NATURAL PET CARE BLOG

As a holistic veterinarian deeply committed to natural pet care, I've encountered numerous cases where pet parents are unaware of the critical connection between their furry friends' dental health and their overall gut well-being. Did you know that up to 80% of pets suffer from dental disease by the age of three? This staggering statistic underlines a widespread issue that, surprisingly, has a profound impact not just on the mouth but on the gut health of our pets.

Understanding the Connection: Pet Gut Health & Oral Microbiome

The mouth is the gateway to the gut, and the health of one significantly influences the other. During our latest Coffee Talk with the Doc, we delved into this intricate relationship, highlighting the often-missed link between dental health and gut health in pets. This connection, overlooked even by some veterinary professionals, plays a pivotal role in the overall health and well-being of our pets.

The Role of Dysbiosis in Dental and Gut Health

Dysbiosis, ...

Holistic veterinarians use natural therapies to treat pets and help prevent disease ranging from food therapy to acupuncture to numerous other modalities. They often focus on treating the whole animal rather than just focusing on one area of the body or only treating symptoms. Holistic vets also look at the pet’s lifestyle, emotions, and the environment when making treatment decisions and how to help your pets feel their best.

How Do I Know Which Holistic Veterinarian is Right For Me?

There are several things to consider when choosing a holistic veterinarian to make sure a partnership is a good fit for both you, your pets and the veterinarian.

First, make sure the practitioner has been trained in veterinary medicine and has further training in a holistic modality.

This means he or she has completed four years of veterinary school and passed an exam before becoming licensed.  Most veterinarian schools are only teaching conventional medicine.  If you want a holistic veterinarian that...

As pet parents, we want nothing but the best for our furry companions. However, we often overlook the fact that our pets are exposed to a variety of toxins on a daily basis. Your pets will be exposed to over 85,000 toxins a year!

These toxins can accumulate in their bodies and cause health issues over time. That's why it's essential to detox your pets regularly. In this blog post, we'll discuss the internal and external sources of toxins, signs of congested detox pathways, how detox pathways work, and how to safely detox your dogs and cats using food and herbal remedies.

Internal and External Sources of Toxins

Toxins can enter your pet's body in several ways. One of the most common ways is through their food. Many commercial pet foods contain preservatives, additives, and artificial flavors that can be harmful to your pet's health. Kibble diets, in particular, are high in carbohydrates, which can lead to inflammation and obesity. Glyphosate, a herbicide commonly used in agricultu...

Dogs can be affected by many different types of lower urinary tract problems. Fortunately, there are many home natural remedies to treat your dog's UTI.

First, it's important to know when your dog may have a UTI and what are dog UTI signs you want to be monitoring for before we start using natural home remedies for an infection.

What are common dog UTI signs and symptoms? 

It can be hard to tell if your dog is in pain, because they may not show any signs at all.  However, if you’re seeing bloody, cloudy or their urine has a strong smell, you dog may have a UTI.

You may also notice straining or crying during urination, accidents in the house, needing to urinate more frequently, increased water consumption, or licking around their back end excessively after urinating, you’ll need to get them checked out by your veterinarian to rule out a UTI.

Also, if you have a dog that's all of a sudden not house-broken, especially puppies, it's important to get them checked out for a bacterial...

If your pet has diarrhea right now, this Emergency Diarrhea Guide for Dogs & Cats walks you through exactly what to do in the first 24–48 hours—including safe foods and natural remedies—so you can support healing without panic or guesswork.  

As pet owners, diarrhea is one of the most common health concerns we may face with our furry friends. While it is not unusual for dogs and cats to have an occasional loose stool, bloody diarrhea can be alarming and may indicate a more serious health problem. Fortunately, several natural home remedies can help treat this condition and improve your pet's overall health.

Causes of Bloody Diarrhea in Dogs and Cats

There are many reasons why dogs and cats may develop bloody diarrhea. Some of the most common causes include:

1. Food Changes: Abrupt changes in your pet's diet can cause digestive upset, including diarrhea.
2. Eating Foreign Objects: Dogs and cats may swallow objects such as bones, toys, or even hairballs, which can cause intestinal blo
...

