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What's In Your Pet's Food
What's in Your Pet's Food?
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
What is in your pet's diet... and why should you care?!
You have probably heard the scary stories of feathers and beaks and "things" commonly found in pet foods... you may have experienced the pain and expense of caring for a chronically ill animal or may simply be waking up to the nutritional benefits to your own health and are wondering how this could also effect your animals. What ever your reasons, hopefully you will get out the ingredient list of what you are now feeding and compare these notes. In the last few years, holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists have concluded that many of today's health problems from allergies to cancer, even behavioral problems, can stem from poor nutrition... and not the "table scraps", but the very prescription diets and premium foods highly recommended. It's a shame that you may be unknowingly creating the very problems that your animal has been suffering from. A good diet is fundamental...
"Since I have graduated from veterinary school in 1965, I've noticed a general deterioration in pet health. I believe that the chemical additives in pet food play a major part in that decline."
Richard Pitcairn, DVM
"When the moist foods came out, we figured they must have a very strong preservative because they needed no refrigeration. Many of them do have a very strong preservative - formalin. Formalin is such a good preservative, in fact, that undertakers use quite a lot of it."
Thomas A. Newland, DVM
"Every time a pet eats another bowl of high-sugar pet food, he is being brought that much closer to diabetes, hypoglycemia, overweight, nervousness, cataracts, allergy - and death"
R. Geoffrey Broderick, DVM
"Do you know what is in meat meal, the major constituent of dry dog food?... Urine, fecal matter, hair, pus, meat [from animals, afflicted] with cancer and T.B., etc."
Wendall O. Belfield, DVM
"What you feed your animals should be the most important consideration you make."
Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
What's in your pet's food?????
ANIMAL / POULTRY FAT
It is common that the pet food industry is built on cleaning up the remnants of our own meat packing process, for those scraps which are not fit for human consumption. Common practice is to heavily preserve already rancid fats, with such chemicals as BHT/BHA and ETHOXYQUIN, to prevent further deterioration. These fats are a staple of the dry and canned food products, and it is what you smell (YUK) when you serve up your friend's meals. This smell has even led some people to use paper plates and plastic forks to feed their pets, in fear of contaminating their own dishes! Animal fats are used to provide essential oils for good skin and coat conditions... is it any wonder why there is such a dramatic health problem in this area today? Rancid, heavily preserved fats are extremely difficult to digest and can lead to a host of other health problems in your pet. Digestive upsets, especially throwing up bile or food, diarrhea, gas and bad breath are all linked to this. When fed to the newly developing digestive tract of puppies and kittens, it can permanently effect this sensitive lining, leading to a lifetime of digestion and assimilation problems. Fat can continue the allergy (sensitivities) responses, especially in the lamb and rice formulas.
BHT/BHA AND ETHOXYQUIN
These popular preservatives are heavily used in the pet food industry, not only to preserve fats but to stabilize the whole product as well. We have certainly been educated as to the dangerous side-effects of BHT/BHA in our own diets, as a serious carcinogen, but little truth has been shared about ETHOXYQUIN. This preservative was developed in the 1950's as a rubber stabilizer and herbicide, very similar to Agent Orange! It was either never approved by the FDA or recalled after three years of human use (I researched both accounts) but one thing is for certain - the documented cases of serious side-effects, resulting from exposure to ingestion of this chemical. Humans, who were working with it in the rubber industry, reported a dramatic rise in such diseases as liver/kidney damage, cancerous skin lesions, loss of hair, blindness, leukemia, fetal abnormalities and chronic diarrhea. In animals it has been linked to immune deficiency syndrome, spleen, stomach and liver cancer, as well as the above mentioned diseases. The steady increase in animal cancer and serious diseases has paralled the increased use of chemical preservatives in the pet food industry during the last 25 years!
