Tidbits 57: Everything You Know About Pet Care Is Wrong!

The cancer rate is currently 1 in 1.65 dogs!  That means practically every dog is getting cancer!  More dogs have cancer than any other mammal on the planet!  For cats it’s slightly better at 1 out of 3, if you can call that “better”.  Think about chemical lawn fertilizers and weed killers–and most of us let our dogs and cats out, and they eat the grass, you know; and that’s just the beginning of their chemical exposure!

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Dog and Cat Food

Even worse than the inorganic lawn fertilizer and weed killer is the processed, commercial pet food we buy.  Actually, it’s hard to know what’s worse!  I always thought that pet food was “reliable”, if not “ideal”.  (You could always compensate by buying a really “good” pet food–I thought.)  But here’s the low-down on pet food:  Almost everyone buys kibble.  We’re told to feed them this because it’s good for their teeth, plenty of fiber, and “scientifically correct”, meaning the vitamin/mineral ratio is exactly as it should be.  There’s a dog food called “Science Diet” to drive home this point, and if you feed your dog this kibble, he will get exactly what he needs to stay healthy–supposedly.  This is what has been drilled into our heads!

In fact, the vet will tell you, “Don’t feed him ‘people food’!  It’s not good for him!  You’ll ruin everything!  Just stick with kibble and you can’t go wrong!”  The vet’s even got plenty of free samples there in his office–the Pet Food companies have made sure of that!   So what, then, is pet food made of–really?  I’m sure you think it’s made of the same ingredients you buy for yourself at the supermarket–beef, chicken, turkey, liver, vegetables, and so on.  Well, I hope you’re sitting down…

Here’s what’s in pet food:  Food Rejected For Human Consumption, in a base of corn, wheat, rice or starch; and includes downed cows, road kill, diseased live stock, left-over restaurant grease, uninspected parts from the seafood industry, grains that fail inspection, dead farm animals… should I go on?  All must be picked up and disposed of through “rendering”, a process that converts animal protein into raw material for the pet food industry.  They blend it with starch–which the animals can’t even digest — add in synthetic vitamins, heat at high temperatures creating toxic and cancer-causing by-products… et finis!… Bon appetit!

Actually, without the “spray” they use at the end (the “palatability enhancer”), your animal won’t even touch it!  Does it sound reasonable to feed your dog this concoction?  The fact is, despite all the numerous brands of dog and cat food, there is actually only one manufacturing plant!  They’re all getting their “food” from the same place!  See below from the article, “Kibble or Canned Dog Food”:

“Many pet foods, it turns out, are assembled on the same central assembly lines – using the same ingredients from the same sources.

In fact, MOST canned dog foods are made by just one company, whose name you would never recognize. This one company makes the food for many familiar brand names.

…

Most dog food brands…are owned by mega-corporations such as Proctor & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive.”

https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/health/articles/feeding-healthy-natural-dog-food.html

 

What giant corporations like Proctor & Gamble want are profits; they’re not going to throw away money on quality.  They’re not going to fuss over your dog and cat like you would.

 

No Carbs!

Wheat, corn, rice–your pet food is full of this stuff, but dogs and cats can’t digest it, and fungal toxins from grains are an ever-present problem in kibble!  Cats can’t break down starches, dogs only slightly. The result of all this starch in pet food is degenerative diseases like arthritis.  And listen people, needless to say…don’t give your pet junk food!  No ice cream, pretzels, cookies…and certainly NO CANDY!  No CHOCOLATE!!!!  No grapes, onions or raisins as dogs have trouble digesting these.  Dogs and cats need protein, fat and a small amount of vegetables and fruit.  If you want to give your dog treats?  Try sugar snap peas, raw walnuts, berries, raw almonds, carrots, apples; give your cat a salad (no dressing!), if you don’t, they’ll eat your house plants.

What Am I Supposed To Feed My Dog (and cat)?

 

They’re carnivores.  They kill herbivores and eat them raw, meaning they get meat, the vegetation in the herbivore’s stomach, and bones!  So this should be giving you an idea of what’s appropriate for them to eat.  Don’t worry, I’ve got videos for you to watch, of people preparing their animals’ raw food meal.  But listen, you have to switch over to raw food gradually, or the result will be diarrhea and stomach upset.  If your pet has been eating nothing but kibble his whole life, switching to fresh whole foods suddenly will be quite a shock to his system!  OK, now watch this video called:

“Dog Food–Seven Day Menu–Mostly Raw Organic”

And also watch: 

“How To Make Raw Cat Food Without A Grinder”

Do you want healthy, well-behaved animals?  Feed them their natural food!

Over-Vaccinating!

