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Allergic Dogs, Diets for Dogs, Tomatoes & Pork

This Pork & Tomatoes diet was formulated by Dr. Ihor Basko and is taken from his book, Fresh Food & Ancient Wisdom.
Don’t use the Pork & Tomatoes diet if your pet is allergic to tomatoes, pork or milk. It is not a complete diet and should be used for 6 weeks max.

Pork & Tomatoes
• 3 cups cubed pork , rump or shoulder roast
• 1 cup canned tomatoes, (drained & rinsed)
• ½ cup celery
• 3 cups cooked barley or millet
• 4 tab olive oil
• 1 tab parmesan cheese

Stir fry the pork in olive oil for a few minutes then add celery and broccoli for another 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in grain, sprinkle with cheese, cover and cool to body temperature (98 F or 37 C) and enjoy. This provides 4-6 meals for a 10 kg dog.

Dr. Basko's book contains dozens of recipes that are so good it makes us want to eat what our dogs eat. He also writes about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and how we can use herbs and food to help dogs with allergies and other chronic health problems.

If your pet is allergic or has chronic health problems, use Dr. Basko’s book, Fresh Food & Ancient Wisdom for guidance. Then, work with your holistic veterinarian to fine tune your pet’s diet.
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Dog Allergies, Diets for Dogs, Sardines & Tofu

Allergic dogs need special diets, and here's one to consider:
Tofu & Sardine Diet
This diet was formulated by Dr. Ihor Basko and is taken from his book, Fresh Food & Ancient Wisdom.





Don’t use this Tofu & Sardine Diet if your pet is allergic to soy or fish. It is not a complete diet and should be used for 6 weeks max.
• ½ cup firm tofu (minced)
• ½ cup zucchini (cubed)
• 1/2c cup cooked barley or white rice
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 2 tab ripe avocado
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp parmesan cheese
• ½ cup sardines (in olive oil or water)

Stir fry the zucchini in sesame and olive oil for few minutes. Add tofu and continue stir fry for 5 minutes. Add rice, barley, avocado and parmesian cheese. Continue cooking for 5 min. Remove from heat and cool. When body temperature (40 C), stir in sardines and serve. Makes two meals for 10 kg (25 lb) dog.

Dr. Basko's book is full of useful recipes and information on using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to help dogs with allergies and other chronic health problems.

If your pet is allergic, ask your holistic veterinarian for help with diet and herb recommendations.
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Behaviour Problems in Dogs & Cats, Changing Behaviour with Diet & Training


Behaviour problems ruin more good human-pet interactions than any other problem. Among the most common problems are barking, separation anxiety, jumping up, challenging other dogs, & biting. Fortunately, we can take steps that change our pet’s behaviour.

1. Feed appropriately. When pets are aggressive, cut back on the carnitine and chromium in their diet. I find carnitine and chromium make pets “hotter” and more reactive. Carnitine and chromium are often included in supplements. Fruit (cubes of watermelon, a blueberry) are often better than supplement pack full of proteins and minerals that are not given in the way nature intended.

2. Decrease protein and increase complex carbohydrates such as pumpkin and sweet potatoes. There’s a craze now about high protein diets. For some dogs, proteins at 25-33% are ideal.

3. Feed a natural diet for your pet’s genetics. For example, Yorkshire Terriers, German Shepherds and Rottweilers did not evolve eating ocean fish and should be given meat based rather than salmon-based diets. In contrast, Labrador Retrievers evolved eating fish and a natural diet for Labs should include fish. Supplements for the Lab could include fish oil, but use ground flax supplements for Rotties, Shepherds and Yorkies.

4. Train pets with a quiet, calm (almost a whispering) voice so they strain to hear your words. This is very difficult to do when we’re upset with something a pet has done and want to explode, but the reason we have the pets we have is to learn something. When a pet is driving us nuts, one of things we’re to learn is how to remain calm. When we can talk to our pets with a whisper and they strain to listen, they’ll stop engaging in rambunctious behaviour just so they don’t miss what we’re trying to communicate.