SOYBEAN: GRITS/MEAL
Soybean is used to increase protein content and bulk in pet foods. It is very difficult to digest and assimilate especially for dogs, who lack the proper amino acid needed. It is known to cause gas buildup in the digestive tract and has been linked to bloat, a major killer of dogs today.
POULTRY/MEAT: BY PRODUCTS AND DIGEST
According to the US Department of Agriculture, there is no mandatory inspection of ingredients used in pet food manufacturing. Accordingly, law allows the pet food industry to use what are called "4D"sources - that is, meat tissues, skin and insides of animals that are dead, dying, disabled, or diseased (AND NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION)when they reach the slaughterhouse. From his experience as a veterinarian and federal meat inspector, Dr. P.F. McGragle concludes that feeding slaughterhouse wastes to animals increases their chance of getting cancer and other degenerative diseases. Those wastes can include moldy, rancid or spoiled meats and salmonella contaminated poultry parts, as well as tissues severely riddled with cancer to be eaten by people. The heavy use of hormones, steroids and antibiotics, in farm animals, is also a concern. These continue to be active even in "dead" tissues.
ARTIFICIAL COLOR
A prime example of generic labeling is that of "artificial". By law, the manufacturer does not have to list any ingredients on the bag, and often does so in a manner which tells us little of what is actually in the products! Coloring often includes the following coal-tar derivative dyes: FD&C RED#40 (a possible carcinogen), RED#3, YELLOW#5 (not fully tested), YELLOW#6, BLUE#1 and #2 (increases dogs' sensitivities to fatal diseases such as parvo). SODIUM NITRATE, widely used as a red coloring and preservative, produces powerful caninogenic substances known as nitrosamines. People have died from accidental nitrate poisoning. Animals ingest much larger amounts of these carcinogens and other chemicals daily in their diets, than is ever allowed for humans!
SWEETENERS
Beet pulp sugar (not to be confused with beet pulp fiber), sucrose (table sugar), corn syrup (a derivative of corn starch), and molasses are the most widely used sweeteners in the pet food industry. Corn syrup is also known (and approved!) as an effective "humeotant and plasticizer", that is, an ingredient which gives the product dampness and flexibility. These ingredients cause chaos in your pets. They produce the same highs and lows as table sugar and a great deal of stress on the pancreas and adrenals, a condition that may result in diabetes. Corn syrup is hardly a healthy ingredient, especially when you consider how it dilutes other vital nutrients in the diet by providing empty calories devoid of vitamins, minerals, proteins or fats, and can also over stimulate the production of insulin and acidic digestive juices. These interfere with the animal's ability to absorb proteins, calcium and other minerals that are in the food! They also inhibit proper growth of useful intestinal bacteria for assimilation of these nutrients. Sweeteners have also been linked to behavioral problems such as aggression and hyperactivity. Cat food manufacturers rely on sweeteners to help "addict" cats to dry foods which naturally cats would avoid, preferring fresh kill.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL
This potentially harmful chemical is added to many products to maintain the right texture and moisture. Along with the use of Ethoxyquin, these humeotants tie up the water content and thus prohibit the growth of bacteria. These preservatives allow dry food to stay on the shelf for up to five years (!) and canned products indefinitely. As well as inhabiting bacteria growth in the product, they inhibit proper and necessary growth of friendly flora in the digestive tract, which aids in the assimilation of nutrients. They also decrease the amount of moisture in the digestive tract, which has led to intestinal blockage and a host of serious digestive tract problems such as cancerous intestinal lesions. This is what produces those "small, hard, dry stools" that certainly are easier to clean up, but you are also led to believe this means more product has been digested. It simply shows that more waste products (toxins) are not being properly eliminated; do you think your doctor would feel this was healthy for you, if you described having these types of stools?!
SALT
An ingredient heavily used to help increase palatability it has been believed to be the trigger of many diseases. Excessive salt intake (additional to that found naturally in most ingredients) can lead to hypertension, kidney stress, colon irritation, and a host of other ailments. A balance of sodium is vital for cellular health, but excessive amounts can damage these structures.
