply.    Several homotoxicological remedies are helpful with allergic skin problems.   If the pet is terribly itchy and the chewing and scratching is causing self trauma then oral natural hydrocortisone can be given for a limited period of time to reduce inflammation and calm the skin down  until the other approaches kick in.   Natural hydrocortisone is cortisone that has been harvested from the Yam plant and appears to have fewer side effects when compared to laboratory manufactured prednisone or prednisolone.   Furthermore, the herb Yucca has a strong anti inflammatory, anti itch  activity as does the plant sterol betasitosterol. 

************************************************************************************ 

Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a bi -monthly pet care column in the Natural Awakenings.   He is a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and has served on the board of both the Southeastern Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. 

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo. 

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Feed a high quality, higher fiber, low protein diet prescription diet available from all veterinarians–

or — feed a home made kidney diet by following a receipe that we  make availablet to our patients. The diet will decrease the formation of waste protein toxins, discourage obesity and reduce the work load of the kidney.

Encourage your dog or cat to drink more by providing lots of fresh water throughout the day.  Doing this will promote proper hydration while at the same time flush the kidney and reduce accumulating protein toxins.     Adding Celtic sea salt to the pet’s food will encourgage drinking, provide trace minerals he or she are likely to be deficient  in, and alkalinize the animal’s body   Checking the pet’s blood pressure is recommended, especially when adding salt to the diet,  to help detect hypertension.       

Make sure your dog or cat receives a regular dental prophylaxis to reduce oral bacteria  which are injurious to the animals kidneys, liver, and heart.  Home dental care is probably more important for pets than for humans.                                

Supplement your dog or cat’s diet with anti-oxidant enzymes, vitamins, minerals,  and glandulars to reduce tissue injury by free radicals and to stimulate natural immunity.  Omega 3 fatty acids, Coenzyme Q10 and alpha lipoic acid  are 3  important supplements that promotes kidney health.  Homeopathics that can be placed in the pet’s drinking water are also beneficial.   Of course it is better to begin these supplements early on in life before the kidneys have received significant damage and symptoms become apparent.   Strategically detoxifying the body with special homotoxicologic and nutritional formulas is an important adjunct to treating kidney disease and most any other disease in the body.

Starting these same supplements after kidney damage or kidney failure have been detected will help conserve the remaining kidney cells but will not restore the cells that have died.    

Have your veterinarian perform semi annual blood and urine testing to monitor your dog’s kidney function and to provide an early warning system for the development of other degenerative disease.  Recently a new urine test, the ERD micro albuminuria test, has become available.  The ERD test requires only a small amount of urine and can detect kidney disease much earlier than blood tests.  Any dog or cat over the age of 6 years old should be routinely tested with an ERD test because not only does it detect kidney disease but  it is also a screen for inflammatory disease of many other organs.

Recent scientific literature out of Europe has shown Infrared laser therapy to provide beneficial effects in both kidney and liver disease. 

************************************************************************************

                                  ****************************************************

Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites