How My Practice Works: Nutrition, Vaccines and Resources

How to be a client in my homeopathic practice

Using homeopathy and natural healing methods may be different than what you have been doing for your pet, so please read the following information. Call me whenever there is any kind of problem with your pet. My answering machine is my secretary. If you have not heard from me when you expected, call me again and send an email if possible. You may press # to bypass the message, but it may change on occasion, so listen to the first few sentences. If there is an emergency, or I am not available, have your local veterinarian treat your pet, but call me as soon as you can. I do like pictures of my patients and to meet patients when possible.

What YOU observe about your pet is essential. General observations, including behavior and personality, about your pet are as important as the “sick” symptoms. Keeping a JOURNAL on each pet helps your memory. You can order a beautiful, easy one to use at HealthyAnimalsJournal.com. I strongly encourage every one of my patients have their own journal. You can purchase it through the web, mail a check to me or pick it up at my home if you are local.
Homeopathic medicines are often given very infrequently, so unless I have specified to give daily or to repeat, DO NOT REPEAT before asking me. An analogy is giving gas to a hot air balloon ‑ you only give a new blast of air when the balloon stops rising or starts to sink.
Do not give any other medicines without checking with me first. This includes ear, wound or eye salves (Panalog, Neosporin). Drugs can interfere with the healing response. Usually fine are the Bach or other Flower essences, homeopathic ointments, herbs and vitamins. You can definitely use Reiki.
Vaccinations in general may lower your pet’s general health, so do not vaccinate until we have talked. (Read the section below on vaccination). Almost any veterinarian or kennel will waive the vaccinations if you offer to sign a release. Rabies vaccination is the exception. Although it may also be detrimental, legally you must give it. CALL ME before you give the rabies vaccine so it can be given at the best time and the deleterious effects can be minimized. Learn Reiki yourself to help neutralize it. Join the Yahoo group Novaxk9s (http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/novaxk9s/) for even more wonderful info on vaccines.
What our animals eat is very important. Please read the diet section below and the section on home cooking in books or on the net. (See Books handout). Most commercial foods are not adequate, for animals need the same high quality fresh food we eat.
You call me for your appointment at 410-771-4968. You may get the “I’m on the other line” message, as other people may have called in with emergencies. Please leave a message and call back. Enjoy the comfort of your own waiting room. You may call at any time, and leave a message if I don’t answer. When I am out of town, I do check messages, so always leave your number. Leave it twice as my machine hiccups, now and then.
We will talk, and given the observations you give me, I will choose the most appropriate medicine for your pet. Then you will watch and record how your pet responds to the medicine. Often there will be ups and downs over the first few days to weeks. Please call me anytime you have a concern. Often what you are noticing is a good reaction to the remedy. PATIENCE is very important as the remedy needs to work fully.
I suggest annual physicals by your veterinarian or me. While there, relate any health problems that were cured holistically. This may interest them in holistic methods. If they only see the failures, why try it?
You and your family are really the key to your pet’s health, both by thinking healthy, good thoughts around your pet and by accurate reporting.

MY GOAL in treating your pet is to have the current problem disappear AND to have fewer, if any future problems occur AND that your pet have increased energy, vitality and be better to live with ‑ that is a CURE.

IT IS EASY TO GIVE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES ‑ THEY ARE IN A SUGAR BASE

Remedies come in different forms: tablets, tiny granules, big pellets.

I may suggest one of 3 ways of administering the remedy depending on the health of your animal.

