The Balancing Act talking about Pet Health Insurance.

We’ll be getting our first taste of the cold season soon. Don’t forget, just as you need to protect yourself and the rest of the humans in your family, dogs also need protection from the elements, and sometimes from themselves.

City dog walking in winter, dangers and hazards lurking on frozen city streets.

Winter time warnings, cold weather care for dogs.

Winter weather hazards, keeping pets safe and warm.

Not to mention that Harley thinks the Kyjen ‘gator is the best thing since sliced-bread. He’s hardly had it out of his mouth since last night.

At one point tonight, he lay in the middle of the floor while everyone happily walked around him, many stopping for pets and rubs.  He was totally in his element.  There are so many interesting people there, most doing such great things for our furry babies, that I’m thrilled myself to be part of this event.

Was thinking of taking Kleiner tomorrow, but he’s certainly not bullet proof and I’m not up for constant watching while trying to listen to cool people speak about cool subjects.  And a huge thanks to Laura Bennett and Lea Maxwell of Embrace pet insurance who happily kept an eye on Dag while I flitted around exchanging business cards.  You gals rock!  But, then I knew that already.

+ + +

Did you know that you do not have to put your dog or cat under general anesthesia to have their  teeth cleaned by a professional? Dr. Turie Norman, DVM at Healing Touch Veterinary in Boulder, CO, and Cindy Lloyd,  owner of Natural Pet Products formed the Well Animal Institute to provide a venue to train pet owners and natural pet health providers how to perform anesthesia-free  teeth cleaning for our canine and feline companions.

The process, which normally takes from 30-40 minutes, starts with an exam where they look for loose teeth, periodontal disease, gum recession and tooth sensitivity. These are all red flags that indicate the animal should probably see his or her vet for a full exam and possibly x-rays.  According to Dr. Norman, they will let the owner know that their pet is not a very good candidate for anesthesia-free services and refer them to a good dental vet if they don’t have one.

Once they have decided to proceed with the cleaning, each tooth is probed and scaled, inside and out. Once clean, teeth are polished with the same products used by veterinarians during anesthetized cleaning. When done, each dog or cat’s mouth is graded and a report card is given to the owner. It’s
usually at this point that the trained dental hygienist will try to educate owners about proper dental care for their pets and whether the next cleaning should be done by their vet if it looks like there might be potential problems in the future.

I asked Dr. Norman what was the best thing we could do for our pets’ teeth and she said brush every day, just like we humans do. She also indicated that a diet that most closely resembles the human diet keeps teeth and gums healthy. If your pet’s teeth are in good shape when you bring them for cleaning and you continue the regime of brushing every day, it’s possible you may never have to have them cleaned under anesthesia again.

The question that is on most clients’ mind is the cost and difference between what what a trained anesthesia-free dental hygienist does and what their vet does under anesthesia. There are two major differences between what we can do vs. a vet with their patient asleep. The most significant of these is x-rays.  It is impossible to see what is going on below the gum line and if that is a concern and you feel that radiographs are important for your pet’s dental health, you should see your vet for a conventional exam and cleaning. The other is the use of an ultrasonic scaler, which most dogs will not put up with if not anesthetized. However, the anesthesia-free teeth cleaning appears to be holding up as well as traditional teeth cleaning methods, meaning teeth do not have to be cleaned any more often using this modality than they do if the patient is anesthetized.

Currently, over 40 veterinarians in the Denver metropolitan area allow anesthesia-free teeth cleaning in their practice.  In California, it is not necessary to have an attending veterinarian present while performing this procedure, so many grooming shops offer it in that state.  Look for it in a city or state near you because as pet owners become more educated about the dangers of anesthesia and become aware that the condition of their pet’s teeth is a critical factor in its overall health, anesthesia-free teeth cleaning will spread.

Why use the anesthesia-free method?

1. If your dog or cat is older and it would be a health risk to put him or her under anesthesia.

2. If your dog or cat is allergic to anesthesia.

3. If you cannot afford the cost of an anesthetized cleaning in a vet’s office.

Even the Boulder Humane Society backs this method, according to Dr. Normal, saying they believe that  it is better to clean your cat or dog’s teeth this way rather than not at all, which some people believe they must opt for due to financial concerns. Traditional teeth cleaning under anesthesia can run anywhere from $350.00 to $1000.00. The anesthesia-free method ranges from $135.00 to $150.00, and  Colorado law states that a vet must still be present when it is performed.

+ + +

Probably one of the most controversial (in that vets either totally approve it or ride the skepticism train) is gold bead implants for treatment of arthritis in joints, seizures, asthma and many more canine ailments. Gold bead implantation (aka permanent acupuncture) is a modern application of acupuncture. Modern research has proved that acupuncture does indeed have health benefits, and gold bead implantation combines ancient acupuncture theories with modern surgical techniques. Implantation of gold beads at acupuncture points allows constant stimulation, and therefore maintenance of acupuncture’s positive effects in treatment of varied conditions. (Squidoo).