This is a real problem. It’s hard to know which of these horrendous mistakes is worse!  Now, here are some of the mind-boggling facts about vaccines:

1. There are no rules pertaining to how many times you can vaccinate pets for the same disease. Here’s a typical scenario: the breeder vaccinates his puppies, then the new owner takes the dog to the vet and the vet gives the exact same vaccines over again without a second thought.  Is this a problem?  No one’s doing any studies to find out; but remember, the cancer rate among dogs and cats is sky-high, something has to explain it!  Vets are seeing terrible reactions in pets to over-vaccinating but are afraid to speak out lest they be fired or lose their license to practice.
2. All animals get the same dose of vaccine regardless of their size and weight.  A Toy Poodle gets the same dose as a Great Dane.  Is this OK?  No one knows!
3. Celebrated veterinarian, Dr. John Robb of Connecticut, says that one rabies vaccine lasts a dog’s whole lifetime!  And all you need is an antibody titre test to show that immunity is still there, but, they’re not allowed to do titre tests!  Titre testing is becoming a big issue among vets.  Many vets are saying it proves that yearly vaccination is NOT necessary!  The vaccine makers have lobbied state governments to make the rabies shot mandatory, meaning vets can’t check for antibody titres and determine that the dog is still immune, and leave it at that.  The rabies vaccine is extremely dangerous.  “Do I have to kill my patient to comply with the law?” asked Robb.  “Yes,” replied the state of Connecticut.
4. Vaccine side-effects include, but are not limited to, tumors at the injection site, cancer at the injection site, auto-immune disease later in life, allergies, skin problems, sudden death due to anaphylaxis, hemolytic anemia, seizures, brain damage/behavior problems.
5. Veterinary practice still allows vaccines to contain Thimerosal (mercury)!  Mercury is a neuro-toxin.
6. Animals are vaccinated every year for the rest of their lives unlike with children where at some point the vaccinations stop.
7. Guess who’s buying up vet practices?  The Mars Company!  You know, the ones who make Mars Candy Bars?

So naturally, they see a future for themselves in the veterinary field!  Well, why not?  Join the other mega-corporations!  But being a maker of candy bars definitely gives me pause:

“In large enough amounts, chocolate and cocoa products can kill your dog. The toxic component of chocolate is theobromine.  Humans easily metabolize theobromine, but dogs process it much more slowly, allowing it to build up to toxic levels in their system.”

https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/nutrition-feeding/is-chocolate-bad-for-dogs

 

The last thing this company wants to hear is, “I think we’re over-vaccinating.”  Gee, that sounds like less money for the Mars Company!!!!  (And don’t expect a Mars vet to tell you, “Don’t feed your dog chocolate!” either.) 

50% of a vet’s income comes from vaccinating!  Don’t expect to get a reasoned assessment of the risk/benefit ratio from him or the people who own his practice!  Plus which, vets know they have to follow “procedure” or lose their job and lose their license!  Do you know what the suicide rate among veterinarians is?  Four-times greater than that of the general population!  And no wonder, they can’t do right by their patients, they can’t exercise their own judgment.

Here is Dr. Robb’s website: www.ProtectThePets.com. 

I, personally, would not vaccinate my pets.  I would not give my pet something to prevent disease that actually causes disease!  What’s the value in that?  What kind of trade-off is that?  First of all, they’re so scared of going to the vet, it’s not worth taking them there for little-to-no reason.  And it’s much worse for cats!  Traveling with a cat is next to impossible, they are so freaked out!  Secondly, if you feed your animals right, their natural diet, they’re not going to get these diseases!  And if they do get sick, you’ve got homeopathy; get to know homeopathy, there are lots of homeopathic dog and cat care books!  The law says you have to get the rabies shot.  I would give a dose of Ledum 30C right before the shot and a dose of Lyssin 30C right afterwards and hope for the best.  You can get both these remedies at www.Amazon.com.

Pests!  (Fleas and Ticks)

You know, just changing their food to their natural diet is going to go a long way towards raising your animal’s level of health, making him less attractive to pests!  Fleas and ticks don’t attack everybody, they go for the least healthy among us.  But even so, here’s what you can do so that you don’t have to resort to flea collars and other toxic measures.

1. First of all, add chopped garlic to your pet’s food.  For every 15 pounds of animal, use 1/4 tsp. of chopped garlic.  Fleas and ticks don’t like the odor that garlic leaves on the skin.  For toy dogs, make it 1/8 tsp. and for cats, just a pinch.  Mix with their food.
2. Get a plant sprayer.  Pour in 8 oz. of water, 4 oz. of Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar, 10 drops of Neem oil, 10 drops of Catnip oil (it’s a mosquito repellent) and 5 drops of lemon oil.  Don’t get any of this in their eyes!  Now, shake it up, spray it in your hands and rub it on your dog’s fur.  Don’t spray it on them, I’ll tell you why.  Dogs and cats are afraid of the plant sprayer, in that they don’t like being sprayed with water, and you don’t want them associating this ritual with something they’re afraid of.  In fact, a good way to get a dog to stop barking at a stranger you’ve invited into the house is to spray them with the plant sprayer and they will vacate the area in a hurry!  But buy a second plant sprayer for just water.  Say, “No!”  “Stop!” and spray them with the water and eventually, they will know that when you say “Stop!”, they better stop or the plant sprayer is coming out!  Anyway, every time you take your dog for a walk, you have to rub this “flea and tick spray” into his coat.
3. OK, Flea and Tick Spray for cats: 8 oz. of water, 4 oz. of Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar, 10 drops of Neem oil, 10 drops of catnip oil.
4. Check for ticks daily.  Run a lint roller across your dog’s coat when he comes in from a walk and you might pick up ticks with it!   And by the way, you’re going to need that lint roller to get all the pet hair off your clothes and off the furniture!
5. To see articles on treating parasites naturally, click below: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=parasites+in+dogs+site%3Ashirleys-wellness-cafe.com&ia=web

Coconut Oil

What’s the value of feeding your dogs and cats coconut oil?