“Dry” dosing. Here the amount is NOT critical ‑ we just want SOME of the remedy given. One dose is approximately one tablet, 2 ‑ 4 big pellets, a small pinch(10‑20) of granules. NEVER worry about the quantity. It is holographic and a little bit is as good as a lot. This is how the founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, administered remedies in the 4th edition of his text. Most veterinary homeopaths and a lot treating people use this method.If using tablets or big pellets, put in folded paper (corner of old envelope) and crush with a hard object. Tiny granules do not need crushing. Pour the powder or granules into the front of your pet’s mouth, on the tongue or anywhere, or into the pouch in the corner of the mouth. The remedy will dissolve on the gums or tongue. They do NOT have to swallow, just let it dissolve in the mouth. It is OK if they do swallow. For your protection, it is better to not touch the remedies. Do not give the remedy within 30 minutes of eating, if possible. It is best to put directly in the mouth. Next best, put granules in a tiny amount of water, milk, or cream (1‑2 T), stir 20 times and put in mouth. Least best is to give in food.
In the fifth edition, Hahnemann choose a more gentle way to administer remedies that seemed to prevent needless aggravations and seemed to more closely match the improvements in the vital force. Put 2 (of the big granules or tablets) or more (of the tiny ones) into water in a jar you can shake (The amount differs for each animal). Let it sit at least 5 minutes. The give it hard “successions” – hard vertical shakes or hit against your palm. The idea is to agitate the actual water molecules. I will tell you how many shakes. You will then take a specific number of drops from the jar and put into a cup or bowl of water (again I will tell you the amount) of water. Offer it to your animal. If they take even one tongue lap or stick their nose in, that is enough. If not, give them a few drops. Discard that cup (water your plants with it) and wash well. For each succeeding dose, shake the jar again, put 2 drops in the water, offer it, give some, discard the new dilution. Do not make up a new jar each time. If you are not clear, contact me.
In the sixth edition (and last one), which was not published until decades after his death, Hahnemann developed an entirely different system, the LM potencies. I will send you a dropper bottle or have you order one from 888-689-1608 (Jim Klemmer). The dropper bottle is like the jar above – you do not discard it. Shake the bottle hard, then put some drops into some water (the amounts will be specific for your animal), offer it, dose it, discard it, and wash the cup with boiling water. Next dose, shake the stock bottle, and repeat.

STORAGE: Keep remedies tightly closed and in a separate box. Keep out of sunlight, below 120 degs F, and away from electromagnetic fields like TVs, refrigerators, etc. Keep away from very strong smelling compounds ‑ eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, vicks vapor rub, etc. The linen closet is often a good place. If granules fall on the table or floor, throw them away. Ignore the expiration date: remedies are good for a lifetime.

Some useful remedies to have on hand:

Hypericum lotion, gel, salve or tincture: good for wounds, hemorrhages, ear flushing, itchiness.
Calendula: same, but not for deep wounds. Ointments are not as good on cats.
***Rescue remedy(Bach) or animal emergency trauma solutions from other essence companies Put 4 drops of extract in 1 oz of spring water in a dropper bottle. Give about a dropperful of the dilution for nervousness, pain, anxiety, itching. The dilution or cream is good on wounds, for skin problems, even itchiness. You can never harm with these.
Arnica: injuries, trauma.
Aconite: fears, sudden illnesses.

Buying a “kit” of 10 to 40 remedies is useful so you have remedies on hand (Luyties 800-Homeopathy has kits with remedies I selected; also Klemmer-505-982-4071; Wash Homeopathic 800-336-1695; other places). Any remedies are great for people, too, and keep for generations.

If you have flea problems – call or email me for handouts.

Before your first appointment it would be useful to fill out the timeline sheet in the Healthy Animal’s Journal, or create one. List every ailment, every success, everything that could have impacted them (e.g. a move, new job, new baby, new animals in the house), when vaccines were given and anything that makes them feel better or worse. Go through the early warning signs of illness (see below) and record any that are present now, or have been in the past.

DIET RECOMMENDATIONS

This is really critical ‑ common, commercial foods are not adequate. A great diet will help restore health to ill pets and often prevent health problems. The best diet to feed is a balanced, supplemented, homemade diet. After all, what is best for you – prepared, canned, boxed foods that meet the minimum daily requirement, or the freshest, least chemically treated vegetables (and meat)? Good nutrition guides include Dr. Pitcairn’s New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners, It’s for the Animals “Cook” Book, Cat Care Naturally – Celeste Yarnall, Naturally, The Ultimate diet, See Spot Live Longer, Reigning Cats & Dogs: Good Nutrition Healthy Happy Animals, and now many others (see my web site for more).

Many other good books, tapes, Whole Dog Journal & web sites are listed in the references.

