Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (79 page)

Homeopathic
—
Causticum
(a mineral remedy) 30C: This remedy is indicated for warts that tend to bleed easily. Use Homeopathic Schedule 4 (
view
).

Homeopathic
—
Silicea
(silicon dioxide, quartz) 30C: Useful when the wart is very large, especially if it occurs over the site of a prior vaccination. Use Homeopathic Schedule 4 (
view
).

During the time that these remedies are being used, you may do one of these local skin treatments.

Nutrition
—Vitamin E: Regular application of vitamin E from a punctured capsule can sometimes greatly reduce the size of a wart. It must be continued for several weeks to be effective.

Herbal
—Castor oil: This oil is quite helpful when applied directly to warts and growths to soften them and to reduce irritation.
Apply it when the wart is itchy or in some way troublesome. Castor oil can be obtained at most pharmacies.

WEIGHT PROBLEMS

Obesity

Like people, a significant number of pets become overweight, especially if they are inactive and are fed fatty or sweet snacks by well-meaning owners. Such foods contain inadequate amounts of protein, vitamins, enzymes, and other essential nutrients. Because of a lack in the nutrients it needs, the animal develops excessive cravings. The same thing can happen as a result of feeding poor quality commercial diets.

In some animals, the problem can result from a disturbance in the metabolism that causes an excessive and almost uncontrollable hunger that is very difficult to manage. In addition to the weight-loss program outlined below, such animals may need specific treatment (beyond the scope of this book) to correct the underlying imbalance.In either case it’s important to get excess fat off your pet because it can strain the heart, make the circulation sluggish, seriously complicate other disorders, and probably shorten life span.

My basic weight-loss program for pets involves three principles.

1. Increase activity levels. Take your dog for daily walks and runs. Encourage your cat to play. Increased activity raises the metabolic rate and burns calories faster.
   
2. Resist the temptation to feed extra snacks and treats. If your pet is really begging, you may feed modest amounts of the following: lean meat, carrots or other vegetables, apples, unsalted popcorn (without oil), and raw bones.
   
3. Feed a highly nutritious, low-fat, high-bulk diet that provides about two-thirds of the calories needed to maintain your animal’s ideal weight. While they are low in fat, the following diets are high in protein, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. They also include plenty of bran or vegetables to help fill your animal’s stomach and minimize begging. This helps your animal to lose weight gradually and safely, while insuring sufficient basic nutrients.
   

Be sure to include the daily vitamin-mineral pet supplements noted, which are available in pet supply outlets, in natural food stores, or from many veterinarians.

DOG WEIGHT LOSS DIET 1

• 4 cups cooked vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, corn and so on; use frozen or canned if you must for convenience)
  
• 1 cup oat or wheat bran
  
• 2 cups rolled oats
  
• 1 cup uncreamed (low fat) cottage cheese
  
• ½ pound (1 cup) ground or chunked turkey, chicken (without skin), lean beef, heart, liver, or lean hamburger
  
• 2½ teaspoons Animal Essentials calcium (or a scant 1½ teaspoons of eggshell powder)*
  
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast Balanced dog vitamins
  

* These supplements are from Group III calcium supplements. See chapter 4 for more information.

Cook the vegetables, using 3 to 4 cups water. When they are soft, add the bran and oats. Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes or until the oats are soft. Add the remaining ingredients, except the vitamins. Refrigerate extras. When serving a meal portion, add a balanced dog vitamin that supplies the minimum daily standards, as recommended on the label. (You may also add a bit of Healthy Powder, as described in chapter 3.) This recipe provides about 30 percent protein, 12 percent fat, and 53 percent carbohydrates. Calcium added by Animal Essentials supplement is 2,500 mg.

The low-fat content of this diet will aid in weight loss. However, it’s also best to restrict the quantities you feed. Decide what your dog’s ideal weight should be and feed two meals a day, together totaling approximately the amount shown below—a little less if your dog is inactive, a little more if it’s active. Make sure there is no access to other food, except low-calorie snacks like carrot sticks. Averages 140 kilocalories per cup.

Variations: Instead of the oats, you may substitute 2½ cups cooked brown rice (1 cup dry + 2 cups water) or 3+ cups cooked bulgur (1¼ cups dry + 2½ cups water). Instead of cooking the grains with the vegetables (as with the oats), cook them separately.

DOG WEIGHT LOSS DIET 2

This recipe is simpler and more palatable—but best suited for a smaller dog because it uses relatively higher amounts of meat.

• 2 cups (1 pound) ground or chunked turkey, chicken, lean beef heart, liver or lean hamburger
  
• 5 cups boiled or baked potatoes (or 3½ cups cooked bulgur or rice)
  
• 2 cups oat or wheat bran (or vegetables, such as peas, green beans, carrots, or corn)
  
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  
• 2½ teaspoons Animal Essentials calcium (or a scant 1½ teaspoons of eggshell powder)*
  

Balanced dog vitamins

* These supplements are from Group III calcium supplements. See chapter 4 for more information.

Combine all ingredients except the vitamins. When serving, add a balanced dog vitamin, supplying the minimum daily standards. (You may also add a bit of Healthy Powder, as described in chapter 3.) Feed about the same amounts as for diet #1. Immediately refrigerate extras.

This recipe provides 26 percent protein, 15 percent fat, and 56 percent carbohydrates. The calcium added by Animal Essentials calcium is 2,500 mg.

