HELP YOUR DOG FIGHT CANCER WITH FOOD

My  reason for writing this blog is Sky, a five year old Saint Bernard .Thank you Sky for letting me be a part of your journey as your healer and  your advocate and helping me create awareness among pet parents, about cancer and  that they can actually help their pets so much just by feeding the right foods when their pets are diagnosed with cancer.

 YOU TRULY ARE A SAINT

WHY DO DOGS WITH CANCER NEED A SPECIAL DIET?

Dogs with cancer need a special diet because when they are sick their immune system gets weak.When your dog is sick every day, the immune system grows more weaker.Some of the aggressive cancer therapies may strain their system further. All this makes it harder for them to recover.If you want the best chance for a good outcome , you need to give your pet the proper building blocks to use in fighting this disease, and keep out those things that will do further harm. Diet is crucial for a dog with cancer.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT DIET?

When your dog has cancer and their body does not have the right proteins and fats their body will rob the nutrients from the other areas of the body.This could lead to:

Muscle wasting.

Severely weakened kidneys.

liver complications.

That is why it is critical that dogs receive the right supply of quality protiens and cell memberane compounds from their diet.

WORST FOODS FOR DOGS WITH CANCERS:

The first rule of thumb is to STAY AWAY FROM GRAINS.

Dogs are not naturally grain eaters.As grains are stressful on their digestive system.Unfortunately , most commercial dog foods( even the most expensive ones) include rice , wheat or corn.Keep in mind , dogs are primarily carninvores. They thrive on species appropriate diet.

"Diet is one thing that is easily controlled, and is often the only thing that makes the difference between a successful treatment outcome and failure."

CANINE CANCER DIET:

The general rule of thumb in a cancer fighting diet is low carbs and high omega 3 fatty acids.Cancer cells thrive on carbohydrates so we do not include them in the diet, fatty acids nourish the dog not the cancer , so they are our friends.

Dr. Ogilvie states that not only fatty acide will give the dog energy but also can help stop the tumour growth.

Raw food diet/Home cooked diet.

CLEAN DRINKING WATER .

Bones ( MUST BE RAW).

Meat- chunked or ground beef, lamb, chicken, pork , venision, turkey, fish etc.

Offal- liver, kidneys, heart, unbleached green tripe,

Whole egg, cottage cheese, flaxeed , spirulina, chlorella, kelp.

Vegetables-  broccoli, kale , shitake mushrooms, brussel sprouts.

Liver cooked or raw should be included in every meal.

Flaxeed oil and cold pressed coconut oil and one clove of garlic  added to meals.

VITAMINS- A, C, D (SUNSHINE), SELLENIUM, CALCIUM.

Cancer loves an  acidic environment because it cannot survive in an alkaline environment. Sugar causes acidity plus it feeds cancer , so avoid all sugars.

YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR VET IF YOUR DOG IS HEALTHY ENOUGH TO EAT HIGH PROTEIN , HIGH FAT DIET  ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM PANCREAS, LIVER, SPLEEN, KIDNEY CONCERNS.

HOLISTIC APPROACH:

There are many complimentary and alternative approaches that can be very beneficial either as a stand alone treatment or when combined with conventional cancer treatments such as chemothrapy or radiation.

Some of the most commonly used therapies are accupuncture, herbal supplements, homepathy,and Reiki. While all may provide some level of benefit, one or two may seem to suit you and your dog more than the other. You may also have limited access to experts in all of these areas. So instead of trying to incorporate all of these modalities, choose them based on what feels right to you and how easily you can access professionals who have experience using these methods with animals who have cancer.

DO NOT BE A SUPER HERO:

Put together a good medical team that you trust and who respects your role as your pup's advocate. Trust their expertise and guidance , but still make the final decisions based on your own gut feeling  and what feels right for you.

Reach out for the emotianal support that you need  whether it is from friends or family or any support group. Research has shown that grief is the same whether we are mourning the loss (or anticipated loss) of a loved human or animal.

Stress affects us the same way too no matter what the cause. You can be a better care giver and advocate for your dog  if you take care of yourself first. So, connect with others and spill your fears and worries, request time off from work if you need it, ask friends or family members for help to get your dog to vet appointments, or watching them while you are away, or whatever it is that you need. 

