Pet Cup

Organic pet food is fast gaining popularity. The sale of organic pet food is increasing at a rate, which is three times greater than human organic food sale. People are getting aware that like humans, pets too need healthy and holistic food. Organic food means the food that is manufactured without the use of chemical substances like the preservatives, antibiotics, pesticides and hormones. Organic food is the healthier form of food, which contains 18 organic nutrients that are certified. Organic pet food has a positive impact on the health and the emotional well being of the pet resulting in increase in its longetivity.

The organic pet food helps in improving the skin conditions and allergies of your pet. This is because the organic food is manufactured using high quality grains and sources that are high in protein. Organic food also helps in increasing the immune system of your pet keeping away health problems like the skin infections. In addition, since the organic food is free of chemical substances, your pet is not affected by the health problems due to these chemicals.

The organic pet food is also low on fat and therefore, organic food does not create weight problems in your pet. It is studied that cats and dogs with greater weights are more likely to suffer from back problems, organic failure and hip dysphasia. Since, the organic food contains high nutrition per ounce of food your pet does not tend to over eat and gets satisfied with small amount of food does maintaining his body weight.

The organic pet food is conveniently available for dogs and cats. Though the organic food is expensive as compared to the non-organic pet food, they provide higher benefits to the pets. Organic dog treats are also available for the dogs, which are hypoallergenic and also free of wheat gluten. The advantage of organic pet food is that the organic food is easy for the pet to digest, as there are no chemicals added, which results in the absorption of all the healthy nutrients present in the food.

To cut down on the cost one can even make organic pet food at home. While preparing the organic food at home it is very essential to choose only the fresh ingredients including the poultry products like the beef, turkey, and chicken. It is advisable to use vegetables like the carrots as it contains beta-carotene, which is very useful for the pet.  It is also recommended that the meat be thoroughly cooked and blended together with the help of a food processor. The vegetables and the meat must be mixed and cooked together with the use of brown rice for the binding purpose. Thus, your organic homemade food is ready to be served to your pet.

The organic food made at home needs to be stored in an airtight container and should not be stored more than four to five days. Serving of the home made organic food should be done as earlier, practiced with the ordinary food. For example, if your dog is in a habit of eating one cup of dry food a day then the organic food must be served in the similar quantities. The home made organic pet food can be prepared once a week.

Every day lately, it seems there is another pet food recall, warning dog and cat owners not to feed their pets different brands of foods. This is getting scary. Who knows which pet food will be recalled next. Though I am still using the kibble my cats normally eat, I am now supplementing my pets with a few homemade recipes. These are not meant for feeding your pets forever, since I”m not a vet or nutritionist but they are good for filling their furry tummies while we wait out the lowdown on the canned foods, which seem most affected by these pet food recalls. Here are the basic recipes I am using, don’t add other ingredients unless you know for sure that they don’t hurt your pets. We all know chocolate is off-limits to pets, as are other foods such as onions. Stick with these ingredients, which seem to be pet safe, according to pet experts I’ve read about.

Homemade Cat Food

2 cups ground chicken, lean beef or turkey, thoroughly cooked and diced;

4 cups rice, cooked in chicken or beef broth;

1/2 cup potatoes, ground;

1/4 cup spinach or carrots, ground;

1/4 cup green beans, ground;

2 tbsp melted butter;

dash of garlic powder

Mix everything together in large pot or bowl. Make sure it is completely cool before feeding to your cat. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Homemade Cat Treats

1 1/2 cup oats, ground;

1/4 cup butter;

1/2 cup flour;

1/2 cup chicken broth;

1/4 cup cubed or shredded American or mild cheddar cheese -or- shredded chicken

Mix all ingredients together, form small cookies and bake on greased cookie sheet until done at 350 degrees. Roughly 25 minutes but check as ovens vary. Do not overcook.

Our pets deserve food that is safe, so hopefully, this current pet food crisis will alert the authorities to make sure they buy quality products and be more careful of what they put in their pet food recipes. Cats have specific nutritional needs so don’t feed them any of these recipes on a long term basis, as I do not know the breakdown of nutritional value for them. But, by using fresh, healthful ingredients, cooking the meat thoroughly and storing the food you make in the refrigerator, it can help to tie your kitty over until it is safe to go buy food at the store again. Enjoy.

The way I discovered the material covered in Veterinary Secrets Revealed was by learning from many people. I read books-hundreds of books. I went to seminars and conferences, and still do. I consulted with holistic specialists- Homeopaths, Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, Massage therapists, Chinese Medicine practitioners and Herbalists.

I tried these remedies on my clients- and they often worked. I recall one of my first clients 15 years ago, a sweet little Jack Russel named Jessie.

Jessie came in to the clinic feeling sick. Blood tests, X-rays and a liver biopsy showed that Jessie had a severe liver disease that was ‘incurable’. I put her on all the conventional medication – It did not help one bit. As she got sicker, I felt helpless as to what to do.

So, I talked to an herbalist. She suggested trying an herb called Milk Thistle. I was skeptical, being a new graduate from Vet school – but I thought, why not try it? My boss thought it was a waste of time and money.

But it worked. Jessie recovered from the liver disease and her blood tests showed normal liver function 3 months later after taking it.

From that moment on, I was hooked. I incorporated alternative medicine into regular veterinary practice.

After treating thousands of pets for a variety of problems, I wrote my book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed.