Do you use just one cookbook or nutritional guide? Your animals need the same individualized consideration. An excellent tape on commercial pet foods and the raw meat diet is by Jean Hofve of API when she spoke at the Holistic Veterinary Medical Association’s Annual conference in 2000. A new article on the regulatory mess in the pet food industry is at http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/784/Patrick06

WHAT ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE INGREDIENTS?

Organic or not organic? On a scale of 0 – 100, Organic, raised in your gardens and your fields, is a 90. Not 100 because our soils are so depleted, and so even organic produce, and the best raised animals, are mineral and nutrient deficient. Health food quality fresh produce and meat would be 75 on a scale of 100, non-organic meat and produce from regular grocery stores would be 40, and good quality canned or dry would be 0 – 5. Unless you know the owners and can trust their choice of ingredients, you must depend fist on recommendations from me or others. More importantly, go by how your animal feels. Keeping your Journal will help you be concrete in your evaluations. Any other commercial food would be in the negative numbers. Liver must be organic or do not feed it (or eat it yourself) because it is the detoxifier of the body. Some books, like Pat McCay’s Reigning Cats & Dogs: Good Nutrition Healthy Happy Animals, suggest soaking the ingredients to help purify them, others feel its not needed. Water should be whatever you consider the best.

Personally, I feel we should all buy organic whenever we can to help our planet survive.

GENERAL NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES

**Every animal is an individual and has different requirements – you need to find out what will satisfy their personal nutrition needs.

Dogs need 25% – 75% protein, and a few can be healthy with a vegetarian diet.
Cats need at least 70% protein, mostly MEAT, and therefore cannot be vegetarian.(Some cats do best with up to 90% meat, even ones with kidney problems.)

Ingredients

RAW MEAT is the best. Raw meat is best since cooking destroys enzymes and denatures the proteins rendering them less digestible to cats and dogs. Feeding chunks of meat lets your pet exercise jaw muscles, form saliva and enzymes in the stomach (most animals swallow their food relatively whole) needed to digest food properly. Ground meat is passable for most animals, but Juliette de Bairacli Levy said, “Minced meat is lethal to animals”. Supplement ground meat with Taurine when feeding cats as the Taurine is in the juices which may not be present in commercially ground meat. You can buy in quantity and freeze in portions. (Freezing only slightly decreases the nutritional value). An excellent meat is heart meat (good price, too). A must to read on the topic of raw meat is Pottinger’s Cats. An M.D. in the 1930′s kept 3 groups of cats in large outdoor enclosures. He found that feeding raw meat, raw milk and cod liver oil produced great health, including reproductive and offspring’s health. When either the milk or the meat was cooked, health deteriorated rapidly. We rarely see Salmonella, E. coli, and toxoplasmosis due to the intestinal flora of dogs and cats. Raw bones, yes bones, are great on a regular basis as long as there is a lot of meat and cartilage attached. If the animal is eating the bones, you need not supplement with Calcium.
MILK products are fine. Only a few animals get diarrhea from milk, cheese, and cottage cheese.
VEGETABLES (cooked and raw) need to be ground finely for the main meal. They can be given in chunks for treats or for pacifiers. See the Whole Dog Journal for toys that you fill with peanut butter or other food for all day chewing enjoyment.
CARBOHYDRATES, if fed, must be overcooked/soggy and raw since dogs and cats have very short digestive tracts. In the wild, the intestinal contents of the prey are seeds, which are high fat and protein, not our modern grains which are high in carbohydrates. While many animals will tolerate carbohydrates, others can not be fully healthy and need few, if any, grains. Unless your animal is in good health, omit the carbs at first. The reason for giving grains is to decrease your food budget and because some animals love their oatmeal and other carbs and are healthy eating them.
OTHER FOODS As with people, some animals do not thrive on specific food items, so individually adjust your companion’s diet. There are no really taboo foods, although I do not recommend chocolate, a lot of sugar or refined foods or large amounts of onions..
DIGESTIVE ENZYMES are useful while the animals are healing, and may or may not be needed once they are really healthy. A “WHOLE FOOD” OR “SUPER FOOD” supplement is essential since soils are poor. (Blue green algae, colloidal minerals, wheat grass, spirulina, Missing Link, etc.). Rotate these every few months or less rather than just using one.
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS and ANTI-OXIDANTS are often needed.
MEAL TIMES: Don’t leave food out. Feed what they will eat then pick up the food. This is more important in cats than dogs. Do NOT feed dry food to cats, and possibly not dogs either. A normal, healthy cat is NOT THIRSTY!!! (You may see them drink rarely.) Feeding dry food can make cats and dogs thirsty and may stress the kidneys. This should be fun for both you and your companion. BE PATIENT while switching to the new diet.

