The Ins and Out of Animal Shelters - They Are Not All the Same

Recently a well meaning friend rescued a young cat from certain death on a very busy road in Maryland only to find out later that the cat was put down by the shelter he brought her to. Obviously he was very upset but didn't know that all shelters have different policies.

Your local Animal Control is usually considered to be a high-kill shelter. When an animal is turned in to them or picked up by them, they only hold the animal so many days before they are euthanized. Other animal shelters follow this policy as well, only keeping cats and dogs that are healthy, well behaved and easily adoptable. All others are euthanized. Feral cats and stray dogs are of questionable back grounds will usually be euthanized in high-kill shelters and that is unfortunately was what happened to my friend's rescued cat.

Other animal shelter are considered to be low-kill shelters, meaning they will put down cats or dogs that have serious health issues, are injured or test positive for chronic diseases like Feline Leukemia or if they have serious behavior issues.

The best option would be a no-kill shelter. These shelters will go great lengths to get medical treatment, correct behavior issues - anything it takes to spare the life of a cat or dog brought in to them. Or they will find another shelter that can deal with whatever issue the pet has and then find a forever home for them.

A very serious note about euthanasia - shelters vary on their means of putting  the animals down. Many use lethal injection - the most humane way to euthanize but many shelters still use the gas chamber which is a very stressful, horrible way to die. There are other even more barbaric forms of euthanasia used in shelters, so again - be sure you know what form of euthanasia the shelter using or take the animal to a no-kill shelter - the best way to go! Do not be mislead by the misnomer Humane Society Shelter - their policies may be anything but humane!

Helping a stray dog or cat is a wonderful thing to do but please make sure you know the policies of the shelter you are surrendering them to - it could mean the life of that very animal you wanted to rescue!

SeaCure Protein for Digestive Issues in Pets

This is not a paid advertisement or endorsement. 

I have been using this product recommended to me by my vet for many years off and on as needed and think it is worth talking about.  Years ago when one of my cats had intestinal cancer my vet suggested using SeaCure to help his digestion and add nutrients to his diet.  Being pure fish protein, it is easily digestible.

Using marine micro-organisms that digests whole fish fillets into protein fragments that are mostly 2 and 3 amino acids long (di-peptides and tri- peptides). This predigested protein is very soluble and very easy for the human digestive system to absorb.  From my understanding, this product was invented to treat humans suffering from malnutrition. Many vets now use it to treat pets for the same issues.

Mainly SeaCure helps the digestive tract repair itself.  It alleviates nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  It helps irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, ulcers and leaky gut syndrome.

I have been using this on my cat Minnie who has suffered for years with irritable bowel.  She vacillates between constipation and diarrhea.  Often she strains so hard to go, she vomits her food.  After a few weeks of being on this product, Minnie is doing so much better with regular bowel movements and no vomiting.

I also give this to my elderly cats who have lost weight and muscle tone in old age.  SeaCure  helps the elderly to maintain their strength and stamina by providing them with a easily digestible protein in their diet. 

Besides adding digestion, SeaCure also speeds the healing of wounds, reduces the side effects of chemo and helps those with HIV/Aids (or FIV in cats) to maintain weight, avoid muscle loss and diarrhea.  I give this to my cat Ivy who has FIV.

There are many sources online to purchase SeaCure.  Some offer a pet version but I buy a human supplement and open the capsule, sprinkling it on their food.  My rule of thumb is to give 1/8 to 1/4 of the human dose to pets, depending on size and weight.  Both cats and dogs can benefit from SeaCure.

We give this product 40 thumbs up!

Drug Free Solution for Dog Anxiety!

Does your dog hide and shake during thunder storms, have anxiety when you leave home or get very upset when fireworks go off?

My vet has recently added Thundershirt to her inventory of products for sale.  She claims this is a great drug free solution for dogs who suffer from anxiety of any kind.

How does it work?  The keyword is pressure. Pressure is used to treat both human and pet symptoms:

• TTouch dog trainers use pressure for a variety of anxieties
• Veterinarians use pressure to calm cattle for vaccinations.
• Pressure is used with autistic people to relieve anxiety.
• Infants are swaddles as newborns to calm them and give them comfort.

The Thundershirt fits snug and in most cases calms the dog right away.  Over 80% of dog owners report significantly reduced anxiety symptoms when using Thundershirts.

