Natural Pet Health

There is a difference between liver disease and liver failure. Liver disease is a general term applied to any disorder that is affecting liver. The blood tests in this case show higher levels of liver enzymes. Apart from fatty liver disease, which is a more common in cats, other types of feline liver diseases are caused by toxins from food and drugs, trauma, heatstroke and infections.

A liver shunt, where the blood bypasses the liver instead of going through it, is a genetic defect in the portal vein but may be acquired in certain cases.

While pursuing longevity for domestic pets, the medial fraternity did not probably bargain for the accompanying risks of cancer, which is mostly seen in older pets. Moreover, as long as we feed an unnatural diet to our pets and abuse the environment, pet owners are likely to continue facing problems with cancer in their pets. Seeing pets die slowly killer diseases like dog liver cancer and lymphoma in cats is indeed not something that any pet lover would want.

Many of us do not realize that it is natural for animals to resort to ‘self treatment’ in the wild. Most of them nibble at things that are actually not their natural diet. It has been seen that this happens only when the animal is not completely healthy and therefore is actually a means of herbal self medication. This forms the basis on which herbal and natural medicine for pets is based.

Did you know that dog fanciers look to alternative medicine when it comes to taking care of the animals in their care? Alternative medical treatments for humans are part of a long standing tradition and even though some supposedly learned circles still deride the use of alternative healing means as little more than a passing fad, the fact that it has been around for centuries attests to its success.

When it comes to using alternative medicine for show or companion dogs, the trained practitioner looks at the whole animal as opposed to only an injured paw or hurting back. You will be hard pressed to find shots and all the other accoutrements that make Fido so nervous about a veterinary checkup. Instead, you are likely ushered into the practice of an animal lover who has turned her or his passion for acupuncture or homeopathy into a means to help companion animals.

It is considered a fad by some, but cat lovers have begun to entrust their feline friends to alternative medicine. Cats do not advertise the fact that they are sick. As a matter of fact, by the time your cat looks and acts sick, the odds are good that it is a rather serious situation indeed.

One of the most common conditions is one that involves the spine and joints. Cats are highly skilled jumpers but sometimes their soaring abilities get them into trouble and their landings might be less than graceful.

Flower essences are one of the more natural herbal supplements available. During the past 20 years, numerous individuals and businesses have worked to establish their own “system” or line, of flower essence products. Some of these include the Australian Bush Flower Essences by Ian White and the Alaskan Flower Essences by Steve Johnson.

However, Bach Flower Essences continue to be the best-known and most widely available system of flower essences. They are also the most popular flower essence system used in the treatment of animals.

British physician Edward Bach first began developing flower essences in 1931. There are a total of 38 Bach Flower Essences.They include agrimony, aspen, beech, centaury, cerato, cherry plum, chestnut bud, chicory, clematis, crab apple, elm, gentian,
gorse, heather, holly, honeysuckle, hornbeam, impatiens, larch, mimulus, mustard, oak, olive, pine, red chestnut, rock rose, rock water, scleranthus, star of Bethlehem, sweet chestnut, vervain, vine, walnut, water violet, white chestnut, wild oat, wild rose, and� willow.

Nasal infections in cats may be viral, bacterial or fungal. The primary symptom of all these infections is a nasal discharge which turns from serous (thin and clear) to purulent (thick with yellowish green pus) if the infection continues over a period of time. Other symptoms include sneezing, coughing and gagging. Nasal infections usually lead to refusal to eat as the cat is not able to smell food.

Any feline respiratory disease that originates in the nasal cavity causes irritation and consequently inflammation in the turbinates, the scrolled spongy bones in the nasal passage. These delicate bones are easily twisted and pressed out of shape or even destroyed. This easily allows bacteria that are normally present in the nasal cavity to grow rapidly, leading to secondary infections.

Abnormal cat behavior is usually associated with psychological stress as cats are highly emotional creatures and react to environmental changes very quickly. At the same time odd behaviors can also result from an underlying disorder or infection. For example, if your cat suddenly develops a dislike for her litter box and urinates at odd places, more likely than not it is the first sign of an infection in lower urinary tract.

High frequency and difficulty in urination are the most prominent signs of feline urinary infection. The cat feels the urge but is not able to empty the bladder and is able to pass out only small amounts at a time, usually accompanied with severe pain. It perceives the litter box to be the cause of discomfort and starts avoiding it.

Sinuses are air-filled cavities especially in the bones of the skull that meet nasal cavities. It is one of the many infections that can affect the health and behavior of your dog during a lifetime. Dog sinus infections are a common occurrence and may be bacterial, viral or fungal in nature.

Aspergillosis is a common fungal sinus disease that is caused primarily by Aspergillus fumigatus. Infection is usually in the nasal cavity and sinuses. Although it can affect healthy animals as well, a weak immune system, a history of sinus infections, diabetes and a protracted antibiotic treatment can put a dog in the high risk category for a sinus infection.