Have you noticed that doctors are now being much more reluctant to give you a prescription for antibiotics unless it’s proven that you are indeed suffering from a bacterial infection? Well, I wish I could say better late than never, but in the case of antibiotics, we’re far too late.

Antibiotics were once touted as a modern miracle and they did indeed save lives, once upon a time. The problem has been that they have been so widely overused and not just for bacterial infections, but for every single thing doctors didn’t know how to treat. In fact, even if the illness was viral, we were routinely given a prescription for antibiotics so we would happily go home and feel as though the doctor helped us get well.

The truth is, we would’ve been far better off NOT getting those antibiotics for every single illness we encountered. Our immune systems would’ve been much more helped if we’d stayed home and rested, drank lots of fluids, and boosted our immune system with natural herbal and homeopathic remedies and whole food supplements.

The reason is, since antibiotics have been so widely overused, superbugs have emerged that are leaving us vulnerable with no recourse - UNLESS your immune system is strong because you and your pets have been eating natural diets, using whole food and natural supplements, and exercising, so that your body is protected naturally.

By relying so heavily upon antibiotics to be our cure-all, along with steroids (a subsequent article will elaborate on this horrible drug) we’ve compromised our and our pets immune systems and left them wide open and susceptible to these superbugs that are continuing to emerge all the time.

“Our society has been conditioned with quick-fix and band-aid medicine. We know from experience that this, often times, only gives temporary relief and in fact can generate a rebound effect of symptoms or undesirable side effects. Complimentary medicine, in particular Homeopathy and Herbs, can play a very large part in the successful rearing of our animals. Homeopathy and Herbs are essentially, natural healing processes, providing remedies to assist the patient to regain health by stimulating the body’s natural forces of recovery. They concentrate on treating the patient, rather than the disease.” Marina Zacharias, author of Healthy Breeding with Herbs and Homeopathy. http://www.naturalrearing.com

The good news is there are alternatives we can use that will give us healthy, strong pets that can resist these superbugs. First, by using a homeopathic or holistic veterinarian, you can talk to them about what your options are for helping keep your pet at their optimal health. Each animal is as different as each of us. If you care for your pets in a holistic way, meaning for the entire animal rather than waiting to treat a specific ailment, you will already be ahead of the game.

By feeding food natural to your pet’s species, such as a raw food diet for cats and dogs, and incorporating whole food supplements, prebiotics and probiotics, you won’t need to concern yourselves about antibiotics and their detrimental side effects.

Something that is also happening is not just superbugs that can be transmitted from animals to humans, but one I know of that can only be transmitted from HUMANS to ANIMALS, and this superbug is called MRSA. While it isn’t as evident in the USA, it is rapidly becoming a problem in the UK. It is a superbug, bacterial infection that has developed as a result of overusing antibiotics. I have a dear new friend who lost her companion and friend, Bella, a beautiful Samoyed dog, to this dreaded bacteria. http://thebellamossfoundation.com

Jesse Dallas, author of Are Antibiotics Making Your Pet Sick? writes “The body should have 80% friendly bacteria and about 20% bad bacteria inside the intestinal tract. After the use of antibiotics, the body will have no more than 20% friendly bacteria and 80% bad bacteria if not more.

-Most illness, disease and problems begin in the intestinal tract. Thus, antibiotics create the potential for serious illness to begin.

-You may not be giving your pet antibiotics, but if it has ever eaten foods with preservatives, you have been giving your pet what I call ‘hidden antibiotics’. The job of preservatives is to control bacteria and once your pet eats food with preservatives, it will ultimately have an effect inside the intestinal tract too and kill the friendly bacteria.

-You should expect it will take at the least 1 year to recolonize the intestinal tract with friendly bacteria after the use of antibiotics.

-Recolonize the intestinal tract with friendly bacteria by using supplements and feeding natural foods.” http://www.pet-grub.com

Now is the time to be proactive and change this. By not remaining apathetic, but by taking action in your life and the lives of your pets, we can and will make a difference.