They can be used for thunder, fireworks, separation anxiety, travel, barking, jumping and more.  The shirts are easy to put on, have no side effects and are affordable at $39.95 a shirt.

I researched and read many reviews online and most people found it to be helpful - some more than others but almost all found it did take the edge off a dog's anxiety and made them calmer than without the shirt.  The only drawback it seems is that it is a heavy fabric and can be warm for the pet so do not put on in a warm house or car - use with A/C or in cooler weather. Make sure the Thundershirt fits properly in order for it to work - they give direction on the website to measure your dog for the shirt.

For more information about Thundershirts or to order one, please visit  Thundershirts. here.  Now all we need is a easy simple solution for anxiety in cats!  Any ideas?

I am not paid for this review.

Chicken Feed as Cat Litter

I have been using World's Best Cat Litter for quite a number of years and even sold in in our shop before we changed careers.  I love that it clumps, is made of a natural ingredient, corn, has no dust....but the price is just too much.  They used to offer coupons but have done away with that and at almost $9. for a 7 pound bag - it is overpriced especially, if you multiple cats like we do.

A friend tried corn chicken feed and aside from the fact that wildlife was trying to get in her outdoor pen to eat it, found it to be a great replacement for WBCL!  Another friend with many cats tried it as she could not afford WBCL anymore at the new price and was converted to chicken feed as cat litter.

We bought a ten pound bag of Dumor at Tractor Supply and it works fine!  There are several brands - we got Dumor affordable, and has no dust.  We add baking soda for odor control and the cats seem to accept it readily.

Here are some things about buying chicken feed so you know what to get if you want to save money and still use a safe affordable cat litter instead of clay or any others with dangerous additives.:

• Buy corn feed for layers or chick starter without additives or medication in it.  Make sure it is corn and states no additives on the bag. 
•  It comes in pellets or crumbles.  Both work but crumbles looks most like WBCL and seems to have more clumping qualities.
• Many feed stores have their own brands - some big name brands that make quality feed are Dumor, and Layena.  Just buy the smaller size to try it out.  The bags range in price from 10 pounds for $3-5. or 25 pounds for $8-10.  You can't beat the price.
• One issue other forums on this subject have brought up is that the chicken feed can get moldy and make your cats sick.  The solution is to buy fresh feed only in the amount you need and store it in plastic bins.   The conditions needed to grow the aspergillus fungi which cause aflatoxin are very specific - the mold prefers a moisture level above 18% and  higher temperatures.
• Some folks have found that adding some baking soda to the litter deodorizes the box and helps with odor control.  I had to do this with WBCL anyway.
• As far as clumping - the WBCL performed good but not great - I still had to scrape the pee clumps off the bottom of the litter box.  This happens as well if the chicken feed litter amount is too low in the box. Keep the box full and you can prevent this from happening.

Online I found many cat owners who have used chicken feed  as litter for years and loved it.  Even eHow.com suggests chicken feed as a homemade alternative to buying cat litter.  Properly stored and used, it is much safer than some of the commercial silica, and clay litters on the market.

Indoor Pets Can Still Have Ticks!

Tick season is here and even if your dog or cat is an indoor pet, they can still get ticks.  Ticks can hitch a ride inside on your clothing and make their way onto your pet.

Deer tick

Brush your cat or dog daily, especially after each visit outdoors to dislodge ticks.  Make sure your human family members do a daily head-to-toe tick check as well. 

Deer ticks carry Lyme disease that can cause chronic symptoms in humans and and pets, even with treatment. Lyme disease is found in all 50 states and is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, corkscrew-shaped bacteria that live in the gut of deer ticks and western black-legged ticks. When an infected tick feeds on a dog, person or other mammal, the bacteria are transmitted and can cause an infection.

Always, always talk to your vet before using any flea/tick treatment on your pet and in the yard. Purchase these treatments from you veterinarian and not over the counter.  Over the counter products may have toxic ingredients than can harm or kill your pet. And finally never use products made for dogs, on cats.

If Something Happens to You, What Happens to Your Pets?

So many times we hear about someone passing away and the dog or cat got left unattended in the house or yard for days or even weeks before someone rescued them. This happens more than we would like to think.

If you live alone and have pets, you need to be thinking of what would happen to them if something happens to you. Here are some simple tips to provide for your pets:

• Carry a Pet Alert card in your wallet with detailed information about how many pets you have and a contact number for a friend or veterinarian. You can make up your own card or buy one. 

