Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (53 page)

Some cases can be more difficult to interpret, especially those in which the animal begins to re-experience old symptoms that were previously treated in a process that did not really cure them, but simply suppressed them for a time. In such situations it is best to work with a skilled holistic veterinarian.

If you study the principles outlined above, however, you will have an excellent guide for determining whether, as a whole individual, your animal is actually getting better or worse.

Let’s look at some examples. Suppose your dog tends to get fungus infections around the feet and lower legs. After months of strenuous drug treatment, the feet have cleared up. Recently, however, little bald patches and irritation have begun to appear on the skin of the abdomen, chest, and near the head. Though this new problem may be
diagnosed differently, it is really just another expression of the original problem that was suppressed but not really cured.
It is the same disease
, but it has changed form and location. And it has progressed from a less important, peripheral location (the feet) closer to a more important area (the head).

Here’s a more subtle example of a condition getting worse. After repeated treatments and even surgery, your dog’s chronically inflamed ears have finally cleared up. But now, several weeks later, you notice that he isn’t as friendly as he used to be. He prefers to go off by himself and may even growl or bite. The seat of the disturbance has moved inward, from the physical to the emotional level. Though various drugs may be tried in an effort to control the personality changes, the overall problem will only get worse. Tranquilizers may make him easier to live with, more subdued and passive. But over time, he may weaken at the mental level, perhaps acting sluggish and disoriented. He may have spells of confusion. At this point the disturbance will interfere with the basic mental processes that help him process information and orient himself. (I have observed many dogs treated in this way develop seizures.)

Though this may sound like a farfetched example, I assure you it is not. Cases like this happen all too often. If this same dog were treated in a curative way at the point when his problem became emotional, you would see a return of the earlier physical symptoms after his moods improved. Most likely, it would be a re-emergence of the ear inflammation. Then the ear or any other surface problem could be treated with the methods we discuss in this book. Once you have stimulated the body to move in a curative direction, it is also possible that the ear condition will go away on its own, without further treatment.

As another example, let’s say you have a cat with an abscess. She also has been showing emotional signs of trouble—depression and lethargy. After treatment, however, she has begun to run around and act frisky. Even though there may still be a discharge from the abscess, the psychological improvement is a very favorable sign, and it will be followed by physical healing. It is indeed the first sign that healing is under way.

In general, these signs during therapy also indicate good progress.

• An increase in energy and overall playfulness
  
• Return of a calm, good-natured manner
  
• Self-grooming (especially true of cats)
  
• A return of normal appetite
  
• Re-establishment of normal bowel movements and urination
  
• Ability to have sound and restful sleep
  

HEALING DISCHARGES

Let’s also look carefully at some of the methods the body uses to heal itself. Generally, when a disease is being eliminated, you will see signs of discharge. It signals that buildups of toxic materials are leaving the
body. The most common ways this elimination occurs are through:

• Formation of a pus-pocket and drainage out of the body
  
• Development of skin eruptions (a very common route)
  
• A strong body odor (“doggy odor”), which is temporary
  
• The urine, which may become dark or strong-smelling
  
• The colon, in the form of dark, smelly feces or diarrhea
  
• Vomiting (especially during acute conditions)
  
• Shedding of the nails or of skin from the bottoms of the paws.
  

When using the holistic methods discussed in this book, you may see one or more of these forms of discharge, to a mild degree. This will particularly happen if the problem has been well-established in the body.

Sometimes the discharge can be fairly dramatic. For example, I’m reminded of a dog whose owner used herbs and fasting to successfully help her pet recover from a severe attack of distemper. Soon afterwards, however, the animal was covered with red, itchy skin that oozed sticky fluid—clearly a discharge phenomenon. A few more days of supportive treatments were followed by full recovery. Once such a recovery is complete, an animal will be much stronger and better able to withstand future diseases.

Let’s summarize the ways to evaluate progress. Supportive, non-suppressive therapies exhibit two processes: l) movement of symptoms in a favorable direction (away from the head toward the feet; away from vital organs to surface tissue; from mental and emotional to physical) and 2) some form of discharge. If you see these signs, chances are very strong that the animal is getting better, regardless of which form of therapy you are using.

I should add as a cautionary note, however, that treatment with some drugs, particularly with cortisone, can create a false sense of well-being that disappears when the drug is discontinued. So keep in mind that you are looking for a response that
comes from the natural processes of the animal
, assisted by the treatment. Such a response will lead to recovery and permanent healing, not a dependence on a drug.

In this Quick Reference section there are several references to small, medium, and large dogs, related to diet and kinds of treatments. Here are the criteria for sizes of dogs.

• Toy dogs—up to 15 pounds
  
• Small dogs—15 to 30 pounds
  
• Medium-size dogs—30 to 60 pounds
  
• Large dogs—60 to 90 pounds
  
• Giant dogs—over 90 pounds
  

COMMON PET AILMENTS AND THEIR TREATMENTS

ABSCESSES

Abscesses are a common complication of puncture wounds from fights. They plague cats much more than dogs, because cats’ needlelike teeth and sharp, penetrating claws inflict narrow but deep wounds. Feline skin seals over very quickly, trapping bacteria, hair, or other contaminated material inside. Sometimes, even a broken-off claw or tooth is retained under the skin.

Cat abscesses usually occur around the head and front legs or at the base of the tail. Wounds around the head indicate that your cat was either the aggressor or bravely facing the enemy. Wounds at the tail area or on the rear legs mean that your cat was trying to get away.