PEANUT HULLS
Long a common source of fiber, it is inexpensive and certainly bulk-producing, therefore very popular especially in the "reducing" diets. This incredibly harsh fiber can not only create chronic constipation, but damage the sensitive tissues of the colon.
Proper diet should be a fundamental concern when looking to prevent disease or rehabilitate.
This information is COPYRIGHT of DR. LISA NEWMAN, 1985-2003
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
What is in your pet's diet... and why should you care?!
You have probably heard the scary stories of feathers and beaks and "things" commonly found in pet foods... you may have experienced the pain and expense of caring for a chronically ill animal or may simply be waking up to the nutritional benefits to your own health and are wondering how this could also effect your animals. What ever your reasons, hopefully you will get out the ingredient list of what you are now feeding and compare these notes. In the last few years, holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists have concluded that many of today's health problems from allergies to cancer, even behavioral problems, can stem from poor nutrition... and not the "table scraps", but the very prescription diets and premium foods highly recommended. It's a shame that you may be unknowingly creating the very problems that your animal has been suffering from. A good diet is fundamental...
"Since I have graduated from veterinary school in 1965, I've noticed a general deterioration in pet health. I believe that the chemical additives in pet food play a major part in that decline."
Richard Pitcairn, DVM
"When the moist foods came out, we figured they must have a very strong preservative because they needed no refrigeration. Many of them do have a very strong preservative - formalin. Formalin is such a good preservative, in fact, that undertakers use quite a lot of it."
Thomas A. Newland, DVM
"Every time a pet eats another bowl of high-sugar pet food, he is being brought that much closer to diabetes, hypoglycemia, overweight, nervousness, cataracts, allergy - and death"
R. Geoffrey Broderick, DVM
"Do you know what is in meat meal, the major constituent of dry dog food?... Urine, fecal matter, hair, pus, meat [from animals, afflicted] with cancer and T.B., etc."
Wendall O. Belfield, DVM
"What you feed your animals should be the most important consideration you make."
Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
What's in your pet's food?????
ANIMAL / POULTRY FAT
It is common that the pet food industry is built on cleaning up the remnants of our own meat packing process, for those scraps which are not fit for human consumption. Common practice is to heavily preserve already rancid fats, with such chemicals as BHT/BHA and ETHOXYQUIN, to prevent further deterioration. These fats are a staple of the dry and canned food products, and it is what you smell (YUK) when you serve up your friend's meals. This smell has even led some people to use paper plates and plastic forks to feed their pets, in fear of contaminating their own dishes! Animal fats are used to provide essential oils for good skin and coat conditions... is it any wonder why there is such a dramatic health problem in this area today? Rancid, heavily preserved fats are extremely difficult to digest and can lead to a host of other health problems in your pet. Digestive upsets, especially throwing up bile or food, diarrhea, gas and bad breath are all linked to this. When fed to the newly developing digestive tract of puppies and kittens, it can permanently effect this sensitive lining, leading to a lifetime of digestion and assimilation problems. Fat can continue the allergy (sensitivities) responses, especially in the lamb and rice formulas.
BHT/BHA AND ETHOXYQUIN
These popular preservatives are heavily used in the pet food industry, not only to preserve fats but to stabilize the whole product as well. We have certainly been educated as to the dangerous side-effects of BHT/BHA in our own diets, as a serious carcinogen, but little truth has been shared about ETHOXYQUIN. This preservative was developed in the 1950's as a rubber stabilizer and herbicide, very similar to Agent Orange! It was either never approved by the FDA or recalled after three years of human use (I researched both accounts) but one thing is for certain - the documented cases of serious side-effects, resulting from exposure to ingestion of this chemical. Humans, who were working with it in the rubber industry, reported a dramatic rise in such diseases as liver/kidney damage, cancerous skin lesions, loss of hair, blindness, leukemia, fetal abnormalities and chronic diarrhea. In animals it has been linked to immune deficiency syndrome, spleen, stomach and liver cancer, as well as the above mentioned diseases. The steady increase in animal cancer and serious diseases has paralled the increased use of chemical preservatives in the pet food industry during the last 25 years!
