Sore Feet in Dogs, Pododermatitis

Imagine having sore, infected feet. This is a common problem for many dogs, and it makes them miserable. You’ll notice your pet licking its feet—this is because they hurt and it’s trying to make the pain stop. If licking helped, your pet would be better in no time, but licking isn’t enough. Most cases of sore feet or pododermatitis don’t improve without medical help. Fortunately, there’s a lot we can do for this problem.

Our first step is to ensure the pet doesn’t have an endocrine disease such as hypothyroidism. Dogs with hypothyroidism are especially prone to skin problems, including nonhealing skin infections on the feet.

Our next step is to identify whether the problem is the skin and between digits or is the pad of the foot. Foot pad problems are more likely to be autoimmune disease, zinc-responsive dermatosis, or hepatocutaneous syndrome. Foot pad problems are diagnosed with biopsies. In contrast, problems involving skin between and around the digits, but not the pads are usually diagnosed with skin scraping and culture. The skin scraping and culture help tell us whether the problem is demodex mites, skin parasites, contact allergy, food allergy, bacterial, fungal or yeast infections. We choose a treatment based on the problem we’ve diagnosed.

The following are twelve recommendations & treatments used to improve sore feet. Your veterinarian will work with you to choose those that will most help your pet:

1. An elimination diet consisting of only two things the pet has never had before, one a protein source such as pork, and one a vegetable such as sweet potatoes. The diet is continued for several weeks, and when the pet improves, an additional food is added.
2. Keep feet dry.
3. Separate toes with little cosmetic sponges so toenails don’t scrape adjacent toes.
Prevent skin from contact with grass or pollens by putting your pet in booties when it goes outside. If it won’t wear booties, wipe the feet when your pet comes in from the outside. Have your pet walk on concerete rather than grass until the skin improves.
4. Soak feet for 5-10 minutes twice a day with Burrow’s solution or Epsom salts to kill bacteria and yeast. Rinse well and dry.
5. Bathe feet daily with anti-yeast/anti-fungal/or anti-bacterial shampoos: Malaseb, ResiKetoChlor, KetoChlor.
6. Give prescribed oral antibiotics or topical antibiotics, such as mupiricin or Bactoderm if resistant Staph is present.
7. Give prescribed oral antifungals if the problem is fungal infection: Terbinafine, Itraconazole or ketoconazole. These antifingal medications may be given daily, then gradually decreased to 2-3 days a week.
8. Give herbal formulas such as Si Miao San to change tendency to develop “damp heat.”
Give Omega 3 Fatty acids if your pet tolerates fish oils or the ground flax seed.
9. Acupuncture points to promote healing including LI 4, TH 3, TH 4
10. Photon (soft laser) to promote pain relief and skin healing regardless of the cause.
11. When necessary for a pet to sleep, use oral or topical steroids –as long as no demodex was found.
12. When necessary, use oral meds that block the immune system, such as Atopica. This controls symptoms but doesn’t bring about healing in the same way herbs can.

Infected feet hurt; they smell; they make life unpleasant. Whatever steps you take to make your pet’s feet comfortable, it’s going to love you for it.

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Gorgeous dog available for adoption

Trooper, a healthy & handsome young neutered male is available for adoption.

Trooper walks well on a leash and loves romping off leash. WIthout the use of shock collars or coersive devices, he has been taught to return when called--a testimony to the quality of people who walk him.

According to Carol Fuegi, the coordinator of PAWS (Point Roberts Animal Wellbeing Society), a lot of thanks go to George & Julie Iddon, Heather Newton & Catherine Stewart, Elizabeth & Joel Lantz, Steve O’Neil & family, and Maureen Buckley. Everyone has spent considerable time and effort working with Trooper, proving to him that there are great people in the world who love him.

This 100-lb hunk of muscle and grace behaves well around humans, cats, and many dogs; he still needs help to prevent misbehavior around male dogs, especially unneutered male dogs.

Trooper would be an ideal pet for a family that enjoys outdoor sports or a family that runs at night and would benefit from a large, protective companion.

If you’re interested in providing a forever home for this healthy, handsome fella, please send me an e-mail (vetpollen@yahoo.com) and I'll pass your information along to Carol Fuegi and the PAWS crew.

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Dog for Adoption and He’s Rock Hudson Handsome

A dog that’s Rock Hudson handsome is available for adoption. Trooper is a big, beautiful dog who needs a home. He lives in Point Roberts, WA but would be happy anywhere with a family that loves and exercises him.

Because Trooper’s original home didn’t include room to run and play, he hasn’t developed habit of returning if he is left off leash. Also, because Trooper was staked in the yard, he learned to be defensive and to react aggressively rather than to react calmly. Fortunately, our boy is smart, and he’s rapidly learning new, socially acceptable behaviors.

Everyone who deals with Trooper loves him, and several wonderful families have donated time and space to care for him, but what Trooper really wants is a forever home. If you would love a hundred-pound dog who is Rock Hudson handsome, send me an e-mail (vetpollen@yahoo.com) and we’ll set up an interview.

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Signs of Pain in Dogs and Cats

Dogs and cats excel at hiding pain, and this makes them very unlike us humans who let everyone know when we’ve a hangnail. Heck, we even talk about pain and illness we haven’t had: “If I get the flu, I’ll get so sick….” As if describing our own real or anticipated pain weren’t enough, we describe our children’s pain, our grandparents’ pain and what soap opera characters are suffering.

Pets Hide Pain
Think how differently pets react to pain. They are positively silent on the topic. Is it because, unlike us, pets don’t have pain? No. In fact, laboratory dogs & cats are used in pain research. Pets disguise pain because only those dogs and cats before them who hid suffering survived. In the animal world, disclosing pain or suffering hung a cafeteria sign over your head offering warm lunch.

Signs of Pain
If pets have pain, and are predisposed to hide the fact, how can we tell if they are suffering? In the vet clinic, we can measure blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate, which are generally higher than normal in painful pets.

Normal HR RR & BP
For example, a normal adult cat’s
blood pressure (mean BP) is 100-150,
heart rate (HR) is 140-220, and
respiratory rate (RR) is 24-42.

