The information given in these pages is just that - information - and is not designed to take the place of proper veterinary care.
The therapies covered are listed in the left-hand column below, with links to where each can be found - on this page, apart from the Energy therapies, Flower Essences and Homeopathy. Otherwise, just scroll down to see them all. For all of the therapies on this page it is just an overview, with links to other sites where more information can be found.
The correct diet for each individual animal is the basis for good health. Alternative therapies work by stimulating the body’s own healing system, but it can be difficult for the body depleted for years (or even for generations) of essential nutrients by poor or incorrect feeding to respond to such stimulation. This can be a reason (other than the wrong remedy having been given) for such therapies as homoeopathy not to work or only to work to a certain extent, although geopathic stress can also be a cause of therapies not working.
However, there are other things to take into account when looking at the reasons for our dogs’ ill health: their lifestyle and all the stresses of modern times; the chemicals that are poured into them, on to them, and that they have to wear round their necks, and breathe in, or which are injected into their bodies; and emotional problems that so often go unrecognised and unaccepted. Happily, alternative therapies have the answer to many of these difficulties and there are links to many sites that will give you further information and differing views. Take what feels right to you and leave the rest; the choice is always yours.
But, and this is a big BUT, do not feel that your use of alternative therapies does away with the need to obtain veterinary attention for your dog (or any other animal). In his book "Love, Miracles, and Animal Healing", Allen Schoen, DVM puts very clearly what disastrous consequences can result from people dabbling in alternative therapies when their pets are unwell. He describes a case where a bitch became off-colour and her owners tried herbal treatment and then homeopathy, but the bitch became sicker and sicker, so she was taken to Allen's surgery to be put down. She had pyometra (a serious infection of the womb) and early veterinary attention (and probably surgery to remove the infected uterus) would have prevented her suffering weeks of misery. By all means use alternative methods as first aid, and alongside whatever treatment your vet is giving, but, for your animal's sake, do not think that you can deal with every problem in this way and without getting a diagnosis and attention from your vet. Or see a holistic vet.
ACUPRESSURE - this technique uses the same acupoints (places on the energy meridians that run throughout the body) as acupuncture, but uses the fingers or thumbs instead of needles. It can easily be learned and is very helpful for treating your dogs at home. There is an excellent “Canine Acupressure” Treatment Workbook available. It is by Nancy A. Zidonis and Marie K. Soderberg and is available from the authors at Equine Acupressure Inc., P.O. Box 123, Parker, Colorado 80134. Also "The Well Connected Dog" A Guide to Canine Acupressure by Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis, ISBN 0-9645982-4-8, available from Tallgrass Publishers, LLC, PO Box 123, Parker, CO 80134, tel. 888-841-7211, Fax: 303-841-6939, website: http://www.animalacupressure.com/ . For a very helpful page on acupressure on the Lucky Dog Health website, click here.
ACUPUNCTURE - this originated in China, India or Tibet and supposedly was discovered when it was found that being hit by an arrow could in some instances have a beneficial effect! Chinese warriors used an arrowhead to stimulate points on their horses to give them more energy prior to battle and acupuncture has been used on animals in China for thousands of years, veterinary medicine having been designated in that country as a branch of medicine some three thousand years ago. It has only been available in the West for a few decades and is still seen as "fringe" medicine to some extent. Acupuncture uses needles, herbs, and heat to stimulate points on the body on lines of energy (called "meridians") which flow through the body and which have been found to correlate to nerve pathways. Each meridian is linked to an organ and body system. More recently electroacupuncture has been added to the treatment system, in which electrical impulses are used instead of needles to stimulate the acupoints, and home treatment instruments are available for this modality. Lasers are also used. Acupuncture works to stimulate the immune system, to reduce pain and inflammation (it can be used instead of anaesthesia in humans for surgical operations), to relieve problems such as diarrhoea or constipation, and many other disorders. Acupuncture can only be performed by trained veterinary practitioners, but see Acupressure for a treatment protocol anyone can learn to do.
ANIMAL LINKS - this was a technique based on the human therapy "BODY TALK" and was carried out and taught by Anthony Artus, who also wrote a book on the therapy. Sadly, Anthony died suddenly and so the website and training for AnimalLinks is no longer going. However, BodyTalk can be used for animals and information on BodyTalk is available on several BodyTalk websites, for which see the Links below. BodyTalk involves finding out from the body what it needs by using (for animals) surrogate kinesiology and then reprogramming the body/mind connection in order to permit healing. It is a brilliant therapy that is truly holistic, covering every aspect of the being, and can instigate remarkable healings.
BIO ENERGY THERAPY - this is more hands off than hands-on, as most of the work is done in the energy field (aura) surrounding the body. It can clear blockages and allow the energy to flow properly and can also balance the energy. There are hands-on moves that get the energy flowing through the body as well as around it. It is very effective in a wide range of ailments, and can be done at a distance. To find an animal therapist, click here for a google search page, and here for a YouTube video of a dog being given Bio Energy Therapy.