If there are appetite problems – finicky or ravenous – your animal needs treatment.

I DO NOT EVEN COOK FOR MYSELF, HOW CAN I COOK FOR THEM?

Do you eat? Meals can be prepared weekly, and/or entrees & salad bars purchased for your animals. Next best, for busy or traveling owners, or while switching over, you can use a combination of good quality commercial food and home-prepared food. Buy Pet Guard, or Wysong, (usually available at pet food stores or health food stores). Then SUPPLEMENT with raw meat, vegetables, fruits and specific supplements. I do not recommend most foods available in your supermarket, pet store, veterinarian’s clinic, or even health food store. Yes, even Science diet. They usually are full of chemicals and poor ingredients. Different animals need different foods: you will be the judge of what foods are best for your friend by watching the effect of the diet.

WHAT ABOUT MY OTHER ANIMALS?

Every species should eat what is most normal for it. You may need to do research or talk with me for guidance. No animal should be on pelleted foods. Horses need oats and hay and grass and can have beet pulp, bran, apples, carrots and great vitamin and mineral supplements.

VACCINATIONS

VACCINATION CONTROVERSY AND GUIDELINES

Many owners and professionals have concern about the risks of excessive vaccination. PLEASE DO NOT VACCINATE UNTIL WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROS AND CONS.

Rabies is required by law and because of the public health significance, must be done with an approved vaccine by a veterinarian. We can attempt to avoid possible negative effects of the vaccine using homeopathy and good timing. Call me before Rabies is due.

WHY DO WE VACCINATE, AND FOR WHAT?

We have a fear of getting sick, and if someone can tell us that by getting a shot we and our loved ones will not get that disease, we want the shot. Unfortunately, we would rather get a shot to prevent one problem than take the time to slowly build up such good health that we do not need specific disease prevention – and are much healthier overall.

Yearly, or more often, the average conventional veterinarian now recommends your dog receive a combination injection of Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza & Parvovirus. They, and kennels, require Bordetella (Kennel Cough) before boarding, and often recommend it routinely. They often suggest Corona vaccine, and Lyme disease vaccine. Cats are given a combination of Panleukopenia (cat distemper, feline enteritis) and three upper respiratory diseases, Calici, Rhino, and Chlamydia. Highly recommended is Feline Leukemia, and available are Feline Infectious Peritonitis and now ringworm vaccine. Every year (or more frequently) of your animal’s life, they are being injected with 4-8 viruses, in addition to Rabies. Would you rebel if your doctor told you to now get MMR & DPT (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetnus), Hib, Hepatitis, & Rabies every year of your life until you died, instead of only a few doses as a child?

WHAT IS THE HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE?

A healthy animal or person is unlikely to get sick (or very sick) even if exposed to infectious agents. Ideally we would never vaccinate, feed wonderful fresh food and treat the early symptoms that indicate the body is out of balance. (See sheet on the early warning signs of energy imbalance.) If they do develop an infectious disease, it can usually be treated successfully with homeopathy. Vaccinating an animal does not necessarily protect them from the very diseases for which they are vaccinated, and can make them weaker overall.

ARE ANNUAL VACCINATIONS NECESSARY?