A normal adult dog’s
blood pressure (BP)is 90-120,
heart rate (HR) is 60-140, and
respiratory rate (RR) is 10-30.

When a cat or dog has pain, HR, BP and RR are generally higher than normal.

What can a family observe at home that might also indicate pain? The following list contains more than a dozen behaviors that we can observe at home in painful pets:
• Walking funny, such as taking shorter strides than normal
• Holding the head at a strange angle
• Keeping a paw off the ground
• Moving slowly
• Sleeping lots
• No interest in toys
• No interest in food
• No interest in the family
• Urinating or defecating where they shouldn’t
• Yowling, meowing or barking
• Aggression, for example, when we place a collar around the neck or when children accidentally bang against old bones
• Acting submissively
• Panting
• Repeated circling and inability to lay down and rest in one position

What to do if there's pain?If you see any of these signs, work with your veterinarian to identify the cause of the problem. There’s no reason for our pets to be in pain when we have so many excellent medications and herbal formulas available. Over the next few entries, we might discuss some of our newest pain relieving medications.

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Is Garlic Safe for Cats and Dogs?

Garlic use in pets is misunderstood. Garlic can be beneficial and it can be harmful, even fatal. When garlic is harmful, it causes a severe anemia (Heinz body anemia).

Effects of garlic-induced anemia
Anemic cats and dogs develop rapid heartbeats because they don’t have the ability to carry the normal amount of oxygen in their blood. The anemic pet’s heart beats faster in order to circulate oxygen and keep the brain, kidneys, liver, and muscles functioning.

The anemic pet’s bone marrow then tries to produce new RBCs at a rapid rate, pulling nutrients, including iron and B vitamins from their food and tissues. The spleen enlarges as it works to identify and remove all the RBCs that have been damaged by garlic. If the body doesn’t respond and maintain normal hemoglobin levels, the pet will need a blood transfusion in order to stay alive.

Why are cats so susceptible to garlic?
Cats are more susceptible to garlic-induced anemia than are dogs because the cat's hemoglobin is different than the dogs. Hemoglobin is the portion of the RBC that carries oxygen. Molecules within the hemoglobin are oxidized by sulfoxides in the garlic, and this permanently damages the RBC. The spleen sorts the RBC and removes those with damage, so that the pet’s blood is “thinned.” Blood tests show us how “thin” the blood is (hematocrit or packed cell volume) and blood slides show us the Heinz bodies sitting in the red blood cells.

What's the toxic dose of garlic?
The toxic dose for pets is 1-2 cloves/kg, so a 4-kg pet receiving 4 or more cloves a day may die. One teaspoon of garlic powder is equal to a clove. (A garlic clove and a teaspoon of garlic powder weigh about 9 g.) So, 4 teaspoons of garlic powder (36 g) would be toxic to a 4-kg pet, such as your average cat.

What's the safe dose of garlic?
The safe dose of garlic for healthy cats is a slice of garlic clove 2-3 times a week. Although this safe garlic dose is not enough to deworm a pet or cure a viral disease, it probably stimulates the immune system just enough to be a blessing. In addition, garlic provides “heat” from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) perspective, and “heat” is beneficial for weak, chilly, or older pets.

My recommendations for garlic
Do I recommend garlic for cats and dogs? Yes. But, the family and I are aware that regular blood tests will help us ensure we’re doing good and not harm. We watch for symptoms of anemia; pale gums, rapid heartbeat, edema, weakness, jaundice. If any of these occur, we look at the pet’s blood and make necessary changes.

Garlic is an example of so many things in life:
more is not necessarily a blessing.

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Veterinarians have high rate of birth defects

One of the saddest events is having a baby with a birth defect. Unfortunately, veterinarians are more likely to have these babies than are other women. An Australian study looked at birth defects in veterinarians over a 40 year period (190—2000) and found those taking more than 10 X-rays a week and those with occupational exposure to pesticides at least once a week were more likely to have babies with birth defects than were the general population. The study, by Adeleh Shirangi et al, was published in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine in May 2009.

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Incontinence In Female Dogs

When dogs are spayed before they are fully grown, the hormonal source of estrogen that stimulates growth of cells in the urinary tract is removed. About 20% of our large female dogs later become incontinent as the urinary tract "withers" without estrogen. For many dogs, estrogen supplements can help. Before using pharmaceutical estrogens, such as DES, which has the potential to cause bone marrow depression and anemia, try supplementing with foods naturally high in estrogen.

The following are foods with phyto or plant estrogens:

• alfalfa
• Astragalus
• black beans
• black cohosh (cimicifuga)

• buckwheat
• burdock root
• cabbage
• cow peas
• flax
• garlic
• green beans
• licorice root
• millet
• mung beans
• olives
• parsley
• plums
• pomegranate
• pumpkin
• red beans
• red clover sprouts and most vegetable sprouts
• saw palmetto
• sesame seeds
• soybeans & tofu
• split peas
• sprouts, especially the seed
• squash
• sunflower seeds
• turkey rhubarb root

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Ear Infections in Pets

Ear infections are common
Did you ever have an ear ache? For pets, ear aches and ear infections are common. In fact, ear infections are among the top 5 reasons pets need veterinary care. How do you know if your pet has an ear infection? Look for an odor, gooey or greasy discharge, redness, heat, and sensitivity to touch. If the discharge is black and crumbly, the problem is probably ear mites—but mites are actually rare, accounting for less than 10% of ear problems. About 90% of the time, if there is ear discharge, there is a problem caused by something other than mites.

Allergies cause heat, heat increases yeast, yeast causes itchy discharge
What causes most of the ear infections I see?—allergies, especially allergies to food. Allergies cause the pet’s immune system to over-react. This reaction releases heat, and the heat turns the ear canal into a hot house. Yeast is normally present in ears, but when the ear heats up, the yeast multiplies out of control and instead of having a thin coating of ear wax (cerumen) the ear canal fills with a smelly, greasy brown debris. Dogs with ear flaps or hair that hold in heat in the ear are especially prone to developing chronic yeasty ear infections.