BOWEN TECHNIQUE - this is another very gentle manipulative technique that works by moving muscles or tendons out of position and letting them slip back into place, which apparently clears blockages and allows the energy to flow freely. It can have wonderful effects on a host of physical problems and is now being used far more on animals, and training is given for such use. Training is required in order to be able to use this technique. Click here for the website of the European Guild of Canine Bowen Therapists, and here for the website of The Bowen Association UK, where lists of therapists can be found, and here for the website of the Bowen Directory.com, with lists of animal practitioners around the world.
CHIROPRACTIC - McTimoney Chiropractic is a very gentle manipulative therapy that is excellent for any skeletal problems such as spinal vertebrae out of alignment, pelvis twisted or tilted, joint problems, and so on, but also can help in other problems that do not seem to be related to the skeletal system. These can include digestive problems and behaviour problems.
It would be worth having a chiropractic session for any ailment - including heart problems - that was not easily healed to see if the basis for the problem was a skeletal system misalignment. In the U.K. veterinary referral is required for a chiropractic treatment, as it is for any alternative therapy other than distant healing. Quantum Touch can also be used to make adjustments to the skeletal system, although this is done only on an energy level without any actual physical adjustments.
Any dog that does agility, or jumps on and off things or over fences would benefit from regular chiropractic treatment. An animal McTimoney chiropractor has done two years’ training over and above the five years training for working with humans.
For your nearest practitioner in the U.K. contact
The Administrator,
McTimoney Chiropractic Association
21 High Street
Eynsham,
Oxford OX8 1HE
Tel. 01865 880974, Fax 01865 880975
URL: http://www.mctimoney-chiropractic.org/
For animal chiropractors in the U.S.A., see http://www.avcadoctors.com/
COLOUR THERAPY - Colour is a form of energy since it is simply light at varying wavelengths, and light is energy. Each colour has its own particular wavelength. This energy is absorbed via the magnetic energy field, which surrounds all living things and is usually called the 'aura'. On a physical level light is taken in through the skin and the eyes and this is so much a very important part of life and balance.
Animals may not see colour as we do but they pick up the energy of whatever is around them and so colour is just as important to their wellbeing as it is to the wellbeing of humans, and they are much more sensitive to what is going on around them than we are, so colour can affect them much more strongly.
Using colour as a therapy does not necessarily mean some specific form of healing practice but can just be the colour of their bedding, or the colour of a piece of material or sheet of paper laid over them or wrapped around a particular area of their body - such as using a deep blue to put over a painful area, as blue reduces pain. However, colour can be utilised in many ways, such as putting a colour plate over a lamp and beaming the light over the animal, or using special torches made to beam different colours over such areas as wounds. Animals will usually tell you whether the colour is what they need by lying quietly under it or by getting up and moving away to tell you that it is not the best colour for their needs. Here is a detailed article on Colour Therapy for Animals on the WorldWide Health.com website. And another on the Colour Therapy Healing website. And the John Mikell School of Colour website.
MASSAGE - this is the technique of kneading, rubbing and stroking all over the body and limbs to relax the body, calm the mind, and increase the bond between animal and person. Giving a regular massage to your dog not only helps your relationship to flourish but is very therapeutic both physically and psychologically, and is also useful as a diagnostic technique. When you are touching all over the animal’s body, you will find early such possible problems as lumps or wounds which are hidden in the fur, and will also discover by the animal's behaviour during the massage where there are painful spots. It is not strictly necessary to learn a technique for massaging - just rubbing and stroking and working all over your dog is helpful in itself - but there is an excellent book which describes, and shows with pictures, how to do the whole thing properly. This is “The Healing Touch” by Dr. Michael W. Fox, published by Newmarket Press, New York. ISBN 1-55704-062-1. "Love, Miracles, and Animal Healing" by Allen M. Schoen, DVM and Pam Proctor also gives some details on massage. It is published by Simon & Schuster New York, ISBN 0-684-82273-3.
OSTEOPATHY - this technique uses stretching and pulling as well as manipulation. It can be particularly helpful for compression injuries, such as a dog running head-on into something. Cranial-sacral osteopathy is a very useful therapy for dogs that were born by Caesarian or had a very hard time during a natural birth. It doesn’t matter how old the dog now is, because birthing difficulties can cause all sorts of problems later which can be cleared by treatment of this kind. Osteopathy can only be performed by trained practitioners.
