Handy Health Hints
"The following is based on observations and experiences with my own and other people's dogs and kowledge I have gleaned from certain, very knowledgeable individuals and breeders over the years. I have observed that the success of a kennel depends not only on the strength of its bloodlines but also on the health and well being of the animals within the kennel. The maintenance of good health ensures the brood bitch will have large litters and a long and healthy brood life.The larger the litter the greater the choice and the greater the chances of the kennel producing high qaulity show offspring. For the stud dog good health and fitness is essential for a long career. Further, if the dog has mineral and vitamins deficiencies and is not in good helath these deficiencies will be passed on in his sperm. The following is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, but is a guide to recognition of health problems that commonly occur particularly in the German Shepherd Dog. If the signs and conditions of ill health are noted early much heart ache despair and expense can perchance be avoided or, at worst, minimized. Further, many of the problems need not occur in the first place if there is a workable knowledge and understanding of basic principles of good health and nutrition."
INSECTICIDES & SPRAYS etc:
Flea powders, flea collars, flea sprays, insecticidal rinses, worming tablets and preparations added to food to kill fleas are all highly toxic. I don’t use any of the above products. If you adhere strictly to the All Raw Diet it won’t be necessary to use any of those products! Manufacturers frequently state you must wear gloves and avoid breathing the fumes when you apply these preparations. It’s logical to assume that if it dangerous for humans it’s equally unsuitable for dogs! The truth of the matter is fleas, worms and other vermin cannot survive on, or in, a healthy body. If you feed a correct, balanced diet free from all commercial product you will seldom have trouble. BATHING: A dog should not require bathing more than once a month at the most. The natural health of the coat and the oils in the skin will repel dirt and grime. Make certain the shampoo you use is free from insecticidal and fungicidal preparations. A natural, Henna shampoo is excellent and there are a range of suitable, natural shampoos available from pet shops and distributors of dog products.
A DOGGY SMELL?
Your sense of smell can tell you a lot about the health of your dog. A healthy dog should have a fresh, almost sweet smell to the coat and skin. This is particularly noticeable in dogs fed on lots of fresh vegetables and raw bones. An offensive doggy odour is the result of a diet (usually dry food) too high in carbohydrate and simple sugars. Excess carbohydrate breaks down into acid in the system. The liver and kidneys cleanse the body of excess acids and toxins formed by incorrect diets but when these organs are overworked some of the excess is pushed out through the skin. This is the body’s emergency method of dealing with an overload. However, when this happens the acid irritates the skin causing itching and a doggy odour is prominent. Consequently, when the liver is under stress due to an incorrect diet or toxins in the environment itching and skin irritation, eczema and secondary fungal infections result. Frequently, the dog will scratch and bite causing hair loss and self mutilation. The way to effectively combat this is to restore the internal balance. A suitable NATURAL, ALL RAW DIET is essential.
SILICA & NAT.PHOS. HELP REDUCE ACIDITY:
Where there is an acid or toxic condition increasing the daily dosage of SILICA can assist. NAT.PHOS. (Calcium Phosphate) reduces acidity and can be given in conjunction with Silica. (Available at health shops). But most important is correct diet. Parsley is an excellent blood cleanser and assists the kidneys whilst celery, alfalfa, carrot, beet-root and cucumber are alkaline vegetables capable of reducing acidity. If there is an acid condition don’t give capsicum or silver-beet and definitely no sweets or starchy foods. A DOGGY SMELL ACCOMPANIED BY AN ODOUR LIKE VINEGAR Indicates diabetes. Seek professional advice. A DOGGY SMELL LIKE STALE URINE Indicates kidney problems. Seek professional advice at once as the smell often accompanies a fairly advanced stage of kidney disease or failure.
CORTISONES:
These are frequently prescribed by vets for allergies and skin problems. Unfortunately, they put further stress on the liver. If the origin of the itch is within the dog’s system cortisone will only give short term relief. When the medication is withdrawn the symptoms return with a vengeance because the liver function has thus been further impaired. What is needed here is a tonic to assist the liver to cleanse the system. The skin is able to heal once the source of the allergy (or toxin) has been found. Cortisones alleviate the symptoms but don’t fix the problem! Even where external allergens are involved the cortisones are not capable of a long term cure because there is still stress on the immune system and the liver. Consequently, every time the dog comes into contact with the substance causing the problem the reaction tends to be worse.
WORMING:
This won’t be necessary if you give one or two cloves of crushed, fresh Garlic per day. Garlic removes the buildup of mucus on the lining of the intestine and consequently there is nothing to which the worms can attach. Worms are usually spread by fleas. A heavy infestation of worms creates dry coat and unhealthy skin that perpetuates the problem. Fleas survive only on an unhealthy host. As stated earlier, the use of insecticides etc. and worming mixture exacerbates the problem by putting the dog’s liver under greater stress. The coat condition worsens, fleas increase and the owner falls into the trap of thinking flea repellants and rinses must be used continually. Thus it is a vicious circle. As the dog’s body is weakened by the constant assault of chemicals the vets and drug companies get richer and the dog owner gets poorer! If the dog is fed predominantly on dry food the condition is exacerbated.
