Natural Pet Health

The similarity in overall behavioral patterns between dogs and human beings has earned them the exceptional sobriquet “man’s best friend.” The loyalty and devotion of pet dogs resembles the human idea of love and affection to such a great extent that dog owners view their pets as family members.

Like any other family member, dogs too get sick and contract diseases and deserve as much of your attention and care, as does any other family member.

Dogs are vulnerable to the same illnesses as human beings including diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, heart disease, and arthritis as well as some dog and animal specific diseases. Some of the common diseases that you can come across in your pet dog are those of presence of parasites like fleas, ticks, and mites, common ailments like coat condition, diarrhea, and allergies. Some dog specific diseases that may surface include anal gland infections as well.

Question from Lauri:

“After the pet food scare I’ve been doing research on all the things that are actually harmful to my beloved dogs. I want to give them the best life possible. I have a 1-1/2 year old male yellow lab and a 1 year old Basenji mix that we adopted (don’t know what she’s a mix of). They are both spayed/neutered.

I thought I was giving them good pet food (Iams dry) but now it seems it’s not the best for their health. I could use some guidance. Once I switch over to a holistic food, is there anything available that will help clear their livers/kidneys from the preservatives they have ingested? What about for their optimum health?

For pet lovers, our four-legged friends are just like members of the family. They bring lots of joy to our lives, and we want to make sure all their needs are taken care of in return. When our pets are ailing, it’s almost like having a sick child.

Trips to the vet are sometimes necessary, but they can be expensive. Luckily, we can treat many minor ailments without professional help. Here are some home helpful home remedies for your pets.

Fleas

* Add garlic to your pet’s food each day, or add sulphur once a week. Both of these will keep the fleas away.

* Give your pet black walnut hulls. You can find these in capsule form at most health food stores. This also repels ticks and mosquitoes.

Dog eye problems can occur at any time. You should pay close attention to your dog’s eyes just as you would their teeth, so that you can catch any possible infections or injuries immediately and have them treated.

Dogs are vulnerable to several diseases and possible injuries due to the structure of their eyes. Always keep watch for signs of discharge, squinting, cloudiness, irritation and redness, or swelling. If your dog starts to bump into furniture, this could be a sign of vision loss.

The most common canine eye problems usually stem from the following:

* Cataracts – an opacity of the lens

* Cherry Eye – the dog’s third eyelid’s tear gland protrudes outward

Ticks on a dog (or any animal or human) can be a serious problem. These wingless parasites are not insects, but are actually related to mites and spiders. Many people are suprised to learn that there are over 850 tick species, about 100 of which are capable of transmitting potentially serious diseases.

The tick’s sole mission is to wait for some human or animal to brush against them so they have a wonderful new host to feed from. Because ticks can feed on many hosts, they can easily spread diseases between animals and humans.

This is why it is very important for you to check your dog periodically, especially during the summer months, for any ticks that have decided to hitch a ride with your favorite canine.

It is important to give your dog the best life you can possibly provide. That includes taking care of all her needs.

Having a pet is not so different from having a child. Your dog depends on and trusts you to ensure that all its needs are taken care of.

This means making sure it gets regular check ups and vaccinations. That is the unwritten contract you sign when you have a pet.

And just like your body, your dog’s body has special needs–and you need to find out how best to meet them if you want to improve your pet’s quality of life.

Choosing natural dog health care means that you have taken a pro-active decision to do the best you can for your dog. It also means that you will dedicate yourself to this decision.

From kids to seniors, pet ownership benefits abound

According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 63% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 71.1 millions homes. But do you occasionally take your cuddly companion for granted?

Chances are, work, family, and other obligations interfere with time spent enjoying simple pleasures with your pooch or kitty… but taking a moment to appreciate their benefits to our lives is worth doing now and then.

Most pets’ demands are quite small, requiring basics like food, shelter, veterinary care, and companionship. Compared to the immense health benefits they bring to us—including emotional support, lowered blood pressure and stress levels, and unconditional affection and friendship, it’s no wonder we grow attached.

Giving your dog a bath – no problem. Probably cleaning your dog’s teeth wouldn’t be an issue. But trimming doggie’s nails, no way! Ok, listen up. You can do this. It’s not nearly as difficult or frightening as it seems.

Nail trimming in dogs can be done very easily if you know how. It is a good idea to watch someone else (vet, groomer or friend) who is experienced in nail trimming show you first. Some dogs don’t need to have their nails trimmed.

Many will naturally wear the nails down or the dried ends of the nails will simply flake away without you even knowing. But some breeds, especially Basset Hounds and Dachshunds will likely need your help in keeping the toe nails reasonably short.