Most yeasty ear infections are superficial and easy to clear but if infections aren’t treated, they move deeper into the ear where they can cause a pet to be dizzy, walk in circles, or tilt its head at a strange angle. Often these deep infections are painful, and pets don’t feel like eating. It can take weeks of medication to clear infections that have penetrated from the outer ear into the air-filled middle ear (otitis media) or deeper into the fluid-filled inner ear (otitis interna).

Infection moves from the outer canal to deep into the ear
What causes ear infections to penetrate deeper into the ear? Often, it’s the scratching. Untreated ear infections cause itching, itching causes scratching, and the pet’s nails tear the skin. Bacteria and yeast that are normally resident on the skin surface are able to move deep into the dermis where ear flushes and topical medications cannot reach them. The pet’s immune system reacts to the infection by sending more white blood cells to the ear. The white blood cells release enzymes and the mixture of white blood cells, enzymes, and dead bacteria create a pus-filled, sticky, stinky discharge in the outer ear canal.

Bacteria and ear infections
If the pet doesn’t receive treatment, bacteria can move from the ear canal through the ear drum into the middle ear. The middle ear is air-filled and has three tiny bones that vibrate to pass sound along to the inner ear. The pet’s immune system reacts to middle ear infection by sending more white blood cells and plasma from the blood. When we look deep into the pet’s ear canal, we see fluid behind the bulging ear drum (tympanic membrane). From the middle ear, infection can spread into the internal ear where it damages sensitive nerves so that pets develop a head tilt, loss of balance, and deafness.

We treat ear infections according to where they’re located and whether they are caused by yeast, or bacteria, or both. Some families may have medication at home that was prescribed for an earlier infection and want to use it again if the ear looks infected. Please don’t do this. If you cannot see the ear drum, and cannot tell if it is intact, have the vet examine the ear before you medicate it.

What’s safe to put into ears with a ruptured ear drum?
When a pet has a serious ear infection that causes an ear drum to burst, or when we cannot see the ear drum because of thick discharge or because a pet won’t let us near its ear, we can safely put these materials in the ear: saline, malacetic, Triz EDTA, fluconazole, colloidal silver, dilute povidone iodine. We should not use the following: Synotic, polymixin, cerumene, amingoglycoside antibiotics.

Three methods to stop reoccurring ear infections
Stop chronic ear infections by using diet, herbs, and acupuncture. Begin an exclusion diet that excludes foods causing your pet’s allergies. For some pets this will mean they can’t eat beef, and even beef-flavored heartworm medication. For others, it will mean avoiding lamb, or rice, or eggs, or corn, or wheat. Your vet will help you learn what your pet is allergic to by creating an exclusion diet. You’ll want vet advice on how to be successful, and you’ll want everyone in the family to be on board for the diet. Then, start herbs that modify the body’s reaction to food and the tendency for the immune system to create heat and discharge. Si Miao San is one of the herbal remedies that clears heat and there are half a dozen others. Your vet will help you choose the best one for your particular pet’s problems. Acupuncture also helps prevent reoccurring ear infections because it change energy flowing through ears, the tendency to itch, and improves the digestive system’s ability to handle food without developing allergies.

Make your pet happy
Your pet hates reoccurring ear infections and does not want to be one of the millions that returns to the vet’s office so often that ear infections are one of the top 5 pet problems. You have the ability to help your pet heal. Go for it. Make hot, painful, stinky ears a thing of the past.

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Ear Infections, Otitis Externa Otitis Interna

This is for Trinket, who recently developed an ear infection and a ruptured ear drum. We’ll cover ear infections, then in later blog, we’ll cover what’s safe to use in the ear if the drum is ruptured.

Ear Anatomy
Ear infections are also called otitis since "otic" means ear and "itis" means inflammation. If the infection involves the outer portion of the ear, it's called otitis externa. If the middle or inner ear are affected, it's otitis media or interna. The ear drum sits at the end of the ear canal and separates the external ear from the middle ear. There are 3 tiny bones in the middle ear. Just deep to the middle sits the inner ear with the nerves for hearing and balance. The middle ear is usually filled with air, but can become infected and filled with pus. The inner ear is bathed in fluid. Infections from the external ear can travel through the ear drum and involve the middle ear or inner ear if the infections are untreated.

Two Types of Infection: Bacteria & Yeast
Ear infections are usually caused by bacteria or yeast, or both bacteria and yeast. (Yeast is a type of fungus and the words are often used interchangeably so your vet might say your pet has a yeast infection or your pet has a fungal infection).

Vertical Ear Canal – Usually Yeast
To decide whether a pet has a bacterial infection or a fungal infection, your veterinarian will put material from the ear on a slide and examine it under a microscope. The ear has a long canal with a bend in it. The first part of the canal, is the part we see when we look in the ear, is called the vertical canal. The vertical canal usually has yeast organisms in it. If the number of yeast organisms if very high, if there is a strong odor or a discharge, the balance between the body’s immune system and yeast is out of whack. Your pet will need an antifungal medication to bring the yeast under control.

Horizontal Ear Canal – Usually Bacteria
The horizontal canal is the deeper extension of the vertical canal. It is difficult to visualize without pulling on the pet’s ear, but when the ear canals are examined thoroughly, veterinarians can see through them right to the ear drum.
Most pets with infected ears have yeast in the vertical canal and bacteria in the deeper horizontal canal. If a proper diagnosis is made, the swab must retrieve material from the horizontal canal as well as from the superficial vertical canal.

Treating Yeasty Ear Infections
Rinsing an ear with douche solution that is 2% acetic acid and water (vinegar) acidifies the ear canal and makes it inhospitable for yeast. Douche solution will clear up a very light yeast infection. Douche solution is also helpful prevention to rinse the ears weekly if your pet is inclined to occasionally have yeast infection. Do not get douche solution that is scented or contains anything other than acetic acid and perhaps 2% boric acid.

Douche solution is not effective if your pet has a yeast infection that is overwhelming. In this case, antifungal medications similar to those we use for athlete’s foot are put into the ear. These otic medications are modified so that they’re exactly right for treating ears, which means they will be runny and will go from the outer vertical canal all the way to the deeper horizontal canal.

