R is for …

RINGWORM

Ringworm is an uncommon problem but does occur sometimes  in both cats and dogs and should be dealt with quickly as it can spread to other animals and people.  I once caught it from a kitten I had befriended on holiday and we have had it in strays we have rescued as well. It  is, in fact, a fungus not a worm and grows in the shape of a circle infecting the hair and skin in that area.

Homoeopathically: Sulphur should be given
Herbally: Richard Pitcairn recommends a brew of plantago major or an infusion of hydrastis canadiensis which can be rubbed in twice a day. If there is still a problem, consult a veterinarian.
Alexandra Bastedo is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk  Patron of Compassion in World Farming, Naturewatch, Wildlifeaid and the Animal Welfare Trust and President of Cat and Rabbit Rescue and Vice President of Brent Lodge Bird Hospital, Chichester and Paws Animal Sanctuary at Findon.

Copyright Alexandra Bastedo.

P is for …

PERITONITIS

This can be a fatal condition and you should demand instant veterinary attention as well as blood tests and X-rays. When Kipling, my young Doberman, was ill the hair stood up on his back, he had an uncomfortable hunched walk, he stopped eating and finally I saw blood in his motions. His condition was mis-diagnosed for seven days. “It’s gastro-enteritis” was the vets verdict one day, then “It’s an enlarged prostate.” When he died on the operating table a week later the vet said “If we’d got the diagnosis right on the first day he’d still be here.” That was little comfort, so act quickly.

Homoeopathically: Cantharis, carduus mar and tub bov cold be beneficial. Arsenicum, album 6c would be appropriate if the dog was restless, cold and drinking a lot. Mercurius sulphuricus could help if there was trouble with breathing.

FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS:

Having experienced the disease first hand with Byron the British Shorthaired Tip we rescued at the age of 10 I can mercifully say that the outlook need not be as gloomy as some vets or indeed some books would suggest. However what I did find out was that antibiotics had little or no effect. Byron had 3 courses of different ones and always the disease returned.

He had fluid on the lungs and a distended abdomen. However with my “nothing to lose “philosophy when dealing with a particularly fatal disease I reached for every complementary medicine at my disposal in liquid, powder, capsule and tablet together with his food and water. I gave him home cooked food consisting of chicken, turkey or rabbit with a little broccoli, cabbage and beetroot mixed in and chicken liver twice a week.

After food Byron who was a large cat had Vitamin C 500 mg twice daily, vitamin E 50 iu once a day, half a teaspoon of cod liver oil daily, zinc 15 mg once daily, kelp, B complex daily, selenium 50 mg daily,and digestive enzymes -half a teaspoon.

Homeopathically: Cantharis, Carduus Mar, Lycopodium, Merc Sulph, Tub Bov or Arsen Alb may be appropriate.

Herbally: Slippery Elm, nettles,echinacea, and organic garlic.

According to Dr.  Richard Pitcairn the FIP virus can sometimes be triggered by the feline leukaemia vaccination. A flea infestation might not help either as it could cause anaemia..

 

POISONING

Potential dangers are everywhere but the most common cause seems to be weed killer for lawns. Try not to use toxic weed killers yourself and ask your neighbours to let you know when they are spraying so you can keep your pet in.

Other harmful poisons are some disinfectants and some plants, also woodworm and dry rot treatments. Some decorative plants are a problem, other hazards are insecticides and antifreeze (which is sweet to drink), bits of string and electric cables are other hazards.
If you need to induce vomiting you can place salt on the back of the tongue.

Anti-pollution vitamins and minerals are A, C, calcium, selenium, zinc and kelp.

Homoeopathically: Give nux vom, or for particularly toxic substances arsenicum album.

Herbally: Slipperly elm and aloe vera may be helpful.

Alexandra is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary on www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk We are all volunteers and are most grateful for any adoptions of animals or any donations. We have a Paypal button and a PO Box number on the website. Alexandra has also written “Beware Dobermanns, Donkeys and Ducks” and the veterinary recommended “The Healthy Dog” and “The Healthy Cat” books. A few remaining copies are available from our web site shop.
Copyright Alexandra Bastedo

O is for …

ORPHANS:
It is very hard to perform all the functions that a bitch does for her puppies or a queen does for her kittens. She keeps them warm with her body, she cleans and stimulates them with her tongue and she feeds them with her milk, which if she has been vaccinated will give  the puppies  or kittens antibodies against diseases until they are fit enough to have vaccinations themselves.

