Hello four- and two-legged friends!
I hope you’re having a fantastic week. It’s super humid here today and my hair is just frizz-city. Add to that the fact that I’m in heat and no dogs in our neighborhood seem to want to help me soothe my itches (or mom runs them off) and I am just one sad puppy. I’ve been howling and crying about my tragic situation for a couple of days now but still no one seems to care. I don’t know what a dog is supposed to do around here to get some love.
Today I thought I would review another book that mom bought when I was a puppy. It’s a really interesting book called Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, which is all about holistic dog and cat care. Thinking about feeding your pets a homemade diet but aren’t sure how to make sure it is nutritionally balanced? Want to cure your pets’ ailments naturally? Have a pet with allergies or some sort of behavioral disorder that you just can’t seem to get rid of? This book can help.
Mom hasn’t taken the plunge into cooking for me (although I sure wish she would) but she did find a lot of the information in the book really fascinating to read. There is a section that discusses a few common congenital defects and problems that particular types of dogs experience. So it’s also helpful for those just thinking about getting a dog. You’ll learn what to look for in pet food, how to make sure your pet gets enough exercise and rest, and what might be dangerous for your pet in and around your home. There are even sections about being a good neighbor with your pets (like keeping your dogs out of the neighbor’s garden or what to do when you travel with pets or have to leave them with a sitter. There is even a chapter on coping with a death of a pet which is never easy.
Last year (or maybe it was the year before) I had some really bad weepy eye problems. Newfies naturally have slightly droopy eyelids and this can lead to problems that might actually result in surgery being needed. My tear ducts were more active than usual and my eyes super droopy and red…and the mucus in my eyes was white and yucky. So mom consulted her book and found a solution. She first wiped away the crusties (if the eyes are really bad you can also wash them with a salt solution of 1/4 teaspoon seat salt in a cup of distilled or filtered water). She then put a few drops of castor oil in my eyes which is recommended for irritated or inflamed eyes. Almond oil can be used for mildly irritated eyes or cod-liver oil for dry or ulcerated eyes. The castor oil cleared up my eye problem in just a couple of days — a feat that drops from the veterinarian (who totally freaks me out) never accomplished.
So would she recommend Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats? Apparently so! She’s used it as a reference for friends as well when they mention they are having health problems with their pets. Dogs and cats cannot generally handle the same aromatherapy suggestions as humans — but that doesn’t mean that you can’t help treat your pets naturally to improve their quality of life. Obviously no book is a replacement for actually medical attention when your pet is sick or hurt. But this book just might help them live a healthier, more lively life.
I also seem to recall that Dr Pitcairn used to have Newfie’s, so he has to be a smart person!
