Natural Treatments For Autoimmune Disease in Dogs and Cats

Autoimmune disease is common in cats and dogs. Pets can have unusual, seemingly unrelated symptoms making it difficult to diagnose. Examples: stomatitis, IBD, Pillow Paw. Steroids are the most common treatment but with an anti-inflammatory, low carb diet and a few supplements, you can greatly improve your pet's well being and reduce the need for steroids. Please click on the link to read our newsletter about natural treatments for autoimmune disease in dogs and cats.

Have a question about your pet?  Email us at support@askariel.com  Please know we cannot provide any veterinary or consultative advice but we will be happy to provide you with articles so that you can make an informed decision about your pet's next steps.

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Keep your pets happy and healthy with the best supplements for dogs and cats!  Ask Ariel's supplements have been used in veterinary hospitals since 2005. 

Have a question about your pet?  Send an email to support@askariel.com and our pet nutrition experts will be happy to assist you.  Please know we cannot provide veterinary advice but will be happy to include links to articles about how to treat a variety of pet conditions using natural supplements along with diet changes.

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Food Allergies in Cats

 Did you know?  Many cats are allergic to or intolerant of both fish and poultry? Why is this an issue? The reason this is important is that most pet owners don't even know that it is the fish and poultry contributing to their cats illness. Is your cat vomiting, having diarrhea, suffering from chronic UTIs, stomatitis or Upper Respiratory Infections? If so then consider a "novel protein" diet. A novel protein is a protein source your cat hasn't eaten before such as venison or rabbit. Once an intolerant or allergic food is eliminated, your cat's immune system will get stronger. Of course, in transitioning diets, be sure the new novel protein diet is grain-free and use raw frozen, canned or freeze dried to eliminate the starchy carbs.  To read the entire article, click here

Add Vegetables to Your Pet's Diet

Pets need real, fresh vegetables in their diet. Not the fake kind with food coloring made to fool you into thinking you are giving your pet real nutrition. Both cats and dogs can benefit from carrots, greens and pumpkin. Vegetables may be served steamed, chopped, puréed or raw depending upon your pet's digestion and appetite. Vegetables offer vitamins, minerals, fiber, enzymes and antioxidants all of which can not only boost their health but can make them feel more satisfied after eating. Raw frozen diets for pets contain a wide variety of fresh vegetables. 

Click here to learn more about raw frozen diets that contain fresh vegetables for dogs and cats. 

Perception, Communication And The Link Between Autism And Animals

 This article was contributed by guest author:  Dr. Lynette Gebler 

“I’m suspicious of people who don’t like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn’t like a person.”

Are dogs more sensitive to human nature or do they simply perceive the world in a different manner such as those with autism?  In the book Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, by Temple Grandin, Grandin examines the surprising similarities between an animal’s mind and an autistic mind.  Autism is a neurological disorder with various theories on causation. Scientists who study autism believe that the disorder is caused by under development of certain brain circuits, and over development of other brain circuits. The imbalance of the nervous system results in the common symptoms you see in autism such as speech delays, sound and texture sensitivities and developmental delays.  Grandin observes that people with autism, 'are closer to animals than normal people are.' Grandin contributes the differences between typical human mentality and animal mentality, not as a matter of IQ but as a matter of perception and emotion.

 Grandin, autistic herself, states that she has no language based thoughts; all of her thoughts are in pictures. Since animals do not have verbal language and many children with autism are non-verbal, memories and thoughts are stored as pictures, sounds, or other sensory impressions. Sensory-based information by its very nature is more detailed than word-based memories; therefore animals may understand intentions, emotions, images, or thoughts behind the words, even if the words themselves aren't totally understood. You may also observe an animal “sensing” something  before a human and thus dogs can even be trained to alert others to seizures and illness. Primarily, animals and people with autism are visual thinkers; while most people use a combination of verbal and visual skills for communication.  

We would all love to communicate better with our pets and that communication strengthens our bond with them.  Grandin, who is an expert in animal behavior, claims that her autism helps her understand and empathize with animals.  Grandin is also a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, an advocate in the autism community and an activist for the humane treatment of animals.

Are Topical Flea Killers Safe For Our Pets?

This is what topical flea killer did to our brand new wall and tile! Please understand that whenever possible I will always try all natural and holistic ways to address a health problem first. Where we live  it can get very humid making it a prime breeding ground for fleas. Sure enough yesterday, I discovered my sweet husky Legend had, in a matter of hours, created a giant hotspot on his hip from a flea bite. We have tried everything natural including years of $500 treatments of Fleabusters on carpets perfectly timed before the hot weather started. But nothing has worked. Since Legend eats a hypoallergenic diet and takes supplements for allergies, the only culprit is fleas!!! I hated to do it but on the advice of several vets, we concluded that the best thing for my severely allergic dog is to use a smaller size doze of Advantage for the few worst months. Anguished about this, I applied the vial in between Legend's shoulder blades as directed. It should have absorbed in but I guess he rubbed against our freshly painted wall and limestone tile. About a half hour later, I noticed that the paint on the wall had eroded and that something had penetrated through the protective sealant on the tile!! It took me awhile to figure out what it was and then I realized---yukkk it was the Advantage. If it did this to paint and tile, what does it do to our pets? Does anyone know of anything less harsh that works to keep the fleas away? We have tried many treatments and the natural stuff unfortunately just hasn't been strong enough. Please know we even had our entire house tented last year but the warm weather and humidity bring the bugs!

Is Your Dog Always Starved? How To Help Your Ravenous Dog Feel More Satiated

 

Does your pet act STARVED all the time? Always looking for food? While a good appetite is a sign of a healthy pet, never feeling satisfied can also be indicative of a diet that is too high in carbohydrates. Say what? To keep costs down, most pet foods use fillers such as potatoes, rice, grains and legumes. This is especially true in dry dog food. Ever eat just cereal or a pastry for breakfast and find you are starved an hour later? Same concept. Diets high in carbohydrates cause your pet's insulin to spike causing a drop in blood sugar which creates excess hunger. Insulin spikes lead to excess hunger and excess eating which contributes to obesity. Protein on the other hand is more stabilizing and keeps your pet's blood sugar regulated.

Here are three tips to help keep your pet feel more satisfied:

1) Add green vegetables to meals. You can purée them for small or finicky pets. Green vegetables are low glycemic fiber which helps your pet feel more full and helps regulate blood sugar.

2) Feed at least two regularly scheduled meals each day. If possible give your pet some treats or a small lunch.

3) Increase the protein in your pet's diet. Look at the label on your pet's food. If it's dry food, then your pet may be getting too many carbs and not enough protein. Be sure to add some high quality grain-free canned food or ideally raw frozen food. Limit or eliminate dry kibble if possible. Freeze dried raw food is also high in protein and a little goes a long way.