Jessie is just one example of the many pets I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from. And it is the result of her successful recovery, and so many others that all went into ‘Veterinary Secrets Revealed’. In my book, I tell about every single at home remedy that I have used for every pet health problem imaginable.

Examination and treatment of common conditions of the Eyes, Ears and Nose

The Eyes

The surface of the eye (cornea) should be clear. The middle of the eye (pupil) should respond to light. You can shine a light into your pets’ eyes and see the pupil constrict. The right and left pupils should be equal size.

The lens, which sits behind the pupil, should be clear. If it appears cloudy, then your pet may be developing cataracts. This may be normal for an aging pet, or may be a sign of disease, such as diabetes.

The area around the eye, the white tissue, is called the sclera. It should be a clear white color. In cases of liver disease, it will become yellow (jaundiced).

The pink tissue around the eye is called the conjuctiva; it is normally a light pink color. In infections, it becomes a darker pink and the eyes will produce a white or greenish discharge. There are a number of home remedies to treat conjunctivitis.

TO THE KITCHEN. Tea is more than just a drink. It has a product in it called tannins, which are anti-inflammatory and have antimicrobial properties. Brew up a strong cup of black tea and place 3-4 drops in the affected eye three times daily. It should be made daily to prevent contamination. More details are found in my book.

The Eyelids should be free of any lumps or bumps; older pets commonly develop benign eyelid tumors, which may need removal by your veterinarian.

There should be no discharge from your pets’ eyes; excessive tearing may indicate a blocked tear duct.

The last part of the eyes to examine is the 3rd eyelid. It sits in the corner of the lower eye closest to the nose. It is not usually seen. In cases of conjunctivitis, it may become very red. It contains a gland that can pop out (prolapsed 3rd eyelid gland). This may respond to anti-inflammatory medication or have to be treated surgically.

The Ears

Your pet should not be shaking their head; if they do there may be an ear infection.

The outside of the ear (pinna) should be a light pink and palpate as being flat. Any thickening could indicate an ear infection, allergy or a blood blister in the ear (aural hematoma).

The inside of the ear (ear canal) should be easy to see and free of discharge. A small amount of light yellow discharge is probably normal wax. Any foul smelling odor indicates an infection. A yellowy discharge often indicates a yeast infection. Hard black debris in your cats’ ears likely indicates ear mites. If debris an odor are present, then clean your pets ears.

A safe home remedy involves a 50:50 mixture of vinegar and water. Drop the mixture in the ear canal, rub the base of the ear well to loosen up the debris, then wipe out the excess by placing a cotton ball as deep as you can into the ear canal. Repeat the cleaning until the debris appears removed from the ear. One home remedy involves garlic soaked in olive oil for 12 hours. Remove the garlic clove and apply 5-6 drops into the ear twice daily for 7-10 days. As ear infections are often a result of an allergic reaction, products that modulate your pet’s immune system will help.

Nose

Check for any signs of discharge from the right or left nostril. The occasional clear discharge is normal for some pets, but ongoing discharge indicates a problem, such as an allergy.

Your pet may benefit from a hypoallergenic diet, which can be bought commercially.

Home Allergy Diet for a 50 lb Dog

Boiled white fish or canned tuna 1 cup

Boiled potatoes or Cooked rice 4 cups

Calcium carbonate or Tums 1 teaspoon

Corn Oil 1 tablespoon

Potassium chloride (light salt) 1 teaspoon

One-a-day multivitamin 1 tablet

Mix all ingredients together and divide into equal portions, feeding 2 1/2 cups in the morning and 2 1/2 cups in the evening.

Feline Home Allergy Diet for a 10 lb Cat

Canned Tuna in Fish Oil 1 cup

Cooked White Rice 1 cup

Cod Liver Oil 1 tablespoon

Calcium Carbonate or Tums 1/2 teaspoon

Potassium Chloride 1/4 teaspoon

One-a-day Vitamin 1/2 tablet

Taurine 500mg

Mix all ingredients so they are well blended together. This will make 2 cups of food, enough for 2 days. Feed 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 cup in the evening.

Whatever food you choose, it must be fed for 12 weeks. If after 12 weeks your pet it still scratching, then she probably doesn’t have a food allergy.

Any purulent (thick, whitish) discharge is abnormal and indicates a bacterial infection in the nasal cavity or sinuses.

Feel that air is flowing through both nostrils by placing a hair in front of each nostril. An abnormal growth in the nose can block airflow into the nostril.

The nose may appear dry or wet; a wet nose means that the glands in the nose are producing more fluid. This is not a sign of disease.

The nose and end of the muzzle should be black or light pink. If it becomes inflamed and red, then your pet may have a condition called Collie Nose; this is a localized type of immune problem in which the immune system attacks the end of the nose.

Two simple home remedies involve removing plastic dishes if they are being used for feeding and applying a very safe topical herb, Aloe Vera.

I have over 1 thousand at-home remedies in my book. There are no other comparable Veterinary books out there.

Veterinary Secrets Revealed will provide all the information you need to keep your pet healthy or to improve the health of a sick pet.

In addition, Veterinary Secrets Revealed does it without medical jargon, without complicated procedures, and without an eye on the pharmaceutical companies’ bottom line (yes, we Vets face the same pressures as human doctors.)

Veterinary Secrets Revealed will help your pet.

To Your Pet’s Good Health!