Ask Our Vet Question & Answer
What Is The Difference Between Invasive & Noninvasive Treatment?
Dr. Char discusses the difference between invasive treatments like surgery, and the benefits of holistic, non-invasive treatments that address the root problem and may actually reduce the need for your animal to undergo a surgical procedure.
Invasive treatments would be surgery. So let’s say a dog has anal gland problem, a very common problem. The vet may say “you know, you’ve been in here every two weeks – you may want to have these anal glands surgically removed.” That would be invasive.
Another way to direct your attention would be to say “Well, oftentimes allergies are behind this and so let’s work on the allergies. If we reduce the allergic reaction going on in the body, then the anal glands won’t be over-producing and they won’t get infected and you won’t have a problem anymore. So that’s the way I would look at it and try it first before going to surgery.
Why Do We Need To Help Supplement A Dogs Diet
Dr. Char talks about how each breed and size of dog has individual needs, and why adding supplements and tailoring a diet to each individual dog’s needs will provide optimal health and maintain homeostasis for the animal.
We do need to supplement a dog’s diet because our knowledge of what a perfect diet is – is inadequate. Because it’s really different for each breed. They have recognized that in the traditional community. There’s large breeds and small breeds and some have big teeth and others have little mouths and need little particle sizes and they try to accommodate that.
But still, our knowledge isn’t perfect and we need to give a variety of different foods and we probably also want to supplement so that the dog will have everything it needs so that reactions will occur and that the body will grow and respond normally to any allergens or other stressful events that occur in its life. Then it will have everything it needs to sustain its normal homeostasis.
What Is The Most Difficult Part For A Dog Recovering From Surgery?
Dr. Char explores how to help your dog to heal properly following a surgery, and what they will need.
When an animal recovers from surgery you have to be careful that they don’t re-injure themselves, so you need to keep them somewhat restricted. And you need to supply their body with the nutrients that will help that tissue to heal, and heal strongly.
Difference Between Inflammation And Infection In My Dog?
Dr. Char explains the difference between inflammation and infection in a dog and how they react in the body.
Inflammation means that there is fluid that has gone to the tissue so that it is swollen. The body is mobilizing its defenses – It’s usually sending in this fluid, white blood cells. If there’s something for the white blood cells to attach to and try to grasp, then if there’s bacteria in there, then that can start to form a puss – it basically attaches and degrades. You also have histamine release and swelling – but the … type material is a little more textured, is a sign of infection. If you have a lot of inflammation going and it’s unchecked, a lot of times that sequence will be an infection.
Is There A Paticular Reason That Dogs Need To Detoxify?
Dr. Char talks about why it is important for dogs to detoxify, just as humans do.
A dog needs to detoxify just like people need to detoxify because you have external pollutants that get inside and you also have your internal pollutants. So even if you had a nice steak dinner or something that is going to break down, and you’re going to have to get rid of what you don’t need. So it’s really important that all the detoxification pathways are open and functioning so that things don’t stay around and be an irritant and cause cellular slowdown, decline, and failure.
How Do Canine Cell Detoxify?
Dr. Char Wilson discusses the specifics involved with canine cell detoxification.
What Are The Most Common Pet Toxins
Dr. Char explores the pet toxins that are spread throughout our environment and where they are found. She also shares tips on how to keep your pet healthy and avoid accidental poisoning in the future.
Pet toxins can come from our environment – that may include pesticides that we use around the house, the bug sprays, or maybe the sprays that we’re spraying around to keep fleas away, beetles away or spiders and all that. And [our pets] are on the ground so they’ll get a heavier dose than what we will. So you have it in your environment. There are also other things in the air.
There’s also [toxins] from your food. Oftentimes the foods will be stabilized and not always will you know everything that will be in the food. If they’re stabilizing the fat with… or some other chemicals, they don’t have to list that if the manufacturer didn’t add it. It came with it so they just say fat. There’s other contaminates that can be in the food that we won’t even know about. A lot of times they’ll say like ‘animal parts or digest’ but it doesn’t specify where all that came from. Sometimes the ingredients will change depending upon the cost of the ingredients. The manufacturer can change it a little bit. Or a different source comes in with the melamine toxicity [for example], no one knew there was going to be a contaminate in the wheat or the starch. You just never know what all you are getting in your dog food.
What Human Medicines Can Have Adverse Reactions In Pets?
Dr. Char discusses which medications you should and should not give to your pet.
Should We Give Dogs Human Medicine?
Dr. Char emphasizes why human medicines can be dangerous to give to dogs and that some human medicines may not even be safe for humans.
That’s not a good idea to give human medicine. Actually, they’re starting to rethink acetaminophen for people. I never give acetaminophen to dogs. Twenty to thirty years ago there were products with aspirin for dogs.
There are other newer medications that will be safer. A lot of your non-steroidal anti-inflammatories are very hard on the stomach. It damages the stomach and causes bleeding. It’s not something you want to rely on long term.
How Important Is Joint Health To The Average Dog?
Dr. Char explains why joint health is extremely important for dogs, and the negative consequences of a dog losing their mobility.
Joint health is really important for dogs because they really usually don’t have the option of wheelchairs. There are special carts, but for the most times when a dog can’t walk the owner then has to select euthanasia because it’s extremely cumbersome to get a dog into a cart and out of a cart. So, unfortunately a lot of dogs are put down when they lose their mobility.