Some pets with severe yeast infections also need oral antifungal antibiotics such as fluconazole or itraconazole in addition to the topical otic medications.

Treating Bacterial Ear Infections
If your pet has a bacterial ear infection, it needs an antibiotic medication. The antibiotic can be both a topical that goes into the ear and an oral that goes into the mouth and is absorbed through the gut and is carried by the blood to all parts of the body, including the ear.

Some pets have simple bacterial ear infections, but some have wicked bacterial infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pseudomonas. To fight bacteria, the antibiotic is put into the ear along with a solution that breaks down the bacterial cell wall. An example of this type of solution is TrisEDTA. For many pets it’s necessary to combine TrisEDTA and the antibiotic Baytril (enrofloxacin) to clear up pseudomonas and other gram negative infections. The pharmacist mixes 6ml of 100mg/ml enrofloxicin (large animal concentration) with 4 oz TrisEDTA.

TrisEDTA and Baytril is a liquid solution, rather like water. This is good because dogs can need up to 2 cc to fill their ear canals. We can call these liquid solutions, flushes. Usually we fill a pet’s ear with the flush, and this can take 2 cc each time. The flush is used twice a day for a week or so, then once a day for another week. Then, the vet examines the ears to ensure the infection has cleared. If it hasn’t, material from the ear can be sent to the laboratory to see whether it is resistant to the medication. Obtaining a good culture sample requires anesthesia for most pets. This is also a great time to vigorously flush the ears and to get a good look at the ear drum.

Why not use TrisEDTA and Baytril every time there’s an ear infection?TrisEDTA and Baytril ear flush are only used for bacterial infections. This flush is not a good medication for pets with yeasty ear infections because the Tris portion changes the ear pH to alkaline, and an alkaline pH contributes to yeast growth.

What's coming?
In a future Caring for Pet's blog, we'll cover otitis interna and what's safe to use when there's an infection in the inner ear and the drum is ruptured. And, we hope to let you know how Trinket is doing.

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Paralyzed Dogs Can Recover—What Helps The Most

Some paralyzed dogs recover and some don’t. We've just told Sadie's story. She was completely paralyzed and could not stand, move, urinate or defecate. With her family's care and holistic therapies, she recovered in 10 weeks to be able to run in the woods.

Not all paralyzed dogs recover as Sadie did. I've treated many post surgical dogs recovering from disc disease who remained at least partially paralyzed. I've also treated dogs with disc disease that have recovered completely. What I've seen has convinced me that which steps we take can make a significant difference in whether a paralyzed dog recovers.

What I’ve seen that makes the difference:
• Don’t use steroids—instead use antioxidants and Omega 3 fatty acids to naturally control inflammation
• Immediately begin treating with acupuncture and moxa
• Use electro acupuncture as well as dry needles
• Treat as often as possible—a minimum of three times a week to start
• Have the family reinforce acupuncture by using herb moxa between acupuncture sessions
• Prevent the skin from breaking down while the pet is immobilized
• Put all the joints through full range of motion at least twice a day
• Maintain an optimistic attitude around the pet and keep the vision of the dog as healthy & active.

If your pet becomes paralyzed, don't give up hope. Get holistic veterinary care and start your pet on its journey back to health.

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Paralyzed Dogs Can Recover—Homeopathy

Homeopathy helps paralyzed pets recover. It certainly contributed to Sadie's ability to go from completely paralyzed and unable to move, urinate or defecate to being able to run about in the woods in 10 weeks.

Holistic medicine has many aspects: nutrition, acupuncture, supplements, flower essences, and homeopathy. Each form of holistic medicine contributes to recovery of nerve and muscle function on paralyzed pets, but many families don’t ask for homeopathy because they don’t understand how it works.

Rather than try to explain how homeopathy works, I’m going list the homeopathic medications we used to help Sadie. Sadie was completely paralyzed and we’ve written about her recovery in detail in previous Caring for Pet blog entries. Now, here are the homeopathics I used for her:
• Traumeel oral and injectable
• Neuralgohreum injectable
• Discus injectable

Each of these medications is a combination of homeopathic ingredients. Together, the ingredients form a synergistic whole that benefits pets more than the individual homeopathic ingredients.

Traumeel
Traumeel contains Arnica montana, Belladonna, Calendula officinalis, Chamomilla Millefolium, Hepar sulphuris calcareum, Symphytum officinale, Aconitum napellus, Bellis perennis Mercurius solubilis, Hypericum perforatum Echinacea, Echinacea purpurea, and Hamamelis virginiana.

Traumeel helps control pain, swelling, infection, irritation, and stimulate bone union. Traumeel is best used at the outset of injury but it is also helpful if used during the recovery phase. In my experience, it is better to inject Traumeel than steroids at the outset of injury.

Of all homeopathics I’ve used, I believe Traumeel is the single most beneficial medication for injured pets. It is available as an injectable, oral med with an alcohol preservative, tablet, and cream.

Neuralgo-Rheum
Neuralgo-Rheum contains: Gnaphalium polycephalum, Gnaphalium polycephalum, Gnaphalium polycephalum, Causticum, Colchicum autumnale, Colocynthis, Ferrum metallicum, Lithium benzoicum, Rhus toxicodendron Spiraea ulmaria, Causticum, Colchicum autumnale, Colocynthis, Ferrum metallicum, Lithium benzoicum, Rhus toxicodendron, Spiraea ulmaria, Causticum, Colchicum autumnale.

In my experience, Neuralgo-Rheum helps ease nerve pain, stimulate nerve regeneration, and stop soft tissue swelling. If Traumeel is the first medication I chose for injury and acute paralysis, Neuralgo-Rheum is the second. In addition to helping pets paralyzed through traumatic event, it is helpful for pets that have been hit by car or have sports injuries that damage nerves.

