Natural Pet Health

For those that feed the raw diet to your pets and claim that they do not need vegetables and fruits in their diets, I beg to differ. Let’s examine the actual “diet” of the wild canines and felines.

They do, indeed, hunt their meat “on the hoof,” as it were, but they do not, I suspect, empty the stomach contents of their prey, nor the bowels of their prey, before consuming it. At least, not entirely.

That is one of their sources of vegetable matter. You think they don’t need it? Have your dogs ever eaten the feces of other animals? Why do you suppose that might be? Because they crave the vegetable matter, perhaps?

Herbology, basically, is the use of herbs in the treatment of many types of illness. Herein the emphasis of treatment is based strongly on the specific use of herbal roots, flowers and leaves to stimulate the healing process. Keep in mind that these herbs are not a form of drug(as in man-made forms, such as aspirin) but are strictly natural in content. Practiced for centuries, herbology is probably one of the most primitive and fundamental uses of specific remedies to treat various illnesses, known today.

How, though, does the knowledge of herbal alternatives tie in with owning an animal? Think about it for a moment. What do wild animals, or even your pets, typically do when they are not feeling up to par? Most instinctively seek out appropriate herbs when they are sick. How many times have you witnessed your dog eating grasses?

Theories to explain this unusual behavior

While it may be alarming to see Fido or Fluffy nibbling on the front lawn or a houseplant, it shouldn’t be a cause for concern unless the grass or plant was recently treated with pesticide, fertilizer, or another poisonous chemical. Both dogs and cats from time to time may take an interest in grass or similar substances, each for different purposes that can actually benefit their bodies.

Cats are excellent at self-grooming. Besides other reasons, they groom to heal wounds and minor abrasions with the ‘antiseptic saliva’. However, the cat tongue is rough and during the process quite a few loose or dead hair tend to stick to it, which are then swallowed. Hair tissue is not easily digestible and accumulates in the cat’s stomach or intestinal tract, forming what we know as a ‘hair ball’. A cat retches out the hair ball when it irritates the stomach. If the hair balls do not pass out with stools, they can block the intestinal tract leading to loss of appetite, constipation and weight loss.

Understanding dog behavior is important before arriving at any conclusions about the reasons behind certain types of behavior. Much as humans feel offended at certain things and resort to aggression, dogs too respond similarly. Just as certain foods do not suit humans, there are many foods that should not be fed to dogs.

If you continue to feed your dog with a diet that disturbs his system, he is liable to show his irritation in his behavior. Persistent feeding of unsuitable diet ultimately leads to aggressive dog behavior .