One more thing that is giving us much hope and one that has me jumping for joy are therapeutic grade essential oils. In 1985 Dr. Jean Claude Lapraz, MD did a study using the therapeutic grade essential oils Oregano and Cinnamon in testing their “antibiotic” like qualities. What he found was that not one single bacteria or virus can live in the presence of these oils!

That is the direction I’ve taken for myself, family and pets and I hope you’ll consider doing the same.

About the Author:

Kim Bloomer is a natural pet care consultant who helps pet owners learn to care for their pets using natural methods, products, essential oils, and natural feeding before your pets become ill. Visit her website Aspenbloom Pet Care for more on natural pet care and her dog’s blog Bark ‘N’ Blog

Originally published for the Holistic Pet Care Topic on Suite101.com

DISCLAIMER: The only oils we use and refer to in ALL articles are Young Living Essential Oils. We DO NOT use any other brands and would not state what we do about using essential oils in our articles about any other brands.

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Posted on June 15th, 2008 by itbsuperrich
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Have you taken your dog to the vet recently? Did you balk at the cost of a regular check up or the price tag of your dog’s medicine? In a more extreme example, your dog may have eaten something that didn’t agree with them and they are convulsing and coughing up blood. This frightens you and you rush them to the emergency vet hospital. The vet has trouble ascertaining the cause of their distress and runs several tests and pumps a plethora of medicines in your dog’s body.

Of course you love your dog and will do anything to save him. However, after the fright of the situation wears off you realize that your dog has racked up quite a vet bill. In fact, the bill may be over $1,000. Wow! There is no question that you should save your dog’s life by any means possible, but if this type of situation happens more than once your bank account might dwindle to nothing. Therefore, you need to purchase pet insurance for your dog.

Pet insurance for your dog you ask? Yes, you can purchase pet insurance for your canine companion. It is a great idea to purchase pet insurance for many reasons. Was your dog born with birth defects and other chronic problems? For example, some dogs are born with misplaced knee caps, “trick knees”, and will need costly surgery in the future. Another reason to buy pet insurance for your pet is that if they are getting on in years. Many times dogs will hit a certain age and it seems as if they are struck with several health problems at once.

Pet insurance is also a good option if you have an overly active or working dog. Does your dog tend to run around the country side and come home with scrapes and bruises? Do they bring home disease infested rodents for your viewing pleasure? Do they feel compelled to eat trash that is filled with bacteria even when they know they aren’t supposed to? Do you have more than one dog and fear the spread of a dog illnesses or infections? Pet insurance is something to consider in any of these cases.

How does pet insurance work? Pet insurance is very similar to your own health insurance plan. There are several different pet insurance plans to choose from that range in the amount of services and cost. Many pet insurance plans offer coverage regarding annual checkups, lab tests, vaccinations, drugs/medications, spaying/neutering and emergency visits. Often you will visit the vet, pay for the service and then submit your claim to the pet insurance company.

The range of coverage varies as does the deductible and reimbursement percentage. Some pet insurance plans will pay up to 80% of your vet bill after you have reached the $100 deductible. Pet insurance is an especially thankful gift when your dog has an emergency and racks up the medical costs.

In addition, pet insurance plans also allow you to choose the veterinarian you would like your dog to see. You do not have to worry about veterinarians “in your network” like you commonly do with your own health insurance plan.

When choosing a pet insurance plan you have a host of pet insurane companies available. Many of these companies have websites that can provide you an instant pet insurance quote. You type your contact information, the breed of your dog, and your dog’s age. You can find the costs for pet insurance plans that are basic to comprehensive and whether you want to pay the pet insurance premium monthly or once a year.

It depends on the age and breed of your dog, but you can find pet insurance premiums as low as $10-$15 per month. As your dog gets older, the cost will increase slightly due to the fact that older canines are prone to more illnesses and veterinarian visits. This rise in cost can be offset greatly by the amount of money you will save by purchasing a pet insurance plan.