Drs. Schultz & Phillips (Scripps Institute) write in Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy, Vol 11, page 205, saying “A practice that was started many years ago and that lacks scientific validity or verification is annual revaccinations. Almost without exception there is no immunological requirement for annual revaccination…The practice of annual vaccination in our opinion should be considered of questionable efficacy…” Dr. Schultz vaccinates his dogs as puppies for only distemper and parvo, then only Rabies the rest of their lives. Even Rabies vaccine is probably good for more than 3 years, since it is a viral vaccine. The tests done by the vaccine manufacturers on the required 7 dogs (only 7), were carried out only at three years post vaccine. If they had tested dogs longer post vaccine, rabies may be good for life.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Academy of Feline Medicine have set up an Advisory Panel on Feline Vaccines, and the panel recommends panleuk, calici and rhino be given every three years rather than annually.

ARE VACCINATIONS POTENTIALLY HARMFUL?

Holistic veterinarians are finding that vaccines are causing great harm to our animals (and ourselves). To cure an animal we must use homeopathic remedies known to reverse vaccine related problems. Often, if vaccinated during treatment, the progress we are making is stopped. Conventional veterinarians are also reporting health problems due to vaccinations. “Immune-mediated hematologic disease and transient bone marrow failure are increasingly recognized sequela of…vaccination. … Postvacinal polyneuropathy is a recognized entity associated with…vaccines. …Adverse reactions to vaccination have also recently been reported with increasing frequency in cats.” (Dr. Dodds, 1990) Other reports include: immunologic disorders (Frick, Green, McDonald, Phillips & Schultz, Tizard); adverse vaccine reactions (Green, McDonald, Phillips & Schultz, Tizard, Wilford); increased sensitivity to pollen antigens after vaccination (Frick, Dodds). See vaccination bibliography for more information.

The inserts that come with all vaccines say to use them only in healthy animals. So if you are taking your animal to a clinic or a kennel and there is not great health, then the vaccines should not, according to the manufacturer, be used at that time. Most of my clients have told horror stories of the illnesses they feel occurred after their animals were vaccinated. Some problems were immediate, but most were slower onset.

A veterinarian who breeds and shows Collies tells of breeders who start vaccinating at 2 weeks of age with modified live multiple vaccines. She has noticed for years that these are puppies who have the most lamenesses, the most bloat, the most skin parasites and the most breeding problems. She has avoided them for years.

ARE THERE HOMEOPATHIC VACCINES? NOSODES?

Many people have stopped vaccinating, but have started using homeopathic protection on an ongoing basis. These remedies are called nosodes, and are homeopathic preparations of the different animal diseases made from the tissues of a diseased animal. Therefore they are made, not only the organism, but an animal’s response to the organism. Some are using nosodes for each disease, and others are using combinations of all the diseases. Most animal nosodes have not been tested (proved). This is still operating from a fear of getting something, rather than “let’s become very healthy so that even if we are exposed to a communicable disease, we will not get that ill.” There is a lot of evidence for the success of using homeopathic remedies in people over the last 200 years to protect them during an epidemic, but few doctors recommended on-going prevention, and certainly not repeated throughout the life of the person.

CAN MY ANIMALS REALLY BE SAFE AND HEALTHY WHEN NOT VACCINATED?

YES! Wendy and Jack Volhard studied kennels in Germany, many with lines of German Shepherds that we have here in the States. These 200+ dogs are given a distemper and a parvo only at ago 10 weeks and 1 year. No other vaccines are given except Rabies, when needed. These dogs are having litters and showing at 10 years of age, and live to 16 or so. In the States, many Shepherds are dying by the age of 10. Rotweiller breeders who do not vaccinate have dogs living to 14, the others often die at 6-8 from cancer. Great Danes, sight hounds, poodles, almost any breed has many examples of improved health from not vaccinating unless there is really a need and then only once or twice. Other breeders have found that stopping vaccination has made their line much healthier, and usually immune (through good health) to the infectious agents that usually cause disease. (Not always, of course. Some dogs or cats are very susceptible to disease and will become infected even if vaccinated). I have found that unvaccinated animals who do contact an infectious disease often (not always) recover more quickly, some with homeopathic treatment, some with only supportive care.

