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Sunday, June 18, 2023

Heart Journey, Food for thought

 

The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Jane Goodall

 


     I admire veterinarians. Sadly, at the current time there is a shortage of veterinarians in the industry and they have a very stressful job. In most cases, they are doing the best they can, and genuinely care. Now, more than ever, we need to be advocates for our pets. It is not humanly possible for Veterinarians to have the time to put into the research, that each animal deserves. Our pets cannot go on a computer or go to the library and do their own research. That it our job, as pet parents, to dig deeper.

I will give you examples of reasons to do this. A good friend of mine has an elderly dog with liver problems. The dog also has arthritis, so the vet prescribed a prescription for mobility. The label on the package for the prescription for mobility stated, “do not give to dogs with liver problems.” In busy times these things slip through the cracks, and we have to be hypervigilant.

     Recently I wrote about my dog Olaf’s journey with heartworm after being rescued and brought up from Louisiana. I just found out that heartworm preventatives, which contain ivermectin, are not always effective on the heartworm strain from down south. Guess what I had been using on Olaf?  I found this and other valuable information out because I did second and third opinions with different knowledgeable veterinarians, that had experience and integrative ideas. I did hours of research and am using a protocol from Canine Herbalist, Rita Hogan. I am doing this hand-in-hand with the slow kill Doxycycline and Advantage Multi. I have taken some knowledge from each professional, trying to be my dog's advocate to put together a protocol specialized for him, including green light baths, and infrared too. I have learned that a suggested dose for herbs may not be the right dose for your dog. With herbs you may have to experiment what the best dose is that works best with your pet. I suggest taking notes and journaling every day. Journal your doses, your pet’s diet, and all the details you notice, ie: did they have diarrhea, or are they extra sleepy?? For suggestions and a chart to do this and to help you detect little problems before they turn into big ones, we have designed, “ Dog Blessed Health Journal and Workbook.” It is available on Amazon.com  https://a.co/d/fIVXFEE and Must Love Dogs.

     Remember, no one knows your pet like you do. Every pet is an individual and their diet should be too. I like to compare most over processed, carcinogenic kibble to our dry cereal. Could we live on just cereal? Possibly, but would we thrive? No! Our body needs whole food. Preservatives cause inflammation. Inflammation causes disease in the body. I, passionately, believe in whole food diets. If you want to research, a suggestion would be to head to Grand Haven to Must Love Dogs and talk to the knowledgeable Tonya Christiansen and/or to purchase the “Forever Dog” book. As stated in that book, pet food was originated from an electrician that was also a salesman looking to make money from the rich and the elite. He was a salesman with no nutritional knowledge. Education is KEY. Make sure you read or consult a pet nutritionist or take a nutrition course. You pets will lack the vitamins and minerals they need if you don’t cook with the proper nutrients added in. I honestly can say that since I have put Olaf on an all raw, whole food diet, his coat is fuller and sheds less and I feel better giving him nutrients to support his heart. I combine a diet from Dr. Judy Morgan’s Yin and Yang cookbook and wonderful whole foods from Must Love Dogs and add-ins I learned about from the book, “The Forever Dog.”

I just read an article about the oldest dog in the world. He was a 30+ years old mid-size dog. The owner stated he ate table scraps. Whole food table scraps. Coincidence? Food for thought.

 

As Dr. Jane Goodall says, “It is our job to speak for them.”

 

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