Discus
Discus contains more almost three dozen homeopathic ingredients: Gnaphalium polycephalum, Berberis vulgaris, Cimicifuga racemosa, Cinchona officinalis, Colocynthis, Ledum palustre, Ranunculus bulbosus, Aesculus hippocastanum, Ascorbicum acidum, Cuprum aceticum, Kali carbonicum, Nadidum, Natrum oxalaceticum, Nicotinamidum, Picricum acidum, Pulsatilla, Pyridoxinum hydrochloricum, Riboflavinum, Secale cornutum, Silicea, Thiaminum hydrochloricum, alpha-Lipoicum acidum, Ammonium muriaticum, Cartilago suis, Discus invertebralis suis, Argentum metallicum, Calcarea phosphorica, Coenzyme A, Embryo suis, Funiculus umbilicalis suis, Glandula suprarenalis suis, Medulla ossis suis, Mercurius praecipitatus ruber, Sepia, Zincum metallicum, Sulphur

In my experience, Discus is invaluable in helping dogs paralyzed due to disc disease. It is most effective when started early and should be used intermittently after the pet has recovered mobility. In my experience, dogs paralyzed from ruptured discs that have been treated with steroids or surgical repair do not respond as well to homeopathy as those treated with holistic therapies from the outset.

I used Discus for Sadie because it helps with spinal injury regardless of the cause, but its use is not limited to disc disease. Pets with arthritis, spondylosis, and other joint problems, benefit from Discus, especially when it is injected at appropriate acupuncture points.

Summary
Homeopathic medications help paralyzed dogs. Unfortunately, they are not as easy to give as some other medications because they cannot be combined with food. Instead, they are given by injection or given when the mouth is empty, usually by crushing between two spoons and placing the powder inside the cheek to be absorbed through the mucous membranes. No paralyzed pet should go without them.

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Paralyzed Dogs Can Recover—Acupuncture

Nothing is more heartbreaking than a paralyzed pet, but don’t give up hope: acupuncture can help restore nerve and muscle function. In a previous blog, we told Sadie’s story. Sadie went from complete paralysis, including inability to move her legs and inability to urinate or defecate, to running in the woods in 10 weeks. Many pets, just like Sadie, can recover from apparently hopeless paralysis.

What we did for Sadie
Acupuncture that helped Sadie included dry needles, electro-acupuncture and homeopathic injections at acupuncture points. We started with more than 20 acupuncture points and used fewer and fewer points as the treatments progressed. We chose which points to use based on Sadie’s symptoms.

We started with needles in the webs between her toes, on the outside of her front paws and her back paws, and along her back. After inserting all the needles, I ran an alternating current between points above and below the spinal injury. For Sadie, I also injected homeopathic solutions from BHI-Heel into the four points that benefit the whole spine: SI 3 and BL 62. This medication lingered at the points, continuing to send its healing message along the meridians, rather like holding a finger on an elevator button continues to ask the elevator to come to your floor.

I’ll describe how to find SI 3 and BL 62 so that if your pet has a spinal problem, you can massage these points to bring energy to the spine. Massage at these points will also help pets with disc disease.

SI 3
SI 3 is the third point on the Small Intestine meridian. Usually, it’s easier to find SI 3 on yourself, then look for it on your pet. Feel alongside the edge of your hand away from your thumb just as the hand bones join the littlest finger. The hand bone is a metacarpal (MC), and the metacarpal on the outside is MC 5. As MC 5 forms a joint with the bones in the little finger, it widens. The dip just before MC 5 widens is where SI 3 is located. Most people have one or more tiny wrinkles here.

To find SI 3 on your dog, wiggle the toes (digits) of its front feet. A dog’s digits are shorter than our fingers are, but it’s easy to see where the digits flex as they form a joint with the metacarpals. Feel along the outside (lateral) of MC 5 for the dip just before MC 5 widens. This is in the right point to stimulate energy that helps the spine, especially the neck. Stimulate this point on both right & left front paws.

BL 62
BL 62 is the 62 of 67 points along the bladder meridian. The bladder meridian starts at the inner corner of the eye and runs along the spine all the way to the little toe. BL 1 is at the eye, and BL 67 at the outside of the nail on your smallest toe. BL 62 is the point along this meridian where you can feel the dip on the outside of your ankle bone. It’s easy to find if you grab your Achilles tendon. The ankle bone (lateral malleolus) is just in front of the web of skin in front of the Achilles tendon. Find the most prominent part of the ankle bone and slide down on the bone into a tiny dip. That’s BL 62. Massage here to help pull energy all along the spine.

Massage both SI 3 and BL 62 to benefit your pet’s entire spine.

What’s coming?
In the next few Caring for Pet blog, we’re going to cover the homeopathic meds that can help paralyzed dogs, focusing on those we used for Sadie. Never lose heart if your pet is paralyzed. Use homeopathy, acupuncture and holistic medicine. And pray: “May the best that can happen, happen. Amen.”

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Paralyzed Dogs Can Recover

Sadie's Story
Don't be heartbroken if you have a paralyzed dog. The future may look hopeless; you may be in tears, and your pet may be in pain; but there is hope. Let me share Sadie’s story because it’s a great example of what’s possible when a family doesn’t quit believing that their paralyzed pet can recover.

Sadie is a beautiful blonde 8-year old Akita-Lab mix that developed sudden paralysis May 18th. When I met her,Sadie was unable to move anything but her head. She was unable to urinate and unable to defecate. She couldn’t take a drink of water or eat a bite of food unless she was rolled onto her sternum and held so the bowl was directly under her mouth.

A few days earlier, a neurologist had told Stacy and Avi, Sadie’s guardians, that Sadie needed an MRI to establish what had happened to her spine. You can imagine the sinking feeling they had when told they needed several thousand dollars for tests. To make matters worse, Stacy and Avi had booked nonrefundable tickets for a trip out of the country. The flight was leaving in 5 days.

Making the decisions that helped Sadie
Stacy and Avi decided that rather than invest in an MRI, they would invest in acupuncture and homeopathic therapy. Stacy asked for my help and we created a treatment plan. Stacy had elicited a friend’s help for the period they would be away; and Abe, Stacy and I refined the plan so it would work in their absence. Then, Stacy set to work changing Sadie’s diet to home-cooked meats and vegetables rather than canned food or kibble.