MAKE SURE THE FOOD SOURCE IS SAFE:
Anything you don’t prepare yourself may be a source of contamination. For instance, beef obtained from a knackery may be full of chemicals such as antibiotics and other things frequently administered to sick or dying stock. Further, there can be a day’s delay in getting the animal to the knackery and consequently the carcass will be full of toxins and very high in uric acid. It is a good policy to purchase dog meat from a source intended for human consumption. Minced up chicken carcasses from chicken shops or suppliers are the best as the bone content ensures the correct balance of Calcium and minerals. Chicken is relatively low in acid and can be used as the staple diet. Raw vegetables, fish, liver etc. can be added to it. Pet mince from butchers tends to contain lots of offal and fat and should be fed sparingly. Always make certain there is no harmful preservative in the mince you buy. Anti-oxidants such as vitamin E are sometimes used, but these are no threat to health. Wherever possible, prepare the food yourself and if you buy manufactured products check the ingredients and additives very thoroughly. For calculating safe levels for vitamins and various additives Ian Billinghurst’s book “Give Your Dog A Bone” is very informative. However, supplements other than those mentioned in the Bozeeb Diet Chart should not be necessary if an all Raw Diet is fed. If despite a good diet, the dog still presents with problems professional advice should be sort.
EXCESSIVE COAT LOSS:
Excessive coat loss and poor coat quality is an indication of ill health. Some dogs lose coat so heavily at malting time they actually look unwell. The coat becomes dry and stark and the dog appears to lack energy or gets a little nervous, jumpy, shy or over-excited. The personality changes exhibited depend on the dog’s natural disposition and character. This may be a sign the liver is under stress. The liver affects the nervous system. In the majority of cases the cause of liver stress is poor diet – usually dry food or meat with preservatives etc. If the dog is already on a good All Raw diet then there could be other causes such as thyroid imbalance. Thyroid imbalance would be the second most frequent cause of poor coat condition and heavy coat loss in German Shepherd Dogs. In bitches not de-sexed severe coat loss and poor condition may indicate uterine infection. This too, can cause nervousness and a lack of confidence. However, when in doubt, it is better to seek professional advice.
DON’T MIX DRY FOOD & ALL RAW DIET:
In my own experience and observation dry food mixed with the All Raw Diet is not a good idea. There is a very fine balance in the way the dog absorbs and extracts what he requires from the food. The additives, preservatives, chemicals and additional vitamins in the dry food interfere with this delicate process. I have noticed teeth, hip and elbow abnormalities and poor connective tissue resulting in week feet and pasterns and missing testicles even though the breeder claims to have fed All Raw. When questioned, one usually finds dry food has been mixed with the natural food and sometimes Calcium is added as well. Others state they tried it for perhaps three months and it didn’t work so they gave up and went to an expensive, scientifically formulated brand of dry. The All Raw diet will give you some immediate results such as improved coat condition and good fertility in bitches, but for best results it should be used over a period of time, the longer the better. When you have bred two or three generations on the natural diet it’s then you will begin to truly reap the benefits!
POOR TEMPERAMENT/NERVOUSNESS etc:
This too can be the result of poor or unsuitable diet. The popular belief is that temperament is inherited, but this is not always true. Further, a dog that has inherited a sensitive or highly strung nature will benefit greatly from the All Raw Natural diet. Behavior will markedly improve with correct diet and appropriate socialization. The liver is subtly related to the nervous system and similarly, aggressiveness can be the result of a tired overworked liver. Wrong diet, preservatives, chemicals from various sources both external and internal can be taxing for the liver which must process and eliminate the toxins. A change of diet and a good liver tonic may be necessary. MILK THISTLE or HEPASOL are both suitable liver tonics. There are many other effective remedies available. Ask at any health shop.
REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEMS IN BITCHES:
Reproductive problems particularly in bitches are the first sign that all is not well. This can take the form of irregular cycles, failure to fall pregnant, small litters, birthing difficulties, false pregnancies, persistent uterine infections etc. If the problem is not addressed infertility may be the end result. Unfortunately, most of the hormones and drugs administered by vets to restore fertility have side effects and put the dog’s body under further stress. Many a valuable bitch with persistent uterine infection has been de-sexed. But there is an alternative! Once the infection has been suitably treated a change to a natural diet and a tablespoon of Brewers Yeast a day would have restored health and fertility. DONG QUAI Is a valuable Chinese herb for the treatment of fertility problems. When the bitch begins to lose coat (about 6 weeks before she comes into season) give 1000mg of Dong Quai morning and night. This should be continued right through until the pups are 8 to 12 weeks of age. It increases fertility and indirectly assists in the production of an ample supply of milk.
