Pet Owners Beware--Pennypinching For "Free Advice" Will Only Break Your Heart Later

We all are guilty of it at some point......trying to get something for nothing. We try to do everything possible to avoid paying for something, when sometimes we really should.....And, where are pets are concerned you will only end up with a broken heart later....asking yourself "What could I have done to help my pet? Why didn't I do more for my pet"....Unfortunately, the main reason we don't is money.

But, even in these hard economic times--ask yourself is it that you really can't afford it or are choosing NOT TO afford it. I ask this because in the history of our holistic care business, we have never received more emails/phone calls/blog questions for free advice and then what's worse, is that most people don't even follow up on the advice.

No matter what way you analyze it...there is no substitute for the advice of a veterinary professional. When you pay for professional advice, that is what you get--someone who carefully assesses your individual situation and makes a determination about what is best for your pet. So, while it may be emotionally helpful to send emails, participate in pet health forums---they in no way should be confused with an office visit with a veterinarian and/or pet health care provider. And using a diet that a fellow forum member used for your pet or using supplements that helped the neighbor's pet can actually do more harm than good.

Why? Because most of the time, you are GUESSING based on your pet's symptoms about what is wrong and there is a very high likelihood you are incorrect. And....what's worse, is that the symptoms could be masking or disguising a serious health condition that only lab tests can reveal.

Here are just a few examples:

1) Owner emails us about a cat having IBD for 9 months.......the cat suffers while the owner tries to figure out how she can change the diet on her own. Finally comes in for a combination appt with me and Dr. Gordon and turns out the cat has severe infections in the gums/teeth so much so that several had to be removed which was explaining why the poor kitty was losing weight and not eating. Only then, after the surgery, could I address how to help her kitty's immune system and dietary needs--not before. It wasn't about food allergies--it was about having a severe infection.

2) Owner emails that her 9 year old dog is inappetant--what foods can she try? The dog comes in for an appointment and we unfortunately have to put her to sleep because she has a huge cancerous mass on her abdomen

3) Owner emails saying dog has pancreatitis and wants to know what else to add to the chicken/rice mixture and turns out dog has food allergies and is allergic to both chicken and rice!

What can we learn from this? The old adage "you get what you pay for" has never been more true. There are many reasons why a pet may display certain symptoms and trying to self-medicate and/or treat the pet based on emails, forums and exchanging ideas with friends is helpful--but please only do this AFTER you have spoken with a veterinary professional and obtained laboratory results.

Dog Itching and Yeast

Hello I have a 7 year old miniature schnauzer named chynna she itches every waking moment she has been on allergies shots for the last 3 years and has to take cephalexin or simplicef with the shots.. I decided she has to have a better way of treating her severe allergies. i changed her diet 3 weeks ago to wellness core food and she gets either tuna or halo organic food with it she receives 1 time a day 1 cup of food and1/4 cup of wet food. she doesn't like the wellness much and 3 treats of wellness apples, yogurt and banana treats which she does like .Chynna's scratches all the time shakes her head or body, eye discharge and licking of the feet 2 days ago (which i feel will get infected because she has done this before). I started her on your skin regiment 1 week ago today 10/7/09. right now a consult is out due to money. i am a single parent trying to care for her 4 legged child as well. The allergies shots cost so much i know there has to be a better way.i gave her the last shot she had on 10/10/09 saturday due to she seemed to be in agony. I do not know what to do . i feel at a lost she also received a bath with sulfur and tar which helps for a shot time please help us ...
Thank you Candace

Hi Candace,
Sorry Chyna is suffering so much. There is a lot we can do to help you. The diet you are using is not appropriate--it was too high in carbohydrates. Sounds like your dog has yeast. Immediately stop giving her treats scuh sa bananas and apples--too sweet and be sure she is not getting grains. Please order the Dog Yeast Formula and Probiotic to go along with the Dog Skin Package (you already ordered). Please see earlier post about yeast.

Chronic Dog Itching and Ear Infections--Yeast

Is your dog itching constantly? Just wanted to report that we are getting some consistently great results using the K9 Yeast Defense for dogs that have chronic itching. This product seems to be the product of choice if:

1) The dog tends to have a sensitive stomach, loose stools, IBD

2) Food allergies have already been addressed using a low carbohydrate diet

Symptoms of yeast overgrowth in dogs are licking of the groin, ear infections, itching of the ears, licking of the genitals, itching around the armpits. Of course, there are other factors that can be contributing here such as bacterial infections and parasites, but if all this has been ruled out and your pet is still itching a lot, it is certainly worth a try.

Seems like pets that live in humid areas are having a big problem with yeast. Florida, coastal communities such as Orange County, CA tend to provide a moist are where yeast can thrive. We have recently sent out samples of this product, along with Power Probiotic and are getting terrific results. Click here for more information. 

Tessie's 1 year anniversary of her passing

Today, October 11, is the 1 year passing since Tessie died from hemangiosarcoma. I was so devastated a year ago especially because of all that happened during the last week of her life. Since then many clients have come to me with dogs that have hemangiosarcoma and I always feel an especially deep bond with them as this is such an aggressive, insidious form of cancer. Tessie had such a tragic life as an abused puppy mill dog and it makes me so sad to know this was what took her down.