SOYBEAN: GRITS/MEAL
Soybean is used to increase protein content and bulk in pet foods. It is very difficult to digest and assimilate especially for dogs, who lack the proper amino acid needed. It is known to cause gas buildup in the digestive tract and has been linked to bloat, a major killer of dogs today.
POULTRY/MEAT: BY PRODUCTS AND DIGEST
According to the US Department of Agriculture, there is no mandatory inspection of ingredients used in pet food manufacturing. Accordingly, law allows the pet food industry to use what are called "4D"sources - that is, meat tissues, skin and insides of animals that are dead, dying, disabled, or diseased (AND NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION)when they reach the slaughterhouse. From his experience as a veterinarian and federal meat inspector, Dr. P.F. McGragle concludes that feeding slaughterhouse wastes to animals increases their chance of getting cancer and other degenerative diseases. Those wastes can include moldy, rancid or spoiled meats and salmonella contaminated poultry parts, as well as tissues severely riddled with cancer to be eaten by people. The heavy use of hormones, steroids and antibiotics, in farm animals, is also a concern. These continue to be active even in "dead" tissues.
ARTIFICIAL COLOR
A prime example of generic labeling is that of "artificial". By law, the manufacturer does not have to list any ingredients on the bag, and often does so in a manner which tells us little of what is actually in the products! Coloring often includes the following coal-tar derivative dyes: FD&C RED#40 (a possible carcinogen), RED#3, YELLOW#5 (not fully tested), YELLOW#6, BLUE#1 and #2 (increases dogs' sensitivities to fatal diseases such as parvo). SODIUM NITRATE, widely used as a red coloring and preservative, produces powerful caninogenic substances known as nitrosamines. People have died from accidental nitrate poisoning. Animals ingest much larger amounts of these carcinogens and other chemicals daily in their diets, than is ever allowed for humans!
SWEETENERS
Beet pulp sugar (not to be confused with beet pulp fiber), sucrose (table sugar), corn syrup (a derivative of corn starch), and molasses are the most widely used sweeteners in the pet food industry. Corn syrup is also known (and approved!) as an effective "humeotant and plasticizer", that is, an ingredient which gives the product dampness and flexibility. These ingredients cause chaos in your pets. They produce the same highs and lows as table sugar and a great deal of stress on the pancreas and adrenals, a condition that may result in diabetes. Corn syrup is hardly a healthy ingredient, especially when you consider how it dilutes other vital nutrients in the diet by providing empty calories devoid of vitamins, minerals, proteins or fats, and can also over stimulate the production of insulin and acidic digestive juices. These interfere with the animal's ability to absorb proteins, calcium and other minerals that are in the food! They also inhibit proper growth of useful intestinal bacteria for assimilation of these nutrients. Sweeteners have also been linked to behavioral problems such as aggression and hyperactivity. Cat food manufacturers rely on sweeteners to help "addict" cats to dry foods which naturally cats would avoid, preferring fresh kill.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL
This potentially harmful chemical is added to many products to maintain the right texture and moisture. Along with the use of Ethoxyquin, these humeotants tie up the water content and thus prohibit the growth of bacteria. These preservatives allow dry food to stay on the shelf for up to five years (!) and canned products indefinitely. As well as inhabiting bacteria growth in the product, they inhibit proper and necessary growth of friendly flora in the digestive tract, which aids in the assimilation of nutrients. They also decrease the amount of moisture in the digestive tract, which has led to intestinal blockage and a host of serious digestive tract problems such as cancerous intestinal lesions. This is what produces those "small, hard, dry stools" that certainly are easier to clean up, but you are also led to believe this means more product has been digested. It simply shows that more waste products (toxins) are not being properly eliminated; do you think your doctor would feel this was healthy for you, if you described having these types of stools?!
