Veterinary Homeopathy

Ask the Holistic Vet – June 2022

Written by Deva Khalsa

Holistic/ homeopathic veterinarian Dr. Deva Khalsa answers readers’ questions each month. This month she gives answers about a dog with loose stools, a cat with a respiratory virus, a Cocker Spaniel with an itch and much more. Send your question to: [email protected] by the 7th of the month.

Dear Dr. Khalsa,

My Labrador is almost a year old. She has had loose stool for a week now. I thought it was some lamb that my husband had given her. Over the last week I’ve given silver in water, goats milk, coconut oil and tried acv in water but she didn’t like it. Tried pumpkin and she didn’t want much. Any suggestions would be appreciated
Thank you
Sarah

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

There are a lot of potential reasons for loose stool and one of the major ones in a puppy is worms. She’s only a year old and I know we can consider her maybe not a puppy but she’s young enough that she may be carrying the worms from her mother.

All puppies are born with roundworms and the biggest larvae stay in the mother’s muscle and when the hormones of pregnancy become activated the larvae also activate and get into the bloodstream and go to the uterus and land up in the intestines of the puppies, so all puppies are born with worms.

This sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock movie but it’s actually true. Additionally, it’s very easy for dogs to get worms. The cleanest park that looks newly mowed is the perfect vehicle to give your dog worms because the other dogs poop and it gets washed into the ground and then the eggs hatch and the larvae crawl up on a blade of grass and wait for a dog to stand there and crawl up through the soft parts of their pads into their body.

Panacur (fenbendazole) Safe Guard is available at 1-800 pet meds over the counter and you can order it. It’s very hard to get the Panacur because everyone is buying it to cure their cancer but you can get it. You’re just looking for the active ingredient Fenbendazole and you give it in the food once a day for three days.


Hi Dr. Khalsa,

My Russian Blue kitten is very congested. She is 4 months old. The breeder said it happened after her distemper vaccine, so she was put on doxycycline before I picked her up. She is coughing and sneezing and very junky sounding, but is eating and drinking well. I have her on a pre/probiotic, colostrum, and lysine, but I haven’t noticed any improvements.
Thank you
Tracy

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

A major problem that kittens and cats have is respiratory viruses. Vaccines are contaminated with many other viruses in addition to the ones that you’ve paid for. Doxycycline is for bacteria and it really doesn’t work for viruses. I would use Argentum 23 colloidal silver which is a nano-particle colloidal silver that doctors sell (but you can get it on the web). There’s also a product from the same company but not as concentrated and that is called Sovereign Silver and you can get it in the health food store and I would give her 1/2 of a teaspoon six times a day for a week


Dear Dr. Khalsa

What can I do to help reduce swelling in my 17-month old Aussie’s scrotal sac? He was neutered five days ago. He seems totally unaffected. Incision looks great, but this looks like a hematoma. Vet said give Rimadyl and warm compress. That seems counterintuitive.
Thank you
Anna

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

I would give Apis mell 6x and Arnica 6x often.  By the time this is published you may not need it.


Dear Dr. Khalsa,

I have a 12-week-old cocker spaniel that won’t stop scratching. Currently feeding raw chicken and also on omega 3 once daily. Been to vet recently and no ear infections or skin rash. Scratching is all over his body. Any ideas?
Thank you
Leela

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

First of all there are no Omega 3’s in the product you are using. Please read this article:  http://www.doctordeva.com/oxidation-how-exposure-to-air-heat-and-light-can-ruin-your-dogs-supplements/

Allergies are not that common in 12-week old puppies but with the use of Apoquel in the Mom or Dad the puppies may have problems. See this article : http://www.doctordeva.com/allergies-and-energy/

The problem is more likely a mite, such as Chylettiealla mites, Demodex mites or Scabies mites. The former has large dandruff flakes.  The latter is impossible to find on a skin scraping so one diagnoses by response to treatment. Please read this article: http://www.doctordeva.com/scabies-the-allergy-impersonator/


Dear Dr. Khalsa,

Is there a way to prevent heartworm without using drugs that are themselves harmful?
Thank you
Paola Brown

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

In actual fact, Ivermectin is a very safe drug. It’s being used for cancer treatment, curing COVID and curing any viral issue and this is the easiest drug to use to prevent heartworm. I like to get it as Heartgard plain chewables – this is not the heartgard plus, it’s the heartgard plain –  so it doesn’t have any additional poison in it. It’s simply an extremely low dose of ivermectin.


Hi Dr Khalsa,

My 9-year-old female cat was having small urinary accidents and I took her for an ultrasound and she was diagnosed with a small bladder stone a year ago. She’s been on an herbal product called Crysta Clair ever since which is supposed to dissolve the stone.