Our plan included the best of allopathic and holistic medicine. Sadie would receive a house call every few days. During the house call, I would acupuncture Sadie and give her homeopathic medications. Between visits, the family would moxa specific acupuncture points. Sadie would be turned every few hours. Three times a day, she would be carried outside and her bladder would be manually emptied. Her bowls were manually emptied until she was able to defecate on her own. We added flax to her diet to increase the bulk in her feces and get her stimulated to defecate as soon as possible.

The challenges of wet bedding and shedding
Sadie had been an outdoor dog with the thick Akita coat but she couldn't be left outside where, paralyzed, she couldn't protect herself from flies, rain, wind, or sun. Sadie was moved indoors where she shed up a storm.

Loose hairs were not the only housekeeping challenge, because within days Sadie became incontinent and leaked urine. Her bedding need to be changed, washed & dried multiple times during the day. The family bought potty pads by the car load.

Handling the health problems
During her illness, Sadie lost muscle mass. Her weight went from 80 pounds to 70 pounds, and by the time she quit losing weight, she was probably nearer to 60 pounds. Her limbs stiffened. Her bony joints rubbed on the bedding and it looked as though she might develop bed sores. We handled these problems by feeding Sadie more often, frequently massaging and moving her limbs through full range of motion, and positioning her elbows and ankles to prevent skin breakdown. Sadie received bed baths to keep urine from scalding her skin. We continued with acupuncture. We used injectable and oral homeopathics. We added a Chinese herbal formula, Minor Invigorate the Collaterals.

Baby steps
By the first of June, about two weeks after she became paralyzed, Sadie was standing on her own. Stacy & Avi were in Israel and couldn't see Sadie's first steps to recovery. Abe wasn't sure Stacy & Avi believed what he was seeing when he discussed Sadie during their phone conversations. Abe had seen Sadie stumble outside to urinate and, indeed, her bed was no longer wet. Abe also believed Sadie had climbed down one flight of stairs and back up. Abe wisely blocked off the stairs because Sadie was neither strong nor coordinated, and she could easily hurt herself with a missed step.

More problems
Sadie developed diarrhea and we changed her diet. Abe fed her small frequent meals of broth, rice and chicken. We continued acupuncture, homeopathy, and the range of motion exercises. We kept the stairs blocked off but let Sadie spend more time outside. We made sure no flies had laid eggs on her coat as she slept and no maggots were able to penetrate her skin. Maggots are a living hell for many paralyzed animals.

Stacy & Avi return to a stiff, mobile, elated Sadie
Four weeks after having been too paralyzed to pee, poop, or move, Sadie had full control of her bodily functions and was able to walk reasonably well. Stacy & Avi returned to find a stiff, but mobile dog.

At that time, only one of Stacy's legs actually received messages from the brain that let her know where it was in space (proprioceptive placing), but Sadie was able to stand to urinate, defecate, and eat. Her skin was intact. She had not developed bladder infections or skin infections. Her appetite was great and she could begin rebuilding lost muscle mass.

The strength to climb 3 flights of stairs
We were all thrilled, but there was work to do because Sadie lived 3 flights up from street level and our goal was for Sadie to be able to run in the woods. Sadie would need to climb the stairs under her own power. Over the next few weeks, with her beloved family at home, Sadie grew increasingly stronger, and 10 weeks after Sadie became paralyzed, I got this note:

“I wanted to let you know that Sadie is doing very well. She is now able to go up and down the stairs to walk in the woods twice a day. She is loving it. She also is running a bit like a trot and she has a huge smile on her face. I have been giving her the herbs 2x a day - I think it is helping with her energy and vitality. Thank you for all your support. Avi's youngest son said the other day "Sadie's back!" that was a joy to hear. Love, Stacy"

Pray & don't lose hope
If you have a paralyzed dog, be like Stacy & Avi, don't lose hope. We do not have miracles for paralysis, but we do have the great traditions of Chinese & Western medicine. And, we have the prayer, “May the best that can happen, happen. Amen.”

What's coming?
Over the next few Caring for Pet blog entries, let's discuss the acupuncture techniques, homeopathy, herbs and attitudes that helped Sadie overcome paralysis.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANCE

According to longevity statistics, the average male Golden lives 11 years, so Lance should have been dead three years ago. And, Lance should have died months ago following surgery for abscessed cancerous mass in the liver (hemangiosarcoma). Even with successful surgical removal, the average life expectancy after surgery is only 19-61 days. So, it’s easy to see why Lance’s birthday this month is worth celebrating. Happy 14th Birthday Lance!

Lance survives because his family loves him dearly, providing him with optimal nutrition, herbs, acupuncture, and supplements. Lance is fed wheat grass, probiotics, Omega 3 fatty acids, home-cooked meat, vegetables, and fruit. Lance receives Yunnan Pai Yao to prevent internal bleeding. He receives Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentle Pets) for weakness and cancer. He has also received Xiao Chai Hu Jia Qin Jiao Tang (Benefit Hips & Knees) and Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum) for his liver and joints.

In addition to helping Lance survive cancer, his family ensures he is free of arthritis pain. Like most large dogs, Lance suffers from hip and knee arthritis. To prevent this arthritis from becoming crippling, his family injects him with Adequan and provides oral joint medication (Joint Optimizer). In addition, Lance receives regular acupuncture treatments.

As important as acupuncture, medications, food, and herbs are, they only support the life energy that Lance has. What keeps that life energy flowing is the love and support Lance receives from his family. Bernadette and Bruce have kept Lance happy to be alive during the tough times with hypothyroidism; hot, inflamed joints; abscess liver tumor; and bloody diarrhea. Their love is what truly makes the difference.

Congratulations Lance, and thank you Bruce and Bernadette. Your love for Goldens makes the world a better place.

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Panza, a Cancer Survivor

Let’s hear it for little Panza who is doing well despite cancer.

Cancer is a devastating disease that affects half our dogs and one-third of our cats. For many forms of cancer we don’t have tremendous success with conventional approaches. For example, even with surgical removal of a cancerous spleen (hemangiosarcoma), dogs live an average of 19-61 days. Panza had surgery last February and, 6 months later, is still doing well.