SALT
An ingredient heavily used to help increase palatability it has been believed to be the trigger of many diseases. Excessive salt intake (additional to that found naturally in most ingredients) can lead to hypertension, kidney stress, colon irritation, and a host of other ailments. A balance of sodium is vital for cellular health, but excessive amounts can damage these structures.
PEANUT HULLS
Long a common source of fiber, it is inexpensive and certainly bulk-producing, therefore very popular especially in the "reducing" diets. This incredibly harsh fiber can not only create chronic constipation, but damage the sensitive tissues of the colon.
Proper diet should be a fundamental concern when looking to prevent disease or rehabilitate.
This information is COPYRIGHT of DR. LISA NEWMAN, 1985-2003
What Is The Holistic Animal Care Lifestyle
What is The Holistic Animal Care Lifestyle?TM
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
A Systematic approach of applying the natural pet diets and remedies, to stimulate the body's ability to reverse symptoms. Based on twenty years of research by Dr. Newman and the successful clinical applications of specific products, now the award winning Azmira Animal Nutrition line.
Step 1: The Pet's diet is changed to preservative and by-product-free Azmira foods, which are laboratory tested to assure nutrient content and freshness. This eliminates many ingredients veterinarians now recognize can create disease and allergies. 50% respond to this alone.
Step 2: The Daily diet is supplemented with foundation nutrients, according to each individual pet's needs. These nutrients are needed to "fuel" curative responses necessary for proper symptom reversal and life long disease prevention. 80% of all symptoms will respond!
Mega Pet Daily provides the majority of nutrients, in the proper dosage, for immune function and wellness.
Super C2000 provides therapeutic doses of vitamin C needed for immune response, bone, cell and tissue repair.
Garlic Daily Aid stimulates proper digestion and colon function, is anti-carcinogenic, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-viral, while proving vital sulphur for cellular wellness.
Step 3: Dr. Newman also recommends "homeopathic detoxification," a daily dose for two weeks initially and then once a week for maintenance, to help the body process stored toxins and improve assimilation of nutrients.
One or two "symptom specific" remedies, such as Yucca Intensive or Aller'G Free, can be used immediately to address more acute, serious symptoms while the body has time to detoxify and strengthen on the foundation supplements and dietary improvements.
Step 4: After six to eight weeks (time needed for the body to respond by building new, healthier cells), specific weakness will be more notable and can be addressed by specific remedies.
Since we know what is to be expected from Dr. Newman's protocols and Azmira products - when a pet fails to respond as the majority have before, we know that deeper weakness is still involved and interfering in the body's process of self-healing - additional supplementation can be targeted as needed.
This eliminates the "shotgun approach" of jumping from one product to another with little success and little understanding of what is really working or not!
Step 5: Once symptoms have been reversed for a month or more, you can return to the foundation supplements and diet only, for maintenance. In times of stress, certain products can be added, as preventative care, if needed
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Complete line of holistic remedies, supplements and food.
OUR PET PALS
Click to open coupon page.
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
A Systematic approach of applying the natural pet diets and remedies, to stimulate the body's ability to reverse symptoms. Based on twenty years of research by Dr. Newman and the successful clinical applications of specific products, now the award winning Azmira Animal Nutrition line.
Step 1: The Pet's diet is changed to preservative and by-product-free Azmira foods, which are laboratory tested to assure nutrient content and freshness. This eliminates many ingredients veterinarians now recognize can create disease and allergies. 50% respond to this alone.
Step 2: The Daily diet is supplemented with foundation nutrients, according to each individual pet's needs. These nutrients are needed to "fuel" curative responses necessary for proper symptom reversal and life long disease prevention. 80% of all symptoms will respond!