VACCINATION GUIDELINES

RABIES vaccination should be given at 5 months if possible (If not, as late as possible). Be sure the animal is as healthy, and if under homeopathic treatment, check first with your homeopathic veterinarian. Repeat one year later, and then every three (unless your state requires it more often). Speak with me if you breed, or have exclusively indoor animals, or if your animal is very ill, for then we may waive the rabies vaccine.

For the other diseases, there are several options, listed in decreasing acceptability.
Feed a great diet. Treat very early symptoms holistically(red gum line, body odor, cats who drink or vomit hairballs, behavior problems – see the early warning signs handout).

Do not vaccinate. Rely on the animal’s health. Treat if they get the disease. Use nosodes if they are exposed and you fear for their health.
Give dogs one or two distemper and parvo vaccinations at 16 weeks (& poss. 8 weeks); or cats one or two panleukopenia vaccinations at 16 weeks (& poss. 8 weeks). Then no more vaccinations, except legally required Rabies vaccination.

If your animal is highly exposed to an epidemic of a disease, and YOU feel they are at risk, you can then give a 200c strength of the appropriate homeopathic nosode one or two times. Do not do this if they are being treated with remedies for other ailments.

If they still get sick, then call for homeopathic treatment.

I will certainly work with your animals regardless or your choices about vaccination, even if you elect to fully vaccinate them. I think this is an important issue to grapple with, and encourage you to read some of the following information, and listen to lectures by people like Dr. Ron Schultz or Dr. Jean Dodds.

I personally believe that vaccines have become an automatic injection and their impact in each animal’s health is not considered. Kennels, other veterinarians, dog groups, hospital visiting groups have different requirements, but usually suggest that you must vaccinate for everything even when there is not a good rationale.. There are no legal requirements for vaccines other than rabies. You need to evaluate each situation. If you have become terrified of Leptospirosis because a neighbor’s dog died of it (it is very rare), you know that the vaccine is not very good and does not last more than a few months, and your dog is very healthy, you may choose to vaccinate once “just to be on the safe side.” That is OK. Of course, your healthy dog was probably protected against serious disease from the lepto just because of being healthy. A rare vaccine will be unlikely to harm a healthy animal.

Ask me if you would like a list of references in journals about vaccines.

EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF ILL HEALTH

Most health problems are the result of an underlying energy imbalance, made
worse from poor diet and vaccination. They are rarely acute diseases (except injuries). Therefore, you may find that the problem does not clear up as you expect or it recurs. If so, you are dealing with an underlying predisposition to illness, and these clues to underlying ill health will help you select a remedy and monitor the results. As we cure animals of “disease”, we find that certain other “NORMAL” things go away, too. Do not be satisfied until most of the following symptoms are gone. In young, apparently healthy animals, these apparently “normal” problems may be the only indications to start treatment. This is only the beginning of a list – as more animals are cured we will find new levels of health.

SIGNS OF UNDERLYING ENERGY IMBALANCE OFTEN DEEMED NORMAL IN DOGS AND/OR CATS

SKIN:: doggy smell; attracts fleas a lot; dry, oily, lack-luster coat; excessive shedding; not grooming, ear problems – waxy, oily, itchy, recurrent mites; eye discharge, tearing, or matter in corner of eyes; raised third eyelid; spots appearing on iris; “freckles” appearing on face; whiskers falling out; fragile, thickened, distorted claws that are painful or sensitive to trim.
BEHAVIOR:: Fears (of loud noises, thunder, wind, people, animals, life); too timid; too rough or aggressive (even at play); too hard to train; barks too much and too long; suspicious nature; biting when petted too long; hysteria when restrained; clumsy; lazy; licking or sucking things or people too much; not using litter box or not covering stool.
DIGESTIVE:: Bad breath; tarter accumulation; loss of teeth; poor appetite; craving weird things (rubber bands, plastic, dirt, cat litter, paper, dogs eating dog or cat stools, rocks, sticks…); sensitivity to milk; thirst – a super healthy cat not on dry food will drink at most once a week; red gum line; vomiting often, even hairballs more than a few times a year; mucous on stools; tendency to diarrhea with least change of diet; obesity; anal gland problems; recurrent worms, straining or constipation.
STIFFNESS:: when getting up, early hip dysplasia; tires easily in hot or cold weather; can no longer jump up on counters, or go up or down steps.
TEMPERATURE:: Low grade fevers – Normal for healthy cats and dogs is 100-101.5.
AGE & REPRODUCTION:: Should live a long life (Shepherds 17 years, Danes 12, cats 24), should conceive easily, deliver normally, and not pass on “genetic breed” problems.