1. It’s for allergies, eczema, body odor, promotes shiny coat and prevents yeast and fungal infections.
2. Skin conditions
3. Brain health
4. Bad breath
5. Aids digestion
6. Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-microbial
7. Increases nutrient absorption

Dosage: 1/4 tsp. for cats and small dogs, 1 tsp. for dogs, 1 tbs. for large dogs; once or twice a day, mix with their food.

Buy cold-pressed, extra-virgin, organic coconut oil.

Apple Cider Vinegar

One tsp. of apple cider vinegar in drinking water for flea prevention and prevention of stone formation. (However, who knows if dogs will be willing to drink it?  I’ve never actually tried it so I don’t know.)

A Tip From Me

Don’t buy one puppy, buy the litter mate as well!

Let me explain.  Dogs are pack animals, they’re not loners!  If you buy just one puppy, he’ll have no one to play with.  Play is very important in puppies, they exercise and learn their skills by playing with other dogs.  With no other dog to play with, YOU become the litter mate!  The puppy will make a pest out of himself, biting you (as dogs do to each other as they play–you’ll reach to pet the dog’s head and he’ll bite your hand instead); hanging on your leg as you try to walk from room to room is another trick he’ll soon pick up, and worst of all, he will destroy your house if you try to leave him alone!  Dogs, in the wild, are never alone!  So it is totally unnatural for your dog to be alone in the house by himself.  He will react frantically, tearing up paper, clothes, ripping up upholstery….  This is how dogs wind up consigned to the basement or tied up in the back yard.  The neighbors complain that the dog barks all day, and that’s when the dog is finally taken to the pound and no doubt eventually put to sleep.

You can prevent all this by buying the litter mate.  They will have so much fun chasing each other and playing hide and seek that you won’t feel any burden upon yourself at all; in fact, you will be so amused by the dogs’ antics, you’ll spend hours being entertained by them.  You’ll also be able to leave them alone without them becoming frantic.

Now, here’s another tip, if you’re still worried about them freaking out while you leave them alone to go shopping or go to work or school, buy two lamb shanks and hand them to them as you walk out the door.

They will be so thrilled about getting bones, they won’t even care that you’ve left!

Another Tip

Where is the dog going to sleep?  Some people actually have the quaint idea that the dog will sleep in its “doggie bed” that you’ve thoughtfully set up for him in the kitchen.  You will become distressed that the dog, instead, cries all night and scratches on your door!  For heaven’s sake, get over it and let the dog sleep with you!

They don’t sleep alone, OK?  They’re pack animals!  It’s a futile idea, so forget about it!  

Finally…don’t punish and scold dogs, they don’t learn from it!  They learn from

“Positive Reinforcement”!  

Reward them for doing things right!  This is how you train them: say to your puppy, “Sit…” and push his rear-end down into a sitting position; say “Good dog!” and give him a piece of apple.  Keep doing this until he “gets it” and realizes that if he tries to “learn”, he gets a reward.  Do the same thing for “lie down”, “stay” and so forth.  Again, scolding doesn’t work.  And needless to say…beating, hitting and spanking doesn’t work either!

Siamese Cats 

I want to put in a plug for Siamese cats.  And yes, get TWO of them!  They’re more like dogs than cats, very social, not loners.  “Regular” cats are often hostile towards each other, making it very distressing for the human who has to live with them and has to keep them separated so they don’t kill each other.  Siamese cats are always together, posing together, sleeping together, grooming each other, they’ll get along with your dogs and they’re very communicative, talking to you, they answer you, and you can teach them how to fetch!  You can throw a small ball and they’ll run after it and bring it back to you!  Such wonderful animals!

Regardless of the kind of cat you have, try to make your home accommodating to their nature.  Cats are swift, they climb, they jump, they’re acrobatic, and there’s a lot we can do to make our homes more stimulating for them.  We can put cat walks up near the ceiling and build ladder-like ramps for them to reach the cat walks.  Try and be creative.  See these videos below for inspiration:

 

 

 

OK, I have to go now, it’s way past my bed time again!  See you again next time!  Oh, and by the way, these are my dogs: Larry and Snoopy!

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Elaine Lewis, D.Hom., C.Hom.

Elaine takes online cases–even animal cases!  Write to her at [email protected]

Visit her web site: https://ElaineLewis.hpathy.com