For warmth you can give a hot water bottle (heated regularly), a microwave heat pad, or an electric pad (with a circuit breaker for safety) or a plastic bed with a heater inside it on which you can put a towel or vet bed. Young animals lose body heat very easily so they must be kept warm.

I would not want to bathe a puppy or kitten in case it got chilled, however if the it fell into a toxic substance like oil or had an onset of diarrhea which stuck to its fur I would of course wash it and dry it thoroughly afterwards. It is difficult feeding orphaned animals as nothing is as good as mother’s milk but when they are very tiny you can use small droppers or syringes to feed them. I advocate goats’ milk  and goats’yogurt with acidophilus as the most acceptable food for the very young. When they are first born they require feeding approximately every two hours, day and night, so it is very tiring work indeed.
Alexandra is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary on www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk We are all volunteers and are most grateful for any adoptions of animals or any donations. £2 .50 would pay for a bale of hay for instance. We have a Paypal button and a PO Box number on the website.

 Alexandra has also written “Beware Dobermans, Donkeys and Ducks” (now being serialised on the website in the abc friends section along with the current sanctuary diary blog and Pip’s Diary) and the veterinary recommended “The Healthy Dog” and “The Healthy Cat” books. A few remaining copies are available from our web site shop.
Copyright Alexandra Bastedo.

N is for …

                                       NEUTERING– roaming dogs can be the scourge of any neighbourhood, so if you want to be popular with your neighbours I recommend that you have your male puppy or Tom cat  neutered. Also un-neutered dogs  and cats tend to be more aggressive and may be more likely to fight.

The neutering operation is very simple but for any surgery I always ask for the best anaesthetic in case of an allergic reaction. To boost the immune system you can administer A, E, C and B complex vitamins and zinc before and after surgery. Vitamin E can be beneficial if scar tissue is itching.

Homoeopathically: After any operation you can give arnica, hypericum, phosphorus, or Bach’s Rescue Remedy. On any post operation tissue you can use calendula.

Herbally: Echinacea liquid can be used,

                                        NUTRITION– the best dietary requirements are what foods to give, how much and how often. The best food to give is raw food (but it must be from a reliable unconditional source) or home cooked food. However, cooking depletes vitamins and minerals so canine supplements along with bonemeal may be added when the food has cooled down. Ideal proteins for dogs and cats can be found in chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, pheasant, liver (in small amounts not more than twice a week), lamb beef, cod, halibut, skate, haddock, plaice, bream, mackerel, pilchards, salmon and herring. Cats cannot be vegetarian without the addition of taurine to their food but protein for vegetarian dogs is abundant in pulses, seeds and nuts (not peanuts), free range eggs, goats’ milk and goats’ yoghurt. However, dogs  and cats can have allergies to dairy products so a calcium supplement can be beneficial. Good vegetables to give are broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, peas, beans, pumpkin and beetroot. A pinch of thyme, sage, rosemary or garlic can be a healthy flavoursome addition. For carbohydrates one can add millet, oats, rice, spelt and polenta (corn meal). Organic or free range products are preferable, particularly for dogs  or cats with serious health problems. If you are feeding commercial foods you may find it a false economy to buy cheap cans with a lot of moisture. The ones  for dogs like Hills, Butcher’s, Eukanuba, Techni-cal, Naturediet, Menu and the original Denes are more expensive but I find my dogs eat less because they are packed full of goodness. Cats are more fussy but for the moment we feed our cats on Denes tins and Bozita packets. As they contain very little water we can feed one tin or packet to 4 cats so it is economical they also get Denes -for skin- biscuit or Hills ID biscuit mixed in with their meals. The smallprint on some cans itemises additives, colourants, preservatives and sugars, (caramels) so make a point of steering clear of those. The same criteria applies to dried foods as the ones without colourants, sugars, additives or preservatives are more nutritious such as , Walthams,  Burns,  Denes, Nutro, Techni-cal and Hills. Through your vet you can also obtain tins for specific diseases.

Always make sure there is plenty of freshly boiled uncontaminated or bottled water near at hand to prevent dehydration.

How much and how often should I feed my dog? It is not a question that is easily answered as it changes with differing circumstances. I remember my Yorkshire Terriers would only eat diced chicken in London but the moment we took them on a walking holiday in the Lake District, they reverted to their true terrier selves. They were so ravenous they even begged for the crusts from our sandwiches. Back in my London flat with their daily walks in Hyde Park they returned to their usual pernickety selves. The experts’ views on how much protein a dog should have in its daily ration vary considerably. From 18% to 40%. Mark Elliott advocates 40% as a general rule. However, we believe that if a dog has too much protein without enough channelled physical activity, it can lead to destructive, hyperactive and even vicious behaviour. Protein should not exceed 60% of a dogs’ diet at any one time and fats no more than 5%. A proper diet should include the essential elements – protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in the correct proportion. It is also important to strike the right balance between liquids and solids.