5. Reward desired as though there is no tomorrow. Give great treats, great praise, great play sessions.

6. Ignore unwanted behaviour. If we don’t like what just happened (jumping, barking), that’s the time to turn and walk away.

7. Exercise even more than you ever thought necessary. Make sure your pet is always one step in front, though, rather than dragging behind. Stop and reassess whenever your dog is not walking alongside or a little in front. Dogs that walk behind often have lameness issues. Please do not ask lame dogs to run behind a bike or jog down the street until you put a rock in your shoe and become as lame as the dog. Then, you’ll walk at the right pace for the dog.

8. Keep pets busy with mind games. Cats & dogs love thinking, so challenge them.

9. Treat any medical problems that prevent our pets from expressing the joie de vive that comes so naturally to them.

10. Use Tellington TTouch techniques to create an aura of good energy between pets & humans. To catch up on the latest in TTouch, come to the Saturday Session at WaterWorkz, July 30. There will be an in-depth discussion by Catherine Stewart of the ways to massage, exercise and work with your pet so that it behaves to its full potential. Everyone’s welcome.
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Tellington Touch TTouch at WaterWorkz Saturday Summer Series


The WaterWorkz Summer Series has Catherine Stewart discussing Tellington Touch (TTouch) this Saturday at noon.

Catherine has done amazing work on rescue dogs and pets, so you'll want to hear her stories. She'll cover TTouch bodywork, groundwork and special tools for your dog!

Everyone is welcome noon, July 30 at WaterWorkz.
3831 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby, BC
Call if you've any questions: 604 435 0002.

Dr. Pollen & Tanya are looking forward to welcoming you all!
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WaterWorkz Saturday Summer Series, Benefits of Warm Water Swimmng


The WaterWorkz Saturday Summer Series has Tanya on board this Saturday, July 23. She'll discuss all the benefits dogs experience floating and swimming in warm salt water. You'll learn why she takes pet families up to the pool and says, "This is where the magic happens."

Dr. Pollen will be available to answer questions of a technical nature, such as "Can a dog with a torn ACL benefit from swimming?" and "How is swimming good for dogs with degenerative myelopathy and disc disease?"

Everyone is welcome. The time: noon. That's 12 - 1 pm.
Place: 3831 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby, BC.
Phone: 604 435 0002.
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Acupuncturing Cats


Cats are good candidates for acupuncture and it is surprising how well many of them accept needles. Here, you can see it even surprised the cat’s mistress who took photos of how well she did with needles in.
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Summer Saturday Series at WaterWorkz this Saturday on July 16 with George Halpern

Everyone's welcome to enjoy practical advice on how to interact with your dog from George Halpern. George is offering behavior advice, so bring your questions. George is part of the Summer Saturday Series at Waterworkz and he’ll be there to help Saturday July 12 from 12 to 1 pm.
What's coming next in the Saturday Series at WaterWorkz?
July 23, it’s all about therapeutic swimming. Tanya will discuss the benefits and joys dogs & cats experience from playing in warm salt water. Nothing better than salt water therapy that feels like fun.

Then, July 30 it’s Tellington Touch with Catherine Stewart. TTouch helps us calm dogs and helps them get beyond unwanted behaviors.

Where are the sessions?
Waterworkz, 3831 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby, BC

Call if you’d like more information: 604 435 0002

Check the website for details about what’s coming on the Saturday Summer Series: www.WaterWorkzPawSpa.com

A great group of people came last week to discuss Pet Nutrition & Supplements for Dogs & Cats. I'm sure we'll have a great group again, so come enjoy being with other dog families who want help with their pets.
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Medications for Dogs on Boats or Cruising

Here we are loaded in the car ready to go to the boat and sail up the sunshine coast. Might just look like a car load of dogs, but there is also a ton of home-made dog food, toys, Kongs to slowly release food, a harness for each of us so we can be pulled out of the water safely, and our medicine kit.