• Tape up a new pet In Case of Emergency sticker on the front or back door of your home. This will alert emergency personnel about how many pets you have and what kind. Make sure you keep this updated - use your own tape to allow for changing it if needed. The self stick ones will not come off easily. ASPCA offers a free decal online - just go to their website.

• Give two or three people close by who know and like your pets, keys to your home with pertinent information concerning pet medications, and veterinarian phone numbers. Make sure each person knows who the others are with contact numbers for all.  If you are not in good health, set up regular check-in times  with these people so they know how you are doing.

• Make up a list of all your pets, their ages, medications, names with photos, emergency contact numbers and veterinarian numbers and post in a visible spot in your home. If you have a lot of pets, create a binder with all this info at your fingertips.  Leave on in a visible spot in your home.

• If you are traveling with your pet in a car, RV or truck and you have a serious accident, make sure you have information in your vehicle about your pet - contact numbers, vet number to prevent rescue crews from placing them in a shelter. 

• Provide for your pets in your will. Choose a primary beneficiary and alternative one from people who you know will take care of your pets. You can even name your pet as beneficiary in your will. Some states will allow you to set up a trust fund for your pets.

• Lastly, give all the emergency contact information to your veterinarian so they have this on hand should someone contact them first.

I found a great website  that offers a complete packet of emergency decals, placards etc. called Pet Alert Info System.  This will give you a good idea of the kinds of things you should have on  hand and set up for pet emergencies.  If you do all of these things, your pets will have a stable future in the event that something should befall you.

Cats Need Sunshine Too - True or False?

I was talking to a friend today and she told me something interesting about cats needing sunshine for vitamin D like we do. I looked this up online and found out that it is false.

People make vitamin D from being in the sunshine but cats are one type of animals that does not. In fact, cats require very little vitamin D, unlike other animals.

In the wild, cats get  vitamin D through eating their prey - felines normally  hunt at night, then sleep during the day. Domestic cats get their  vitamin D from cat food, which is why it's important to feed your cat high quality cat food. If cats were kept indoors with no sunlight at all and they would not be ill from being without it.

Cats love the sun and spend all their time soaking it up.  If you have a white cat, be very careful because they can get skin cancer from too much sun exposure especially their ears and noses.

Cats always seem to want to sit in the window or lay out on the floor where the sunlight is coming in. So while cats don't need sunlight to be healthy, you should try to have a sunny window available for them to sit in.

Make a comfy seat in a sun facing window or let them follow the sun puddles around the house as the sun moves.

Dental Scares

We have been hearing of many cats and dogs, especially older pets, who have died during dental surgery from the anesthesia.  It is very worrisome and I have been looking for some products that can be used to prevent dental issues.

One product is called PetzLife - it is an oral care spray and gel to help remove plaque and tartar, control bacteria and freshen breath.  It is endorsed by veterinarian Dr. Michael Fox.  For more info on this product and testimonials visit PetzLife.

Another product came into being when  Lisa Guerin took her dog Mercy in for a dental cleaning and the dog passed away even though her vet said she was in excellent health.  Lisa became obsessed with finding an alternative to the risks of anesthesia for dental work.  Her product, Leba III, is made from the herbs mint and rose, stabilized  in 25% human food grade ethyl alcohol and distilled water. The herbs change the chemistry in the mouth, stimulating enzymes and causing tartar to soften and fall off.  To find out more visit LebaLab Inc.

We have not used these personally but they are worth looking into as an alternative to dental surgery!

Dogs and Crowds

Is your dog afraid to be in a crowd with lots of activity going on?  Do you have a hard time walking your pet if there are many people around?  Here are some tips to help your dog cope with crowds:

• Slowly introduce a new or young animal to the bustle of crowds. It takes time to help them learn to be comfortable  in new situations.
• Start by taking him out during less busy times of the day and then work your way up.
• Keep up with the local goings on to make sure you know when activities like sports events, festivals or conventions are being held near where you live or walk your companion.  Avoid these chaotic events and schedule his walk another time.
• If your dog is approached by other people or small children, make sure you explain tot hem how your pet likes to be greeted.

Information courtesy of Animal Wellness Magazine.

Standar Process Nutritional Supplements

Great for FIV cats.

 
When my senior cat Chica was diagnosed 4 years ago with chronic renal failure, the first thing my vet put her on was Standard Process Feline Renal Support - she is doing well and is holding her own.  I still don't need to give her subcutaneous fluids yet.