Several things contribute to Panza’s ability to live beyond the normal lifespan of a dog with a splenic tumor, the most important of which is her family’s love. Every day she has fun. Panza receives short walks and weekend outings. She receives hot, home-cooked food, skin care, & baths.

In addition, holistic therapies have helped extend Panza’s life:
1. Premium nutrition with emphasis on proteins, fresh deeply pigmented fruits and vegetables
2. Herbs such as Yunnan Pai Yao that help limit bleeding
3. Herbs such as Blood’s Palace that promote movement of energy and prevent “blood stasis”
4. Homeopathy for toxin clearance
5. Acupuncture tune ups

When Panza’s family first began working with me after her surgery in February, we were realistic. We discussed the possibility that Panza, like many pets with this type of cancer, could develop a sudden internal hemorrhage and die. Still, we created a plan that looked at Panza’s overall health, including her allergies, arthritis, tendency to diarrhea with a diet change, anal sac scooting, and proceeded. We came up with a whole new way of feeding her. We selected ideal supplements, fatty acids, vitamins and herbs. We acupunctured her weekly, then monthly. We did everything we could from a holistic veterinary perspective, including prayer, and Panza has benefited.

Panza is one example of how well a pet with a loving family can do given holistic veterinary support. In upcoming Caring for Pet blog entries, we’ll talk about some of the others.

HERE’S TO PANZA’S FIRST SIX MONTHS FOLLOWING SURGERY FOR CANCER!

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Anesthetic and Non-anesthetic Dental Cleaning for Pets

Should your pet have dental work done by a veterinarian while it is anesthetized? Or, can your pet take advantage of the less expensive non-anesthetic dental work that is being offered by some vet clinics?

There’s a big difference in the price of anesthetic dental treatment compared with the price of non-anesthetic dental treatment, but there is also a big difference in what can be done to your pet’s teeth. How do you know which is best?

Here are six questions that I use to help clients understand whether anesthetic or non-anesthetic dental treatment would be best for their pet:

1. Does this pet have a truly stinky mouth with abscesses? Yes, then it’ll need teeth pulled, so please request an anesthetic.

2. Does this pet have painful teeth that should be extracted? Yes, then please request anesthetic.

3. Does this pet hate to have its mouth handled? Yes, then allow it to be sedated. This either can be full-blown anesthesia or an injectable sedation rather like valium.

4. Is this pet naturally haywire? Yes, then request sedation or anesthesia so the miniature jack hammer used to bust off tarter will not accidentally put a hole through the roof of your pet’s mouth.

5. Does this pet have a so that positioning it in a technician’s lap for the nonanesthetic dental can be painful? Yes, then request anesthesia or sedation so your pet’s head and neck can be positioned and maintained in comfortable way.

6. Does this pet have serious dental problems and serious heart, kidney, or liver disease? Yes, then request a sore neck nesthesia, but also request a cardiac and blood oxygen monitor, IV fluids, and herbs to help the liver detoxify the anesthetic.

Anesthesia scares many pet families and they are right not to take it lightly. If families have pets that are calm and have minimal dental disease, they’re candidates for anesthesia-free dental care. If pets are aggressive or regular rodeo candidates, they need anesthesia or sedation. If the dental disease is severe, pets need anesthesia.

There’s a delightful video on non-anesthesia dental care by Jan Rasmussen, the author of Scared Poopless. The video is at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/.

After you watch the video and answer the questions above, you’ll have a good idea whether your pet is a good candidate for non-anesthesia dental care.

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Pet Nutrition and Yorkshire Terriers

Good pet food is essential to good pet health.

Food, in addition to love and exercise, keeps our pets healthy. So why, when we’ve so many pet foods available to choose from, do we have such unhealthy pets? Wait, you don’t think of pets as unhealthy? Think again. Half of our dogs develop cancer. One third of our cats develop cancer. About one in five of our large spayed dogs becomes incontinent. Bladder problems in cats are so common that they support many cat-only practices. One in ten dogs that I see has severe allergies. More than half the dogs I see have painful arthritis, bothersome enough that they limp. Does this sound like health?

What’s food got to do with all this suffering? Well, our pets’ bodies are made from what they eat. If they eat great food, they’ll have healthier bodies.

Great food is not great advertising. Purina, Pedigree, Science Diet, and Hills have great advertising, but not good food. Prove this to yourself. Compare the ingredients of these foods with what your pet would eat if it were in the wild. Actually think about your pet’s genetics and what its ancestors ate for thousands of years.

Here’s an example: Yorkshire Terriers developed in Yorkshire England. Historically, that is, for thousands of years, Yorkies would have been fed beef, wheat, and barley but they would not have been fed fish, avocado and tomatoes because these foods are not native to England—the shipping of produce around the world has come only in the past few hundred years.

One of the aspects that develops over centuries is the DNA for digestive enzymes. Thus, our Yorkies naturally developed digestive enzymes that work best with the foods they normally received, such as beef. This is why offering Yorkie packaged foods with corn, fish, avocado, or soybeans is likely to produce a dog that is not optimally healthy.

Appetite is not the key to whether the food is good for a pet. Sure, a Yorkie may enjoy eating food with corn and soy but that doesn’t mean it’s good for your Yorkie to eat every day any more than eating at McDonalds every day is good for our kids.

We’ll cover more breeds and food issues in upcoming Caring for Pets blogs.

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Pet Euthanasia and Quality of Life

The Quality of Life Score was developed by Dr. Xie of the Chi Institute in Florida. Filling it out helps us evaluate how a pet is doing and whether euthanasia would be wise.

Pets in great health have scores of 500; good health, 400-500; ok health, 300-400; poor health, 100-300; exceptionally poor, <100.>Quality of Life Score

To obtain the score, figure out the Life Score, then subtract Pain Score, and reach the Quality of Life score. Follow these steps:

1. LIFE SCORE

For following six categories, rank 1-100 with 1 being lowest score and 100 being absolutely wonderful. Add the points for a Life Score.

