[PREP] Alternative pet meds/food

Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
Okay, here we go. My kitty hyperthyroid thread generated such cool responses that I was moved to post this thread. What I want to see here are sources and methods of obtaining pet meds and alternative therapy for them (other than vet-prescribed drugs). I ALSO want to see alternative (read: less expensive) sources for pet meds, as well as better FOOD for our pets. This is a wide-open request for all kinds of alternative meds and food.

If it is as good as my kitty thread, it WILL be added to the MUST-READ "hi-pri" thread.

Pitch in - let me hear from you....
 
B

Brooks

Membership Revoked
A great book..."Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs" by Don Hamilton, DVM. It is more than just homeopathy and has been a very helpful manual for me. (It's where I found the recommendation for brassica veggies for the hyperthyroid cat.)

For commercial foods, Wysong is very high quality.
 
O

Ozlady

Contributing Member
A little off topic but the battery was cheap.
Grankid dropped a little round battery and Puppet figured looked good for sustanence.

After 3 days and nights of checking all poos, moving all furniture, researching puppies digestinal tracts and effects of alkaline substance on stomach acids, and the most important, praying, the cursed thing was hiding under the piece of broken vinyl under the table. Boy ! does Puppet owe me, she sure was making the most of the 24/7 attention.

First time trying to attach picture
 

Attachments

  • puppet.jpg
    puppet.jpg
    37.6 KB · Views: 402
Charlie

Charlie

Membership Revoked
Every spring we can up a bunch of smelt and sometimes sucker fillets as alternative dog and cat food.

I tried making home made sardines from smelt. They taste like crap to me, but the critters love em.

I used to trap minnows for extra cash as a sideline business. Sold em to the area bait shops in bulk. The cats always begged at my feet while sorting the minnows and I would flip them one now and again. Fresh and flopping bait....can't get any fresher than that. One time after smelting, we had one cat eat like 24 large smelt. I thought the thing was going to pop from eating so much.

It is only one piece of the nutritional puzzle, but the dog and cat both love it and slurp it down like crazy. The cats go berzerk when I just take a jar down off of the shelf! Purrrrryeooowwwwwwww
 
H

housemouse

Membership Revoked
Some of you know that I am a confirmed believer in feeding a "species" appropriate diet to my beloved dogs. That means raw meaty bones make up their daily meals, with some above ground veggies and healthy table scraps as "treats".

I know a lot about feeding dogs this way, but not much about feeding cats this way. I do know that there are a lot of cat people who do, however. I would suggest googling on "BARF for cats" and do some research on how to do it properly.

I do not give my dogs the vitamins that so many raw feeders seem to think is a good idea. I do not like to mess with potentially unbalancing their diets, and so far, they are the healthiest dogs I have ever shared my life with.
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
As for preps, you can dehydrate fish and meats for them to eat too.

Here is another tip for those dogs that are on prescription diets and still crave dog biscuite. There is kidney diet. Just an example. The stuff comes in dry and wet canned. Take the wet canned food and shape into flat dogs biscuits and bake at 100 degrees for a couple of days. Wa la. Doggie can still have a biscuit and not feel deprived.

Here is a wonderful book that is a must have on herbals for pets. I have used this book many times and it is right on. It also has contrindications of herbs. Very important and I know the couple that are the authors.
"All You Ever Wanted To Know About Herbs for Pets" by Mary L. Wulff-Tilford & Gregory L. Tilford. I have never before seen such an indepth coverage and doses for animals as ones in this book. It is also medically correct.

Suzanne's Hot Spot healer Many dogs this time of year suffer from "Hot Spots" due to dry skin, flea bites and chronic licking. This is a problem with a lack of essential fatty acids. Now I have tried many products claiming to have a good amount in the formula but by far the best is from Natures Sunshine. Super GLA.

Along with giving one capsule a day for up to 40 pound dogs, 2 a day for 40 pounds and up I suggest an oatmeal soak. Take one cup of organic whole rolled oats and simmer them in 2 cups of water. Strain out the oats and store the liquid in the fridge for up to 5 days. Carefully sponge this on the hot spots 2-3 times daily. It reduces the itching (histamines) and helps calm the skin.

Omega fish oils for cats that have dry skin and pulling out their hair. This is also due to hyperthyroidism. One gel cap a day and the cat will lick it out of a bowl. Cut the gel cap first.
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
Understanding Essential Fatty Acids

DHA is from salmon oils in concentrate and used for the brain and development of cognitive skills. Docosahexaenoic acid.

Omega 3 fatty acids. Fish Oils.

Omega 6 oils. Evening Primrose, Black currant, Flax seed, Borage oil. All are from seeds.

The cats do well with the fish oils and the dogs do better with the seed oils.
 
Vicki

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
Hi Dennis! My understanding is cats and dogs get generally the same illness's we get. They do best with what comes natural for them and both are certainly carnivores. For guidelines on general health and if you're looking for supplements to add to pet food, the following are helpful.

Nutritional support...

