Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (74 page)

For any red irritation or a discharge of fluid or pus around the skin sutures give:

Homeopathic
—
Apis mellifica
(honeybee venom) 6C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 1 (
view
). Also bathe the incision site in a mixture of 10 drops of
Calendula
tincture, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, and 1 cup of pure water. Dip a warm washcloth in the solution and
hold it against the incision for a few minutes 3 or 4 times a day.

Extra vitamins A, E, and C are also useful after any surgery to help detoxify anesthetics and drugs. My standard regimen, regardless of animal size, is 10,000 IU of A, 100 IU of E, and 250 milligrams of C, all given once a day for three days both before and after surgery.

Does This Surgery Do Harm?

Some people are concerned about the health effects of such a major surgical alteration. Although it is surely a major intervention, the best I can say at this point in time is that neutering does not seem to cause major health problems or increase incidence of such common problems as skin allergies or cystitis. Most neutered dogs and cats live long and healthy lives. Some do tend to become less active, to act less aggressively (a benefit), and perhaps to gain weight. Obesity often follows indulgent feeding and lack of regular exercise.

On the other hand, I have seen more obvious harmful effects when neutering is used as a medical treatment for prolonged heats, cystic ovaries, infertility problems, spontaneous abortions, vaginitis, infections, and the like. These reproductive problems are the result of chronic ill health. Simply removing the affected organs will not really cure the underlying state. So the animal later develops other symptoms—really the same disease with a different focus.

When pets have reproductive health problems, I first recommend nutritional therapy and homeopathy, assuming that it’s not an emergency and we still have some time. If this is not effective, surgery is still an option. However, if we are successful, as we often are, the chronic disease is cured. Then the animal can be neutered for the usual reasons without any long-term problem.

What are the reasons to neuter a healthy animal? A female dog or cat comes into heat two or more times a year. Preventing her from breeding is demanding, frustrating to your animal, and a potential source of health problems. Allowing her to breed adds to the tremendous animal overpopulation problem. Repeated breeding can also drain her health. Spaying also reduces her risk for breast cancer.

Neutering reduces the havoc wreaked by intact males—property damage, fights, the smell and stain of territorial marking, accidents caused when they wander onto public roadways, and packs that attack or threaten other animals or even people. By contrast, a neutered male is typically more affectionate and gentle, making a better companion.

The best time for surgery is after a pet reaches sexual maturity, which ensures the least effect on the neuro-endocrine system and allows full development of a normal adult body shape. Most females reach this point at age 6 to 8 months, most males at 9 to 12 months.

Some animals mature later, however, so you may want to wait until the signs are clear. For a female this means after her first heat
(keep her carefully confined to prevent pregnancy).

A male cat matures when his urine develops an odor and he begins to show signs of territorial spraying of urine. The male dog will begin to lift one leg to urinate (and mark territory), mount other dogs, fight, roam, and become more aggressive. The risk of waiting, however, is that through inadvertent pregnancy we contribute to the overwhelming surplus of puppies and kittens. In most cases, plan to neuter females at 6 to 7 months and males at 9 to 10 months.

There are really no safe alternatives to surgical neutering. Over the years, various hormones and drugs have been used to prevent females from coming into heat or to stimulate abortion if necessary. These drugs always cause some problems, however, and they are soon pulled off the market. Perhaps a safe alternative to neutering will be found someday, but there is nothing out there now that I can recommend.

So if you are vacillating over having your animal altered, my advice is to wait no longer. If you’re worried about money, contact a nearby low-cost spay/neuter clinic or call your local humane society for information about special reduced-fee programs arranged with area veterinarians.

STOMACH PROBLEMS

The stomach has its share of upsets, usually from eating the wrong kind of food (spoiled, tainted, indigestible) or too much food. (Beware the greedy eater!) However, stomach problems can also indicate a wide variety of other disorders—such as infectious diseases, kidney failure, hepatitis, pancreatitis, colitis (inflammation of the lower bowel), a foreign substance that doesn’t belong in the stomach (swallowed toys, string, hair), and parasites, like worms.

Be aware that problems in other areas of the body can also cause symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and lack of appetite, fooling you into thinking that only the stomach is involved. Especially if vomiting is persistent or severe, which may indicate a serious, even life-threatening, problem. Have your veterinarian make a diagnosis.

Here we will discuss three common problems that are centered in the stomach itself: acute gastritis (sudden upset), chronic gastritis (low-grade, persistent upset), and gastric dilation (swelling with gas, sometimes causing the stomach to twist shut). The suggestions offered are alternative treatments for those animals newly diagnosed with these problems or animals that have them repeatedly so that ways to deal with this other than the usual drugs are needed.

Acute Gastritis

Gastritis is a term that means inflammation (not infection) of the stomach. Acute signifies that the attack is sudden, appearing in a few minutes or hours. The most common sufferer is the dog that likes to raid garbage cans or to eat dead animals found on roads or in the woods (cats, being more
finicky, rarely have this as a cause). Compost piles are another common source of spoiled treasures. As partial scavengers, dogs often scrounge about in garbage cans and consume an extraordinary mixture of foods (often spoiled) that just don’t sit well in the stomach.

The vomiting (and usually diarrhea) that follows is the body’s attempt to right the wrong by getting rid of the noxious material. Some dogs instinctively try to remedy things by eating grass, which stimulates vomiting. This behavior also occurs in animals with low-grade stomach irritation.

Another cause of acute gastritis is consuming indigestible material, like large bone fragments. This is mostly a problem for dogs not used to eating bones. It’s also the likely result of their consuming cooked bones (which are more apt to splinter) or inedible materials such as cloth, plastic, metal, rubber toys, golf balls, and the like. If bones are causing the problem, give your pet only large raw bones and give extra B vitamins to dogs to ensure adequate stomach acid. Supervise carefully. If your dog keeps trying to swallow large pieces, it’s best not to trust him with bones.

Indigestible foreign objects in the stomach often require surgical removal, though sometimes they can be retrieved by passing a tube into the stomach. Cats may swallow sewing thread or yarn; if there is a needle attached, it can get caught up in the mouth or tongue while the thread passes down into the intestine. The unpleasant result can be a “crawling” of the intestine up along the thread, which is often fatal unless corrected quickly.

Though the signs are not specific, cats having this problem will stop eating and may have vomiting. A thread caught up around the tongue is very difficult to see. Just opening the mouth may not show it; a needle caught somewhere in the throat or esophagus will show up on an x-ray, as will bunching of the intestine.

To help prevent your pet from swallowing such objects, don’t let them play by themselves with any toy or object that could cause problems.

T
REATMENT

If you suspect that your animal has swallowed something dangerous, get professional help within a few hours, or serious complications can arise. If you aren’t sure what was swallowed, do not encourage vomiting. It would be too traumatic and dangerous for the object to come up if it is sharp, pointed, or very large. Such objects must be removed surgically. Meanwhile, use the treatment below to discourage vomiting.

If you know, however, that the swallowed material is small and not sharp or irregular, vomiting may expel the object, so you can allow the vomiting to proceed while you are waiting to see the vet.

The remedy that is useful for discouraging vomiting because of objects in the stomach is:

Homeopathic
—
Phosphorus
(the element)
30C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 2 (
view
). The vomiting is often associated with taking in water, occurring about 10 to 15 minutes after drinking. This remedy will relieve the vomiting for a while, but the foreign material will need to be removed (see above).

The following treatments will help for a simple, acute gastritis not caused by foreign bodies. The symptoms are: pain in the abdomen (it hurts the animal when you press its stomach, the animal doubles up with cramps, sits hunched, and acts depressed), vomiting or attempts to vomit, vomiting after eating or drinking, salivation, excessive drinking of water, and eating grass.