The amount of food needed to feed a dog varies according to its breed, age, lifestyle (active or sedentary, indoor or outdoor), state of health, and whether it is pregnant or not. Climate too is a factor as dogs need more food in the cold weather. Metabolisms differ even between dogs of the same size, so it would be impossible to calculate precisely how much food you give to your dog. A rough guideline would be to say one ounce (30g) of food per day for every pounds of a dog’s weight.

A 20lb adult dog would need approximately 680 calories daily. So adjust recipes accordingly when cooking for your dog. As a dogs digestive system works on the basis of 6 plus hours, whereas a human’s works on 20 plus hours, a dog doesn’t need as many meals as we do. An average-sized dog should be serves one meal a day, preferably in the morning, of 75% of its meal in the morning and 25% in the evening. Smaller breeds seem to prefer two meals a day. Most of us are brought p to feed our dogs their main meal in the late afternoon/early evening, which means they need to relieve themselves about midnight. This is rarely feasible because most people don’t walk their dogs at that hour and since they have been trained not to relieve themselves in the house a large number of pets end up at the vets with anal problems. Avoid feeding a meal directly before or after exercise – a dog can’t digest its food properly when it is tired and overheated. Never feed your dog hot food and never straight from the refrigerator; room temperature is best. If you are cooking for your dog, it is advisable to store the food in the fridge because the food will not contain preservatives. Buying and cooking in bulk and freezing the food can prove economical both in terms of time and money. However on no account should you freeze any cooked fish and never refreeze any food. In case your dog is sensitive to aluminium, use cast iron, stainless steel or ceramic pots and pans. For optimum nutrition, with home cooking I always add calcium (this can be bonemeal or crushed egg shell, rotating the vitamins, minerals, essential oils and antioxidants and varying the menus. That way I can be sure my dogs are getting everything they need to be healthy canines.

As for cats we always feed mouse size portions. If you look at what they would be eating in the wild it would be either small rodents or birds. The amount of biscuit would be limited to the grain in the stomach of their prey so at the sanctuary we feed high protein foods with just a few biscuits for their teeth and never overfeed.

Alexandra is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary on www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk We are all volunteers and are most grateful for any adoptions of animals or any donations . £2.50 would pay for a bale of hay for instance. We have a Paypal button and a PO Box number on the website. Alexandra has also written “Beware Dobermanns, Donkeys and Ducks” and the veterinary recommended “The Healthy Dog” and “The Healthy Cat” books. a few remaining  signed copies are available from our web site shop.
Copyright Alexandra Bastedo.

M is for …

MINERALS – People often talk about vitamins but not everybody realises that minerals have just as important role to play in maintaining a healthy immune system. Many years ago there were lots of trace minerals (over 70) in our soil which were absorbed by the plants which then went into the food chain. However, since the use of chemicals on the land with overworking of the soil over a long period of time, most of  the minerals essential to our health are now virtually non-existent. Our food supply is seriously deficient in minerals. Every aspect of the body requires minerals and without them not only us but our animals too will have serious health problems. It was because I couldn’t find a multi mineral product for dogs or cats that my vet Mark Elliott  on www.petnutrition.co.uk  formulated the Canine Care and Feline Care mineral supplements. At least now my own animals are no longer minerally deficient.

MOPING – Dogs and cats can very definitely mope. They can mope at a change of abode, a change of owner, the introduction of a new person or animal from their immediate family.

Homoeopathically: Tim Couzens recommends arsenicum album for despair.

Bach Flower Remedies: Tim Couzens recommends gorse (ulex europaeus) for animals that seem to have given up the will to live often with severe health problems.

Aromatherapy: Nelly Grosjean, a doctor of aromatherapy and essential oils suggests basil and sweet marjoram for depression. Aromatherapy oils should never be put on an animal’s skin or fur, but should be inhaled at a distance of at least one foot.

Alexandra is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary on www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk
We are all volunteers and are most grateful for any adoptions of animals or any donations. £2 would pay for a bale of hay for instance. We have a Paypal button and a PO Box number on the website.
Alexandra has also written “Beware Dobermans, Donkeys and Ducks” and the veterinary recommended “The Healthy Dog” and “The Healthy Cat” books. a few remaining copies are available from our web site shop.
Copyright Alexandra Bastedo.