Nettle
Brewer's Yeast
Kelp flakes
Comfrey leaf
Pennyroyal Powder

Worming...
(typically done twice a year in spring and fall and in a two week period to eliminate larva as well as adult parasites)

Garlic
Wormwood
Ground Pumpkin seed

Ear mites...

Sweet Oil

Tinctures to have on hand for infections...

Goldenseal
Echinacea

Homeopathic remedies...

Belladonna
Phytolaca
Chamomila
Bioplasma
Arnica

I have used both herbs and homeopathy on my cats and dog successfully and am trying to keep their diets as free from processed foods as my own. My dog eats fresh raw vegetables quite regularly and my cats get a treat of fresh raw hamburger when I can along with a steady diet of basement dwellers of the fur kind that they like so much. All are very healthy and much loved.

Vicki
 
T

Taffy

Membership Revoked
This is a good subject, Dennis!

After losing my best friend chihuahua in an accident, I decided only the best for my new puppy. Did a lot of reading and decided on Vegepet brand food. Since I already make my own just about everything, it was pretty simple using their vitamins, minerals and enzymes to make dog and cat food. However, I don't believe dogs and cats should be vegetarian, so I added organic chicken (chicken and tuna for the cat) to the recipes. My vet was very concerned but 3 years in and exams and blood work confirm their health. My vet asked me for all the info to pass it on to others. (Seems I am not the only one concerned about what is in commercial pet foods!)

I make it in the bread machine, dice it up and dry it in the oven. One loaf lasts my chihuahua about a month. It is reconstituted with water and the chicken & veggies (or whatever is on hand) are added fresh. I always have leftovers so this was never a problem. He pretty much likes whatever we are having including salad. Vegepet makes an enzyme that is sprinkled on the veggies. Dogs can't digest veggies without the enzyme.

The supplies from Vegepet cost $18.00 and after 2 years I still have some left. Can't beat that.

I know what they are eating and I am also assured that no matter what comes down the pike, I can feed my pets from my preps as long as I have the vitamins, etc.

They have not had health problems since on this diet unlike my previous pets!

Now I need a supplier for Interceptor other than my vet, without a prescription.

Alternative pet care is my next crusade. Chihauhau is allergic to all vaccines.
 
O

Ozlady

Contributing Member
Taffy said

"Alternative pet care is my next crusade. Chihauhau is allergic to all vaccines."

Is this true for all chihauhau's, I have a foxy cross chihauhau and have just had her vacs for parvo, distemper and hepatitis, is there anything I should watch for?
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
Vicky? Sweet Oil?
Is this from Sweet Grass? I make a quart as I love the smell and use it for perfume. I have found no medicinal uses for the oil and this would be great if it works for ear mites. I braid the grass and use it as a smudge. It makes the house smell wonderful, but to find a medicinal use would be great.
 
G

Gr8DaneDood

Membership Revoked
Four words for feeding:

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food

There are many websites about the B.A.R.F. diet. Our 'Dane was a medical nightmare, low thyroid (was on Soloxin for the first 2 years of his life) terrible skin problems the first 2 years, and he was on Prednosone for his skin, as well as antibiotics for staph (skin) infection.

After being on the B.A.R.F. diet for about 6 months, he was a "new dog". NO skin problems, NO thyroid problems. He was taken off all med's. We just had a geriatric wellness exam done, and his bloodwork is phenomenal.

Link to one of many websites about B.A.R.F.

Also, your vet (if honest) will tell you that you don't need ANNUAL vaccinations, ours tells us every 3 years is adequate. (Other than rabies, which is required by law here.)

We elect to get titers done to check antigen levels for the vaccines. (This is a blood test done by a lab which ain't cheap, but we feel is better for our 'Dane.)

For heartworm preventative, check into Ivermectrin (sp?), this is the main ingredient in Heart-Guard, and you can buy it at feed stores. (Do a Google on the dosage appropriate for your pet's size) MUCH cheaper than heartworm tab's! Vets don't like you to use it, since they don't make any $$ from the sale of Filaribits, Heart Guard etc.

Cool thread idea Dennis.
 
B

Brooks

Membership Revoked
"Also, your vet (if honest) will tell you that you don't need ANNUAL vaccinations, ours tells us every 3 years is adequate. (Other than rabies, which is required by law here.)"

I'd recommend the chapter in the Don Hamilton book I cited above about pet vaccines. Assuming they are even effective, you don't neet booster after booster after booster. Rabies is now every three years, but ONLY because the dogs that it is tested against are killed after that time. In other word, they never carried the experiments out beyond that. So many of the health problems we see with our pets these days (like the hyperthyroidism that Dennis' kitty is faced with) have surged since vaccines became prevalent.
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
I'm gonna add links to the doggie constipation problem

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97542

As well as my kitty's hyperthyroid issue.

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97352

That will provide a nice "one-stop" repository for some GREAT info. Anyone else that has a thread here on animal care, feel free to ADD THE LINK to this thread. If we get a really nice set of ideas and links, this thread ref will go into the MUST READS threads for alternative animal care.