Think pet insurance is too high or unnecessary? Consider the fact that if you don’t purchase pet insurance, you will have to pay the full amount for every vet service out of your pocket. This can soon add up to over thousands of dollars during your dog’s lifetime.

If your dog is susceptible to illness or you find yourself at the vet’s office often then check out pet insurance plans. You can peruse the Internet for instant quotes or contact your vet for possible pet insurance options. Finding pet insurance is as easy as signing up on the Internet. If you don’t feel comfortable with the Internet, then seek out the guidance of your vet. They may know well respected pet insurance companies that offer affordable pet insurance plans. Your pooch and your pocket book will thank you.

Katie Brandt’s website, http://www.dog-breeds-infosite.com is the ultimate dog lover’s resource. Research dog breeds & get free tips on dog training, dog supplies, dog health, dog school, dog grooming, dog laws, dog products & how to find dog sitters & dog walkers.

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Posted on June 9th, 2008 by itbsuperrich
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We all know the adage “dog is man’s best friend” seem to run for ages now. But we have reasons enough to consider our dogs as vital parts of our daily existence.

They seem to have this special character to display love and loyalty, not to mention a unique fun that we can only witness from them. That’s why, as much as possible, we will do everything we can to give them the best treatment and best health care, just like we do for our family members. Come to think of it- we even provide them their own insurance!

In this article, we will tackle some important dog health guidelines. Though considerably generalized for all breeds, information here are helpful still in maintaining our best friend’s optimum health.

Dental Care. Swollen, inflamed gums and secondary infections often cause the existence of other major dog health problems. It must be observed that a young dog’s teeth are brushed once in a week. Older dogs must have a regular session of thrice a week.

There are especially designed toothbrushes for dogs that provide cleaning of the rear teeth. It is not a good practice to use human toothpaste for them, instead make use of enzyme toothpaste that will prevent tartar build-up. There are also dental cleaning pads that will complement for tooth brushing, if not regularly done. Such pads would cleanse your dog’s teeth by means of enzymes incorporated on their surface, which are effective in removing stuck-up dirt.

Ear Care. We often overlook the ears of our dog, however this practice might lead to wax and dirt build-up that can cause infection and inflammation. Regular ear care will help remove ear debris and drying the ear canal. Thus, prevention of some major conditions that might as well cause us to give especial attention to those parts.

Ear care also entails the extermination of ear mites that typically reside in the inner ear of our dogs.

Nutritional Supplements. Dog foods are often lacking in nutrients essential for the optimum development and growth of our pets. Thus, it is very vital to supplement them with vitamins and nutrients to prevent deficiencies that might cause serious dog health complications. This is especially true for older dogs who no longer has the appetite to eat heartily.

Those dogs that work hard during the entire day also need supplements. And also for those that have recently undergone surgery and sickness.

Irritated and Sored Skin. Not only humans get skin irritations and allergies. Some dogs have extra sensitive skins that make them susceptible for bacterial and fungus attack which in turn may lead to wounds, scabs and skin diseases.

Hot Spots. These are characterized by skin areas, which are moist and inflamed. These are typically due to irritation from fleabites, substance irritation or allergies. These spots are usually extremely itchy which cause dogs to scratch and lick on them. Thus, the aggravation of the condition that can lead to serious wounds.

The most vital step in healing hot spots is to reduce the frequency of scratching. Afterwhich, spraying of skin relief products may prove beneficial n stopping the pain and itchiness.

If your dog display symptoms of conditions as listed here, it is wise to consult a vet immediately. He may provide you with some guidelines, which will aid greatly in preserving your pet’s health. It is also likely that he will prescribe you with some medications that will ease the symptoms that your dog exhibits.

Khieng ‘Ken‘ Chho - Online Dog Health Resources. For more, visit Ken’s website: http://doghealth.1w3b.net/

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Posted on May 30th, 2008 by itbsuperrich
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