Keeping Healthy and Active the Natural Way

"My face may be white but my heart is pure gold. There is no shame in growing old" ~E.H.G.

Odin staying active

     Although his face is always white, because he is a white dog, I unfortunately see other signs of aging in the love of my life, Odin J. He tires a bit faster than he used to and was getting sore when he played too long. I love him so much and hate to see him anything but joyous and happy.

     I do not take drugs to just mask pain and will not give them to Odin either. I believe that Mother Nature has a cure for what ails us. If we try to find and treat the cause, it is much more successful and healthier than masking the symptoms.

     I have tried many natural remedies, with success and failure. Every dog is different, just like we are. What may work for one, may not for another, but I would like to share some of my success stories with you. I hope your pet can benefit from some of these ideas. Remember, when trying a new product make sure you try one at a time and give it ninety days to be sure of the results. Do this to make sure you give the product enough time to build up in the system. This will allow you to know any adverse effects the product may have, even though it is natural. We can be allergic to grass and pollen, there is a slim chance your dog could be allergic to anything. You also want to do this to give the product time to repair. The damage takes time to happen to a body, it is only logical to allow time for the product to help repair the damage.

     You could opt for the instant fix and give pain killers such as Rimadyl. As a LAST resort this drug may help with pain, but it is not the cure all. I personally know of a dog that died after one week on this drug. Rimadyl had been known to cause GI bleeding and risk of liver toxicity. For a two sided view of this drug see: http://www.srdogs.com/Pages/rimadyl.deaths.html . I would only resort to this drug if you have exhausted all avenues and your option is either this drug or euthanasia. I want to state this is MY opinion based on research and personal experience.

    What are the other options? I have found in many cases, it is not one thing that helps, but a combination of many things to treat the WHOLE body. I am pleased to report that Odin is doing so much better and playing hard with my grand puppy Cash and all his other friends without being sore afterwards.

Odin and Cash resting after a day of play

     Odin is a 55 lb. dog; keep in mind you may have to adjust according to your dog's weight.

This is the regimen we have been using:

     ~ I cup of homemade bone broth which supplies the purest form of Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Collegian. For the recipe see: http://www.k9instinct.com/blog/the-benefits-of-bone-broth-for-dogs

      ~ 4 oz. of raw goat’s milk. This not only will help the joints, but is one of the most amazing remedies for allergies I have ever experienced. It is amazing for digestion and is a pre and probiotic. If you have read about the canine flu, this is one of the best preventatives available. I cannot rave about this product enough. If you live in West MI you can purchase this product at "Must Love Dogs" in Grand Haven. You can purchase it frozen and keep a large supply handy in the freezer. If you don't live in West MI and want to find a supplier in your area go to: http://www.k9instinct.com/blog/the-benefits-of-bone-broth-for-dogs

       ~ Homemade tart cherry treats. Tart cherry juice is an anti-inflammatory. I personally make mine from pure pumpkin, coconut flour, coconut oil, flax meal and cinnamon. Read the dose for a human on the bottle and adjust to your dog's weight and multiply how many days of treats you plan to bake. You could add the tart cherry juice to any dog treat recipe but the coconut oil and flax meal are also great for joints. Just mix all ingredients to dough like consistency.

       ~500 mg of Ester C. This boosts the immune system and had been known to reduce swelling also.

       ~ Glycoflex 3 -2 x a day, that is a natural supplement for joints.

    

Odin and I wish your pet many fun walks, tail wags and a long, pain free, joyous life. 

 Side notes from the author:

After writing this article, I read a great blog by Mary E Haight that talked about Passive Range of Motion

I have added it to Odin's daily regimen and have to say I see more improvement ! I searched for "how to" videos and they were all similar. Here is a quick to the point one I found to share:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2g5CYXlHMsH3NbJ_DxK0Tb2fea9Tavu6

Also, Odin went swimming the day after they sprayed our lake with Diquat for weeds. Shortly after that he had severe stomach upset diarrhea. Coincidence?

Warning on Diquat  “Exposure to Diquat Dibromide can irritate the eyes, nose, and   throat and may cause  nosebleeds. * Exposure to  large amounts of Diquat Dibromide may cause severe poisoning with  nausea,  vomiting, diarrhea,  tremors,  convulsions, and even death.” 

I wanted to inform my readers that goats milk has helped heal his belly much quicker than normal GI upset in the past.

I am putting feelers for environmentally conscience individuals who may want to join an alliance to help educate ,and research alternative methods to his chemical and/or  college students looking for a project in this field in the West MI area.