Come on folks! Post it up!
 
Vicki

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
>>Vicky? Sweet Oil?
Is this from Sweet Grass? I make a quart as I love the smell and use it for perfume. I have found no medicinal uses for the oil <<

Sorry Herbie, this is the kind you get at the drugstore. probably right next to the castor oil. It's in a blue 1 or 2 oz bottle and says "sweet oil" right on it. A few drops of that in the ears and rub the ears for mites. I just had a girlfriend tell me her mother always used it in her ears and her sisters to keep wax from building up and for ear aches. I would think it would be fine for us too but would prefer garlic and mullein infused myself. I have found no other use for sweet grass either besides the smudging. It does smell nice though!

Vicki
 
ARUBI

ARUBI

Inactive
The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats

By the Editors Of PREVENTION Magazine Health Books.

I also have a Pet First Aid kit from the Red Cross.

Sweet Oil;
My Mom used it in my ears. I have a bottle in my emergency preps.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The book I reccommended is on Vicki's herbal/pet link


DOCTOR'S BOOK OF HOME REMEDIES FOR DOGS & CATS
$16.95 This book provides the advice and wisdom of more than 200 veterinarians, trainers, breeders, pet psychologists and other animal experts on the more than 100 illnesses and behavior problems that trouble pets the most.
403 pages
 
Last edited:
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
Vicky Is there a listing of the ingredients on the back of the bottle other than saying "sweet oil"?. I wonder if it is no more than mineral oil. Very interesting.

Taking note of how nature reacts around plants and herbs, I notice that nothing attacks the sweet grass. It never gets eaten so therefor it might be a good bug repellant for pets too. I will do my Herbie experiment and stand out back when the mesquitos arrive and lather on some oil and see if it keeps the pestys off.:D

As for the garlic mullien ear oil, I agree. We add the ear oil, then candle afterwards. I have even had clients that "Ear Candle" their cockers that have heavy ear wax and they say it keeps their dogs out of the vets for ear resection surgery.
 
Vicki

Vicki

Girls With Guns Member
Hi Herbie! It just seems to be olive oil. It's put out by Swan, has a batch number, etc and is sold in pharmacies. I really don't know what the difference would be rather then using cold pressed virgin olive oil but this says specifically "sweet oil". My teach put out a booklet with helpful lists for herbs, homeopathy, etc for us and pets and she listed sweet oil. Ya got me curious now! lol I'm gonna have to look into that one. I use the cold pressed when I infuse so what the hecks the difference? :)

Vicki

ps... you're right on the sweet grass. I have it in a couple of places as well and it spreads so. Do you have a trick in making the smudge burn better? I have to keep lighting it over and over.
 
T

Taffy

Membership Revoked
Oz Lady:

Experience with allergic reactions to vaccines:

Reaction to the puppy shots were a personality change which lasted for months and seemed like they had a cold or flu. Vet suggested giving only 1 vaccine at a time and spaced out for safety.

For the first adult shots they developed lumps under the skin, fever, and lack of energy which lasted for 3 months. They knew it was from the shot, it was noted in their file but the vet told me it was just a fatty tumor and to keep an eye on it. It eventually went away.

Second adult shot, the first dog went into shock and couldn't breathe. Luckily it is a big clinic and there was a vet still in. Needed a shot of benedryl and epinephrine within 15 minutes. She almost died. We had to sit there and hold her and the vet wasn't sure she would make it. The second dog has not been vaccinated because I am afraid of the vaccines.

They knew the dogs were reacting badly to the vaccines and they can be pretreated for 2 days with benedryl every 8 hrs before the vaccine is given. They never told me.
 
O

Ozlady

Contributing Member
Hi Taffy,

Thanks for your reply, I had considered not having Puppet vaccinated because of risk but having lost one dog to distemper (a horrible disease) I took the risk. She had her shots last week (3 months old) and just seems to be more clingy and whingy, if that makes sense. In Australia we appear to have a different set of vacs than you do.

Once again thanks for answering.

Ozlady
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
Vicky It just might be one of their little tricks in naming a simple benign product something else to fool the sheeple. After all. If it said just olive oil than we would all be buying just olive oil. Most people do not read the back panel to see what the ingredients are. So this keeps them coming back. If it is ear mite medication, heck any natural oil will work. The supreme purpose is to drown the mites. The vet combination has antibiotics to heal as the mites drown. Olive oil would be a wonderful mite medicine in its self as it has loads of enzymes and is naturally anti-inflammatory. And olive oil is cheaper.

About the sweet grass. I infuse in cold pressed organic. All my infusions are done this way. Got to love the simplicity of infusing. And yes, I too have to keep re-lighting the grass. I found putting the grass over a charcoal disc really works for longer burning. Light the disc and keep the grass about a quarter inch above and it will burn the whole bundle. I do this with sage and finish off with dragons blood. It is the heart of the resin in conifers and represents the heart. Oh the scent! Really beautiful.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top