Tessie brought so much joy into our lives and helped me so much with my practice. She had been abused for most of her life, had no front teeth (metal bits still left) from chewing on her cage. Her story and incredible transformation is seen in this brief video http://www.naturesvariety.com/rotation_video

Tessie had been thrown over a 6 foot fence into the Santa Maria Shelter. She was transported with another dog to Ariel Rescue. I fostered her initially following the death of my beloved Ariel. She had a lot of emotional and aggression issues so it wasn't easy to bond with her. But over time, she became my "copilot" and went everywhere with me. She taught me so much about life and how finding peace. Her greatest joy was sitting out back under the palm tree and cruising through the many bushes and woods by our home. Two days before she died, she was so sick with fluid in her belly (ascites fluid) and fluid had collected around her heart. Still, she marched triumphantly to the top of a wooded hill to say one last goodbye to her playground.

She was such a loyal friend and so brave. We had to have her abdomen drained several times because of the ascites. She went through so much at the end and I am happy to say that on her very last day, she ate for me, took a beautiful walk and then within hours we lost our beautiful girl. Tessie, we will love you forever and miss you everyday. Thank you for coming into our lives--we will never forget you!

Dog Inflammatory Bowel Disease--Please watch our funny video and vote for Bleu

Weight-loss Tips to Help Overweight Golden Retriever Trim Down

Dear Ariel,
I have a 3 year old Golden Retriever, Oliver. He weighs about 115 lbs. He is a very tall Golden. However, his weight troubles me. I want him to live a long and enjoyable life. for most of his young life he has eaten 1 can of Wellness Turkey and 1 can of the same in the evening. He is given a 8-12 in. 'bully stick' after dinner. He has a Greenie sometime during the day. His 'treats' are blueberries and raspberries and carrots. He does not eat a lot of these.
His exercise regimen includes an hour long brisk walk in a park. Sometimes, he gets 2 walks a day, but mostly just 1. He is the only dog I have. He'll romp with my cat during the day for a bit of time.
Because of my concern over his weight, I recently changed his diet to: 1 cup of lite dry Wellness and 1/2 can of Wellness turkey in the a.m. and 1/2 of dry and 1/2 of wet in the p.m. I haven't seen any significant change since doing this. However, I have not weighed him. He has had his thyroid checked in the past and it was normal.
Do you have any advice for me?
Frustrated,
Annette


Hi Annette,

Good for you for trying to help Oliver! This is a commendable effort and you can definitely help him. I have seen miracle stories of dogs losing significant amounts of weight from concerned pet owners and I know you can do it! The first thing you do need to recognize is that while his food quantity may not seem like much to you, he has been substantially overfed. In order for him to weigh 115 pounds, this weight has accumulated over time from continual overfeeding. Yes, it is true that we can increase his metabolism using Vitality NOW! and Pet Liver Rescue but excess weight can only be eliminated by reducing his caloric intake and increasing his exercise. It is good that you are questioning what to do for Oliver, and ideally, I can assist you best in a telephone consultation where we can go into a lot more detail.

In terms of his overall consumption of food, you need to take a serious look at what other food items Oliver may be getting-- from other family members, going through the trash, jumping on counters, getting treats from neighbors and relatives. The first thing to do is for you to take control of the situation and honestly assess all the food that might be going into Oliver. When families do this, they often find that there are a lot of "missing links" they didn't anticipate such as improper measuring of the food or little treats that add up to full meals. Also, it is important to remember that while one dog may be able to eat 4 cups of food at 100 pounds, another one may have a much slower metabolism and only be able to eat 2 without gaining weight (just like with people!!!).

You need to be very careful about the treats. For example, bully sticks should be intended as an OCCASIONAL (not an every day) treat--1 12 inch bully stick is calorically the same amount as 3/4 can of dog food! And if you are giving him a greenie too, well that is also like another 1/2 meal.....One large dog biscuit can be over 100 calories!

Here is a diet you can try:
Oliver needs a high protein diet so that he feels satisfied. Try Natures Variety raw frozen venison or rabbit medallions. Give him 6 medallions twice a day along with 1/3 cup canned pumpkin + 1 cup steamed green beans or zucchinni per meal. You should also use 1 teaspoon Amazing Omegas per meal to help balance out his diet and to help his coat. Most overweight dogs and people are actually deficient in essential fatty acids (Omega 3s) and many Golden Retrievers have bad allergies. The Amazing Omegas has some calories but these calories are very important for his health and will help him stay on the diet.

You can give him 1 4-inch bully stick every few days and replace the treats with either 1-2 baby carrots or 1/4 sliced apple. No more greenies! Try the supplements mentioned above--Pet Liver Rescue and Vitality NOW! to help speed up his metabolism. They may seem like "supplements" but really, at this point with his weight, they are critical. Why? Because excess weight doesn't just affect his body frame..it collects around the organs as well. For example, Daisy, the 118 pound Labrador that Ariel Rescue trimmed down to 73 pounds was finally able to be spayed and when the veterinarian removed her uterus, he also removed 5 POUNDS of fat around it!!!! The Pet Liver Rescue will help clear toxins from his liver while the Vitality NOW! will help burn up the fat around his heart and other organs. If he weighs 115 pounds, chances are he is at least 20 -25 pounds overweight and has already accumulated fat around his organs.....

So, give these suggestions a try and if you need further assistance, please note in-person and telephone consultations are available to help you at: http://www.AskAriel.com.

Dog Dandruff---Dog Has Flaky Skin

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