The gold beads are implanted on the acupuncture points on the dog’s back and head. The gold beads are very tiny, about the size of a pinhead or tip of a fine ball point pen. They provide a long-term stimulation of the points. This form of treatment was pioneered in the 1970′s . As with all forms of treatment, it will work for some and not for others. The first gold bead implants performed in the US were done in the early 1970′s by Dr. Grady Young. Dr. Terry Durkes in Marion, IN began doing clinical research on using the implants in 1975, and initially used them to treat seizure disorders and hip dysplasia. Gold beads are now used to treat other conditions such as:

• Allergic Dermatitis
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Certain Types of Paralysis
• Fecal Incontinence
• Hip Dysplasia
• Intervertebral Disc Disease
• Long Term Injuries
• Lick Granulomas
• Non-healing Fractures
• Seizure Activity – Epilepsy
• Sensory Neurodermatitis
• Spondyloarthritis
• Surgical Analgesia
• Traumatic Nerve Injury
• Urinary Incontinence

It’s too bad there aren’t more vets willing to consider this treatment.

+ + +

According to Deborah Straw, author of Why Is Cancer Killing Our Pets, some commercial flea treatments can be carcinogenic, if not downright toxic. There are numerous ways to treat a flea infestation that do NOT include deadly chemicals.

One of the most common and probably least expensive is diatomaceous earth. The same substance you use to get rid of ants around your house. DE is a fine white powder made from the ground up remains of diatoms. The edges of each grain of powder are so sharp that they make tiny cuts in the hard exoskeleton of any insect upon contact, causing the insect to dehydrate and die within a matter of hours. Since the action is physical, insects don’t build up a resistance. It is good to remember that fleas do not live only on your pet. They’re in your home, including the animal’s bedding. All must be treated if any of it is to work.

If your flea problem originates outside in your backyard, a great natural deterent is, believe it or not, nematodes. They love flea larvae and cocoons.

The old standby we’ve all probably heard about is garlic, but did you also know that sulfur, given once a week, will do the trick?  Black Walnut Hulls ground in capsules, which are available from most health food stores, work on fleas, as well as ticks and mosquitos (which we don’t have to deal with much here, fortunately, but you never know where you’ll be traveling with your pet).

Folk remedies for the treatment and prevention of fleas have always included ingredients found in nature. But one should always be careful of dosage, as ‘natural’ does not mean a remedy can’t be lethal with improper use. As always, don’t forget to do your research.

And finally, the basis for prevention of just about any kind of parasite and most illnesses… diet.  A healthy dog or cat who is provided with a good mineral/trace element supplement is not going to be attractive to worms, fleas or anything else. His or her immune system will be powerful enough to repel the little critters back to the earth. Of course, even I wouldn’t trust just that, although fanatical advocates of a raw diet will tell you it’s the cure to everything. Yes, I feed a raw diet, but I like to cover my bases in all things regarding the health of my furkids.

For awhile there will be many postings as I publish my examiner articles here for posterity…or is it prosperity? Huh.  It also give me something to put here while we pack a huge house and huge dogs and huge…stuff…and move to Wisconsin!

Sense memory in humans is an amazing thing. How many times have you walked into a shop or passed an open doorway and your nose just raises a tad and you sniff that scent that takes you back to a place and time you thought you’d forgotten all about?  Also, certain scents illicit certain reactions. We all know that lavender and chamomile have calming properties in humans and it is the same with dogs.  There are easily found sites which will provide a long list of essential oils to treat specific ailments, both physical and emotional.

These are just a few of the issues that are easily addressed with aromatherapy:

Aggression
Digestion issues
Pain relief from cancer
Bad breath
Repel fleas and ticks
Hyperactivity
Motion and travel sickness

Essential oils can be used in various ways. If placing directly on the skin, usually the outside of the ear or paws, make sure the oil you are using is diluted in almond or olive oil so as not to irritate sensitive skin tissue. You can also add a few drops of oil in the water of a diffuser in your dog’s room or where he lays frequently. Spraying diluted oil on your dog’s bedding is also a good way to introduce it to his environment.

Be careful:

Never use essential oils in your dog’s eyes or nose, or allow them to ingest internally a vet’s supervision. Normally essential oils are not used internally.

Be extremely careful of using aromatherapy on cats.

Familiarize yourself with the UNSAFE essential oils for your pet, including juniper, birch, yarrow, and clove.

Essential oils must be diluted more for dogs than you would for yourself. After all, their sense of smell is about a million times better than ours.

Test any oils you plan to put on your dog’s skin on a small area to make sure he can tolerate it. Some dogs may be allergic to certain oils.

Educate yourself

There are several long-distance learning courses which you can take to learn about aromatherapy use with dogs and horses. Essential Animals offers a certificate course in Animal PsychAromatica. Or following the above basic guidelines of safety, you can try mixing your own with these recipes.

Liquidambar is a chinese herbal supplement for back and disc problems used very successfully in dogs. It can also help with inflammation, so using it to help with pain control in dogs with bad knees, hips, and arthritis would probably help. Liquidamber is especially good if you’re looking for a long term treatment for chronic pain, as it does not have the sometimes serious side-effects to kidneys and liver of other prescription anti-inflammatories.

This compound is a product of Seven Forests, a well-known, reputable Traditional Chinese Medicine supplier. From their product description:

Liquidambar 15 is a Chinese herbal remedy to invigorate meridians and vessels, relieve inflammation. Sample Indications for use include back pain, disc problems (inflammation, extrusion), bone hyperplasia, arthralgia affecting hips and/or spine, sciatica.

Ingredients: Liquidambar, Pyrola, Geranium, Cibotium, Pterospermum, Photinia, Kadsura, Morus twig, Loranthus, Chuan-shan-long, Rehmannia, Myrrh, Carthamus, Persica, Achyranthes

Locally, Natural Pet Products carries it at their on-line store.