Archive for January, 2008

Last week a friend asked for help with her cat with eczema. He has had steroid treatment in the past, which helped…

My friend takes up the tale…

Unfortunately I don’t know what the vets have tried. It has been a few years now and I have seen 3 so far.

One of them gave him something that actually worked called Ovarid (I think – it’s hard to read his writing) … but the vet I saw afterwards decided to give him an injection of I don’t know what a month and it got him so much worse… unfortunately I can’t go back to see the first vet as I moved. And I did tell the new vet about Ovarid and for some reason he decided to give him something else that doesn’t work either.

He is constantly scratching himself to the blood. Poor thing has scabs all over his body (mostly around the head actually – have just realised)

His diet is tins and biscuits. Nothing specific, I always get different stuff. I don’t use the same make always …

Read on for my response:

My response:

Ovarid is megestrol acetate, a steroid sex hormone that is more usually used to postpone oestrus in bitches and female cats, and to reduce hypersexual behaviour in male dogs.

It is also used for miliary eczema in cats and eosinophilic granuloma (rodent ulcer) in cats.

See http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Schering-Plough_Animal_ Health/Ovarid/-34556.html for details.

As a steroid hormone, it can certainly work magic in skin conditions, but at what cost? We rarely use steroids for this indication in humans, although some patients ask for steroids in desperation.

Steroid hormones suppress the immune system, hence the need to keep their use to a minimum.

My gut feeling is that your cat may not be getting enough natural fish oils. Try ensuring that he has a tin of tuna, sardines or pilchards twice per week, and see if this helps. Natural anti-oxidants help with skin conditions, so ensure there is enough selenium and Vitamin E in his diet.

Skin conditions are nearly always due to allergies. However, they are usually also worsened by stress, so  check to see if there are any stresses that could be reduced or eliminated.

Wash any raw areas with warm, soapy water; warm, wet tea bags can help wounds to stop bleeding. Homeopathic calendula cream may help, and yarrow can help wound healing. Be careful with tea tree oil as it can be toxic if ingested by cats and small dogs.

Certain skin conditions can be exacerbated by plastic feed bowls, so try changing to ceramic or stainless steel.

Does Picasso get to go outside? House cats are often more prone to skin problems, especially if kept in relatively air tight, humid, centrally heating houses. Skin problems are particularly rife if you use carpet cleaner or powder. If he is a house cat consider growing him some special grass and catnip.

Additional questions that you might consider – when and where did the problem first occur? Was there a house change or change in stress levels at home at the time? Does it occur indoors and / or outdoors? Is it at all seasonal, or has it been constantly severe over the last 3 years? Are other pets in the home affected? Do you keep on top of worm/flea treatment? Are the humans in the house well or do they have skin problems?

Do try to find yourself a homeopathic/ holistic vet whom you can trust – some are listed on the website, www.TheNaturallyHealthyPet.com -  and let me know of any more that you find. Tim Couzens in East Hoathly uses acupuncture, homeopathy and Bach flower remedies for such problems.  Ask questions of your vet – as a GP, I would have expected to have given you information on the diagnosis and treatments used, including an information leaflet…

Sounds like the vet’s diagnosis is likely to have been miliary eczema.

Oh, and do consider a hypo-allergenic diet…Also Reiki and spiritual healing.

’til next time…
Love & light,

Alison

Hi there, naturally healthy animal lovers!

I recently received a request for help with a dog with a dry, scabbed nose.

Hi Alison,
Just read your blog and your profile and I was wondering if you could help me. My cocker spaniel has an incredibly dry nose, to the point where it is scaby and cracked. I have taken him to the vets about it in the past and they just suggested putting vaseline on it. I have done that, but he just licks it off. He doesn’t seem to be affected by it but it must be delicate as he doesn’t like me touching his nose for too long. It has been ongoing for over a year now. His overall health is good. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

My response:

This could be an allergy, although it is also a common non-allergic problem in ageing dogs.

Some dogs react to plastic feed bowls, so if he has one change this to stainless steel and wash it regularly.

Topical vaseline or cod liver oil often does the trick, but an aloe vera/ vitamin E combination gel or cream twice daily can help even within a week.

Ensure he is getting enough essential fatty acids, especially fish oils, in his diet. It is worth generally reviewing his diet and ensuring he is having some home produced food as part of his ration, either raw or cooked. Rice, chicken etc can be helpful. Try a home made hypoallergenic diet.

Of course, see your vet again to see if he has any more ideas. Spiritual Healing and Reiki may help.

For other questions and answers like this, see our forums on www.TheNaturallyHealthyPet.com

Love and Light

Alison

The Naturally Healthy Pet forum has been busy this week, with queries about help moving 2 elderly cats, a dog with a dry crusting nose, and a cat with eczema.

I hope you enjoy reading about these – do sign up for our Ezine, Hoof and Paw Prints – see the sign up box on http://www.thenaturallyhealthypet.com/ – the next issue is due out this week!

Have a natural, healthy week!

Alison

(Read on for details about helping cats with a house move)

Helping cats with a house move…..

At the end of the month I am moving to Brighton from London.  My cats Looch (18) and Chloe (18) are obviously coming with me.  They have lived with me in my flat for all their lives.

My Answer:

Don’t forget to give them loads of healing – I know you are a healer!

Cats respond well to Bach flower remedies. I would look at the right remedies in terms of their personalities and emotions. However, rescue remedy will be important as part of you management of the situation – it contains Star of Bethlehem for shock, Rock rose for fear and panic, impatiens for mental and physical tension, Cherry Plum for loss of emotional control, and Clematis for feeling bemused as if about to faint.