For your nearest practitioner in the U.K. there is
The Society of Osteopaths in Animal Practice at http://uksoap.org.uk/
PERELANDRA MBP - The Microbial Balancing Solutions have been created by nature from a combination of electrical infusions from many different plants, minerals and natural gases found in sea and on land, so that the solutions release their original balancing properties to the body system for which each was designed and help bring the systems into proper function. The Solutions are made up in either brandy or white vinegar and can be given to animals at the same dosage suggested for adult humans, although for small dogs and animals such as rabbits and cats it might be best to halve the suggested dose. The MBP balancing solutions page on the Perelandra website, and the Animal Care page on the same site.
QUANTUM TOUCH - Quantum physics shows that everything in our physical world is actually formed from energy which is constantly flowing. This energy could be likened to electricity or to radio signals. We may see our bodies as being solid and made up of blood and tissue and bone but every part of our bodies is actually energy vibrating and flowing in streams and there is more energy permeating and surrounding what we see as our bodies. This is usually known as the aura, auric field, or simply the Field and it has no ending.
Energy in different forms vibrates at a different frequency. The energy that makes up a rock vibrates slowly, which is the reason the rock looks and feels solid. The energy that makes up a delicate flower vibrates much faster. Energies that vibrate on the same frequency are in resonance with each other and absorb each other's energy easily.
More than this, every cell in our body has its own innate intelligence, and wellbeing is the natural state in which each cell is always striving to maintain itself or reach when it has been shut off from that natural state. A higher vibration is always dominant to a lower vibration but what is thrumming on a low vibration needs to have some way of connecting to that higher vibration in order to benefit.
Quantum Touch is simply utilising Source energy to raise the vibration of a sick person or animal to the vibrational rate of wellbeing and the innate healing ability of each cell does the rest.
Anyone (including children) can learn to do Quantum Touch. There is a book available that explains how to do it and there are also Quantum Touch trainers around the world. The book is entitled "Quantum-Touch The Power to Heal" by Richard Gordon, and it describes how to access Source energy and direct it into a person, animal, plant, food, water, etc., either with physical contact or at a distance. It can be used for self healing as well as for helping others to heal. The website for Quantum Touch is http://www.quantumtouch.com
TELLINGTON TTOUCH - this is a technique which was developed originally for horses by Linda Tellington-Jones. It was found to be so therapeutic that it was then modified for other animals, including humans, and for birds. It is excellent in many spheres - treating behavioural problems, nervousness and aggression, physical symptoms including poor movement, and can ground an animal that is spaced out. There is a wide range of moves, all of which are given animal names, such as Raccoon Touch and Snow Leopard, and exercises. For animals that don’t like being touched or having anyone near them, use is made of a “wand” (a German dressage whip), which can be utilised in stroking or performing the touch moves on the animal. There are books on the subject, including a workbook which shows the moves. There are also TTouch practitioners who have undergone several years of training.
TTouch also uses exercises and equipment to get animals in touch with their bodies. For example, a bodywrap can be helpful for nervous dogs, and a calming band for over-excitable dogs such as constant barkers, while moving through some of the specific exercises can help a dog that, for example, crabs on the move. For those in the U.K. bodywraps and calming bands can be purchased from http://www.mekuti.co.uk/
LINKS
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The Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre website |
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The PetMD page on Alternative Veterinary Treatments |
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Association of British Veterinary Acupuncture site |
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Natural Animal Health page on veterinary acupuncture |
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A google search page for osteopathy for dogs |
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The McTimoney Chiropractic Association site |
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American Veterinary Chiropractic Association's site |
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The official site for the Bowen Technique |
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The Bowen Directory site, for practitioners around the world |
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Tallgrass Publishing Animal Acupressure site |
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The Natural Pet Healthcare page on chromotherapy for pets |
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The IVC - Integrative Veterinary Care - Journal article by Cindy Kneebone, DVM on Healing Hues |
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Pet Massage site |
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Linda Tellington-Jones TTouch site |
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Linda Tellington-Jones' page on TTouch for companion animals |
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The start of several pages on TTouch on the canismajor site |
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International BodyTalk Association site page on AnimalTalk access courses |
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BodyTalkMontana page on BodyTalk for animals |
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The BioEnergy Life Center website |
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The site for Plexus Bio-energy Therapy |
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The Perelandra page for animal care |
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The Panosun website from which the Perelandra products can be obtained in the U.K. |
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The site for Animal Wellness Magazine - devoted to natural health in animals, now available in digital form for downloading to your computer |
These will generally include nutritional supplements, homeopathy, flower essences, but also various other therapies which have been found to be most helpful. Quantum Touch can be helpful for any disorder, especially as it's a therapy owners can learn to do themselves. Diet can be especially helpful but the problem here is that diet really needs to be suited to the individual. Some dogs will benefit most from a raw food diet but what that raw food diet should consist of in the way of protein and vegetable sources would differ from animal to animal, and some dogs would benefit most from having raw meat and biscuit or a cooked diet of some kind. Some would even benefit most from a commercial food. The only way to find out what would be best for each individual is to use muscle testing or dowsing or animal communication. It is well worth doing this because being able to give a dog what its body can best use in the way of fuel is in many cases the best way of helping that dog heal. See Interspecies Communication/Kinesiology.
