Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (32 page)

Golden retriever

Notes:
Regular grooming. Easy. Submissive. Nondestructive. Very affectionate, playful, needs attention. Patient with toddlers. Less likely to bark at intruders. Quiet. Nonaggressive. Cataracts, gradual blindness. Generally a healthy, hardy dog. One of best family dogs. Good swimmer.

Great Dane

Notes:
Should sleep indoors. Not so affectionate or playful. Patient with toddlers. Calm. Quiet. Strongly defends territory. Heart defects. Bladder stones. Deformed spine. Out-turned eye membrane. Paralysis. Bred as a guard dog. Size requires commitment to training.

Irish setter

Notes:
Needs lots of exercise. Should sleep indoors. Difficult. Destructive (chews, digs). Very affectionate, playful, active, needs attention. Barks excessively. Nonaggressive. Gradual blindness. Heart and nerve defects. Hemophilia. Paralysis of legs. Joint problems in forelegs. Degeneration of kidneys. Very playful, lively. Long-lived.

Labrador retriever

Notes:
May sleep outdoors in a doghouse. Easy. Submissive. Nondestructive. Very playful. Patient with toddlers. Quiet. Nonaggressive. Cataracts, gradual blindness. Bladder stones. Hemophilia. Natural size, shape, and coat. Good swimmer. Good family dog, safe with children. Hardy, healthy.

Newfoundland

Notes:
Regular grooming. May sleep outdoors in a doghouse. Submissive. Nondestructive. Not so playful. Patient with toddlers. Calm. Less likely to bark at intruders. Quiet, nonaggressive. Out-turned eyelids. Heart defects. Natural size, shape and coat. Seasonal shedding. Excellent temperament. Good swimmer. Quietest, least aggressive of large dogs.

Old English sheepdog

Notes:
Regular grooming. May sleep outdoors in a doghouse. Difficult. Calm. Less likely to bark at intruders. Quiet. Nonaggressive. Cataracts. Much grooming required.

Rottweiler

Notes:
May sleep outdoors in a doghouse. Easy. Dominant. Nondestructive. Not so affectionate or playful. Calm. More likely to bark at intruders. Quiet. Strongly defends territory. Aggressive. Diabetes. One of best, calmest guard dogs and bodyguards, though may dominate owner.

St. Bernard

Notes:
Regular grooming. Needs lots of exercise. May sleep outdoors in a doghouse. Difficult. Dominant. Nondestructive. Not so affectionate or playful. Calm. Less likely to bark at intruders. Strongly defends territory. Out-turned eye membrane. Missing eye lens. Hemophilia. Paralysis. Calm, but may dominate owner, snap at children. Not for indoor life.

Vizsla

Notes:
Should sleep indoors. Easy. Submissive. Nondestructive. Very playful. Patient with toddlers. Less likely to bark at intruders. Quiet. Nonaggressive. Hemophilia. Good family dog, safe with children.

Weimaraner

Notes:
Should sleep indoors. Destructive (chews, digs). Nerve defects. Hemophilia. Hernias. Moderate in most characteristics. Fairly lively, affectionate. Can be stubborn.

BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS AND CONGENITAL DEFECTS IN CATS

SHORT-HAIRED CATS

Abyssinian

Notes:
Clean coat with a wet mitt or glove. Prefers outdoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Cautious. Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person. Can learn simple tricks. Natural shape and coat. Needs special attention from owner (petting, playing) or becomes sad, may run away.

American shorthair

Notes:
Regular brushing. Prefers outdoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Good mouser. Abnormal or short tail, indented nose, extra toes. Thin or obese. Eyelid defects. Deafness in white, blue-eyed cats. Fur adapts to cold, wet, thorns. Needs occasional brushing after outdoor excursions. Accepts baths well if started young.

American wirehair

Notes:
Regular brushing. Prefers outdoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Good mouser. Aggressive with other cats. Crooked tail. Wiry coat a mutation. May dominate other cats.

Bombay

Notes:
Clean coat with a wet mitt or glove. Prefers indoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate. Curly hair, abnormally short tail. Tranquil, good indoors.

British shorthair

Notes:
Likes indoors or outdoors. Adapts to cold. Affectionate, likes attention. Natural shape and coat. Fur adapts to cold, wet, thorns, etc. Large, strong.

Burmese and Malayans

Notes:
Clean coat with a wet mitt or glove. Likes indoors or outdoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Enjoys travel. Vocal, “talkative.” Good mouser. Natural shape and coat. Longlived, healthy. Requires affection, quiet. Good indoors.

Egyptian Mau

Notes:
Likes indoors. Sedate. Good mouser. Natural shape and coat. Okay indoors. Delicate to changes of weather. Natural shape and coat. Okay indoors. Delicate to changes of weather.

European shorthair

Notes:
Likes indoors or outdoors. Adapts to cold. Active, inquisitive. Good mouser. Natural shape and coat. Longlived. Resists cold. Strong, adapts to many environments. Deafness in blue-eyed, white cats.

Exotic shorthair

Notes:
Regular brushing. Likes indoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate. Good mouser. Short or abnormal tail. Tranquil, good indoors (Persian-American shorthair cross).

Japanese bobtail

Notes:
Regular brushing. Likes indoors or outdoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Active, inquisitive. Good mouser. — Loves fish.

Korat

Notes:
Clean coat with a wet mitt or glove. Likes indoors. Can learn simple tricks. Aggressive with other cats. Good mouser. Tends to get respiratory infections. Natural shape and coat. Dislikes street noise.

Manx

Notes:
Regular brushing. Active, inquisitive, playful. Good mouser. Taillessness compromises balance. Hopping gait. Incontinence. Still-births. Lack of undercoat. Small head. Spina bifida, hind limb, and pelvic deformities, small anus. Muscular, playful. Friendly to all. Likes to climb.