Your dog will pick up on  your stress and anxiety and it will eventually affect them if you aren't managing it well, so do not try to do it all by yourself , let others help take some weight off your shoulders.

I strongly believe that dog lovers should be their dog’s Primary Health Advocate. While your vet is the expert in what he’s been trained in, you are the expert on your dog… and you need to be the leader of the team. I deeply hope more pet parents will make themselves aware and make wise choices  when it comes to their pet's health and wellbeing.

ZOOPHARMACOGNOSY- ANIMALS SELF SELECTING ESSENTIAL OILS, HERBS, CLAYS TO HEAL THEMSELVES

Zoopharmacognosy – What it is

Zoopharmacognosy recognises the innate ability of animals both domesticated and wild to know what they need to restore them to health.

Ever noticed how a dog will choose to eat certain grasses to purge itself when it feels sick – but not eat the grass when it is hungry? You may be witnessing zoopharmacognosy.This refers to a process by which animals self-medicate.

The word Zoopharmacognosy is derived from the roots"zoo"(animal), "pharma" ( drug)  and "gnosy" (knowing).  

Since animals first roamed the planet they have had to develop their enzymatic physiology to cope with potential life threatening disease and injuries. In order to evolve into the animals we know today their ancestors developed a life sustaining solution for self medication and dosage by using the materials they found in the natural habitat.

These medicinal compounds are found in plants, roots, seeds, fruits, flowers, algae, clays etc. They are not food, these secondary compounds offer no obvious metabolic food value, no carbohydrates, starches, proteins.

 Secondary metabolites taste bitter and are unpalatable to a healthy animal and given the choice a healthy animal will choose not to eat them.

For a sick animal they provide natural medicinal properties that can help them with their disease, stress or injuries, once the animal has recovered - the use of secondary compounds stops and they return to primary compounds (foods) once again.

Today, zoologists monitor wild animals in Africa and in the jungles observing when an animal is sick – (from chimps to birds to woolly caterpillars!) not only which plants they choose but, importantly, which part of the plant is used and how much is taken.  

Animals are very meticulous in their self medicating and only choose exactly what they need.

It is amazing to watch the healing process when you give the animal a chance to choose its remedy.

Follow this link and watch self medication by a pony, notice the inhalation and the processing.

http://youtu.be/4v2FKYGZKWw

Common problems that respond well to zoopharmacognosy:

• Wounds
• Allergies – mud fever, sweet itch
• Pain/inflammation
• Skin conditions
• Laminitis
• Infections
• Behavioural problems
• Emotional trauma
• Hormonal
• Immune system
• Digestive disorders
• Respiratory problems
• Urinary infections

REIKI WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Urmi is a 11 year old german shepherd. She had hind leg lameness. Her owner had tried everything possible from acupucture to accupressure, but nothing seemed to relieve her of her pain.

When I first saw Urmi , I was not sure what I could do to help her, but inside I trusted Reiki to heal her where it was most needed.She was in so much pain that she would just sit in one spot , or drag herself slowly , she had open wounds on her paws due to dragging.

I started Reiki and suggested some supplements for her condition , such as flaxeed oil, and herbal remedies such as ayurveda. Ayurveda needs a separate blog on its own as I have found it to be very helpful with Reiki treatments.

I gave Urmi sessions for two months , and slowly she started dragging herself everywhere, and was in less pain. Her owner commented that she is emotionally in very high spirits and is doing well.

I tapered the sessions to twice a week, as somehow her owners had given up that she would ever walk again. However for me every little move Urmi made was a sign of improvement and something to celebrate.






She started stretching her legs , which were all bent , she had a bounce in her drag , everytime she came to greet me at the door, and she knew what was coming , so she would position herself infront of me to receive her healing , as if to say I am ready .

One day Urmi behaved very scared in front of the person who used to walk her, she started shaking and she , hid behind my back, refusing to go. I knew something had happened here, but the owners denied as they were very sure that nothing is wrong. I suggested essential oils, to which they agreed.

I decided to offer Frankincense, as it helps with the past trauma. Urmi inhaled and processed the oil, and after a few seconds gave a loud howl like a wolf, this went on for five minutes , she even growled a bit, she licked the oil from my hand , and then settled down. 

This self selection by animals is known as Zoopharmacognosy, where they treat themselves, and in this type of treatment , we do not ever force anything upon an animal, they have full control of the treatment and they choose the herbs and oils, which their body needs at that particular time, once they are done , they show no interest in the oil or herb. It can take a couple of sessions to find out what an animal needs , so I offer them and they guide me as to how they would like the oil, whether inhalation or ingestion or topical treatment.

Urmi mostly inhaled and occasionally licked the oils.

I did a few more sessions offering her Lavender too, but her favourite was Frankincense. She was not at all anxious after that, and not even fearful infront of the same person.Emotional release had taken place and she was calm .

I use  Essential oils with her Reiki sessions now and have discovered that it works wonders for her.She is happy even with her condition, and she is pain free now.She loves her healing sessions.She is much more calm and relaxed, healing has taken place at a very deeper level. Reiki has given her tremendous strength emotionally to deal with her physical disability.She is a changed animal today.

Reiki for Animals Disclaimer:

Reiki is a natural hands-on and distance method of energy balancing for the purpose of stress reduction and relaxation.

Reiki is not meant as a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment

I am  not a medical doctor, veterinary or medical practitioner . I hold a doctorate in holistic and spiritual healing.

As a  reiki practitioner  I do not diagnose conditions and illnesses.

I do not perform medical treatment,  or interfere with the treatment of a licensed medical professional.

It is recommended you see a veterinary for any physical ailment your pets may have.

Reiki should not compete with medical doctors and their treatments. Reiki is meant to compliment medical treatment.

My blog is about providing alternative options to promote optimal health for your pet from a holistic   point of view.. The information I post here is for educational purposes and is intended to promote awareness among the pet parents to make wise choices for their pet's health, and is not intended to replace the advice of your vet.You can do your own research and take the best approach suitable for your pet.

REIKI FOR BOOGIE A DOG WITH ARTHRITIS AND HIP DYSPLASIA

Boogie  a beagle came into my life three months back, when his owner approached me with his ongoing leg issue, and pain medication and the side effects of the long term pain medication. Vet had given up saying they have no cure except  for the pain management.Boogie was limping  and sometimes would lift his foot up while walking . His x-rays showed Hip Dysplasia. Owner was very distressed as the pain medication was playing havoc on his system and he was not getting better.

I started Reiki sessions, four initially and then thrice a week . Boogie is just two years old , and very playful and naughty , but his physical condition was not letting him enjoy his quality of life as a two year old .

He responded very well to Reiki , he prefered hands -off treatment initially , but during the session he would come and curl next to me , and would fall asleep.

After two months of Reiki sessions, Boogie is running around like a puppy , with no pain ,  his owner is very pleased with the results and wants to continue the sessions .

Boogie does not limp anymore, he sees me and just gets ready for his session near my lap and  shows me where he wants healing , when the owner saw this for the first time she was very touched , as she commented that he seems to  know what you are doing as he does not sit so calmly otherwise.

Owner has made the necessary changes in the diet as well, and is very open to holistic healing after seeing the results. I am grateful to Reiki . I feel with Reiki in due course of time even the pet owners change and start taking positive steps towards their pet's and their own wellbeing. Boogie continues to take weekly sessions .

THE HEALING POWER OF FLOWERS

I am pleased to  announce that as  a certified Flower essences therapist  I do provide Flower Essences Therapy  for both  animals and their guardians.

Flower Essences for Animals

Animals love  Flower Essences and readily embrace their gifts. Because animals experience the world through an energetic filter, they read and respond to the energies of every person, animal, place, or circumstance they encounter. As animals read the unique energies and electrical patterns of everything in their world, they are affected by these energies.

"Animals recognize the good energies of Flower Essences and know exactly how to use them to improve their health and energetic balance."

Negative energies such as anxiety, anger, or the electrical dissonance of the modern world have electrical patterns that can leave animals feeling anxious, out of balance, or ill. In contrast, the positive electrical patterns of our Flower Essences help animals to improve their health and emotional well-being.

They do this by replicating the positive electrical patterns of the Flower Essences in their own electrical systems. This tuning process comes as naturally to animals as eating or sleeping.

What Are Flower Essences?

The Bach Flower Remedies is a natural method of healing discovered by Dr. Edward Bach in the 1920-30th. The Bach Flower Remedies helps people as well as animals recover from emotional imbalances by restoring them with positive emotions.

The most commonly used remedy for pets is called Rescue Remedy has been used successfully on animals who have experienced trauma, have fear of thunder and firework, dislike visits to the Vet and Groomer. Dog owners have experienced success when using Rescue Remedy on their dogs with seizures.

In addition the Rescue Remedy there are a total of 38 Bach Flower Remedies that in combination can help all emotional imbalances ranging from fears, hyperactivity, jealousy, over-protective, possessive, overly-needy, lack self-confidence, inability to learn and anything in between.

It may at first be hard to decide which remedy to choose for your pets behavior, but as you get to know your pets and animals you understand how they feel, you can see the change of attitude if you introduce a new family member to the family and the pet may feel jealous, and therefore need Holly. Or your cat may be very needy for our attention and therefore require Chicory. Some animals dislike anything to do with the car, vet and grooming and may need either Mimulus and or Rescue Remedy. A barking dog may be fearful and lack confidence and may need Mimulis and Larch.

By looking at our pet’s environment and the personality we can determine which of the 38 Bach Flower Remedies our pet needs.

Directions on how to give the Bach Remedies to animals:

Rescue Remedy can be rubbed on the animals gum, ears or paws as needed or you can add 2 drops to the drinking water.

To make a treatment bottle you get a 30ml/1oz mixing bottle and add 2 drops of each Remedy. You can combine up to 6 or 7 Remedies in a treatment bottle.
As preservative (optional) you can add 1 tsp of vegetable glycerin. Then you fill the bottle with water.

From this mixture you give your pet 4 drops, 4 times a day until it feels better. You can also add 1 drop from each remedy to your pets drinking bowl, or rub a little on their paws or ears 4 times a day.

Rescue Remedy Pets

Pet – Rescue Remedy 10 and 20 ml – Alcohol Free

Works wonders for animals that are impatient, fearful, have been through a traumatic situation, have fear of thunder and fireworks or do not feel themselves.
Add 2 drops in their drinking water and you’ll see how quickly they return to normal.
Inactive Ingredients: 80% Vegetable Glycerin, 20% water

The original Bach Flower Remedies has been used on humans and animals for more than 80 years.Take a look at the chart below and you will be able to find the correct remedy for your pet's situation.

YEAST INFECTION IN DOGS : CAUSES AND TREATMENT

How a Yeast Infection Occurs

On the immune system spectrum, balance is in the middle, and that's what you want your dog's immune function to be – balanced.

An underactive immune system can lead to yeast overgrowth, because it can't control the balance. The other end of the spectrum is an overactive immune response where allergies are present. This can also lead to problems with yeast.

When a traditional veterinarian sees a dog with allergies – a sign of an overactive immune system – he or she will typically prescribe steroid therapy to shut off the immune response. (This improves symptoms but does not fix the underlying cause of the allergies.)

When your dog's immune system is turned off with drugs, it can't do its job of regulating and balancing normal flora levels, so your pet ends up with yeast blooms.

When conventional vets see dogs with allergies and possibly secondary skin infections, often they prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics are well-known to destroy all good bacteria along with the bad, wiping out healthy yeast levels in the process, so these drugs often make a bad situation worse.

Another reason an allergic dog, in particular, can end up with a lot of yeast is he can actually develop an allergy to his yeast. Intradermal tests often reveal that a dog is having an allergic response to his own natural flora.

This situation can be very problematic because the dog's allergic response can affect his whole body. These dogs are often red from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail – their entire bodies are flaming red and irritated.

So dogs with an underactive immune system or that are immuno-suppressed can end up with a yeast infection, as well as dogs that have overactive immune systems, or allergies.

Signs and Symptoms of a Yeasty Dog

Definitive diagnosis by a vet of a yeast infection is accomplished either by cytology (looking at a skin swab under a microscope) or by culturing (submitting a sterile swab of the skin to the lab where the cells are grown and identified on a petri dish).

But as a pet owner, you'll be able to tell if your dog has a yeast infection just by her smell. Yeast has a very characteristic odor. Some people think it smells like moldy bread; others liken the odor to cheese popcorn or corn chips. In fact, some people refer to a yeast infection of a dog's paws as 'Frito Feet.' It's a pungent, musty, unpleasant smell.

The odor of a yeast infection is not a normal doggy odor. Healthy dogs don't have a 'doggy odor.' So if your pup has stinky paws or musty-smelling ears, chances are she's dealing with a yeast overgrowth.

Another sign your dog is yeasty is scratching. Yeast overgrowth is tremendously itchy. If it's a problem with her paws, she won't be able to leave them alone. The same goes for her ears. A lot of butt scooting can also be a clue.

If your dog is spending a lot of time digging at herself to relieve intense itching, take heed. Whether it's a bacterial or yeast infection, she needs your help to solve the problem.

Step #1 in Clearing a Yeast Infection: Address the Diet

If your pet is dealing with yeast overgrowth, there are a couple of things you'll need to do.

Number one, you must address his diet. It's rare that a dog has yeast in just one spot – one ear, for example. If that's the case with your pet, you can probably get by just treating that ear for yeast and keeping your fingers crossed his immune system responds to re-balance his natural flora.

But if your dog, like the majority, has yeast in more than one spot, for example on all four paws or both ears, or especially if his entire body is yeasty, you have no choice but to look at what he's eating.

Diet is the foundation of health. The way you nourish your dog is either going to help his immune system manage yeast, or it's going to feed a potential or existing yeast overgrowth situation.

I encourage you to put your pet on what I call an 'anti-yeast diet.' The beauty of an anti-yeast diet is it is also an anti-inflammatory and species-appropriate diet.

Yeast needs sugar as a source of energy. Carbohydrates break down into sugar. Both MDs and veterinarians advise patients with yeast to get the sugars out of their diets.

Dietary sugar isn't just the white kind added to many pet treats and some pet foods. There are 'secret,' hidden forms of sugar that can also feed yeast overgrowth, for instance, honey. Although honey can be beneficial for pets in some cases, it does provide a food source for yeast. So if your dog is yeasty, you'll need to carefully read his pet food and treat labels and avoid any product containing honey, high fructose corn syrup, and even white potatoes and sweet potatoes.

If your dog has a significant yeast problem, I recommend you go entirely sugar-free. Feed low-glycemic veggies. Eliminate potatoes, corn, wheat, rice – all the carbohydrates need to go away in a sugar-free diet. This is really an important step. I wish I could tell you yeast is easy to treat and avoid without addressing diet, but it isn't. Your pet needs to eat a diet that helps keep his normal flora levels healthy and balanced.

The second thing I recommend is adding some natural anti-fungal foods to his diet, like a small amount of garlic or oregano. These foods are both anti-fungal and anti-yeast and can be beneficial in helping reduce the yeast level in your dog's body.

Disinfecting Yeasty Ears

In addition to providing an anti-yeast diet and anti-fungal foods, the third thing you must do to help your dog overcome a yeast infection is to disinfect yeasty body parts.

This is actually an often overlooked, but common sense, almost-free step in addressing a yeast overgrowth in pets.

In human medicine, it is routine for internists and dermatologists to give patients with yeast specific protocols for cleaning affected parts of the body. The same instruction is rarely given in veterinary medicine, which makes no sense and is really a shame.

Typically, a vet will hand a client with a yeasty dog a cream, salve or dip, with instructions to just keep applying it to the infected area. The problem with this approach is that as yeast dies off, it forms layer of dead yeast on top of layer of dead yeast. Unless you remove the dead layers of yeast and disinfect the skin, adding loads of ointment to layers of dead yeast can actually exacerbate the problem.

So disinfecting the parts of your dog's body that are yeasty is very important. There's no pill or cream that can disinfect your pet – you must do that yourself.

If your pet's ears are yeasty, you'll have to disinfect them daily. Just as some people produce lots of earwax and clean their ears daily, while others produce almost no earwax, the same applies to dogs. Some almost never need their ears cleaned, while others need a daily cleaning.

The frequency is entirely dependent on how much debris your dog's ears produce. So if your Lab has soupy ears throughout the summer months, you'll need to clean them every day during that period.

