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This page features valuable information for our existing clients as well as new clients who are interested in holistic animal health care, prevention and our services:
Fast, jarring, strenuous, repetitive and obsessive activities lead to injuries. Just try sprinting for 15 - 30 minutes and do it daily! Dogs are fun loving creatures but do not always know when to stop. Variety of play, running, hide and seek and occasional fetching (5 minutes max.) is much safer. In the wild, dogs would sprint only for a few seconds or minutes while hunting.
Hints:
- Replacing walks and exercise with ball fetching only, leads to injuries and premature musculoskeletal aging
- Take breaks, play hide and seek, agility and have fun
- "Dog Tricks for Dummies" is great book for finding ideas for new games and tricks
- Allow enough rest
Answers To Frequently Asked Questions
Scientific evidence has shown that various health issues may be triggered by vaccination. These can occur long after the vaccine was administered. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) states that:
"Vaccination is a potent medical procedure with both risks and benefits. While there is evidence that some vaccines provide immunity beyond one year, revaccination of patients with sufficient immunity does not necessarily add to their disease protection and may increase the potential risk of post-vaccination adverse events.
Adverse events may be associated with the antigen, adjuvant, carrier, preservative, or a combination thereof. Possible adverse events include, but are not necessarily limited to, failure to immunize, anaphylaxis, immuno-suppression, autoimmune disorders, transient infections, long-term infected carrier states, and local development of tumors. The role of genetic predisposition to adverse events needs further exploration and definition.
Unnecessary stimulation of the immune system does not necessarily result in enhanced disease resistance, and may increase the potential risk of post-vaccination adverse events.
Vaccination is a potent medical procedure associated with both benefits and risks for the patient. Adverse events, including some that are potentially severe, can be unintended consequences of vaccination." (www.avma.org/issues/policy/vaccination_principles.asp)
We believe it is important to know about this in order to make the safest decision for your animal friend.
The Healing Place generally does not recommend vaccination of cats with the exception of the rabies vaccine for traveling. Certain diseases have vaccines available, however the efficacy of these vaccines is still undetermined. These include Feline Immunodeficiency and Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Our clinical experience has found that treatment of the acute respiratory diseases either with Homeopathy or conventional medicine, is better than attempting to undue the potential side effects from vaccination.
If you are concerned about your cat's level of protection and do not feel comfortable without vaccinating, talk to your veterinarian about the antibody titer testing for cats. This test is now available at most veterinary laboratories.
Rabies vaccine may need to be given for the purpose of traveling and we do not recommend it until 6 months of age. It is very important to keep an eye on your kitten for several months after vaccination for any signs of the following side effects:
- Skin and ear problems
- Eye discharges
- Allergies
- Recurrent vomiting and diarrhea
- Autoimmune disorders such as lupus
- Seizures
- Anxiety, hyperactivity and aggression
- Thyroid disorders
Homeopathy is an effective and safe way of treating reactions to vaccination, as well as health problems which mayÊbe related to vaccination.
Answers To Frequently Asked Questions
As stated above, the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) policy on vaccination states that adverse reactions to vaccination can result in long term health problems. Long term effects from vaccination during early development of the immune system, may be a concern.
Puppies maintain their maternal antibodies until the age of 12 - 16 weeks. In the wild, they would be exposed to pathogens like parvovirus or distemper virus from other dogs while they are still protected by antibodies obtained from mother's milk. Their immune system creates its own antibodies which are called "required immunity". In addition, there is also cellular immunity - white blood cells that ingest and destroy viruses and pathogens.
To ensure your dog's protection you can measure antibody levels at 12 and 20 weeks, and then yearly. If the antibody levels are adequate your dog will likely be protected when exposed to the particular pathogen. If you still insist on vaccinating your puppy despite the possible side effects, The Healing Place Team recommends not using "combination" vaccines. Give 1 antigen at a time. Parvovirus at 12 weeks and Distemper 4 weeks later.
Rabies vaccine may need to be given for the purpose of traveling and we do not recommend it until 6 months of age. It is very important to keep an eye on your puppy for several months after vaccination for any signs of the following side effects:
- Skin and ear problems
- Eye discharges
- Allergies
- Recurrent vomiting and diarrhea
- Autoimmune disorders such as lupus
- Seizures
- Anxiety, hyperactivity and aggression
- Thyroid disorders
In some cases, vaccines can cause an aggravation of an inherited genetic weakness or susceptibility. Some vaccines such as Bordetella (Kennel cough) and Lymes disease, can actually cause symptoms of the disease itself.