L is for …

                                        The liver is one of the most important organs in the body and a healthy liver is crucial to the well-being of a dog or cat.Signs of liver problems usually include pale stools, sickness, diarrhea and ultimately a refusal of food. severe liver disease may mean dark stools accompanied by blood.

                                        The first thing to do is to abstain from giving food for 24 hours administering liquids only. It is imperative to feed very pure, organic, non-fat meals. For felines you should give lean cooked chicken or turkey, free range egg yolks with a little porridge (oats) and grated raw green vegetables such as broccoli. A little beetroot, parsley, garlic, dandelion or milk thistle may also be helpful.

                                         For canines you can help by feeding a high fibre/low fat diet with plenty of fish, chicken or turkey, wholemeal bread and brown rice and by avoiding milk,  and red meat. Sesame seeds are a particularly good source of lecithin which is vital for the liver, so you can sprinkle some seeds or add tahini to flavour dishes. Extra bulk and fibre can be made up with oatbran or rice bran and wheatgerm. As for cats a little beetroot, parsley, garlic, dandelion or milk thistle may also be beneficial. Fasting once as week can be helpful and the only drinks should be bottled water or barley water and honey. Sunshine may also be helpful to a dog or cat with impaired liver function.
Nutritionally: Vitamin C (500-1000mg) depending upon the size of the animal) coenzyme Q10 – 10mg, cod-liver oil (quarter of a teaspoon), digestive enzymes and aloe vera could be beneficial.
Homeopathically: George MacLeod recommends phosphorus if the stools are clay-coloured and chelidonium if the faeces are golden yellow. He suggests lycopodium for more chronic cases, berberis if there is jaundice with putty-like stools. For cirrhosis when there is constipation, sickness and fluid in the stomach he recommends (apart from phosphorus, lycopodium and berberis) carduus mar which is known to be good for this condition, and ptelea which may act like a drainage remedy.
Herbally: Give echinacea or camomile and mix diced dandelion leaves in with the food. Alternatively, silmarin (Milk Thistle) is a good tonic.

Alexandra Bastedo is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary at www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk  which relies upon donations however small to help with its rescue work, Always passionate about animals she is also a patron of Compassion in World Farming, Naturewatch, Wildlifeaid and the Animal Welfare Trust , Greyhounds in Need and Gibraltar Cat Rescue and President of Cat and Rabbit Rescue and Vice President of Brent Lodge Bird Hospital, Chichester and Paws Animal Sanctuary at Findon.

Her vet recommended “The Healthy Cat” and “The Healthy Dog” books of which we have a few remaining copies are available from our website shop.
Copyright Alexandra Bastedo.

K is for …

Kennel Cough

As the name implies, this is a condition sometimes caught in kennels or from close proximity to other dogs, such as at shows or obedience classes. However, registered kennels demand the correct vaccination for infectious diseases and you can also get kennel cough nosodes from a holistic vet which can work very well. There is also an intranasal spray which takes five days to become effective, although the injectable vaccine is thought to provide immunity for a longer period. A veterinary cough supplement can be given for the harsh cough and antibiotics may be needed for chromic infections

Nutritionally: – vitamin C, cod liver oil and zinc supplements can help.

Herbally: Echinacea may help to boost the immune system and is best given in fortnightly doses, long term use is said not to be as effective.

Copyright A.L. Bastedo

Alexandra is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary at www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk We are all volunteers and are most grateful for any adoptions of animals or any donations. We have a Paypal button and a PO Box number on the website. Alexandra has also written “Beware Dobermanns, Donkeys and Ducks” and the veterinary recommended “The Healthy Dog” and “The Healthy Cat” books. A few remaining copies are available from our web site.

I is for …

Insect Bites

If your cat or dog is severely stung by bees or wasps as Sophie the dobermann was when she disturbed a wasp’s nest you should take it to your vet as there may be an allergic reaction.  Internally, ledum palustre may be appropriate.  Externally, you can try to remove the sting with tweezers and then rub the area with urtica urens in liquid form.  If the sting should become septic, chininum sulphuricum and the herb Echinacea may be helpful.  A raw onion or garlic can take the smarting out of an insect bit if it is rubbed gently on the spot.

 

 

Alexandra is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary on www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk  We are all volunteers and are most grateful for any adoptions of animals or any donations. We have a Paypal button and a PO Box number on the website. Alexandra has also written “Beware Dobermanns, Donkeys and Ducks” and the veterinary recommended “The Healthy Dog” and “The Healthy Cat” books. A few remaining copies are still available from our web site shop.

