Health & Longevity School for Dogs
Natural approach to treatment and prevention of arthritis in dogs
A Quick and Easy Raw and Cooked Natural Diet for Dogs
Diarrhea, IBS, and Leaky Gut Syndrome
"This for That" OR "Why"
Lately, I have been pondering why most questions and dog health inquiries we receive come in the following form:
- Do you have something for hotspots?
- My dog was diagnosed with kidney disease, what supplement do you have for that?
- Do you have a supplement for allergies?
- I need a supplement to stop my dog from itching and scratching.
When I read such requests and questions, I wonder why most people look for a “This for that” solution, while the most important question should be: "Why is this happening?"
On one hand, there is nothing wrong with asking such questions, but we need to be aware that a “This for that” approach often leads to a never ending chain of problems, drug side-effects, and deeper health issues.
Pharmaceutical giants are no fools, and they’ve had 100+ years to master a "This for that" style of marketing to perfection. There are many effective drug-free treatments that are better than drugs, however, we are now programmed to look for a “This for that” solution without even knowing it.
However, if we get out of the rut of such thinking, and open up our minds to ask why a problem is happening on a deeper level, a whole new world of healing opens up in front of us. It is like arriving at an oasis after trekking through a desert for years!
A good example of such a situation is ear problems. Most dog lovers are unaware that ear problems do not start locally, and are an expression of liver and digestive issues.
The "This for that" approach focuses on a local treatment protocol consisting of ear flushing, antibiotics, and corticosteroids, without addressing liver and digestive imbalances. It is like washing a car thinking it will fix an oil leak. The problem stubbornly persists.
Another example is the relationship between chronic diarrhea and lumbar spine injuries.
I suppose the drug companies have fully embraced the “This for that” mantra because it is simple, and people are used to it.
Doctor, please give me something for back pain, kidney disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol….
Most people look for a quick fix.
A STORY
Last year, I had the opportunity to experience the urge to reach for a quick fix myself. My mother was critically ill and in the hospital for a month. The stress, and heavy lifting while helping her, caused my lower back to go into a terrible spasm. I could barely walk, sit, or lift Pax and I had 15-hour journey from Europe to Vancouver ahead of me.
There was a moment where I was very close to taking painkillers, and others thought I was crazy when I decided not to. I wanted to see if my body could heal on its own with the essential supplements, mega doses of Omega3, turmeric, physical therapy, and gentle chiro.
The healing process took a few weeks and some willpower to overcome my frustration and the fear of not recovering completely. I am thrilled to report that, six months later, I have no signs of back problems and am currently on day 69 of my one hour or more daily yoga practice.
The interesting part of the healing journey was that, despite my knowledge and experience, I was scared of not getting better. It was a good reminder of how some of you feel about your dog’s health. It is scary and requires a dose of courage to overcome 100+ years of misinformation.
Just around the same time, one of my relatives, who I care about and respect very much, suffered a neck and shoulder injury. He also had to decide between a quick-fix or a longer drug-free approach that he was not as familiar with. In the end, he chose to use NSAID painkillers.
Unfortunately, a few months later, his doctor diagnosed him with an elevated level of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) - one of the markers of kidney disease.
I still hope that the situation will settle down, but this is not the first time I have seen NSAIDs cause kidney disease in individuals with normal kidney function prior to taking the drugs.
We have to come to terms with the fact that no matter how much we care for our dog's and our own health, at some point problems occur. My 30 years in practice has allowed me to see clearly that many prescription meds and the suppression of the body's natural healing processes, leads to a never ending chain of drugs and toxins, which induces side effects causing deeper and deeper disease.
I am not suggesting that prescription meds don’t have their place in medicine. However, I have been able to reduce prescription drug use in practice by a whopping 80-90%, while achieving better results without drug side-effects.
At the beginning of my veterinary career, I was afraid of not making my patients better and of losing my reputation or my license if I didn’t use conventional treatment protocols. All this despite the fact that a large portion of conventional veterinary treatment methods have never been tested and are used off-label.
Luckily, after more than 30 years, and treating tens of thousands of patients in my practice, I am no longer afraid of natural healing and nutrition. I am afraid of drugs!
Breaking the societal spell isn’t easy, but if you are interested in doing so, I suggest that you first try addressing simple problems such as a sprain or injury. Trust that a good experienced physical therapist, chiropractor, Chinese medicine practitioner, or homeopath, and the right supplements, are much better than NSAIDs that cause side-effects and block the healing process.
Another easy way to test natural healing is to use an herbal Skin Spray instead of antibiotics the next time you have a cut, wound, or incision. The video below demonstrates how to do this, so check it out!
I have seen people use Skin Spray to treat brain surgery incisions and I often hear of the surgeon's surprise at how quickly the wounds healed up.
The key to a healthy and good life is to know when to be skeptical, and when to dare and jump. If you are curious to learn more about other peoples’ experience with a drug-free approach to healing, click here.