This is a disease of the heart muscle, in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and damaged, the heart beat becomes faster and the heart enlarges to compensate for the lack of propulsive power. It is often preceded by atrial fibrillation, which is where the atrium (one of the chambers of the heart) beats at a different rate to the rest of the heart. Tachycardia (fast heart rate), poor circulation (which can be tested for by pressing down on the gums until they turn white and then seeing how long they take to return to good colour. Sometimes the gums are pale anyway due to the weakness of the heart muscle.), and a fluttery heart beat are symptoms of cardiomyopathy. Another symptom is loss of weight in a hound that is eating well. Cardiomyopathy is a wasting disease. Checking the heart beat with the pulse in the inside of the thigh is a good indication of how well/badly the heart is pumping, as the number of pulses should equal the number of heart beats but in heart disease there will be several more beats of the heart to a single pulse. Usually the heart can be seen beating in a hound with cardiomyopathy when the hound is lying down on its side, when it cannot in a hound with a normal heart.
What causes cardiomyopathy? The cause(s) are not known. It definitely runs in families but, in my opinion, this is more a case of inherited susceptibility than a disease which occurs only because of genetic makeup. However, it is also possible that (at least in some cases) it is an immunodeficiency or autoimmune disorder, although these may be due to nutritional imbalances. In some dogs a deficiency of an amino acid (either carnitine or taurine) has been implicated as at least part of the cause, but it is not known whether this is an actual deficiency or an inability within the dog to utilise what is present in the diet. It could also be due to a musculoskeletal system imbalance that could be corrected by the use of chiropractic or another therapy that treats the musculoskeletal system.
We first had DCM in our hounds when we had been feeding commercial feed for several years. A five year old bitch, having had a litter, gradually started to lose weight despite a ravenous appetite. She then started having strange episodes in which she would try to run but her legs would wobble and she would have to stop and brace herself with her legs wide apart and yet she still swayed from side to side and sometimes went down. Eventually, we were sent to a practice that had an ECG and told she had cardiomyopathy and would be dead in six weeks, but we could perhaps extend her life by only taking her out on leash so that she could relieve herself but otherwise keeping her confined.
It seemed to us that she might not live any longer but it would certainly seem like it to her, so allowed her to do whatever she felt like. We started her on homoeopathic remedies and she lived a normal life for ten days short of six years, being just over eleven when she went into heart failure. She was how I learned enough about heart disease to know what was wrong with the hound that became the reason for the birth of the Heart Disease Research Project.
Elsa, one of our rescue hounds, came to us with cardiomyopathy at the age of four and went into heart failure March 10th, 1999. She had been very fit and active once we had sorted out her thyroid problem, and actually did very well for a hound diagnosed with the disease so early in life, as she was just a month under eight at her death.
Elsa during the last year of her life
I believe that a weak endocrine system, particularly the adrenal glands, can be a component of cardiomyopathy. Weak adrenal glands can lead to poor immunity, reduced thyroid function, allergies, skin disorders, and auto-immune disorders, of which cardiomyopathy may well be one. In other words, the immune system attacks the heart muscle. Hypothyroid (underactive thyroid) is often a contributing factor, but this may be more poor uptake of thyroid hormones due to adrenal insufficiency than actual poor thyroid function. For more information on adrenal insufficiency read Pet Allergies: Remedies for an Epidemic by Alfred J. Plechner, DVM.
So what is the treatment for cardiomyopathy? First have a test done for thyroid function. It would be a good idea also to have a test done on adrenal function, if possible. Also a session with a chiropractor or similar therapist.
Unfortunately there is no one diet that can be suggested as part of treatment, because so much depends on the individual animal and what is best for each of them. However, the following supplements may be helpful to some hounds:- 1) the amino acids Taurine and Carnitine; 2) vitamin E; 3) Co-Enzyme Q10; 4) Conjugated Linoleic acid (CLA); 5) a digestive enzyme supplement with each meal; 6) Omega 3 fish oil; 7) a multi-mineral/trace element supplement such as ConcenTrace [http://www.concentrace.co.uk/] or Trace AniMinerals [http://www.pet-grub.com/pet-supplements/trace_animinerals_ionic_trace_mineral_supplement_for_dogs_and_cats]. 8) a Magnesium supplement, preferably one in which the magnesium is amino acid chelated, called Chelated Magnesium.
The most used homoeopathic remedies for cardiomyopathy are CRATAEGUS, which is particularly good for strengthening the heart muscle. Also CACTUS GRANDIFLORA. This acts as a general heart tonic but also helps deal with fluid retention. DIGITALIS can be very helpful, and this is particularly the case when the hound is going into heart failure, or to get the heart under control when the function is very poor. STROPHANTHUS is another helpful remedy. Also SPONGIA TOSTA can be helpful, especially where there is a heart cough. Plus (as with any illness) the constitutional remedy for each individual.