Mega Pet Daily provides the majority of nutrients, in the proper dosage, for immune function and wellness.
Super C2000 provides therapeutic doses of vitamin C needed for immune response, bone, cell and tissue repair.
Garlic Daily Aid stimulates proper digestion and colon function, is anti-carcinogenic, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-viral, while proving vital sulphur for cellular wellness.
Step 3: Dr. Newman also recommends "homeopathic detoxification," a daily dose for two weeks initially and then once a week for maintenance, to help the body process stored toxins and improve assimilation of nutrients.
One or two "symptom specific" remedies, such as Yucca Intensive or Aller'G Free, can be used immediately to address more acute, serious symptoms while the body has time to detoxify and strengthen on the foundation supplements and dietary improvements.
Step 4: After six to eight weeks (time needed for the body to respond by building new, healthier cells), specific weakness will be more notable and can be addressed by specific remedies.
Since we know what is to be expected from Dr. Newman's protocols and Azmira products - when a pet fails to respond as the majority have before, we know that deeper weakness is still involved and interfering in the body's process of self-healing - additional supplementation can be targeted as needed.
This eliminates the "shotgun approach" of jumping from one product to another with little success and little understanding of what is really working or not!
Step 5: Once symptoms have been reversed for a month or more, you can return to the foundation supplements and diet only, for maintenance. In times of stress, certain products can be added, as preventative care, if needed
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Complete line of holistic remedies, supplements and food.
OUR PET PALS
Click to open coupon page.
Detoxification: Removing poison from the kidneys
Detoxification: Removing poison from the kidneys
© 2007, Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D. All rights reserved.
As of the writing of this article, many of our pets have been exposed to aminopterin, a powerful poison and U.S. banned rodent killer. Its exact source has not been traced. It is believed it made its way into Menu Foods’ animal-grade grain (wheat gluten meal) supply via importation from China. What is known is how deadly it is.
Some dogs are surviving after ardent veterinary care but with serious side-effects. Others do not need hospitalization but show symptoms of kidney stress; a change in the urine’s color and/or odor, excessive urination with minimal output and changes in water consumption. Many owners are simply concerned their dog may have been exposed.
In case of exposure to this or any other poisons, there are holistic protocols which can be followed to augment proper veterinary care.
Detoxification is the secret to total recovery and to the prevention of long-term side-effects. The kidneys are made to remove waste from the body. This waste can be from natural processes such as metabolizing food; monthly pest control “treats” or gels, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors in your pet’s diet or the chemical that your neighbor sprayed on his lawn last weekend can be a culprit. It can be from any poison. The body’s primary goal, after breathing, eating and drinking, is eliminating waste since it can build up in the body and become “poison” to the organ systems. This is the root of all disease, the build up of this waste. It is important to be sure that your dog’s kidneys are functioning fully to remove this waste properly. There are several herbs and homeopathic remedies which I have worked with, that are wonderful for supporting the health of the kidneys.
Azmira’s homeopathic D’toxifer is an important remedy to have on hand. Used in the lower potency, it stimulates the kidneys into waste removal and increased output. It is a wonderful detoxifying combination which I highly recommend also be used on “healthy” pets once a week to maintain kidney health. For active detoxification, use a few drops daily for two weeks, then move onto the weekly dosing for maintenance.
Azmira Holistic Animal Care makes three Kidney specific products – Kidni Flow (helps prevent an
© 2007, Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D. All rights reserved.
As of the writing of this article, many of our pets have been exposed to aminopterin, a powerful poison and U.S. banned rodent killer. Its exact source has not been traced. It is believed it made its way into Menu Foods’ animal-grade grain (wheat gluten meal) supply via importation from China. What is known is how deadly it is.
Some dogs are surviving after ardent veterinary care but with serious side-effects. Others do not need hospitalization but show symptoms of kidney stress; a change in the urine’s color and/or odor, excessive urination with minimal output and changes in water consumption. Many owners are simply concerned their dog may have been exposed.