When packing medications and supplies for travelling on your boat, take the following:

PROBIOTIC
Prevent or treat diarrhea
RX Biotic  is excellent and doesn't need refrigeration.

CLAY
Treat diarrhea
RX Clay helps whatever the cause of diarrhea, bacteria like Salmonella or protozoa like Giardai.

FLAX for BULK
Prevent constipation. Constipation and hard stools are a problem in pets that aren't eating well or pets that have gotten hot and dehydrated.
Missing Link is the best source of flax because it's sealed in nitrogen and has not formed harmful free radicals that are created whenever oils are exposed to oxygen.

MOTION SICKNESS
Prevent or treat nausea, vomiting, dizziness
Meclizine tablets or scopolamine patches

ANTIBIOTIC CREAM
Skin infections, scrapes, flea bites, wounds, burns
Silver Sulfadiazine

ANTIBIOTIC ORAL
Infections from ticks, such as Lyme disease, Anaplasma; respiratory infections, especially those that hang on and are difficult to shake; food-borne infection such as Listeria
Doxycycline

ANTIBIOTIC ORAL
Gut infection that doesn't clear up following clay and probiotics, such as reoccurring giardia
Metronidazole

ANTIBIOTIC EYE OINTMENT
Dogs that travel with their heads out the window often have eye irriations, If an infection develops, use an antibiotic effective against many different bacteria
Terramycin ophthalmic  or Polymyxin B

INJURY TRAUMA
If your dog falls, gets a leg shut in the car door, gets rolled down a hill,  give a homeopathic medication because it's safe no matter what other meds your pet is taking. Homeopathics come in liquids, pills, and injectable forms.
Traumeel

BLEEDING BRUISING & PAIN
For severe bleeding or deep bruises, this can be applied onto the injury or can be swallowed
Yunnan Baiyao

ARTHRITIS OR BONE & JOINT PAIN
If your pet outdoes itself and is so sore it cannot walk, rest, ice & elevation. Also use a good pet medication that is rather like aspirin. Take care not to give more than the recommended dose. More has the potential to be harmful.And, even the right amount has been known to cause kidney & liver problems.
Meloxicam, Piroxicam, Etogesic, Rimadyl

SPASM PAIN
With muscle spasm, use a homeopathic. The spasm can be muscle traction injury, an internal spasm such as when a kidney or urethral stone; colic, abdominal pain with diverticulitis, constipation or diarrhea. This is med helpful as you're waiting for treatment.
Spascuprel

CHRONIC PAIN
Nagging arthritis, chronic sciatica, try this homeopathic.
Zeel

STOMACH ULCERS
Stomach ulcer pain especially if taking Aspirin or Meloxicam
Sucralfate

SKIN WOUND ANTISEPTIC
Skin injuries with grit or embedded dirt. This can sting.
Hydrogen Peroxide

DISINFECTANT
To pour over the embedded fish hook before cutting the end off and pulling back through the skin. This also kills bacteria on skin, but it kills healthy skin cells, too, so don't use it if you can use soap & water.
Rubbing Alcohol Isopropyl

WHAT ELSE TO PACK IN PET MEDICAL KIT?
Take along:
  • Gauze
  • Q-tips
  • Cotton balls
  • Vet Wrap
  • Scissors
My hope is that you'll pack a great medical kit for your dog or cat and never need a single thing. Enjoy the world without worry.
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Dogs on Boats

Six important things to help you keep your dog safe & happy on board your travels with boat.
1. Single most useful word to have on your dog’s tag if it travels on your boat?
Not the dog’s name, it’s the name of the boat.

2. Single most useful piece of safety equipment on your dog?
Not a collar; it’s a harness. Easier to grip a harness with a boat hook if your dog a over, and you’ll never break your dog’s neck in rough seas hauling it out with its harness.