Of the Bach Flower Remedies MIMULUS, SCLERANTHUS (it has been found that wolfhounds' hearts are affected mainly on one side), SWEET CHESTNUT, and WILD ROSE can be used. Plus whatever remedy fits the hound’s constitution/personality/ behaviour, such as AGRIMONY or OAK. For the hound actually in heart failure the essences most often used are GENTIAN, GORSE, and OLIVE. These can all safely be given alongside any other treatment.
These are the therapies that kept Elsa going in good health for four years, which is a long time for a hound diagnosed with cardiomyopathy as early as three years of age. She had no symptoms of heart disease until the very end, when her heart just packed up.
However, more recently there have become available the Perelandra MBP (Microbial Balancing Solutions) so it could be helpful to start a hound found to have heart disease (even if the only problem appears to be that of Atrial fibrillation [AF]) on the Cardiovascular System Balancing Solution. Other of the MBPs which might be of help would be the Immune System Balancing Solution in case of an autoimmune disorder, the Endocrine System Balancing Solution (particularly if the thyroid and/or adrenal glands are found to not be functioning properly), and the Cell Balancing Solution.
For a more detailed list of homeopathic remedies for heart problems, click here
For more detail on heart disease click here.
This is the name which was given to a condition which has occurred in Irish wolfhounds for decades. Some research was carried out on it in the 1960s and the researcher decided it was a virus infection (the virus was never isolated) which had some immune component, since it could not be given to healthy puppies. Another researcher in the 1970s followed the same line but found that other breeds were also susceptible. The symptoms varied in severity, which was presumed to be dependent either on the severity of the infection or the amount by which the immune system was depressed. However, there now seems to be a possibility that some of the instances of what was presumed to be virus rhinitis could have been instead a condition known as Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia, which is an inherited disorder in which the cilia are malformed and cannot perform their normal function of protecting the respiratory system from inhaled pathogens, nor keep the fluids moving.
The symptoms of PCD are the same as for “virus rhinitis” and have similar variation in severity. A pup may be born with a nasal discharge, or it may be born either asymptomatic or with a wheeze. The nasal discharge (rhinitis) occurs later, sometimes weeks or months later, occasionally years. The affected animals are prone to repeated bouts of pneumonia, and may have middle ear problems as well. The lungs gradually become damaged and breathing more difficult. Badly affected puppies usually die within a few weeks, but some last a year or two and one wolfhound bitch lived six years. PCD has been recognised in 14 breeds of dog (not yet including wolfhounds in Gt. Britain) and humans, pigs, mice and rats. It has been recognised in Irish wolfhounds in other countries, including America and Australia.
Cranial osteopathy or Quantum Touch could be the first line of treatment - working on the head and neck particularly.
Other treatment would be geared towards boosting the immune system by giving the diet most suited to that dog, possibly with supplements, of which the vitamin B complex (but not from brewers yeast) and vitamin C might be most helpful. Adrenal supplements would also be worthwhile additions to the diet, along with digestive enzyme supplements with each meal. Avoid dairy products, eggs, and root vegetables, which are mucus forming. Give Colloidal silver, which is a natural antibiotic, antiviral, and fungicide. Follow a course with a probiotic, as colloidal silver, like antibiotics, kills off beneficial gut flora. Colloidal silver is usually readily available but it is extremely important to buy only the one that is no higher in particle size than 30 ppm and which is not colourless when seen under fluorescent lighting. See http://www.colloidalsilveruk.com/ and http://www.ukcolloidalsilver.co.uk/?gclid=COPAhYTcr8cCFSTItAod3NYBZw
It is possible that Curcumin (from turmeric) would be helpful in preventing the fibrosis of the lungs caused by repeated bouts of pneumonia.
The most commonly used Flower Essences for this sort of illness would be chosen from SWEET CHESTNUT, WHITE CHESTNUT, CENTAURY, CRAB APPLE, LARCH, OAK, WILLOW, CHESTNUT BUD, ELM, and MIMULUS, together with the appropriate constitutional/ temperament/behaviour remedy. If the puppy or hound gets really weak at any time, give OLIVE and possibly WILD ROSE if there appears to be a lack of will to live. These should, of course, be given alongside the appropriate veterinary treatment.
Homoeopathic remedies chosen to suit each individual - a constitutional remedy - could be very helpful.
The Perelandra MBP (Microbial Balancing Solutions) could be helpful for dogs with virus rhinitis. The Respiratory System Balancing Solution would be the first choice, but the Lymphatic System, Immune System, and Cell Balancing Solutions could also be helpful.
For more information on Virus Rhinitis/PCD click here.