In case of exposure to this or any other poisons, there are holistic protocols which can be followed to augment proper veterinary care.
Detoxification is the secret to total recovery and to the prevention of long-term side-effects. The kidneys are made to remove waste from the body. This waste can be from natural processes such as metabolizing food; monthly pest control “treats” or gels, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors in your pet’s diet or the chemical that your neighbor sprayed on his lawn last weekend can be a culprit. It can be from any poison. The body’s primary goal, after breathing, eating and drinking, is eliminating waste since it can build up in the body and become “poison” to the organ systems. This is the root of all disease, the build up of this waste. It is important to be sure that your dog’s kidneys are functioning fully to remove this waste properly. There are several herbs and homeopathic remedies which I have worked with, that are wonderful for supporting the health of the kidneys.
Azmira’s homeopathic D’toxifer is an important remedy to have on hand. Used in the lower potency, it stimulates the kidneys into waste removal and increased output. It is a wonderful detoxifying combination which I highly recommend also be used on “healthy” pets once a week to maintain kidney health. For active detoxification, use a few drops daily for two weeks, then move onto the weekly dosing for maintenance.
Azmira Holistic Animal Care makes three Kidney specific products – Kidni Flow (helps prevent an
Kidney and Bladder Organ Failure
Kidney and Bladder Organ Failure
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
Two of the most common preventable diseases found in our pets today are kidney and bladder organ failure. Veterinarians have concluded that several dietary and environmental factors play a large role in the development of crystals, stones, chronic infections and actual organ failure.
A diet of fresh, high quality ingredients and Azmira's recommended daily nutritional supplements can help repair and maintain a strong, healthy urinary tract and clean system. Regardless of history, your male cat's blockages or your female dog's spay-related incontinence may be the issue, the body has the ability to rebalance itself and reverse damage. By implementing Dr. Newman's Holistic Animal Care Lifestyle (Mega Pet Daily, Garlic Daily Aid, Super C2000), in addition to clinical diagnosis and proper veterinary care, can quickly bring your pet the necessary dietary nutrients to support Urinary Tract Health and reverse weak urinary function.
It must be noted that urinary blockages can be deadly. Therefore, you must be sure to make your veterinarian aware of your pet's chronic conditions and seek clinical examinations and therapy when required. Azmira's supplements and dietary recommendations are not to be used in lieu of, but as a support to such necessary veterinary care.
Beware of specialty kidney diets. These artificially maintain pH but often at the expense of other nutritional needs, organ systems and health.
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
Two of the most common preventable diseases found in our pets today are kidney and bladder organ failure. Veterinarians have concluded that several dietary and environmental factors play a large role in the development of crystals, stones, chronic infections and actual organ failure.
A diet of fresh, high quality ingredients and Azmira's recommended daily nutritional supplements can help repair and maintain a strong, healthy urinary tract and clean system. Regardless of history, your male cat's blockages or your female dog's spay-related incontinence may be the issue, the body has the ability to rebalance itself and reverse damage. By implementing Dr. Newman's Holistic Animal Care Lifestyle (Mega Pet Daily, Garlic Daily Aid, Super C2000), in addition to clinical diagnosis and proper veterinary care, can quickly bring your pet the necessary dietary nutrients to support Urinary Tract Health and reverse weak urinary function.
It must be noted that urinary blockages can be deadly. Therefore, you must be sure to make your veterinarian aware of your pet's chronic conditions and seek clinical examinations and therapy when required. Azmira's supplements and dietary recommendations are not to be used in lieu of, but as a support to such necessary veterinary care.
Beware of specialty kidney diets. These artificially maintain pH but often at the expense of other nutritional needs, organ systems and health.
Pest Free Pets
Pest Free Pets
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
Let’s face it spring is here and so are the pests! