What’s the best food to feed your dog? Does your cat need to be vaccinated? Can anything be done to help your itchy pup other than steroids and anti-histamines? Is a cat that vomits weekly “normal” (or is this common but abnormal?)??
I’m excited to be here to answer all of your natural and holistic vet care questions! Many of the readers of this magazine have probably already adopted a holistic lifestyle for themselves. There’s not much question anymore in the general medical community, that doing so helps us live longer and healthier lives. 30 years ago when I graduated from vet school, there were no readily available commercial fresh pet foods. Vaccinations were given at least annually. Reliable natural, holistic veterinary care was been hard to find.
Not anymore.
Sue from Westport asks: “My husband’s family is staying at our house over the holidays. His brother is very allergic to animals but we have a cat and dog. What can I do?”
Thanks for asking Sue. This is a common problem that many of us share. As long as his allergy isn’t life-threatening, there are a few ways to prevent his having problems with your pets (if his allergies are severe however, I’d advise putting them up at a local pet-free hotel). A few days before they arrive, start to deep clean your home. By that I mean to thoroughly vacuum, mop, and dust. Concentrate on the room in which they are sleeping. Start by cleaning any visible pet dander and hair. Also, you should try to reduce dust mite allergens which are frequently a big contributor to almost all allergies. Thoroughly clean between the bed and the wall. Put a dust mite cover over your brother in-law’s pillow and on the mattress. If you can get a hold of one, start running a HEPA air filter in the room 36-48 hours prior to the visit. Unfortunately, you will need to keep your pets out of the rooms where your visitors will be. Lastly, there is some anecdotal evidence that feeding your pets a raw diet for at least a few weeks prior to the visit will reduce their allergenicity.
Alice from Bethany asks: “We like to take our dog when we drive to visit friends and family but she doesn’t settle down in the car and sometimes vomits. Is there any way to make the drives easier (for all of us)? She is fine once we stop the car. I’ve taken her to my vet for an exam and lots of testing, and he says that she is fine.”
There definitely are things you can do Alice! I’m so glad that you had her checked out by your vet to rule out any organic problems. This is a great first step for most pet problems. It sounds like your dog may be suffering from some car-induced nausea. Make sure that you don’t feed her for at least 4 hours before the car ride. You should also get a bottle of Rescue Remedy. It is readily available in most health food stores. Give her 2 drops, right in her mouth, about 15 minutes prior to the trip. Repeat as needed if she has any signs of nausea such as restlessness, excess salivation, gulping, or retching. Cracking the window to allow some fresh air to blow upon her can also help. Same is true for letting cool air blow from the vents right in her face. One other quick tip to try is a bit of ginger 30 minutes prior to the car ride. Ginger capsules, candied ginger, even ginger ale (but not if it is artificially sweetened). I also strongly advise not allowing her to move around in the car. Doing so can pose a big safety risk both to you and her. Use a pet seat belt or crate in which she can ride.
Toni from New Haven asks: “Dr. Jeff, my dog had to go to the local emergency vet on Sunday. We heard that table food is OK for him so gave him some of our Thanksgiving turkey. Right away he started vomiting and having diarrhea. The ER vet aid said that he had gastroenteritis and that he should never get table food. We don’t know what to do.”
Toni-Wow, I’m sorry to hear about your pup’s problems from the turkey! While I disagree that human (unprocessed) food should not be fed to dogs, I agree wholeheartedly that feeding from the table is not a good idea for several reasons. First, it’s a bad habit for your dog to learn. Second, and most important is that some of our foods, especially cooked meats, can cause gastrointestinal problems, especially in dogs that are not used to eating fresh foods. In general, avoid any cooked meats, especially red meat. Cooked poultry is usually OK to feed as long as you stick with white meat and no skin. The reason being, in my experience, is that many dogs cannot tolerate cooked animal fats. Raw fats are handled differently and usually tolerated well. Exceptions include certain dogs who are predisposed to high fat levels in the blood or pancreatitis like Miniature Schnauzers. Your best bet is to talk with your nutritionally-oriented holistic vet regarding the best way to feed. This link should also help: http://bit.ly/1hf1W4b
Jon from Middleton wonders: “My 4-year-old male cat has not been eating well for a few days. He has also started vomiting a few times a day. Just today I saw him go to the litter box 3 times in just 2 hours. It looks like he is straining to pass stool. Do you think he’s constipated? What should I do?”
Get him to your vet right away Jon! Actually, I hope you did this right after you wrote your question last week. Your cat’s clinical signs sound suspiciously like a urinary obstruction (UO) which is a life-threatening disorder of male cats. Male cats are predisposed to this condition if they eat dry food, are overweight, and when they live a sedentary lifestyle. UO is one of the common Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTDs). These can affect both male and female cats although females have a much lower chance of UO due to their wider and shorter urethra (which is the tube through which urine passes out of the bladder). You can read more about FLUTD and holistic preventative measures here: http://bit.ly/1utF7yk and http://bit.ly/1I5sNZA
For many other answers and to join our discussion, go to Ask Dr. Jeff on the web at: http://bit.ly/GXmLYA
Dr. Jeff is a 1985 University of Pennsylvania school of vet med graduate. As an undergraduate at Penn studying molecular biology he was chosen for the elite University Scholar program. It allowed him to choose any of the university’s graduate or medical schools. Being a lifelong animal lover, he chose to become the first veterinary University Scholar. His research in Penn’s medical school and Department of Medical Genetics led to a varied interest in aging, endocrinological and other metabolic diseases. From academia he interned at Boston’s Angell Memorial Animal hospital. His clinical experience there led to a desire to integrate high tech medicine with a more holistic approach to the individual. After 1 year working as an emergency clinician he started Fairfield county’s first holistic housecall practice. In the mid-nineties, his continued clinical research in holistic medicine led him to study homeopathy. By 2000 he became the first certified veterinary homeopath (CVH) in Connecticut. Dr Jeff’s clinical practice currently focuses on both prevention and treatment of serious diseases in dogs and cats. Dr. Jeff can be reached at: drjeff@certifiedvethomeopath.com.