3. Single most important decision to make before you leave shore?
Decide not tot take a dog if you can’t pull it out of the water and get it onto the boat deck.

4. Safest way to feed on board?
Canned food. The kibble will mold, and the freezer might stop working and you’d lose the fresh frozen food.

5. Best way to teach your dog to go to the bathroom on board your boat? Train it on land. Use a large sweater box with low sides into which you’ve put a piece of artificial turf. Place soil that has been urinated on in the box until your dog realizes, where its new toilet is.

6. How to keep your dog from driving you nuts on the boat?
Play mind games. Hide it’s toys or treats. Play tug of war. Play hide and seek. Offer the slowly releasing food dish and treat ball. Don’t throw the ball from deck into the cabin and have it run up and down the stairs to the cabin as this is hard on the knees.
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Fostering Dogs

Everyone with a border collie knows how extraordinary they are, but like any pet parent, I always knew I had the best dog in the world, Star, the brown & white border collie. Three weeks ago Star died in my arms.

Not only was she the best when she was living, Star continues to be the best now that she’s gone by herding me with her spirit: “Give more treats; play more; and share the house with another dog lickety-split.”

So, I'm looking dog to come into my life—with the help of some wonderful border collie rescue folks. I almost fostered a dog from Richmond Animal Protection Society, a Newfie/border collie cross, but the dog was too large for me to lift into the car, and too stiff-legged to jump into the car and climb the steps to the house. We're going to work on lameness with medication and acupuncture so the dog can move comfortably and be pain free.
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Summer Saturday Series at WaterWorkz with Dr. Pollen



Two wonderful topics this week at the Summer Saturday Series,
Nutrition and Supplements, and
Dogs on Board.

So, what, in addition to your questions, will we discuss?


Pet Nutrition & Supplements
• Single most important factor with food
• Quality, quantity, ingredients
• Different breeds need different foods
• Why some supplements cause harm
• Which supplement companies to trust

Dogs on Board
To increase the joy & safety of taking our dogs camping or yachting with us, we’ll discuss
• which 2 medications to pack
• safety afloat, single most important word on the microchip
• toilet training
• mental stimulation
• danger of too much raw fish
• danger of kibble in the bilge

Our Summer Saturday Series is
at WaterWorkz facility
3831 Still Creek Ave
Burnaby, BC
604 435 0002

See you from 12 am – 1 pm.
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WaterWorkz Saturday Summer Series, 12 - 1 pm Nutrition & Supplements

Nutrition & Supplements
Because feeding right is the single most important thing we can do for our dogs & cats--ok after love and play--we're going to start the WaterWorkz Saturday Summer Series with a discussion of Nutrition & Supplements.

Each dog is different
Bring your pet's food and let's read the ingredients. Is this an ideal food for your particular pet? Did you know Labradors and Staffys don't have the same getetics and don't have the same nutritional demands. Did you know that Yorkies should eat differently than Goldens?

Let's discuss kibble, raw diets, canned and dehydrated foods. What's right for your pet? How about home-cooked diets? How difficult is it to keep a pet healthy using what you have in your refrigerator?

Supplements
What does your pet need? Who makes the best? Does it matter where you purchase your dogs joint meds? Your cat's fish oil? Let's discuss supplements, suppliers, and what's best for your particular dog and cat.

Come
Saturday, July 2, from 12 to 1 pm
to
WaterWorkz 3831 Still Creek Ave
Burnaby, BC
604 435 0022
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WaterWorkz Saturday Summer Series

Every Saturday in July & August, there’s a discussion of incredibly useful pet information. Everyone is welcome. These discussions are as free as the sunshine and just as likely to make you grow.



at Waterworkz, 3831 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby, BC
www.WaterWorkzPawSpa.com
604 435 0002
from 12 to 1 pm

The discussions cover the following topics:

July 2 Nutrition & Supplements
Are you feeding your pet right? Bring what you’re feeding and let’s see whether it's healthy or making your pet sick.