SIGNS OF EQUINE UNDERLYING ENERGY IMBALANCE in addition to above

MIND:: cribbing and/or weaving; pen/stall walking; flank sucking; territorial or aggressive;
SKIN, RESPIRATORY:: puffy around eyes; chronic conjunctivitis; dull eyes; “foal snots”; sweat on upper body but not lower, sticky sweat, unpleasant odor, dry and/or dull hair coat, dry skin, poor-healing wounds, greasy skin on face.
STOMACH:: fissures at corners of mouth, salivation from clover, hollow seeming teeth, hard to float, loose teeth at under 20 years old, repeated colics, sensitivity to weather changes with GIT signs, excessively susceptible to parasites, potbellied foals, distended abdomen (hay belly) in adults, rectum tears easily when palpated, hard dry fecal balls.
EXTREMITIES:: warm up very slowly; stiff muscles; swollen legs: hot or cold – may or may not go down with exercise; unable to lift back feet; unable to balance on three legs, excessive moisture in feet, sensitive to hammering in nails

BOOKS AND INFORMATION

AHVMA carries these www.ahvma.org

Healthy Animal’s Journal – Christina Chambreau (HealthyAnimalsJournal.com): A journal is a must if you are a homeopathic client – and this makes it easy.
Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs – Don Hamilton (dudleyka@biosys.net): Great section on vaccines, good overview and philosophy of homeopathy – a must.
Dr. Pitcairn’s New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners
Cat Care Naturally – Celeste Yarnall: Excellent vaccination section, great overall
It’s for The Animals “Cook”: Book – and much more. Helen McKinnon 908-537-4144
Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet’s Life – Greg and Mary Tilford.: Beautiful photography and excellent overview of nutrition, vaccines as well as treatment with herbs.
Super Nutrition for Animals – Nina Anderson 860-824-5301: Good on nutrition & more
Reigning Cats and Dogs – Pat McKay: Easy recipes, new book.
Natural Immunity – Pat McKay: lots of vaccine information.
Complete Herbal Book for the Dog – Juliette Bairacle–Levy: herbs & food, cat, too
Healthy Cat & Dog Cook Book – Joan Harper
Keep Your Pet Healthy the Natural Way – Pat Lazarus
Back to Basics – home-cooked food – Wendy Volhard (315-593-6115)
Pottenger’s Cats – A study in nutrition (raw meat proven effective) 800-862-6759
The Healing Touch – Michael Fox, Newmarket Press: massage – other great book
The Tellington TTouch – Linda Tellington-Jones. (Video, too). 800-854-8326
Bach Flower Therapy – M. Scheffer: in depth learning.
Dictionary of Bach Flowers: concise guide for selection.
Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine, Tim Dooley – 619-299-1140
Homeopathic Medicine at Home – Panos
The Science of Homeopathy – Vithoulkas
Discovering Homeopathy – Dana Ullman
Four Paws, Five Directions – Cheryl Schwartz: Excellent and readable book that explains Chinese medicine in animals and gives points, Chinese and American herbs

SOURCES FOR BOOKS, REMEDIES, HERBS AND MORE

First go to My Favorite Products for links to effective high quality products.
Many health food stores, pet shops, and bookstores. People products are for pets, too.
Standard Homeopathic – 800–624–9659 (California) Remedies, kits, books
Washington Homeopathic Pdts – 800-336-1695 (Bethesda, MD) Remedies, kits, books
Homeopathic Education Services, 800-359-9051 Books, tapes
Minimum Price 800-663-8272 Books
World’s best cat Litter – 877-367-9285 (I love it)

MAGAZINES

Whole Dog Journal, PO Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142. 800-829-9165
Acres Magazine – 800-355-5313 Great holistic living magazine.
Natural Horse, PO Box 10, Holtwood, PA 17532