In dogs, abscesses are usually caused by foxtails or plant awns that get trapped in the hair and work their way through the skin (especially between the toes, around or in the ears, and between the hind legs). An abscess that keeps draining and does not heal (called a fistula) usually indicates the presence of a foreign object somewhere in the tissue, sometimes several inches from the place of drainage.

T
REATMENT

C
ATS

I have had several very healthy, well-fed cats that seldom, if ever, developed abscesses after injuries. My experience is that excellent nutrition is the best preventive.

Neutering also greatly reduces the problem. When several intact male cats live in close proximity, there will be frequent warfare as each tries to establish a territory and compete for females. In such circumstances, abscesses are a continuous problem.

Often, you can prevent an infection or abscess by giving the homeopathic remedy Ledum 30c within a few hours of the fight. Use Homeopathic Schedule 2 (
view
).

If you can’t treat it quickly, however, or an infection (or abscess) is already established, further symptoms will usually occur, such as swelling, pain, and fever (locally or of the whole body). In this case, the cat should fast for 24 hours, taking only liquids—meat and vegetable broth and spring water. Give 250 milligrams of vitamin C three times a day for at least three days to promote the activity of your cat’s immune system.

In addition, use one remedy from the following list, whichever best fits the situation.

Homeopathic
—
Hepar Sulph Calcareum
30C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 2 (
view
). The abscess has formed but not yet opened and drained. It will be extremely painful when touched. The cat will often become angry and try to bite or scratch. (It is normal that cats don’t like to be touched where it hurts, but this reaction is excessive.) Using this remedy will open the abscess so it drains out and begins to heal.

Homeopathic
—
Silicea
30C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 2 (
view
). Best for a developed abscess that has opened and is already draining pus.

Homeopathic
—
Lachesis muta
30C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 2 (
view
). If the tissues near the abscess are turning bluish or the skin is dying (becomes very hard and starts to come off) and the pus smells just terrible. This will be a later stage, usually a few days after the bite.

Herbal
—Purple cone flower (Echinacea angustifolia): Use Herbal Schedule 1 (
view
). This remedy is indicated for the animal that is in poor condition, thin, very weak, and develops recurrent abscesses. It functions primarily to purify the system, especially the blood, and also restores health to the skin.

If an abscess has actually opened and drained, prevent the drainage hole from closing prematurely by cleaning away any discharge or scab once or twice a day either with hydrogen peroxide or with the herb Echinacea used according to Herbal Schedule 4 or 6 (
view
).

Later, when the abscess is healing and there is no longer any drainage, use the herb Calendula for external treatment, according to the same method as described for Echinacea above.

If the abscess has been present for a long time and has been draining pus for several weeks, administer the homeopathic remedy
Silicea
30C, using Homeopathic Schedule 3 (
view
). If there is no improvement after one week then give
Sulphur
30C with the same schedule.

D
OGS

If the abscess is the result of an animal bite, treat it the same way you would for a cat (above). Adjust the amount of vitamin C to the size of the dog. Three times a day, give about 250 milligrams (small dog), 500 milligrams (medium dog), or 1,000 milligrams (large dog).

However, if the abscess has been caused by plant material, porcupine quills, splinters, or other embedded foreign matter, the discharge will not stop until the object is eliminated. Since the tissues cannot “digest” the object, it must either be expelled or removed surgically.

The natural expelling process can be aided by using the homeopathic remedy
Silicea
30C according to Homeopathic Schedule 5 (
view
). A beneficial adjunct, though not absolutely necessary, is to apply hot compresses of a solution made up of Oat Straw (Avena sativa). Use Herbal Schedule 1 (
view
). If the affected area is a paw, soak the whole foot in a jar of the hot solution. Use Herbal Schedule 6 (
view
).

In natural healing, the tendency is for pus or fluid to drain out at a point lower than the site of the foreign body, allowing gravity to assist. Therefore, apply the poultice not only at the opening, but also several inches higher, so you cover the probable location of the foreign body. The hot solution will promote the flow of blood into the affected area and keep the process moving. When enough pus has formed around the foreign body to loosen it, it may flow out, right along with the pus. At that point, drainage will stop.

Note: Because of their structure, foxtails and plant awns tend to migrate deeply into the tissues. If you don’t get results within a short time, you may have to resort to surgery. It is worth trying these methods first, as surgery is very often not effective in locating these little intruders. (See “Foxtails” for more information.)

ACCIDENTS

See “Handling Emergencies and Giving First Aid” (
view
).

ADDISON’S DISEASE

This is a disorder of the adrenal glands, which secrete natural cortisone, as well as hormones that regulate the different salts of the body. This condition is seen more often in dogs than cats and is not common. With this disease, the problem is that the glands no longer produce the needed hormones. An animal that does not have working glands cannot live, so they are critically important. One cause is thought to be a type of auto-immune disorder, in which the body attacks the glands and damages them—though just as often this results from prolonged use of cortisone-like drugs to control symptoms of other illnesses, like skin allergies. Because the synthetic drugs are so powerful, the adrenal glands get the message they don’t have to work any more and just shut down.

How do you recognize it? Signs are vague and even veterinarians may have trouble figuring it out. It is certainly a clue if your pet has been on steroids for a long time and then becomes ill, but to confirm diagnosis requires some testing. Most commonly, the affected animals (usually dogs) have recurrent periods of appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. In serious situations, vomiting and diarrhea can be accompanied by a life-threatening weakness and low body temperature. The Addison cases I have worked with have come to me already on drug treatment—usually replacement adrenal hormones, including cortisone-type drugs, as well as others that help regulate sodium and potassium. It is possible to cure these animals, if the condition has not existed for too long a time, but it is not something you can do yourself.