July 9 Dogs on Board Your Boat
What to take to make your dog safe on a cruise. Medications. Pet rescue & safety practicss. Dogs going camping will benefit from this too. Won't it feel good to know you can travel safely on land or water.

July 16 Behavior Tips with George Halpern
Guided behavior techniques based on the indidividual dog. George is bringing Lucy to demonstrate his behavior tips, discuss the importance of exercise. You'll learn how leash walking strengthens your relationship with your dog.

July 23 Swimming Dogs, Benefits of Warm Salt Water
Having fun & getting healthy! Warm salt water therapy benfits dogs with arthritis, disc disease, ACL tears. We can strengthen muscles and increase range of motion, and most importantly, DECREASE PAIN.

July 30 Tellington TTouch with Catherine Stewart
Calming techniques that make it possible to relax your dog. Learn how to increase trust and deepen your relationship with your pet. Catherine will fill you with the knowledge and faith in yourself that makes it possible for you to bond ever more deeply with your pet.

Aug 6 Is it an Emergency?
How to tell if your pet is really sick. What signs to look for that mean it must go to the vet without delay? What signs mean you need to visit the vet but can wait a day or too? How to handle your pet while you're waiting for your vet appointment.

Aug 13 Pet Nutrition
Not all pets should eat fish. Not all pets should eat tomatoes, or avocados, or beef. We'll discuss which breeds normally do well on which foods. Knowing what's genetically right for your pet will help you choose food that makes your pet as healthy as it can be.

Aug 20 Pet Massage with Jolena Kusec
Dogs and cats love being massaged. Jolena will discuss how she does it and what it does for your pet. She'll discuss massaging pets in a lap and while swimming in salt water. AHHH.

Aug 27 Saving Money on Vet Bills
How can you give your pet great care and save money on vet bills? Come discuss how often pets need vaccines, titers, special diets, and routine care. Learn when you should ask for blood tests and when are they unnecessary.

We look forward to answering your questions and providing you with useful information. You'll get advice from Dr. Pollen, a holistic veterinarian, Tanya the owner of WaterWorka, Jolena the WaterWorkz massage therapist, George Halpern and Catherine Stewart. It's going to be a beautiful summer.

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Treating Golden Retrievers with Cancer, Using TCM Herbal Formulas

Golden Retrievers develop a high rate of cancer and many benefit from conventional therapy including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. For Goldens receiving conventional therapies and for Goldens whose families choose not to use conventional approach to tumors, I recommend change in diet, use of supplements and herbs.

In previous Caring for Pets blog entries we’ve discussed diet (no simple carbohydrates, give complex carbs in deeply pigmented vegetables, oils from fish & ground flax, and organic meats to avoid hormone-enriched meats. We’ve also discussed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal formulas to support pets before cancer develops.

If cancer develops the TCM formula will be chose based on the individual pet. Among those that might be prescribed are
  • Bu Gan Tang
  • Chai Hu Shu Gan San
  • Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang
  • Gui Pi Tang
  • Liu Jun Zi Tang
  • Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
  • Si Miao San, Xiao Yao San
  • Xue Fu Zhu Ye Tang
Each formula has herbal ingredients that make it specific for different problems. We consider the whole pet, including tongue and pulse, blood tests, and tumor type to choose the best TCM formula.

These are just a few examples of TCM herbal formulas used for Golden Retrievers or other pets with cancer. In addition, there is Hoxsey formula, which is based on North American & European herbs.

A holistic veterinarian will assess your pet and prescribe the best formula.

I wish we could say these formulas performed miracles—they do not. What they do is help bring the body into balance so the body can do its job of fixing itself.