This is a disorder that usually occurs in young puppies up to three months old, although it is considered that the infection itself starts soon after birth with infectious organisms entering the body through the umbilicus. The first signs are a puppy that is not wanting to feed, has at least one leg curled up close to the body, and is feverish and in pain. Sometimes a joint or joints will be noticeably swollen. The disease progresses diagonally across the body, so that, if it starts in the left hind leg, the right foreleg will be next affected. Sometimes the joints of the spine will be affected as well. Puppies can die from this, so veterinary treatment should be sought as soon as possible. One problem with antibiotic treatment is that there is little blood supply to the joints, which is where the infection is situated. With one of our puppies, the vet injected the antibiotic directly into the affected joint, as well as giving oral antibiotics. That puppy did recover and did not have any other problems with the infection.
Nutritional therapy - vitamin C is known to be helpful in any infectious disease and is usually given to bowel tolerance. As always, the best diet for the affected puppy is one of the main ways of helping in any health problem, and it does help with gaining the most from the diet to give pancreatin (pancreatic enzymes). Also live yoghurt, and follow the antibiotics with a week or two of Probiotics.
Colloidal silver could be useful, as could Curcumin (turmeric).
The most commonly used Bach Flower Remedies for this kind of problem are SCLERANTHUS, SWEET CHESTNUT and CRAB APPLE. Crab apple can be given orally and applied externally to affected joints until healed.
Homoeopathic remedies could prove useful but should (as always) be suited to each individual. Giving a constitutional remedy is always helpful.
The Perelandra MBP (Microbial Balancing Solutions) could be useful. The Skeletal System Balancing Solution would be the main choice, but the Immune System, Lymphatic System, Endocrine System and Cell Balancing Solutions could also be helpful.
Joint-ill can recur even when apparently cured, and has done so in puppies as old as seven months.
For more information on Joint-ill click here.
This can occur at almost any age but is most common in older hounds. It often occurs as a result of bone growth disorders, but can also occur in hounds which had no apparent growth problems. One of the main causes is skeletal misalignment, which can cause the bones in the joints to be moved out of their correct position so that they grind against each other rather than moving smoothly in the normal way, so having chiropractic or Quantum Touch treatment done on your hound would be the best first step. Arthritis can also occur as the result of adverse reactions to certain foods and it can be difficult to know whether joint pain is the result of the latter or is actually degenerative changes to the joint.
Many dogs which are allergic to meat in commercial diets are able to eat either home cooked or raw meat of good quality without any problem, and the first step with a hound which develops arthritis is to try and find out what is the best diet for that dog. Using kinesiology, dowsing or direct communication would be most helpful, or an exclusion diet could be undertaken. This would be achieved by first omitting wheat and any other grain, such as rice, from the diet and feeding just raw or home-cooked meat such as lamb or turkey (beef and chicken can be main allergens). Do this for a week to ten days and this should at least tell you whether allergic reactions are part of the problem. It can take as much as ten days for allergens to be cleared from the body. If the symptoms have disappeared by the end of this first period, then you can start adding back into the diet foods that were previously given, but only one per week. Give the new food each day for the week, as some foods can be eaten occasionally without causing a problem but will bring about symptoms if given more often. If any symptoms recur, then that new food should be listed as a cause of the problem and be omitted from the diet, but it may be only one of the causes of the problem and it would be sensible to continue adding back single foods each week.
A major dietary cause of joint pain is the Solanum family - potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and aubergine - and the first two are frequently included in commercial dog food and treats. Soya can also be a cause of joint problems
The nutritional supplements that have been found to work best for arthritis include Omega 3 EFAs; vitamin C divided into two doses each day; a colloidal mineral supplement such as Trace AniMinerals, or ConcenTrace; MSM (organic sulphur); pancreatin (pancreatic enzymes), and possibly glucosamine, green lipped mussel, shark or bovine cartilage, grape seed extract or other pycnogenols. Magnetic therapy can be very helpful for joint pain, with products such as Bio-Flow collars having excellent results with many joint and spinal problems. Acupuncture can also help a lot, as can in some cases manipulative therapies such as McTimoney chiropractic and the Bowen Technique, as joint problems can occur through the body simply being out of balance. Quantum Touch could also be used.
The most likely Flower Essences would be the constitutional/temperament/behaviour remedy such as AGRIMONY or OAK (the most usual ones for wolfhounds), and CENTAURY, BEECH, ROCK WATER, and WILLOW. Homoeopathic remedies as always should be suited to the individual.
Of the Perelandra MBP (Microbial Balancing Solutions) the Skeletal System Balancing Solution and the Digestive System Balancing Solution would be the first choice, but the Immune System and Lymphatic System and Cell Balancing Solutions could also be useful.
For more information on Osteoarthritis click here.