She never had a history of crystals in her urine up until last week. They found 20-50 struvite crystals/hpf. Everything else was normal and her pH was 8. The urine was obtained by cystocentesis at 11:30 am and the results were reported at 4:30 am the next day.

I have a degree in lab medicine and we are taught that struvite crystals, even though we report them, are clinically insignificant if the sample has been sitting and hers was sitting a very long time. So my question is, can we assume that her bladder stone is a struvite stone or could these crystals be from the urine sitting?

I was also thinking that maybe this is a good sign that the Crysta Clair is dissolving the stone and that’s why the crystals are there. Another concerning thing to me is, out of curiosity, I’ll collect a free catch urine sample from her and test the pH right away using pH paper. I’ve done this 3 times and her pH has been between 6.5 and 6.8.  Based on the lab’s pH of 8, my vet is having me add cranberry to make her urine more acidic but now I’m not sure I should be doing that.

Her urinary accidents have stopped, and the doctor who did the ultrasound felt that the stone was small enough to pass. I feed her raw food and add water to it. What are your thoughts and is there anything else that I can do to get rid of this stone?
Thanks,
Heather

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

You’re exactly correct in that struvite crystals are normal. A urine sample has to be read within two hours after being obtained or else crystals grow and crystals dissolve and there’s all kinds of different crystals in the urine and so the urine is like a science experiment.

I like Wysong biotic pH to acidify the urine because it works very well. You can, alternatively, give cranberry and you have to give it about three times a day. At the pH of 8- yes- you would see more struvite crystals because they grow, as I said, just like a science experiment in an alkaline pH and the more acidic the urine the fewer struvite crystals and the acidic urine will dissolve struvite crystals and struvite stones.

I can’t ascertain what the stone is in the urine but most likely it is a struvite stone because she has struvite crystals and her pH was high but it could dissolve on its own with an acidic pH


Hi Dr. Khalsa,

This question is about a hairless cat who is suffering from a skin condition. Black spots that rub off with redness and raised eruptions. I suspect cat acne from doing some research but I don’t know enough to be sure.  Bathing amel, stress aggravates. Ernie is licking to soothe itching.

“Ernie is chilly. He is a bit of a bully. He reminds me of a gangly teenager when he runs.  He has to sleep with me, under the covers.”

Thank you
Martina McEvoy DSHM, FSHM
Veritas Homeopathy

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

The remedy for this is low potency Silicea, so you can give Silicea 6X three times a day for about a month and all of those blackheads will come up and erupt and exit the body


Dear Dr. Khalsa,
Not too long ago you helped my mom’s dog with a variety of issues, and now I have a dog who can use some help.  I have a one-year-old mixed breed girl, Clarke. We rescued her about 4 months ago, and about 3 months ago we were notified that her sister tested positive for Heartworm. Despite testing negative when we got her, she just tested positive in a follow-up exam last week and in a third test.

Our vet would like to give her an injection of Merlasomine followed by another two injections of it thirty days later. It seems like this is a very common treatment method, but she is an extremely active dog (she is part Shepherd and Border Collie). So, we are a little concerned about how we will be able to keep her calm and inactive during the full 8-week treatment period.
Thank you so much!!
Best,
Ricky Meyers   [email protected]

Dr. Deva Khalsa:

I don’t use Merlasomine.  There are holistic possibilities and also doxycycline and ivermectin is another possible Rx. The holistic/homeopathic combo does not work as well, since Bill Gates released all these GM Mosquitoes in different places but close enough for them to breed together. Mosquitoes transmit heartworms.

Please see my articles on heartworm and on mosquitoes at my website:
http://www.doctordeva.com/wp-content/uploads/natural-treatment-for-heartworm.pdf
http://www.doctordeva.com/wp-content/uploads/Mosquito-Madness.pdf
Since this is a complex problem, you should consider contacting my office for a regular consult.

From Dr. Khalsa:  Dr. Khalsa’s Newsletter:

Sign up for my newsletters by going to  www.doctordeva.com  and scrolling down and entering your email.  When you get a reply you simply confirm you want to receive the newsletters. You will get informative articles, videos and lots of helpful information. Some of the letters are pre-created in an order so that you can learn as you go, and I also send out email BLASTS with new and interesting information in between.  Welcome to the family!
Kindest regards,
Dr. Deva Khalsa 
215-944 3036
[email protected]
www.doctordeva.com

Visit Dr. Khalsa at her website for information and consults:
http://www.doctordeva.com/

Editor’s note: Dr. Khalsa’s new book was just released:

The Allergic Pet –Holistic Solutions to End the Allergy Epidemic in Our Dogs and Cats

Dr. Khalsa shows how to strengthen the immune systems of dogs and cats without invasive techniques or pharmaceutical drugs.

https://www.amazon.com/Allergic-Pet-Holistic-Solutions-Epidemic/dp/1621871827

also….