Homeopathy can be an effective way of treatment for vaccine reactions.
One may ask how can we be sure that vaccines are truly at the core of many problems. The simplest way of confirmation is to treat the problem with homeopathic treatment that "neutralizes" the vaccination side-effects. Resolution of the problem confirms vaccine involvement.
- The natural balance of the ears is often unknowingly disturbed by excessive cleaning and flushing. Ear infections and inflammation are usually a sign of other underlying imbalances related to digestion, liver and spleen. Local ear treatment only gives us an illusion of an improvement for a very short time
- Ear and skin problems are only the warning signs that something more serious is going on in the body that needs to be treated
- You can wipe them occasionally if you see sand or dirt, or once every 2 - 4 weeks
Activity and play is the corner stone of health and longevity. Variety, balance and caution are important as well as allowing enough fun, play and exercise.
Lack of activity causes lack of muscle and bone development. Too strenuous exercise leads to injuries, development of chronic back and joint problems, fractures or growth plate injuries.
We recommend:
- Finding a few puppy friends for your puppy to socialize and play with
- Exchange dog sitting with other dog owners. This is especially helpful when you are going on holidays
- If you are walking or hiking make sure that your puppy is not staying behind. Stop if you see signs of fatigue or carry your dog
- Avoid excessive jumps, steep hills or too many stairs
- Do not bike, rollerblade or fast run with your puppy until it is fully grown. (12 - 16 months of age in most breeds)
Please visit our special section entitled Explanation Of Holistic Medicine And Homeopathy.
- Puppies grow fast and produce high levels of metabolites that the body needs to eliminate. The elimination process usually happens through the openings including the eyes
- Most puppies will have eye discharge on and off for approximately 1 year. This is a vital part of the natural and "healthy" cleansing process
- The use of steroid medication and antibiotics is, in our opinion, unnecessary and highly contraindicated
- For further information, go to explanation of homeopathy
This consists of the same basic principles in adult dogs with a few exceptions. If you are not familiar with our booklet "Feeding Your Dog a Raw Diet", it is available at Healing Place upon request.
Here are a few guidelines for puppy feeding:
- Feed approximately 5 - 7% of the body weight per day until about 6 - 8 months of age
- Remember that each puppy is an individual so adjust the amount of food if it is becoming overweight or thin
- Check the muscle development in the area of hips, shoulders and the back. The muscles around the back should be "flush" with the spine
- Ideally, your puppy should be slim with well developed muscles
- A layer of fat is a sign of overfeeding and causes fast growth, weaker bones and connective tissue. If you can't feel and COUNT the ribs, your puppy is likely overweight
- If your puppy is skipping meals and looks healthy, reduce the amount and frequency of feedings. In an average puppy you will be feeding: 3 MEALS up to 4 - 5 months; 2 MEAL5 ; 8 months; 1 MEAL for puppies older than 8 months
- Basic supplements such as Canine Plus (multivitamin and mineral source) and omega oils are highly recommended to ensure a well balanced diet
- As a rule of thumb, we never recommend administration of a chemical substance, including "flea preventive medication", no matter how safe drug companies claim their products to be. Their research is usually short and incomplete. How can anyone be really sure that giving a chemical substance on a regular basis is truly safe?