Rex

Notes:
Clean coat with a wet mitt or glove. Prefers indoors. Sedate. Kinked tail. Likes indoors. Very inquisitive.

Russian blue

Notes:
Regular brushing. Prefers indoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate. Obesity. Natural shape and coat. Good indoors, likes quiet. Especially affectionate.

Scottish fold

Notes:
Regular brushing. Likes indoors or outdoors. Adapts to cold. Affectionate, likes attention. Bonds to one person. Good mouser. Folded ears may harbor ear mites, impair hearing. Content indoors with occasional escape. Resists cold weather.

Siamese (also Colorpoint shorthairs, Oriental shorthairs)

Notes:
Regular brushing. Likes indoors or outdoors. Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person. Enjoys travel. Accepts a leash. Vocal, “talkative.” Aggressive with other cats. More susceptible to disease than other breeds. Nasal obstruction, chin malformation, cleft palate. Retinal degeneration. Weak legs. Natural shape and coat. Longlived. Sensitive, unpredictable. Jealous. Needs space. Can be walked on a leash.

Sphynx

Notes:
Prefers indoors. Sensitive to cold. Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate. A hairless mutation. Susceptible to catching colds. May have overly wrinkled skin. Must live indoors in temperate climate.

SHORT-HAIRED CATS

Balinese and Javanese

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Likes indoors or outdoors. Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person. Vocal, “talkative.” Good mouser. Weak hind legs. Can be sickly. Crossed eyes. Affectionate, but mostly with one person. Similar to Siamese.

Birman

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Sedate. Crossed eyes, kinked tail. Tranquil, devoted.

Himalayan (Colorpoint longhair and Kashmirs)

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Active, inquisitive. Bonds to one person. Good mouser. Crossed eyes. Adapts to indoors, but likes a lot of space. Affectionate, does not fight with other cats.

Maine coon cat

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Likes outdoors. Adapts to cold. Affectionate, likes attention. Bonds to one person. Good mouser. Generally healthy, can withstand cold. Natural shape and coat. Prefers a yard, but okay indoors. Likes fish. Muscular. Friendly, but bonds to one person.

Persian/Longhair

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers indoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Sedate. Good mouser. Must be brushed daily to avoid hair ball problems. Eyelid defects. Retinal degeneration. Peke face. Tranquil, home-loving. Muscular. Sociable even to other cats. Affectionate. Classic indoor cat.

Ragdoll

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers indoors. Sedate. Crossed eyes, deformed tail. Soft body, mild character. Requires quiet owner, best indoors.

Somali

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers outdoors. Sensitive to cold. Active, inquisitive. Somewhat standoffish. Good mouser. Excessive shyness. A long-haired Abyssinian. Sometimes mistrustful. Needs some outdoor space.

Turkish Angora

Notes:
Extra grooming to avoid hair balls. Prefers indoors. Affectionate, likes attention. Bonds to one person. Sedate. Short tail. Progenitors of Persian/Longhairs. Easier to brush than Persian. Almost shorthaired in summer. Sweet, well-behaved. Best indoors.

CHAPTER 10

EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS AND YOUR PET’S HEALTH 

W
hile the big hulk of a dog glared at me suspiciously, I carefully examined the foul-smelling, hairless patches that oozed bloody discharges on his back, underside, legs, and muzzle. As if to demonstrate just how bad it was, he jerked around and chewed violently on the base of his tail.

“Stop that, Bandy!” my client yelled sharply. Calming down, he explained, “The biting and chewing only makes things worse, so I always make a point of scolding him.”

“There are some particularly bad spots under his tail,” the
man’s wife pointed out. Slowly, I started to raise the big dog’s tail to take a look.

Hurling around, he snapped at me angrily, barely missing my hand. Pronouncing the exam complete, I sat down with the distraught couple to find out more about how this problem began.

“It happened pretty quickly,” the woman began. “He had just a slight mange on his face when I got him as a puppy three years ago, but the real problem—chewing and licking all over himself—has gone on for about six months. The vet called it a flea allergy but didn’t offer much for it. We ended up taking the dog to several vets, one of whom said it was ‘hot spots.’”

The woman described how the veterinarian shaved the areas and gave Bandy antibiotics and cortisone. But, she said, nothing really helped. Finally, the veterinarian told the couple that they would either have to put Bandy to sleep or do a bunch of expensive treatments that still might not work.

“Do you have any idea why it got bad six months ago? Anything special happen around that time?” I inquired.

“Well, all I can think of was that our baby was born a couple of months before it started. I didn’t want Bandy to be around the baby—you know, worms and all that—and the dog was acting jealous because he wasn’t ‘Number One’ anymore, so we started keeping him outside all the time. Maybe that affected him. I don’t know. I’ve had itchy skin myself for years, and I’ve never been able to find out the cause.”

As we went on to discuss the dog’s irritability, the woman mentioned that she
preferred
an aggressive dog. That way she felt safer living in the country. Occasionally, the man would interject something. As he did, I sensed an underlying tension between the couple.

This case came to me soon after I first began to look at medicine in a new way, exploring a wide variety of factors that might affect an animal’s health. It prompted me to pay closer attention to the emotional factors in pet illnesses. Through the years I have repeatedly observed several patterns that I first noticed in Bandy’s case, as well as some others. In summary, the patterns go like this:

• Pets may develop health problems soon after an upsetting change in the household, usually involving a loss of attention, a relationship, or territory.
  
• The health of a pet can be affected by recurrent feelings of tension, anxiety, depression, anger, and other emotional upsets in the home.
  
• Attitudes and expectations about the illness or disturbance can have a pronounced effect on the outcome.
  
• Pet illnesses often mirror those of the primary person with whom the pets are bonded.