The company Standard Process began in 1929 in Wisconsin, struggling to stay open during the Great Depression.  Founder Dr. Royal Lee dedicated his life to finding solutions for all sorts of challenges, but his greatest passion was improving the nation's health by providing high-quality, whole food supplements and educating others about them. He devoted the majority of his life to spreading the truth about nutrition. They grow all their plant products organically on local farms.  Quality is very important to them in their products.

While the company began by offering human supplements, they have expanded into veterinary supplements but either can be used on our pets.  Here is a testimony from another Standard Process Renal Support happy customer -

This product contains Standard Process's patented Protomorphogen (PMG) kidney extract, an extract derived from nucleoprotein-mineral molecules.

While this is decidedly a product in Standard Process's 'human' line, as a glandular extract it can also be used in animals. We have a cat diagnosed with early kidney failure and since starting to use this product and Standard Process Renafood 90 Tablets adjunctively with Standard Process Feline Renal Support we've seen her downgraded from early kidney failure to kidney impairment.

Having seen what it can do in cats, if (salt over shoulder) I should ever have problems with my own kidneys, I would use this and Renafood in a heartbeat. 

They offer 8 supplements for cats and 12 for dogs covering all health issues from heart, kidney, immune system and thyroid.  I also give the Feline Whole Body or Immune Support interchangeably to Ivy who has FIV.  Their products must be purchased through a veterinarian but I have found some places online that offer them.  I highly recommend any of their products for people and pets!

For more information about this product check out their website - Standard Process.

Oliver Alert - A Tool For Finding Lost Pets

One of the other pet bloggers I follow wrote about a great web site for finding lost pets.  The story begins with a young couple who adopted a Brussels Griffon named Oliver and while they were away on vacation he got away from his sitters and they have been searching for him since.  Along the way they realized that even tho there are so many ways to look for lost pets no one place offered a complete list of every method  so their web site Oliver Alert was born.

It is a wonderful resource for anyone who has lost a cat or dog.  They give pointers on how to post online, making fliers, who to contact and even have a number of success stories on their site from people who used their ideas and found their pets. 

Unfortunately they have not yet found Oliver but in looking for him have created a thorough avenue for others to use in their search. Please do help them find Oliver and check out their site.

The missing Oliver.

Give and Let Live

On our other blog, we just took part in Livestrong Day sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation and are going pink for October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  If you love animals like I do, then this can put you in a quandary - so many of our loved ones have had or have cancer but did you know so many organizations still test inhumanely on animals for research?

Many people don’t realise that much of the money they give to medical research charities will be used to fund animal experiments. Apart from captivity and the suffering, animal experiments often give misleading results that cannot be extrapolated to the human condition. Even different strains of the same animal species can give a different reaction to drugs and different experimental results. Investment in humane non-animal based research may therefore be the best use of resources and lead to faster medical progress. 

According to many scientists, the best hope for the prevention or cure of many diseases is relevant and progressive nonanimal research methods, such as in vitro cell and tissue cultures, microfluidic circuits, computer modeling, microdosing, and epidemiological studies. This knowledge, as well as ethical considerations for animals, has led many people to be concerned about the continued use of ineffective and outdated animal methods in medical research. They prefer to support charities and corporations that sponsor more responsible and humane alternatives.

One web site I found, The Council on Humane Giving, offers an ever expanding directory of charities that fund only humane, human-based research or patient services, as well as a list of corporations that have pledged to support such charities. Your support of Humane Seal-certified organizations allows you to Give and Let Live. Check out their breast cancer listings for organizations that use non-animal research.

Beware of Counterfeit Flea Products

Have you ever bought a flea product online and when you received it in The mail the package did not look like anything you usually use or was not quite the same packet?  DO NOT use this product on your pet.  Many companies are selling cheaper products online using photos of Advantage or Frontline a to deceive you. I found this great article online about how to tell a counterfeit product and what to do about it.

The EPA has issued a stop sale and use as well as a removal order to retailers and distributors of counterfeit flea control and tick control pesticides. This is in an effort to stop the distribution and sale of counterfeit Frontline Plus and other flea control and tick control pesticides. These products were unlawfully imported and designed to like legitimate Frontline plus. 