Copyright Alexandra Bastedo

H is for …

Heart problems are fairly common in older dogs and older cats..  There are excellent conventional veterinary drugs but there are also a number of things that can be done at home.  The first thing is to make the animal lose any unnecessary weight by putting it on a sugar and salt free diet and cutting out treats and trying to stop it being a couch potato by encouraging it to exercise a little more, whether with toys inside the home or with more time spent outside.

 

I always blamed myself for my Doberman Sophie’s heart condition as she has been fed far too many titbits, and was definitely too fat, which put a strain on her heart.  From then on she had small portions of egg, tofu, poultry, fish and rice twice daily and I would only feed her the original Canine Denes cans, which they assured me did not contain salt or sugar. Almost all the elderly cats at the sanctuary are also fed Denes Original Feline tins and a little feline biscuit

 

Nutritionally, vitamins E, A and D are very important and also chromium, selenium, zinc and a B complex vitamin.  An all in one canine multi-vitamin-multi-mineral would be a minimum requirement along with garlic and greenleaf tablets and in an older dog I would definitely increase the vitamin C daily intake to 500 mg. The amount for a cat would be dependent on its size. If a dog is taking heart tablets it may need to take extra potassium, which could be depleted by the drugs.  Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for a heart condition and can be found in mackerel, herring, sardine or tuna.  Alternatively you can give it in capsule form.  If you need to add bulk to the meals you can add oatbran, wheatgerm and vegetables.

 

Homoeopathically:  Spongia tosta may be useful, particularly when there is a cough.  Calc fluor is good for a weakened heart muscle.  Crataegus oxycantha may help if there is fluid retention.

 

Herbally:  Juliette de Bairacli Levy makes a rosemary and honey tea for dogs with heart problems.  Skullcap is calming and alfalfa helps with blood pressure while dandelion acts as a diuretic.

 

 

Alexandra Bastedo is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk Patron of Compassion in World Farming, Naturewatch, Wildlifeaid and the Animal Welfare Trust and President of Cat and Rabbit Rescue and Vice President of Brent Lodge Bird Hospital, Chichester and Paws Animal Sanctuary at Findon. The Sanctuary is strictly not for profit with all monies raised going directly to the animals. Any donations which are very necessary to keep the rescue centre going can be made through our website.

Copyright Alexandra Bastedo.

 

G is for …

Grief – Can dogs grieve?  The answer is yes, they definitely can.  Little Dorrit was very stressed and sad after her mother Daisy died.  She was so used to doing everything with her and felt very lonely even though we still had Roscoe the black Doberman.  Vitamin B2 is said to aid depression and can be effective in humans as well.

The same is true of cats. Blackie and Whitey were inseparable and when the latter was run over by a car on our country lane Blackie was quite bereft.Whitey had been his little friend’s protector caring for him and curling up with him in a chair each night. Blackie cried so piteously as he went round looking for him day after day that we decided to get him a companion. The arrival of the newcomer gave him something to think about. However they were always acquaintances rather than friends. It wasn’t until the arrival of the semi-feral Cornish Rex that Blackie found a real pal once again.

Homoeopathically: Ignatia is the main remedy for grief.  Nat mur can be given after ignatia, particularly if the animal seems to want to be left alone.  Nux vom is also possible for a dog that does not want to be handled; however, if the reverse if true and your pet craves attention, pulsatilla may be more appropriate.  Staphisagria is good for grief when it is accompanied by symptoms such as hair loss.  Aurum is appropriate when there is a deep depression and causticum works well when the animal appears to age after losing a companion (either animal or human) that has probably had a worrying illness over a long period. Nellie our 7 year old dobermann experienced this with Ponto who had a nasty leg cancer. St Johns Wort (hypericum) can help to relieve depression.

Herbally: Camomile, skullcap and valerian are very calming.  Honeysuckle or Star of Bethlehem may be given to animals when they have lost their owner or fellow dog or cat.  Olive can be helpful when the worry has been long-standing.

 

Alexandra is the founder of the ABC Animal Sanctuary on www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk  We are all volunteers and are most grateful for any adoptions of animals or any donations . £2.50 would pay for a bale of hay for instance. We have a Paypal button and a PO Box number on the website. Alexandra has also written “Beware Dobermanns, Donkeys and Ducks” and the veterinary recommended “The Healthy Dog” and “The Healthy Cat” books. a few remaining copies are available from our web site shop.

Copyright Alexandra Bastedo.         www.abcsanctuary.co.uk