This covers a host of problems, from the pus-y spots that often occur on puppies of about six to eight weeks (generally known as “puppy pox”), to acute atopic dermatitis (allergic skin disorder), and pressure sores that can occur in elderly hounds. A major cause of skin problems is diet, but also thyroid deficiency and/or adrenal insufficiency, and skeletal system misalignment, and - especially for pressure sores - not enough vitamin C.
A good topical application for many skin disorders is Neem oil in the form of a lotion, not a cream, as reactions to the cream base all too often occur. To make the oil into a lotion, add 4 tablespoons of Neem oil for adults and 2 tablespoons for puppies to 400 ml. water and then add enough dog shampoo or washing-up liquid (usually close to the same amount as the oil) to get the oil and water to blend into a creamy lotion. This will keep for months, just shake well before applying. Aloe vera gel is also a very helpful topical application but get one that has the minimum of other products included. It should be possible to find a gel that is 99.9% aloe with just a natural preservative as the other 0.1%. It is especially important to avoid Essential Oils, as these can be a major cause of problems occurring in the skin as well as in other body systems such as the digestive system.
Puppy pox is due to the change in diet that occurs at weaning and shows that the puppy is not on the diet best suited to its individual needs, so finding out what is the best diet for that puppy is the first step and the most important. Neem oil can be used in a lotion to apply to the spots, as can Colloidal Silver, which can be very helpful in all sorts of skin problems.
The most used Bach Flower Remedy for skin problems is CRAB APPLE, which can also be applied in diluted form to the rash, or a dilution sprayed on the skin (unless using Neem oil). Homoeopathic remedies can be very useful but should be geared to the individual puppy.
Atopy generally affects the face - especially around the eyes and muzzle - and feet. This is usually caused by an allergic reaction to something inhaled such as pollen, grass seed, house dust, house dust mites, etc. Dogs are not born with allergies, and an allergic reaction is simply a sign that the immune system is not working properly, so treatment should be geared towards boosting the immune system rather than suppressing the system. The basic cause could well be adrenal insufficiency (read “Pet Allergies: Remedies for an Epidemic” by Alfred J. Plechner DVM for more information on adrenal insufficiency) and/or the wrong diet or skeletal system misalignment.
As treatment: find the most suitable diet for the dog. Nutritional supplements that have been found to help include adrenal supplements, digestive enzymes, and antioxidants such as Co-Enzyme Q10. The most commonly used Bach Flower Remedies are BEECH, CRAB APPLE, ELM, HOLLY, OLIVE and WALNUT. Homeopathic nosodes are available for all the common allergens such as house dust and house dust mites, pollen &c., but giving the constitutional remedy for each individual as well is always helpful. Applying Colloidal Silver to the affected areas of skin can also be extremely helpful.
Allergic Dermatitis may be caused by allergies to food, to the drinking water, to dishes, or to stuff the hound is in contact with such as bedding (or what the bedding has been washed in). It can be difficult to pinpoint the allergens, because a dog may have contact, food, and inhalant allergies all at the same time. With foods, a reaction can be caused not by just eating the food once, but eating it several times within a certain period. For example, rice might be eaten once a week without causing any problem, but eaten twice a week could set up a reaction. Diet is often a culprit, so suiting the diet to individual needs is the most important step. It can be helpful to give digestive enzymes with each meal. Adrenal insufficiency is a possible culprit in this disorder as well.
Flower remedies to use are the same as listed under Atopy above. With homeopathy, besides constitutional remedies, a remedy can be made for an individual animal from its urine, hair, skin scrapings, etc.
Warts - the most common cause is vaccine damage and the most usual homeopathic remedies for this are THUJA OCCIDENTALIS and MALANDRINUM.
Interdigital eczema or interdigital cysts - the most common cause is vaccine damage. With the first, the skin between the toes becomes red and sore and sometimes raised spots occur. With the cysts, swellings occur between the toes and sometimes on top of the toes. These swellings become hard and can burst. Both these conditions are extremely painful and can cause the hound to go lame. First signs are usually constant licking of the feet. Treating the vaccine damage is the first step, using either THUJA or MALANDRINUM as above, but there are homeopathic remedies that can help with the symptoms as well. Colloidal silver would be the most helpful application.
Ear problems. These are mainly basically skin problems, as the inner lining of the ear counts as skin. However, in some cases the cause is a deficiency of one of the amino acids HISTIDINE or METHIONINE. This is usually the case when only one ear is affected, and the immediate treatment is to supplement with the amino acid. However, this is another reason why it is so important to give the best diet for each individual dog. Another possible cause is mites (usually brought in by cats), but if neither of these are the case, then it is a skin disorder.