Many sites, selling foreign or counterfeit, products use pictures of the U.S. products to deceive the consumer. It is a good idea to contact the online merchant and verify that the product is labeled for sale in the U.S. before purchasing. You can also ask if the products they are selling are U.S. EPA approved. Asking these questions before purchasing will help ensure that you get genuine products for your pet.

How can I tell if The Frontline Plus is counterfeit?

There are several indications that you may have received counterfeit Frontline Plus. It may be difficult to distinguish the counterfeit products from the EPA approved product. If your package fails any of the following, it is likely to be counterfeit.
* The product may not be in the required child resistant packaging.
* The lot numbers of the individual applicators and the box do not match.
* A legitimate package should also have the following:
* After you open the package, each individual applicator has a label that includes the registrant's name "Merial;" the product name; percentage (%) of active ingredient(s) (fipronil for Frontline Top Spot products; and fipronil and (S)-methoprene for Frontline Plus products)
* The package should contain the instruction leaflets that are required by U. S. law providing emergency numbers, first aid statements, etc.
* The EPA registration number and the net contents in fluid ounces (fl. oz.) is on the applicator package (not in metric measure, i.e., ml)
* "To remove applicator, use scissors or lift and remove plastic tab to expose foil, then pull down." should be on the package. The writing should be in English only.
* U.S Products are E.P.A. approved and the E.P.A. DOES NOT give product expiration date.

Which products are affected?

The following are brand names and EPA registration numbers of legitimate products. The counterfeit products may use these same names and numbers.
1. Frontline Top Spot for Cats (EPA Reg. No. 65331-2)
2. Frontline Top Spot for Dogs (EPA Reg. No. 65331-3)
3. Frontline Plus for Cats (EPA Reg. No. 65331-4)
4. Frontline Plus for Dogs (EPA Reg. No. 65331-5)
.

How can I tell if the Advantage is counterfeit?

Inspecting the Tube (applicator) is the only way to identify counterfeit Advantage Flea Control. The box and package insert are identical, but by looking at the tube you can make sure the label has the following:

1. The first give away of a counterfeit is the language. It must be in English, If it is a foreign language (most likely French or German), it is counterfeit.

2. "Warning" and “Keep out of reach of children” will be on all legitimate products as well as “Bayer” the manufacturer and the EPA registration number.

3. The label will list the active ingredient and the box will match the ingredient and strength (such as 9.1% imidacloprid on both label and box).

4. U.S Products are E.P.A. approved and the E.P.A. DOES NOT give product expiration dates.

Which products are affected?

The following are brand names and EPA registration numbers of legitimate products. The counterfeit products may use these same names and numbers.

1. Advantage 10 for Dogs (EPA Reg. No. 11556-117)

2. Advantage 20 for Dogs (EPA Reg. No. 11556-119)

3. Advantage 55 for Dogs (EPA Reg. No. 11556-120)

4. Advantage 100 for Dogs (EPA Reg. No. 11556-122)

5. Advantage 9 for Cats (EPA Reg. No. 11556-116)

6. Advantage 18 for Cats (EPA Reg. No. 11556-118)

.

What should I do if I suspect that my pet has been harmed by one of these counterfeit products?l

Contact your pet’s veterinarian for medical assistance and advice as soon as possible. You may contact the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at 800-858-7378, an EPA-sanctioned toll-free helpline providing answers to most questions regarding pesticides and pesticide poisonings.

To Vaccinate Your Pet or Not

When I moved to North Carolina from Florida I had my two oldest cats Chica and Yoko then.  They had been getting their yearly vaccination booster shots even tho they are indoor only cats.  I took them to my first holistic vet in Boone, NC and she talked me out of these boosters saying she had seen too many animals have severe and long term reactions to them.  That was twelve years ago and since then none of my cats have gotten any boosters - just the basic first time shots required.  Chica is 19 now and Yoko 17 and in great health.

Everyone has to make the decision that feels right for them.  Don't let your vet bully you into getting shots you don't want - find another vet that will work with you.  I have copied below the recommendations of a holistic vet near Raleigh that I have worked with for seriously ill pets.  This sums up what a lot of veterinarians now feel about vaccinations.