If you check your dog's ears and they're clean, dry and have no odor, you can skip a day of cleaning. Again, the amount of cleaning should correlate with the amount of debris built up in the ear. If you don't clean out that debris, it won't magically disappear on its own. It will grow from wax, to yeast, to a fulminating bacterial infection unless you deal with it.

You can disinfect your dog's ears with either a store bought solution or with witch hazel and large cotton balls. Use as many cotton balls as it takes to remove all the debris from the ears at each cleaning. Do not put Q-tips down into the canals of your dog's ears.

Disinfecting Yeasty Paws

Yeast thrives in a moist environment and in crevices – between your dog's foot pads, for example, in armpit and groin creases, and around the vulva and anus. So disinfecting those parts of a yeasty dog is really important.

Since the only body parts that sweat on your dog are his nose and the pads of his feet, during hot humid months when yeast tends to thrive, you'll need to disinfect those paws.

Depending on the size of your dog, you can use one of those Rubbermaid sweater boxes filled with water from a hose, or if your dog is small you can just pop him in the kitchen or bathroom sink. If you have a giant size breed, you can try a coffee can or cup filled with water. The goal is to dunk the feet, then pat them dry.

Spraying or wiping down a dog's paws won't get the job done. Yeast lives under the nail beds and in all the creases you can't get to if the paws aren't submerged in a foot soak.

I recommend a gallon of water, a cup of hydrogen peroxide, and 1-4 cups of white vinegar as a foot soak solution. You can use this solution as many times a day as necessary to keep your dog's feet clean. 'Clean and dry' needs to become your mantra.

After you dip your dog's feet in the astringent solution of water/hydrogen peroxide/white vinegar, there's no need to rinse. Just pat the paws dry. Leaving the solution dried on your dog's paws serves as an antifungal and should also reduce licking and digging at the paws.

Anti-Yeast Baths and Rinses

If your dog has yeast overgrowth on her skin, I recommend disinfecting her entire body with a natural, anti-fungal shampoo. And yes, you can do this as often as necessary.

It's no longer true that you shouldn't bathe dogs regularly. Back in the days of very harsh shampoos made from coal and tar derivatives, this was good advice. But there are now plenty of safe shampoos on the market that will not over dry your pet's skin or damage her coat.

Since carbs and grains ultimately feed yeast overgrowth, I don't recommend you use oatmeal-based shampoos. Oatmeal is a grain which provides a food source for that yeast on your dog's skin.

Use an anti-fungal shampoo made from, for example, tea tree oil or an herbal blend. These will help control the amount of yeast growing on your pet.

I also recommend anti-fungal rinses during the summer months, from one to three times per week after shampooing. I use a gallon of water with a cup of vinegar or a cup of lemon juice. You can also use 20 drops of peppermint oil. All three will make your pooch smell nice.

After shampooing with, say, a tea tree shampoo and rinsing thoroughly, follow with one of these natural anti-fungal astringent rinses to knock down the amount of yeast.

You should never pour these rinses over your dog's head or into her eyes. Pour from the collar, back. Pour the gallon of solution over her and rub it into her coat and skin, focusing on body parts that tend to grow yeast -- armpits, feet, groin area and around the tail. Then towel dry without rinsing. Your dog will not only feel better, the yeast won't replicate as quickly.

One word of warning about using both lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide: they can bleach a black dog's fur. If you have a black coated dog, you should go with vinegar to avoid a lightening effect.

For Dogs with Stubborn or Recurring Yeast Infections

For many dogs, yeast problems are seasonal. When the temperature and humidity levels rise each year, they get yeasty and stinky. If this is the case with your dog, the summer months are when you'll need to be vigilant about disinfecting your pet and addressing any dietary issues that might be contributing to the problem.

However, if your dog has year-round yeast problems – whether it's 90 degrees outside or the dead of winter – you should be thinking about potential immune system issues.

If your dog is overwhelmed with an opportunistic pathogen like yeast, it's likely his immune system isn't operating at 100 percent.

         For a pet with a stubborn yeast infection, you can  do immune testing to measure his                   immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgM and IgA). Generally these levels are low in a dog with     constant yeast overgrowth.

If your dog is producing healthy levels of immunoglobulins, he should be able to overcome almost any infection, and particularly an opportunistic yeast infection.