CAT WEIGHT LOSS DIET

• 2 cups (1 pound) ground or chunked turkey, chicken, lean beef heart, liver, or lean hamburger
  
• 1½ cups boiled or baked potatoes, with skin (or 1½ cups cooked bulgur or rice)
  
• ½ cup oat or wheat bran (or vegetables, such as peas, green beans, carrots, or corn)
  
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  
• 1 teaspoon Group I bone meal*
  

Balanced cat vitamins that includes vitamin A. (Use enough of the vitamin formula to add 10,000 IU of vitamin A to this recipe.)

* See chapter 4 for information on types of bone meal. If you use Group II bone meals, double the amount.

Combine all ingredients except the vitamins. When serving, add a balanced cat vitamin supplying the minimum daily standards, as recommended on the bottle label. (You may also add a bit of Healthy Powder, as described in chapter 3.) Averages 250 kilocalories per cup. Feed as follows:

UNDERWEIGHT

If your animal has the opposite problem and is underweight, obviously a different approach is needed. If the weight loss is sudden, it may be from an infection or some other problem that needs to be taken care of first. Have your veterinarian check out this possibility.

To help bring up the weight, use the basic natural foods diets in chapters 4 or 5 and also treat with:

Herbal
—Alfalfa (
Medicago sativa
): Use Herbal Schedule 3 (
view
). Continue treatment until the desired effect is achieved—increased hunger and weight gain.

Another treatment suitable for older, rundown animals is:

Homeopathic
—
Calcarea phosphorica
(calcium phosphate) 6C: Especially good where there apparently is poor digestion or poor utilization of nutrients, as evidenced by lack of weight gain in spite of good nutrition and adequate appetite. Use Homeopathic Schedule 6(a) (
view
).

WEST NILE VIRUS

This disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and primarily affects people and horses. In human beings, only about 1 in 5 become ill with mild symptoms, much like the flu. Occasionally some people (less than 1 percent bitten by infected mosquitoes) develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) with severe symptoms, convulsions, even death. It is known that other animals can be infected, most noticeably horses, which can also become seriously ill on occasion. There is no evidence that the virus is passed from one person to another or from horses to people. It seems to require the bite of an infected mosquito.

What about dogs and cats? Research has shown that they can become infected, but are unlikely to have symptoms, so it appears to be basically a “non-disease” in these animals. A few cats that were deliberately infected with the virus showed some mild symptoms—slight decrease in appetite, lethargy (more quiet or sleepy), and some fever for a time—but likely not anything that would be noticed by most people.

If you want to prevent exposure to the virus for your pets, use a mosquito repellent if they go outside when mosquitoes are likely to be out. There are some safe herbal repellants you can use.

WORMS

Worms are internal parasites that live in the intestines of animals. They are commonly found in most animals (especially when the animals are young) and are usually not a serious problem.

We can consider worm-infested animals in three categories.

• Very young animals that acquired them from the mother before or after birth (roundworms)
  
• Young or mature animals infested with fleas, or those that eat gophers or other wild creatures (tapeworms—carried by fleas and gophers, usually the latter)
  
• Mature but run-down animals that are in a toxic state and are susceptible to parasites, both inside (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms) and outside (fleas, lice, ticks)
  

The last category is beyond the scope of this discussion, since treatments can vary considerably. I suggest that you work closely with your veterinarian for such problems. Here we will consider the first two categories, which are more common and less severe. First of all, let’s talk a little about the worms themselves.

How to Identify Worms

Tapeworms grow in the small intestine. Each worm has a “head” that stays attached to the intestine, as well as dozens of egg-filled segments that break off and pass out with the feces when ripe. These passed segments look like cream-colored maggots, about ¼ to ½ inch long, that are visible in the fresh stool or around the anus. They do not crawl quickly, but move by forming a sort of
“point” on one end. After drying out, they look a lot like a piece of white rice stuck to a hair near the anus.

Though chemical worming treatment can kill the worm, sometimes it just causes the sudden loss of most of the segments, leaving the head still attached. Unfortunately, the head that remains behind soon grows a new body that begins passing segments again. Another problem is that animals get re-infested through eating wild creatures (and occasionally from swallowing fleas).

Roundworms infest most young puppies and kittens and are acquired from their mother, both before and after birth. Usually the infestation is not apparent and must be diagnosed by a veterinarian through a microscopic exam of the feces. Be sure to ask if the infestation is light, medium, or heavy and what kind of worms were found.

If the infestation is heavy, you can usually spot outer signs such as an enlarged belly, poor weight gain, and, perhaps, diarrhea or vomiting. Sometimes whole worms are actually vomited or passed with the feces. They resemble white spaghetti several inches long and will often wiggle when first voided. Usually, only young animals a few weeks old to a few months of age will vomit roundworms.

Hookworms are generally less common than tapeworms and roundworms in this country; but they are still significant. They are more of a problem in the southern parts of the United States or in areas where crowded and unsanitary conditions prevail. Severe hookworm infestation is serious because the worms suck the animal’s blood and cause severe anemia. In this kind of situation, it may be best to seek professional help. In young animals with severe infestation, the loss of blood into the intestine causes the stool to look black and tar-like. It may also become fluid and foul smelling. The gums will become pale, reflecting the developing anemia, and the youngster will appear weak and thin.

Whipworms are in a category of their own. They are quite common but usually cause no symptoms, often lying dormant for long periods. If there are symptoms—usually persistent, watery diarrhea—I believe it means something is wrong with the animal’s immune system. If so, individualized treatment is required.

T
REATMENT
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ATEGORY
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