Treatment of mite infestation is: Bach Flower Remedies CRAB APPLE (apply in dilution into the ear as well as giving orally), SCLERANTHUS, CENTAURY. Homeopathy, as usual, would be geared to the individual picture. There is also a powder, called THORNIT, which can be very helpful in dealing with ear mites. Thornit can be purchased online at http://canineconcepts.co.uk/item--Groomers-Thornit-Ear-Powder--thornit
Other ear/skin problems - Bach Flower Remedies: AGRIMONY (dog tearing itself to pieces with scratching/ chewing), IMPATIENS (very itchy skin), SWEET CHESTNUT (tearing itself to pieces), WHITE CHESTNUT (obsessive licking, scratching, chewing). Remember WALNUT for protection against allergens, OLIVE for adrenal insufficiency and thyroid deficiency, and CHESTNUT BUD for conditions that keep recurring and do not seem to respond to other treatment.
The Perelandra MBP (Microbial Balancing Solutions) which would be most useful for any skin condition would be the Integumentary System (Skin) and Cell Balancing Solutions; also the Immune System and Endocrine System Balancing Solutions could be useful in cases of allergies or sensitivities.
This occurs in older dogs and leads to behavioural changes such as anxiety and restlessness, lack of cleanliness in the house, a loss of understanding of commands, and similar problems. It can lead to a dog that does not seem to know what it wants to do; for example, asking to go out and then wanting to come back in, and then go out again, and then back in. It can be a dietary problem and so it would help to give affected dogs the best diet for their individual needs. It can help to give regular supplements of the B complex vitamins, etc., although it may be necessary with older dogs to give digestive enzymes as well. We had it happen in an elderly bitch in the 1980s, when I was feeding raw meat and biscuit, before I knew about digestive enzymes. I treated her (and effected a cure in just three days) with a homeopathic remedy because she had a very distinctive symptom picture.
The Perelandra MBP Nervous System Balancing Solution would be the best choice; also the Cell Balancing Solution. Homeopathic remedies would need to be suited to the individual, but, of course, this is another problem that could well be caused by vaccines, so treating that should be considered as a first step for using the homeopathic remedies.
Diet should be used as a preventive. Feed each dog what is best for them individually, bearing in mind that this is not necessarily going to remain the same throughout their life, as their needs may change, and a different diet may need to be found at different stages throughout their life. Also give whatever supplements come up as being necessary.
I feel sure that most, if not all, the modern disorders that cause so many problems to breeders and owners would not occur if this were the usual regime. A bitch can only give to her puppies what she herself has available. If she has a diet that contains only a little damaged Omega 6 EFA and no Omega 3, how can she produce healthy hearts in her puppies? Or a healthy liver? And can a puppy develop properly and healthily when it is under so much bombardment from vaccines? Not to mention the grown dog still being bombarded with them every year throughout its life? Would we lose our wolfhounds to cardiomyopathy if each dog was fed the diet that was best for it and not constantly poisoned? And would we need a liver shunt project?
The Nature of Animal Healing by Martin Goldstein, DVM
Help to Heal Your Dog by Silvia Hartmann-Kent
Raising Healthy Pets Insights of a Holistic Veterinarian by Normal Ralston, DVM with Gale Jack
Keep Your Pets Healthy the Natural Way by Pat Lazarus
Homeopathy for Cats and Dogs by Don Hamilton, DVM
The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care by C.J. Puotinen
The Natural Remedy Book for Dogs and Cats by Diane Stein
The Natural Dog by Mary L. Brennan, DVM with Norma Eckroate
Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM and Susan Hubble Pitcairn
Natural Healing for Dogs by Susanne Bonisch
Heal Your Dog the Natural Way by Richard Allport, BVetMed,VetMFHom,MRCVS
Natural Dog Care by Celeste Yarnall, PhD
The Natural Way for Dogs and Cats by Midi Fairgrieve
Pet Allergies, Remedies for an Epidemic by Alfred J. Plechner, DVM and Martin Zucker
Love, Miracles and Animal Healing by Allen M. Schoen, DVM and Pam Proctor
Shock to the System by Catherine O'Driscoll
Quantum Touch - The Power to Heal by Richard Gordon
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The Perelandra MBP page |
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The Panosun website, from which Perelandra products are available in the U.K. |
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Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre (U.K.) website |
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The AltVetMed Web Site (Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine) |
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Dr. Anna Maria Gardner, MA VetMB MRCVS page listing articles on nutrition, homeopathy, flower essences, etc. |
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The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association website |
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The page on the Everglo-Natural™ Veterinary Services' website for a list of articles by Dr. Gloria Dodd, DVM on the natural way to keep pets healthy |
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Another page on research articles on holistic health care for pets on the Everglo-Natural™ website |
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The peteducation.com page for articles on Holistic and Alternative Veterinary Medicine |
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Shirley's Wellness Cafe pages on holistic healing for animals |
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The Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre page on Alternative Medicine for Dogs |
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The website of The International Society for the Studies of Subtle Energies & Energy Medicine (ISSSEEM) |
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Updated 8/22/2015