- In our opinion, bathing, garlic, vinegar or essential oils do not seem to have any reliable effect on fleas, mainly because they do not affect newly hatched fleas in the environment - carpets, upholstery and even the back yard
- Check the coat with a flea comb regularly and maintain its condition by regular brushing and combing
- Fortunately dogs and cats fed a raw diet are less likely to suffer with fleas. This is perhaps due to the blood chemistry and increased general health when fed a raw diet
- In the rare event that you do find fleas, we recommend consulting us to make the best possible and least harmful decision for you and your animal friend
- We believe that dogs come to us for many reasons. They are spontaneous, fun and loving. They also come into our lives to teach us about who we are, what concerns us, and how we approach life in general. They can become as balanced and happy as us or take on our sadness, fears, anger or even disease in order to protect us
- Many times in our practice, we have seen that if humans live a happy and balanced life, their dogs are healthier and have a better ability to recover when ill
- Please treat your dog with kindness and understanding. Never raise your voice or punish your dog for what he has done. Positive approach to training is the most rewarding method. For further reference: Purely Positive Training by Sheila Booth or consult our behavioral consultant Kathy Gibson
- Incidence is so low that there is more risk involved in giving monthly preventive medication. Only 1 or 2 cases are usually found in the Okanagan region per year. If you travel to the more risky regions of Central and Eastern Canada, consult us for more information
- Round worms are the most common parasites that are transferred from the mother to her offspring before birth. The young larvae migrate through the liver and lungs and are swallowed after they are coughed up. The intestinal tract is the final destination. After roundworms mature they start shedding eggs. The eggs hatch in the environment and wait for the right opportunity to infest another host
- Tapeworms are the second most common parasite found in dogs. They are transferred by ingestion of an intermediate host - fleas, birds, mice or from raw meat or fish that was not been previously frozen. We recommend feeding previously frozen raw meat.
- Fecal sample examination in the lab is the most common way of detecting parasites. The use of a special method reveals eggs of the parasites. Remember that most parasite infested dogs are not shedding "worms" in their feces except the most severe cases of infestation. Some parasites may not always shed the eggs at the time of the sample collection therefore we recommend fecal sample examination at the age of 8, 12 and 18 weeks and then yearly
- Based on our previous experience, there is no 100% effective natural deworming medication. I recommend deworming 2 x 10 days apart starting at the age of 6 weeks
- Other kinds of intestinal parasites like hookworms and pinworms are less commonly found in feces of dogs
We all wish good health and longevity for our animal friends and wonder why some have no health problems and others have one problem after another. Here is what we have learned:
- Less is often more - especially prescription drugs including flea and heartworm prevention
- Alternatives to vaccination can prevent chronic disease and side effects
- Natural raw diet is the best way to health and longevity
- Too little or too much exercise can lead to problems
- The best healing is the one that supports and balances the body's own defense system
- Trust your common sense. If it tells you there is something wrong, act on it and do not procrastinate
- Take your pet to see your veterinarian for a yearly preventive exam
- Fresh raw bones maintain good dental health
- Animals come to teach us about our feelings and emotions. Let them teach but do not expect them to heal
- When you feel well, your pet feels well too!
Is A Safe And Essential Part Of A Healthy Diet
- The strong stomach acids dissolve the bone material to a paste-like material that can easily pass through the intestinal tract
- Whole raw bones scale teeth which prevents the need for dental scaling and anesthesia
- Many cats enjoy chewing on chicken wings and chicken drummets. Usually we recommend feeding these from an early age. Older cats may be sometimes reluctant to eat them, time and patience is required
BONES MUST BE RAW ONLY. COOKED BONES ARE NOT DIGESTIBLE AND MAY BE HARMFUL TO YOUR CAT AND DOG.
Is A Safe And Essential Part Of A Healthy Diet
- Whole raw bones scale teeth which prevents the need for scaling and anesthesia
- Bones are your dogs best entertainment and they are also less costly than a new pair of sneakers or sofa legs that fall into the "popular munching" category
- Feeding chicken carcasses, lamb shanks, necks or rib bones is recommended and safe. The strong stomach acids dissolve the bone material to a paste-like material that can easily pass through the intestinal tract
- Avoid large marrow bones!!! Most dogs have very strong jaws and could break their teeth when chewing large bones
BONES MUST BE RAW ONLY. COOKED BONES ARE NOT DIGESTIBLE AND MAY BE HARMFUL TO YOUR CAT AND DOG.
Our experience shows that puppies are safe and disease resistant when they are in good health, are fed a high quality fresh diet and get moderately frequent exposure to other dogs.
Here are a few points:
- Moderate exposure to other dogs builds up natural immunity while your puppy is still protected with maternal antibodies
- Socializing puppies at an early age helps them to learn communication with other dogs
- Avoiding social contact may lead to poor social skills and low natural immunity. It is my experience that the "old fashioned" restriction of contact with other dogs leads to poor social skills, fear, aggression and low immunity
- We recommend avoiding highly frequented dog spots and parks in the first 4 - 6 months
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Our Team