Dr. Charles Loops DVM:

Homeopathic veterinarians and other holistic practitioners have maintained for years that Vaccinations are doing harm. Aside from the immediate risk of vaccination side-effects, such as allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock, there are more compelling reasons to avoid vaccinations whenever possible.  Vaccinations represent a major assault on the body's immune system.  Attenuated organisms, or chemically killed viruses or bacteria, are injected directly into the blood stream via subcutaneous or intra-muscular injection, an unnatural route of infection.  This profound insult avoids the body's first line of defenses, flooding the system with millions of organisms or viral particles, causing irregularities and abnormalities in the immune system which then manifest as chronic diseases in animals.  This overall effect, while potentially protecting the individual from a specific, acute disease, is to weaken or create imbalance in the immune system so that underlying tendencies to diseases are brought to the surface. In other words, vaccinations represent a major stress.  Following vaccinations, we often see chronic problems begin such as epilepsy, skin allergies, persistent upper respiratory infections, irritable bowel syndromes, auto-immune diseases and cancer, just to name a few. 

    What we now confront in our animal companions are generations of over-vaccinated animals, and these current offspring are suffering the penalty of this medical abuse.  Where vaccinations have helped in eradicating or reducing the incidents of severe and acute disease processes, the result has been to plague us with more insidious, chronic diseases that are difficult to treat and often incurable and that lower that quality of life for many individuals and animals. 

    After more than thirty years of practicing veterinary medicine, I am observing chronic diseases that begin much earlier than before.  Cancer before five years of age in dogs and cats was a rarity, but now it is not unusual to see fatal cancers in two and three year old animals.  And the incidence or number of cases is definitely increasing. While poor breeding practices, poor commercial diets and other environmental factors play their part, I believe it is the practice of vaccinating an animal repeatedly, with multiple vaccinations throughout their lifespan that factors the most. We have genetically weakened our companions with this practice.  A normal dog or cat living to twelve years of age will receive at least twenty and possibly thirty vaccinations during their lifetime.  Fifteen or so of these shots will have four to seven disease fractions present in each vaccination. 

    In all of this, balance in nature has been lost to the pharmaceutical-medical complex philosophy, propelled in great part by monetary factors, leading us to believe that all vaccinations are beneficial. 

    Risk of Exposure should be the main guideline for consideration of whether to vaccinate and what to vaccinate against. If your cats are indoor only, or if your dogs' outside activities are on a leash or within a fenced area under supervision, there is little risk.  The other considerations for a vaccine's use are its proven safety, its effectiveness, and whether the disease so serious or life-threatening that vaccinating is necessary. Remember, VACCINES ARE NOT HARMLESS. Only vaccinate if the threat is real.

Natural Tips to Control Hairballs

When the seasons change I find my cats cough up more fur balls and I have to watch where I step so I don't end up with a slimy mess on my foot! 

If your cats are like mine, they don't care for the oral fur ball  treatment in a tube no matter what the label says about how tasty it is.  My vet suggested offering a dab of butter on your finger for the more finicky cats and mine love it.  Once or twice a week will make a difference. 

Another trick is to feed them oily fish - mackerel or salmon, once a week and that will keep their digestive system running smoothly with less fur balls being coughed up.

Doing these two things will save you money and offer the cats more natural preservative free options for  hairball treatment.

Acupressure for Lameness in Pets

 I use acupressure often for my cats.  It helps to relieve pain and boosts the immune system.  Here are some tips on doing this at home

Acupoints to use in helping to relieve hindquarter lameness, to strengthen the immune system and to reduce generalized pain


Acupressure Point Work Technique


• Begin point work on medium-sized dogs and large animals using the direct-thumb technique. Place the ball of your thumb on the acupoint at a 90-degree angle to the animal’s body. For small animals, place your middle finger on top of your index finger and hold the tip of your index at a 90-degree angle to the cat or dog’s body. Apply about one to two pounds of pressure, depending on the size of the animal. For small or delicate cats and dogs, use less than a pound of pressure. When you feel resistance, let up on the point slightly, then reapply pressure until you feel the resistance dissolving.


• Keep both hands on your animal. One hand does the point work while the other feels the reactions such as muscle spasms, twitches and other releases.The hand not performing the point work also soothes the animal and provides an energy connection.


• Point work is generally performed from front to rear and top to bottom.


• Breathe out while moving into the acupoint; breathe in when letting up on the point.


• Use partial body weight; this ensures a smoothness of motion and protects your thumbs and wrists from stress.

This article is from Animal Wellness Magazine.

Alternative Cancer Treatment for Pets

Cancer seems to be on the up rise for our pets - both dogs and cats are getting cancer at younger ages. Some of this can be traced to over vaccination, other culprits are poor food, nutrition and environmental toxins.