• Overall happiness


• Urination (difficulty or leakage)


• Defecation (difficulty or leakage)


• Appetite


• Activity & Mobility


• Mental status

2. PAIN SCORE
Give a pain score from 1-100 with 1 being pain-free and 100 being incredible pain.

3. QUALITY OF LIFE SCORE
Multiply Pain Score X 2 and subtract from Life Score

Complete QoL score as often as is helpful. For very ill pets, QOL might be done daily. For moderately ill pets, QOL might be done weekly or monthly.

Be sure to give scores for the present circumstance, not for how your pet was yesterday or how you hope it will be tomorrow.

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Pet Euthanasia, A Thank You

It’s difficult for holistic veterinarians to deal with euthanasia as often as we do; we all suffer when dogs and cats are ill and dying.

To help clients during the end of a pet's life, I encourage them to use both the heart (right brain) and the analytical, critical left brain. Most of us with dying pets have a sense of what is in our hearts, but we don't know how to critically evaluate this emotional situation with our left brains. To help the left brain contribute to the decision of when and if to euthanaize, I encourage pet families to complete a Quality of Life sheet. The QOL sheet gives us a numerical sense of where the pet is and how it is progressing one day to the next. We’ll post a Quality of Life sheet on the blog in the next day or two so you can see what's involved.

Here is an example of how a client, Lois, felt after we discussed euthanasia and Buddy's quality of life. I saw Buddy when visiting Dr. Nancy Keller’s Healing Heart Hospital. To Lois, and all those who’ve expressed thanks at how we work together to make euthanasia decisions, I say, “You’re welcome.”

Dear Sue,
I wanted to say how much I appreciated the time you spent with our little family while you were here in Florida. Your quality of life quiz was exactly what I needed to be clear about how Buddy really was doing and what made the most sense for him.

Your gentle nature and the beautiful way you handled Buddy and Hope were just what we all needed that day.

Buddy died two days later. Nancy said he “rocketed” out of his body and I believe that. He was a very active dog and sickness was not part of his nature.

Once I was ready, he let me know that he was ready. I think he had been sticking around until I got a clue.

We miss him very much, but are using the Spirit Essences you recommended and I know they are helping all of us…including the cats.

Thank you for being such a wonderful doctor and such an extraordinary person.
Our Best Regards,
Lois L,

While I can share Lois’ letter with you, sorry I can’t share the cookies she sent. For the cookies, the hard working staff at Founders Veterinary Hospital say, “Thank You!”

Euthanasia is the most difficult decision that I help pet families make. It's an honor to have your trust so that we can make these decisions together.

We'll post a Quality of Life sheet soon on the Caring for Pets blog.

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What causes black hair to fade to brown?

Calypso is a primarily black mixed-breed dog (probably Aussie & Shepherd) with some areas of black hair that are turning slightly brown or copper-colored. His skin and coat are healthy and shiny, so we know it’s not an infection or unusual endocrine disease. What, then, could be causing Calypso’s coat to fade? Let’s consider

• genetics,
• hair loss,
• sun bleaching,
• drugs, and
• food,

and see what is most likely to cause this change.

Genetics that changes black hair to brown
I don’t suspect Calypso’s change in hair color is due to genetics. There is a genetic tendency called aurotrichia (gold hair) in some dogs, but usually these are Schnauzers

Hair loss
Let’s check if Calypso has two coats, an outer coat of long guard hairs, and an undercoat of a different color. If Calypso has black guard hairs that have been shed to expose a brown undercoat, we could have an apparent coat color change. But, that’s not happening as Calypso’s bronze hairs are long guard hairs, all the same length and texture.

Sun bleaching
Can Calypso’s bronzing be due to sun bleaching? No. This fella doesn’t spend hours outside on the deck, and is usually walked early in the morning or later during the day when the sun isn’t bright. And, if it were due to sun bleaching, we’d see the effect mostly on the topline. Calypso’s bronzing is in small areas, a little off the topline, over the ribs.

Drugs that change hair color
Next, we check whether Calypso’s change in color could be due to drugs, since some drugs affect the skin and hair. Calypso isn’t on steroids, antifungals, chlorambucil, or antacids, such as Pepsid. So, no drugs commonly known to change coat color are responsible for this bronzing.

Foods affecting coat color: copper, tyrosine, zinc
Copper
Let’s check the diet. A deficiency of copper or of tyrosine can cause bronzing. Is Calypso getting healthy portions of the following copper-rich foods--oysters, shellfish, beans, nuts, kidney & liver, whole grains, sesame seeds, barley, turnip greens, and molasses? Ok, most of us can’t afford healthy portions of oysters and shellfish, but we trust Calypso is getting some of the other copper-rich foods, especially liver.

Tyrosine
Is Calypso getting healthy portions of the following tyrosine-rich foods-- tofu, chicken, turkey, fish, avocados, lima beans, yogurt, cheese, bananas, and avocados? We suspect he is, because he receives home-made chicken stew frequently.

Zinc
What if Calypso is getting healthy amounts of copper-rich and tyrosine-rich foods, but he is getting even more zinc-rich foods? Because zinc interferes with copper absorption, zinc-rich foods can decrease the amount of copper he is able to absorb. Zinc rich foods include: oysters, legumes, cereals, & meat, such as lamb, beef, poultry, and pork. If Calypso is getting more of the zinc-rich foods than copper-rich foods, we may have an imbalance that causes bronzing of black hairs.

In addition, feeding milk and eggs interferes with copper absorption.

What should Calypso’s family do?
Rather than add vitamin or mineral supplements, Calypso’s family should vary the food he’s receiving and increase the amount of copper-rich foods. If the bronzing continues, Calypso should be given enzymes so that he can absorb more of the copper he’s being fed. If this doesn’t work, we will add a mineral supplement, and do some lab work to ensure his organs are all functioning properly.

Black hair fading to brown is another example of how important food is to pet health.

As always, food should be part of our solution to pet health issues.

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What Kills Dogs? What Kills Cats?

Top 3 diseases that kill dogs: cardiac, cancer, kidney.
Top disease that kills cats: kidney.

Can we do anything about these diseases? Yes. Lots.
Nutrition, herbs, acupuncture, and homeopathy are great tools for helping sick pets. Over time, we'll talk about how each method benefits these pets.

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