First, withhold all food for at least 24 hours and then reintroduce it slowly in small quantities. See the fasting instructions in chapter 15. Make fresh, pure water available at all times or, if vomiting is part of the problem, offer one or more ice cubes to lick every couple of hours. (You don’t want to aggravate vomiting and stomach irritation by encouraging too much drinking.)

Many dogs and cats will also eat grass to make themselves vomit when the stomach is upset. This is a natural response and is appropriate behavior at the beginning of a stomach upset. If the problem is not quickly resolved, however, eating grass only makes the situation worse.

As a supplementary treatment, make chamomile tea. This treatment will suffice for mild upsets. Pour a cup of boiling water over a tablespoon of the flowers, steep 15 minutes, strain, and dilute with an equal quantity of water. If the tea isn’t accepted, just make the ice available.

For more serious upsets, one of the following is useful:

Herbal
—Peppermint (
Mentha piperira
): Use Herbal Schedule 1 (
view
), This is a good herbal treatment for dogs (cats don’t like mint) and is often readily available.

Herbal
—Goldenseal (
hydrastis canadensis
): Use Herbal Schedule 1 (
view
), This very useful herb is indicated when what is vomited up is thick, yellowish, and “ropy” (for example, thick strands).

Homeopathic
—
Nux vomica
(poison nut) 6C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 1 (
view
). Especially indicated for the dog or cat that acts ill with the vomiting and wants to go off by itself rather than seek company. This remedy also suits the animal that is sick from overeating.

Homeopathic
—
Pulsatilla
(windflower) 6C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 1 (
view
). Indicated for the dog or cat that wants attention and comfort, especially if it is not interested in drinking. Often animals requiring this remedy are made ill by eating food that is rich or fatty.

Homeopathic
—
Ipecac
(ipecac root) 6C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 1 (
view
). Useful where there is almost constant nausea and vomiting, especially if the problem was brought on by indigestible food or if there is blood in the vomit.

Homeopathic
—
Arsenicum album
(arsenic trioxide) 6C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 2
(
view
). This remedy is
par excellence
for gastritis brought on by spoiled meat, or spoiled food in general.

Homeopathic
—
Belladonna
(deadly nightshade) 6C: Use Homeopathic Schedule 1 (
view
). This is good for the animal that is primarily feverish, with dilated pupils and excitability.

Chronic Gastritis

Some animals develop a long-term tendency for digestive upsets, often after eating and sometimes once every few days. This can follow inadequate recovery from a previous severe attack of acute gastritis or may result from emotional stress, poor quality or disagreeable food, drug toxicity, or infections like feline infectious peritonitis or hepatitis. It can also be a part of an allergy problem, and many dogs and cats with skin eruptions will also have inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Sometimes there is no apparent cause.

Symptoms are poor digestion, a tendency to vomit, pain, depression or hiding (either immediately after eating or an hour or so later), loss of appetite, and gas. Many animals with chronic gastritis eat grass in an attempt to stimulate vomiting and cleansing of the stomach.

T
REATMENT

The first and foremost treatment I recommend is to put the animal on a natural diet. I can’t overemphasize the importance of a good diet, because the illness may be the result of the very food your pet has been eating. Also, be sure to read the discussion under “Allergies” to understand this possible underlying cause and to see recipes that you could use.

A further treatment might include one of the following, as indicated.

Herbal
—Goldenseal (
Hydrastis canadensis
): Good for weak digestion, poor appetite, and weight loss. Use Herbal Schedule 2 (
view
).

Herbal
—Garlic (
Allium sativum
): Especially useful for an animal that has a good appetite but gets upset with changes in the diet or is prone to gas and constipation. Make a cold extract by soaking 4 to 6 chopped cloves in ½ cup of cold water for 8 hours. Strain. Give ½ teaspoon to 1 tablespoon 3 times a day until the problem is relieved.