ORGANIZATIONS AND COURSES

THE ACADEMY OF VETERINARY HOMEOPATHY, P.O. Box 9280, Wilmington, DE 19809 866-652-1590 theAVH.org: Wonderful one day Introduction to Veterinary Homeopathy at their annual conference is open to all. Membership for veterinarians only
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOMEOPATHY, 801 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria VA, 22314 703–548–7790 NationalCenterForHomeopathy.org: (Become a member and support homeopathy and get a wonderful monthly newsletter) – books, kits, courses – especially their great summer school in Maryland with courses for every level of homeopath and interested person. (Animal, too); Study Groups meet monthly – call NCH for one near you.
AMERICAN HOLISTIC VETERINARY MEDICAL ASS. 2214 Old Emmorton Rd, Bel Air, MD 21014 AHVMA.org: Fall conference is open to all. Quarterly journal, referral resource, and holistic books for sale. 410–569–0795
Dr. Chambreau’s Courses: One-day introduction to holistic care for animals and multiple-daybeginning courses on how to prescribe homeopathically. These calls are available nationally, and via teleconference (from the comfort of your home). Contact me to host one in your area 410-771-4968 or check our current schedule; When you visit your local veterinarian for your annual check-ups, if they are interested in how you keep your animal so healthy, slowly introduce them to homeopathy and holistic methods, and then invite them to one of these courses.
For ACUPUNCTURE veterinarians, call the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, 303-449-7936. IVAS.org, AAVA.org,and TCVM.com
For CHIROPRACTIC veterinarians, call the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, 309-523-3995. AnimalChiropractic.org

KEYS PARTS OF A JOURNAL

Beginning: Where you got the animal and when. Any history you could glean. Situation she came from. How he reacted when first with you.
Illnesses:
1. For each illness record anything the veterinarian tells you and shows you. Be specific about how things looked, not just the diagnosis. (“Gingivitis”, says the veterinarian. “Why do you say that?” you ask. You see the red line above 4 of the teeth, the pus coming out behind one tooth, etc.)
2. Ask yourself and others in the family what could have caused this illness – are emotional things happening in the family, has the animal just been to the groomer, or vaccinated? Did you just get another animal?
3. Record every current symptom observed by you and your family and your veterinarian, in numerical order.
4. Record and date every treatment and if the animal resisted the treatment, loved it or could care less.
5. Observe and record each symptom you originally listed, and add any new ones to the list and continue to track them all.
6. When recovered from this current problem, schedule times for you to review the symptom list periodically to see if they are slowly returning.
7. Always put the most emphasis on the energy, happiness, interactions, appetite and overall how she is doing.
Wonderful behaviors and traits
1. For every symptom you list, think of something wonderful your animal does and record that. “She coos as she kisses my face.” “He can leap tall buildings (well big chairs) in a single leap.” “I sense her compassion for my problems.”
2. So you will have two lists, one of ill problems, and one of funny, touching, actions, smells, tastes, feelings and more good things.
3. Remember that our thoughts create our reality so focusing merely on the ill parts of our animals (or ourselves) may create more of that. Notice the “illnesses”, focus on the positive about your animals and yourselves.
Physical exam
1. If your animal is a puppy or kitten, do a physical exam once a week until 4 or 5 months old, then shift to monthly exams. At one year, start doing the checks every 6 months or as often as you wish. When the animal has been ill, do them weekly, and then taper off as they regain health. When they seem to age, do them more frequently again.
2. Have your veterinarian show you how to look in the eyes, ears, mouth, etc.
  If they will not, do it yourself anyway or look for another veterinarian. You will notice, after a time, whatever is important to see. Then “yes” record your observations.
3. Once a year, or more often if needed, have a veterinarian do a physical to
  see if there is anything you are missing.
4. Review the signs of health sheet. Is your animal showing any of these hints of
  beginning ill health?
What kind of a notebook is best? The best is my “Healthy Animal’s Journal“. Or you may choose calendars, spiral notebooks, 3 ring binders, or computers.

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My Healthy Animals