After having two cats with intestinal cancer, I saw how ineffective western medicine was as far as treatment goes - chemo/radiation which didn't offer much quality of life. I chose to go the holistic route using mainly homeopathy.

My vet Dr Maggie Federhart began the treatment for Clarence, a lovely stray cat I took in. Dr Federhart has had success attaining remission with certain kinds of cancers. She felt I would be best served working with Dr Charles Loops. I worked extensively with Dr Loops and the tumor we initially found in Clarence's intestines was gone after months of homeopathic treatment. Clarence later passed of a heart condition he had all along.

One year later, I found my Nick had the same symptoms as Clarence and went back to Dr Loops - who works mainly through phone consultations. Nick went into a short remission and had a good quality of life. He lived several months past what western medicine may have given him but with a better quality of life without chemo.

Speaking from this experience, if your dog or cat has been diagnosed with cancer, find yourself a good holistic vet to work with - it can add years maybe to his life and give him and better quality of life. Check out the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association to look up a vet with good credentials that is located near you.

The book Why is Cancer Killing Our Pets? by Deborah Straw explains the different kinds of treatment and how to protect them from getting cancer.

Both the veterinarians I used do phone consultations to pet guardians. Dr Federhart, who trained with Dr Pitcairn, (Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health of Dogs and Cats) has a web site - Animals Naturally.

Dr Loops also trained with Dr Pitcairn but then went off on his own to develop a unique homeopathic treatment plan by treating and curing himself of chronic ailments. His web site is here. Dr Loops also treats other chronic conditions successfully - in fact he takes on many cases that other vets have given up on.

Another resource for holistic treatments is Shirley's Wellness Cafe online. My vet told me about this and it gave us some other alternatives to try with testimonials from other pet guardians.

I hope that with better quality food, less vaccinations and better overall health, my other cats live to an old age without getting cancer or any other chronic disease.

Pets Overheating - An Emergency!

With summer comes high temperatures and while uncommon, our pets can overheat just like us if they are tied in a spot outdoors with no shade or left in a hot car.

These situations should be avoided at all costs - our pets deserve humane treatment and should never be left outdoors without shade and water on hot days. Even with the windows open your car will quickly overheat causing their body temperature to rise resulting in brain damage or death.

The first sign of overheating will be panting, sometimes intensely. The mucus membranes and skin become deep red as the body shifts circulation to superficial areas to increase heat loss. Nausea, dizziness and weakness quickly ensue if the body temperature does not drop. High temperature can impair the regulating center in the brain causing greater danger - the skin may become cool and the animal is usually faint or may lose consciousness.

This is an emergency situation and veterinary action is needed immediately. Rapid cooling is necessary to avoid damage such as rinsing or emerging in cool water. Do not use ice water as this will worsen the situation causing shivering and constricting the surface blood vessels, both canceling out the body's cooling mechanism.

Simply by providing shade, water and cool temperatures for your pet you can avoid a very life threatening situation on hot summer days.

TNR - It Saves Money!

How to handle feral cat colonies is a topic of controversial debate. Some groups advocate using archaic and cruel methods to kill them while the flip side offers to trap, neuter and release them back to the colony where they are fed, sheltered and cared for by volunteers.

According to an economic study commissioned by Best Friends Animal Society, trapping feral cats to kill them is not only inhumane but is a useless waste of tax dollars.

The study found that given the estimated 87 million homeless cats in the US, it would cost government agencies about $16 billion to trap and kill them as opposed to approximately $9 billion for supporting Trap, Neuter and Release programs run by rescue organizations and individual volunteers.

Tell this to any group trying to kill ferals rather than manage the colony - money talks! For more info on TNR contact Alley Cat Allies.

Information from Feline Wellness magazine.

Dangers of Third Hand Smoke

We have all heard the dangers of second hand smoke for pets and people but studies now show that third hand smoke is also really bad for our pets.

According to a study done by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and reported by Mulligan Stew pet foods, third hand smoke is comprised of the toxins that settle in the carpets, walls, upholstery, clothes and even skin and hair.

Second hand smoke is inhaled but third hand smoke is absorbed into the body by skin exposure, dust inhalation and digestion. Cats and other animals are at risk because they are closer to the surfaces that these toxins settle on.

If you smoke or live with a smoker...you could be endangering yourself and your pet...so QUIT!