Using TCM formulas, good nutrition, prayer and play that brings joie de vivre to your pet offers it the best opportunity to heal itself. Golden Retrievers and all dogs are worthy of this level of care if they have cancer.
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Golden Retrievers, Using Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal Formulas to Help Prevent Cancer


When we love dogs, it’s heartbreaking to have them develop cancer. Among the dog breeds that we love deeply and have a high rate of cancer are the Golden Retrievers.

Goldens are ideal companions because of their temperament, intelligence, and beauty. They are great with kids and make good therapy and assistance dogs for the handicapped.

With such a remarkable breed, it’s devastating to see about 50% develop cancer. Knowing the rate is so high, I encourage families with Goldens to start early in the pet’s life to support a healthy immune system.
The white blood cells of the immune system are naturally equipped to sense and eliminate cancer cells. Among the steps we can take to support a healthy immune system are feeding well, using herbs, and providing herbal support when cancer develops.

Feeding to prevent cancer
The single most important thing we can do to support the immune system and help prevent cancer is to feed Goldens correctly. This does not mean kibble. Dogs cannot be healthy eating only packaged food. For suggestions on what and how to feed, check previous Caring for Pets blog entries because they’re full of tips on using deeply pigmented fruits & vegetables, Omega 3 Fatty acids from fish and flax to provide optimum nutrition.

Using herbs to prevent cancer
After feeding correctly to support health, we can use herbs to keep Goldens healthy. The herbal formulas that have been perfected for thousands of years—not just 10 or 20 years like many herbal formulations, but literally hundreds of hundreds of years, are the Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formulas. These formulas are ideal to help Goldens, and to help Goldens immune systems so cancer doesn’t develop.

What is cancer from a TCM point of view
If we look at cancer from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view, cancer occurs when material collects as sludge in the body. This sludge or “phlegm” starts out as a rather ephemeral substance and thickens over time. Without a change in lifestyle & diet, a physically visible mass will become evident. The mass can be small and multiple like multicentric lymphoma or it can be a large and singular like hemangiosarcoma.

Best herbal formula for each pet
To help prevent Golden Retrievers from developing large or small masses, I recommend using herbs that nourish blood & keep liver & spleen healthy. Because each Golden is different, an in-depth consultation is necessary so that we can choose the best formula for the individual dog.

Gui Pi Tang
For example, we might use Gui Pi Tang to nourish blood and “tonify” the body. Gui Pi Tang in a Golden that is anxious or obsessive. The Golden that benefits from Gui Pi Tang may have frequent dreams and be tired during the day because it doesn’t get restful sleep. The blood may be anaemic with a low hematocrit. The blood may lack clotting factors (thrombocytopenia) so that they bruise easily. The stools may be soft and their appetites lackluster. Using Gui Pi Tang helps restore harmony to the body and will help bring about changes that keep immune system flourishing and able to do its job.

One of the companies that makes Gui Pi Tang in Canada is Natural Path. Natural Path has given this TCM formula an easier name, Restore the Spleen.

Bu Gan Tang
For a Golden with different predisposing problems, for example, a Golden that is noise sensitive and timid, has fear aggression or thunder phobia, and tight muscles or muscle spasms, Bu Gan Tang is a good formula. This TCM formula also helps nourish itchy or greasy skin, supports the liver and lowers elevated blood enzymes, such as ALP and ALT. Bu Gan Tang (called Nourish the Liver Decoction by Natural Path) is especially helpful for Goldens that have seizures.

Correct herbal formula brings balance
By choosing the correct herbal formula to help each dog come into balance and have optimum health, we support the dog’s immune system. When each pet has the formula that addresses its health challenges, the pet is less likely to become one of those developing cancer.

Herbs to treat cancer
What do we do if cancer has already developed? The two formulas discussed here can be used before cancer occurs, but for some pets it will also be the formula best for them after cancer is diagnosed. In addition, there are several formulas that are more specific for cancer and I’ll discuss them in an upcoming Caring for Pets blog.
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