A GOOD LIVER TONIC:
Can be administered at the same time as the Dong Quai. MILK THISTLE (in tablet form) is available at most health shops. HEPASOL (available at chemists) is one I have used from time to time. The dosage for Hepasol liquid is a teaspoon twice daily. It can be added to the food or drink. The liver is probably the most important organ in the body as so many other processes depend on it. Therefore, when you treat the liver you indirectly treat the entire body. This too aids fertility and the general well being of the bitch.
THE LACTATING BITCH:
KELP & ALFALFA aid milk production. Kelp contains all the trace elements etc to enable the mammary glands to produce ample quantities whilst the alfalfa provides vitamin C and reduces acidity.
MASTITIS:
Bacteria that cause Mastitis prefer an acidic environment. Thus, if the bitch has been fed dry food, or foods too high in acid it will make her more susceptible to this condition. If the bitch is on a good All Raw Diet and succumbs to Mastitis it is usually because the pups are not thoroughly draining all teats. Literally, the milk goes stale and creates an ideal environment for bacteria. This tends to occur when pups are 4 or 5 weeks old. It is because the process of weaning has been too abrupt. At around 3 to 4 weeks the mother’s milk supply will be at its peak. It is therefore not the ideal time to wean pups. If, at 3 weeks of age, the pups are getting all they need from the mother there’s really no rush to get them onto solids. They can be introduced to solid food at this time but it shouldn’t be anything more than a training exercise once a day if at all. Don’t separate the mother from the pups as this is almost guaranteeing development of Mastitis.
PREVENTION OF MASTITS:
Mastitis is not caused by cuts, scratches or other exterior damage to the teats or glands. Nor is it true that you can’t breed with a bitch once she’s had Mastitis. If you correct the circumstances or condition that led to this problem then it shouldn’t recur. High doses of ALFALFA in the week preceding whelping and continued up to when the pups are 6 or 7 weeks old can be of assistance. Also, cut out carbohydrates. No biscuits or sweets, no bread, pasta or dry food of any description. Give more raw vegetables and raw bones. Also, keep red meats to a minimum. Chicken, fish and rabbit are ideal. Don’t feed capsicum, silver-beet or eggplants. CELERY, CARROTS and PARSLEY are most suitable.
POOR FEET & PASTERNS:
(Or down in pastern) Unfortunately most people tend to give extra Calcium Carbonate to correct this problem when what is required is Calcium Flouride. Calcium Flouride is necessary for good strong connective tissue and it works well in conjunction with Silica and Calcium Phosphate. The best way to add these three minerals to the diet is in the form of CELL SALTS. These are available at health shops and some chemists. Poor feet and pasterns are a sign of mineral and vitamin deficiency. Often, the poor quality of connective tissue provides insufficient elasticity to the cords that allow the testicles of the male to descend at about 6 weeks of age. The result is one (sometimes two) of the testicles fail to descend to the scrotum. It is usually a large, strongly boned male pup that will present with this problem. This is because the mineral requirements for a large, fast growing pup are greater than normal. The deficiency will not be as obvious in smaller boned females of the same litter. Connective tissue forms part of the valves and arteries of the heart and the same animal can have a heart murmur and (or) a general weakness of the heart muscle. If, prior to whelping, the bitch has been fed an extremely poor diet (one lacking essential nutrients and balance) and the pups are weaned on the same fare the parathyroid system may not begin to function properly and the pups will be unable to efficiently absorb Calcium. This also leads to spread feet, low pasterns and poor quality of bone. If Calcium Carbonate has been given it will form deposits on the bones and joints leading to arthritis in hips and elbows and elsewhere. Premature aging of the skeletal structure and wearing of bones and joints will occur. Kelp, “Plant-iodine”, and Shark Fin Cartilage may be of assistance, but professional help is strongly advised if you suspect this problem. If a bitch has a mineral deficiency in her system she will pass it on to her pups. To correct this imbalance it is necessary for her to be on an All Raw, correctly balanced diet and suitable supplements for at least 12 months prior to having a litter. The longer she remains on a balanced diet the less likelihood there is of her producing pups affected by this condition. As you can see, there are varying degrees of deficiency in relation to the skeletal structure, connective tissue and cartilage.
HYPER CALCEMIA:This is a condition which can occur if there is too much Calcium in the blood. The most likely cause is when liquid Calcium is administered to a bitch immediately after whelping to correct Eclampsia (a condition brought on by the depletion of Calcium during difficult or prolonged labour).
Theapeutic doses of MAGNESIUM SULPHATE capsules should be given: 4 tablets every 6 hours for 48 hours and then 2 tablets four times daily.(The list above may be updated from time to time)
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