Did you know that there are numerous natural supplements for senior dogs to help them slow down the aging process?

Watching your pet slow down as they age is frustrating and can be overwhelming.  You want the best for them and to keep them feeling healthy and happy for as long as possible.

There are many areas that can be affected as your dog ages, from their cognitive function to pain and inflammation in their joints.

Fortunately, there are a lot of natural senior dog supplements and vitamins you can use to help your furry friend feel their best as they get older.  Keep reading to learn about some of the best supplements for your senior dogs.

When does your dog become a “senior”?

Let’s start with how to know if your dog is actually a senior.  

This will depend on their body size because smaller dogs tend to have longer lifespans than larger dogs.

But typically a large breed dog is a senior at 7 years of age, a medium-sized dog is a senior at around 8-10 years, and your sm...

Cats with urinary tract infections are no fun and can even turn into an emergency.  However, there are many natural home remedies for cat UTIs (urinary tract infections) that you can use to prevent and even help treat your cat’s urine problems.

What is a cat urinary tract infection?

A urinary tract infection can affect any part of the cat’s urinary system.

This can include the bladder, the urethra (where urine comes out of the body), or even the kidneys.

An important fact to know about cat UTIs is that it’s not always a bacterial infection.  Your cat may have inflammation in their bladder without an infection which is called cat cystitis or sterile urinary tract inflammation.

How does a cat get a urinary tract infection (bladder infection)?

There are a variety of conditions that cats can get that affect the urinary tract that is labeled a feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).

A bacterial UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract, usually by ascending up the ure...

Dog leg sprain and strains are some of the most common dog injuries.

From soft tissue injuries, like dog leg sprains, to torn ligaments in your dog's knee, these types of injuries can be expensive, frustrating, and hard to watch your dog be in pain.

However, there are ways to avoid these common dog leg sprains, strains, and injuries using natural remedies to treat them if they happen to your dog.

How does a dog leg strain or sprain happen? 

Strains and sprains can happen commonly when your dog overworks itself.

Think about your own self getting out of winter without much activity and you try to run a marathon for the first time without working up to it.

These dog leg strains and sprains come from our dog’s not being ready and can affect the muscles or the ligaments or traumatic injuries.  For example, one of the most common injuries is a torn cruciate knee ligament which is like an ACL tear in people.

These types of injuries are painful and can lead to surgeries that are thou...

NATURAL HEARTWORM PREVENTION FOR PETS SUMMARY

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that can affect dogs and cats. While natural remedies may help manage heartworm infections, prevention is still the best approach to avoiding the disease.

It is important to assess the risk of heartworm disease in the region where you live before considering any treatment options. If heartworm disease is prevalent in your area, it is recommended to seek veterinary advice for the best preventative options, but make sure to watch the video for natural remedies that can also be utilized.

Herbal supplements such as garlic, ginger, and black walnut hulls have been shown to have anti-parasitic properties that may help fight heartworm infections. It is important to note that while these herbs may have some benefits, their effectiveness as a sole preventative method for heartworm disease has not been proven, but can be part of an integrative approach in a high-risk area...

Understanding the Mysterious Canine Respiratory Illness

Recent reports from the Cornell Animal Health Diagnostics Center and other veterinary institutions have highlighted a mysterious canine respiratory illness. This illness, showing symptoms similar to canine influenza and kennel cough, has been observed across various U.S. regions. However, its exact cause remains unknown.

What We Know So Far

Symptoms of this illness include:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Labored breathing
• Nose or eye discharge
• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite

Precautions to Take

• Avoid high-risk areas like kennels, dog parks, and daycare facilities.
• Do not share bowls, toys, or chews between dogs.
• We recommend checking out Trusted Housesitters if you need to travel instead of boarding your dog if possible.

Because the infectious cause of this disease is not known, vaccines will not protect your pet against this, and we do not recommend them.  What we do recommend is protecting your pet's immune system and st...