In addition, I would add in walnut, the remedy for change and to help in settling into a new environment.  Get a good book out such as “The Bach Flower Remedies Step by Step” (see my comments in the left hand common on http://holisticdoctor.typepad.com/holistic_doctor_on_li
ne/)  – it is only £3.99). You can then analyse any particular features of your cats’ personalities and relationship to you (such as over-protectiveness (chicory) or jealousy (holly)) to add 1-2
additional remedies.

If you can get hold of a 30ml dropper bottle, I would make up a treatment bottle from you stock bottles by adding 2 drops of each remedy (4 drops of Rescue Remedy) to 30mls water (ideally bottled spring water, I find filter water fine). You can then add 4 drops to drinking water (but offer plain water at all times as an alternative), dropped onto feed, or squirted into the mouth, ideally with a dose being given 4 times per day.

If you can’t find a dropper bottle just put the drops of stock solutions into the water bowl, although cats are notorious for not wanting to drink water regularly, as they naturally get all their
moisture from their wild mice etc.

With rescue remedy it should be fine to just put a drop or two in the mouth or rubbed onto the gums, as often as is needed – can be every 10 minutes during the journey, for example…

Great idea to have an extra litter tray, and to confine them while the upheaval is going on – well done!

Spending time with your cats before and after the move, and massage will be helpful. Natural dietary sources of tryptophan such as fish, chicken and turkey will help them to settle by increasing natural serotonin levels.

Herbal remedies for anxiety include Valerian root, guelder rose bark, lemon balm, Roman chamomile flower, lettuce leaf, hops and St John’s Wort can all help with anxiety, and catmint is uplifting for cats.

You may also consider homeopathic Nux vomica for car sickness.

Now I know this is too much information, leaving you with such a great choice, but it gives you some ideas…

Love & light

Alison

Hi to all of you who love to keep your pets healthy naturally…

Today I am going to give you some tips from Dy Witt on keeping your puppy’s attention while you are training…

How to Get and Keep your Puppy’s Attention

One thing that training puppies and raising kids have in common is that if you have their full attention, they will learn the lesson faster and better.  Puppies make it easy on you because there is nothing they want more than your happy face pointed in their direction.  Here are 5 ways to accomplish this, therefore learning the lesson in half the time:

1.)  Use potty time.  Puppies love to go outside.  Since you are already rewarding him for fast response outside, with loving praise and a happy face, use the excitement to work on another lesson at the same time.     For example, work on his leash breaking.  Even if you have a fenced in yard he should be getting at least some of his housebreaking time on a lead.  A dog who is always loose in his yard when he goes will not go on-lead in a strange place.  He will hold it so long you think he surely will burst.  Of course this is not healthy for him, and you never know when you will need to take him out on lead.     As soon as he is finished his potty and received his happy praise, say, "Wanna work?"  in such an excited voice he will happily agree.  Spend a few minutes with his heeling and sitting work, depending on where you are in his lessons, and give high praise.  It does not have to be a full session, just an added minute or two to reinforce the lessons he is currently working on.

2.)   Use meal times.  At no point in the day do you have your dog’s attention stronger than when he is hungry.  Do not tease him with his food, ever, or take toooo long to give him his meal, but you can make a fun game out of a few little lessons before he receives his plate.   For example, since he should already be learning to sit calmly off to the side as his food is being prepared, (also when you are fixing your own), work on a short version that will encourage success.  Rather than asking him to sit/stay for the whole long time, reward him with little bites as you go.  If he sits for 30 seconds, give him a bite with high praise, release him for a moment, and place him again with a fresh command, only repeating the command when the first one ended in success.  Never repeat a command if he fails to obey.  In this case, quietly with a stern face, place his body back where you first put it with a light nudge to stress the point that "here is where you are supposed to be."

3.)  Use the happy time when you let him out of his crate.  You do not want to make too large a fuss when releasing him, just open the door and let him out, but of course it makes him happy and focussed on you anyway.  Once he is free and you are loving him up, say, "Wanna work?"  and do a little 2 minute lesson, like sit, or down.  Since he is excited only ask for 5 or 10 seconds at most, then praise praise praise!  You must train when it is difficult for the dog to do it or he will only behave when he wants to behave, not when he NEEDS to.

4.)  Use a new toy.  Just like with his food and treats, do not withhold a new toy for longer than 2 minutes or so. Get his attention with it by letting him smell and taste it a little, without releasing it to him.  The moment you give him complete control over a chewie or toy is a huge reward for him, so make him earn it.  Do a few lessons, like a 1 minute down/stay or  any other command that you are already working on.  Do not introduce new lessons when the puppy is already excited.  Use calm time for that.

5.)  Use his regular session time.  He loves his on-lead work time with you already, so before and after each work session, work on things that arent actually session work but, say, good doggy manners or just understanding English.  For example get his ball and teach him your call words, like "Fetch" or "Get it!", whatever you choose, make sure you keep using the same words over and over so he will learn them quickly.

Follow these tips in a consistent loving way and your puppy will learn faster than you ever thought possible, and become the best companion he can ever be.

Dy Witt has shown, bred and trained standard poodles for 25 years. For more on her training techniques, more free articles and info on her ebook on dog training, visit  http://www.DogTraining15MinsADay.com

Hi there, Naturally Healthy People!

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that 2008 brings you peace, prosperity and fun!

Today I am going to bring you a post from the Canadian Holistic Vet who wrote Veterinary Secrets Revealed.  In this post he outlines how he came to  look at complementary therapies in a terrier with liver problems (of course, milk thistle helped where other Western remedies did not), and talks a little about how important diet is in the management of companion animals.

See  http://www.thenaturallyhealthypet.com/categories/20071218
or http://www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com/cmd.php?af=704193 for details of his great books and courses:

Enjoy!

Love and light,

Alison
Dr Alison Grimston
Holistic Doctor and Animal Healer

Read the rest of this entry »