November was National Pet Diabetes Month. It is estimated that 45 % of dogs and 58% of cats are overweight, a leading cause of diabetes.
Feeding a raw meat diet, using holistic approaches, tracking weight in the Healthy Animal’s Journal and exercising cats and dogs appropriately go a long way to managing weight. Decreasing vaccines and other toxins as well as treating early warning signs holistically will lower the risk of diabetes dramatically. In 30 years I cannot think of one of my patients who came down with diabetes, though many came to me already ill with diabetes.
Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins is a veterinarian and PhD nutritionist and was working for Hills when her young cat developed diabetes. As she thought about it – carbs in people = diabetes; cats=obligate carnivores; it was the dry food she was feeding her cats that “caused” the diabetes, so she started promoting no dry food for cats and appropriate diets. Her cat’s diabetes resolved with a diet change to canned, no grain foods. Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life
Chow Hounds by Dr. Ernie Ward offers great charts to tell if your dog is obese and tips (not holistic and he is averse raw meat) to help them lose weight. His personal story is great inspiration, too.
My dog was diagnosed with diabetes a little over a year ago. Ive been giving him insulin injections twice a day since diagnosis. He is also taking a supplement called glucoensue that contains chromium along with some herbs. He is on a raw meet diet and receives cultured goats milk with each meal. I read that olive leaf extract was a good immune enhancing herb and that it may lower blood sugar. Any thoughts on me adding this to our current regimen? The process of administering the insulin twice a day is not pleasant. Lots of teeth, growling and barking, and I have to use a muzzle or he tries to bite me. I must get my little friend off insulin. This is the only time we experience this unpleasant situation.
Dear dorothy,
Diabetes is becoming so much more common now. the good news is there are so many ways that your dog can get completely off insulin. you can certainly add the Olive Leaf but I do not think it will be enough. The holistic philosophy has taught me that there is an underlying vibrational imbalance that causes most problems and the healing goal is to resolve that imbalance with treatments selected for that individual animal. To better understand this perspective, read the first few chapters of Don Hamilton’s Homeopathic Care of Cats and Dogs or the few pages in my book, the Healthy Animal’s Journal. Now that the multitude of holistic modalities is available, I can tell you to never give up. Try one great integrative veterinarian after the other, and record the changes with each new treatment tried by you or the vet.
go to my links page to find one local to you, or if none that are good (see article on Selecting and Working with Holistic Vets) are near you, remember that the homeopathic ones can help by phone.
Very importantly, check to see if your electric company has changed your old “analog” electric meter (it has 4 little discs that spin and a man stops monthly to read it) for a “smart meter” or “digital meter” – looks like a computer. These can cause severe health problems or worsen current ones. Opt out of getting one.
You are doing so many of the “right” things to help get him off the insulin, so I think that finding a great integrative vet is really your next step.
You can also get attuned to Reiki, which I recommend to everyone and learn acupressure. Both of those can help very deeply.
Dorothy then asked me about Zinc for diabetes. I had not heard of using Zinc and found that in people is has possibly been found useful.
While vitamins are certainly part of an integrative approach to treating diabetes in dogs or cats, feeding a raw food diet with a good general supplement or may be all that is needed. Because I strongly working with a integrative veterinarian (homeopathic ones can help by phone if no one is near you) as they will be able to have the best chance to get your dog or cat off insulin or get down to a reduced dose and improve the quality of life. They will be able to suggest specific supplements, if needed. Chromium and Vitamin E are the ones I usually recommend.
Here are a few that may be recommended:
Chromium supports the pancreatic beta cells which make insulin, by improving C-peptide levels.
Vitamin Bs are good for the nervous system and regulates the appetite.
Vitamin C (totally safe) may help prevent cataracts and control blood sugar, improves the immune system and is good against infections which diabetics can be susceptible to.
Vitamin E (safe at proper dose) can control sugar levels and improve the immune system.
Herbs and glandular supplements are often suggested as well (standard process and animals apawthecary).
Again, feeding a fresh food diet supplies many of the above vitamins. Puree the vegetables finely for best absorption. Good ones for diabetes include: parsley, alfalfa sprouts, dandelion greens, green beans, carrots, apples, bananas, squash, kidney beans, millet and potatoes.