The second edition of Dr. Khalsa’s Natural Dog is now available. It’s an exceptional book with information not offered in any similar work. I recommend it highly!

Ask the Holistic Vet January Dr

About the author

Deva Khalsa

Dr. Deva Khalsa V.M.D. is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, a Fellow and Professor of the British Institute of Homeopathy and has lectured both nationally and internationally. She is the co-author of ‘Healing Your Horse: Alternative Therapies’ and Dr. Khalsa’s Natural Dog‘. Her practice includes homeopathy acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, nutrition, N.A.E.T, J.M.T. and other modalities. Her philosophy is to use whatever it takes to restore health. Dr. Khalsa’s practice is in New Zealand but she consults by internet and phone with pet owners from the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Europe and the UK. http://www.doctordeva.com

2 Comments

  • Dr. Khalsa ~ Thank you for offering to answer our questions, such a blessed service! My dog is a 2.5 year old Catahoula Leopard Hound. When she was a baby, she was run over by a car breaking both hind legs in 4 fractures (by her person who was on drugs and fighting with her partner; later when she was still a puppy could sense when someone was off balance or on drugs, and would literally grab me by the hand and drag me away if I stopped to talked to someone who was erratic; she also used to freak out and bite me (not harshly, but enough to make a statement) if I was upset at all). When we got her at 4.5 months she was having some trouble with her left hind leg hurting and being sensitive to touch, and often would favor it and not put it on the ground while running. She responded beautifully to Rhus tox LM1, with complete improvement after each dose, but she needed to retake it several times/week for a month or so. At the time, she was also taking comfrey, nettle and horsetail tea. For many months after, she was fine even without the remedy and the herbs. Recently, she has been having trouble again, after a large dog jumped on her several weeks ago. It seems her left hip hurts when she runs, and she LOVES running, even when it’s aggravated. She isn’t putting her hind foot down at all while running. The left hip/thigh is now smaller than the right, somewhat emaciated. Otherwise, she is very healthy. She is a fierce hunter (catching birds in the air at age 4.5, catching ground squirrels daily, chasing wildlife away); she is fairly independent but likes to be near her people; she is affectionate and friendly with people, dogs, cats, and comes to cuddle with me early mornings; she begs for walks/adventures and gets obviously very happy while on an adventure; she loves car rides; she is a jumper, loves to leap high in the air when excited, jumping up and down with joy, she is exuberant; she is submissive to other dogs, but chases after coyotes (was bitten by one once but still chases them); she gets in other dogs faces and starts licking them and doesn’t care if they bark or bite at her; she is very smart; seems sensitive to the heat, but also to the cold (won’t go swimming unless pretty hot); she goes to sleep early and sleeps from about 7pm until around 6am; she jerks a lot in her sleep, and for a while seemed to be having seizures in her sleep. She takes CBD which seems to calm her (jerking in sleep, loud barking at night for any slight sound, seems to have helped her hip in the past, but not anymore). She has had 1 rabies shot, Ivermectin for worms, and gets conventional topical tick treatment every few months. I would like to prevent her from losing the use of her leg, and to not have to give her tick treatment. Thank you again so much!

  • Dear Dr. Khalsa ~ my 2.5 yo Catahoula had 4 fractures of her hind legs as a puppy (run over by her person who was on drugs and fighting). When we got her at 4.5 months old, she had recovered physically, but would freak out and grab my hand with her teeth to get me away if around someone who was inebriated or upset.

    Since then, she periodically has trouble with her left hind hip while and after running hard or being jumped on by a larger dog, and now won’t put weight on it while running. The hind hip/thigh is starting to get emaciated. Initially her hip responded well to Rhus tox LM1, along with horsetail, nettle and comfrey tea, but now it does not seem to help.

    Otherwise she is very healthy. She had 1 rabies shot, 1x worm meds, and every few months gets topical tick meds, all of which I would love to avoid using if possible. She is very high spirited, jumping up and down with excitement with other dogs, which she submits to, and licks them in the face. She jumps up in the air to catch things or to show her excitement. She is a fierce hunter. She is independent yet affectionate. She did have what seems to be seizures/jerking in her sleep, better from taking CBD.

    I would love to find her a remedy for her hip, and to prevent her from losing use of it.

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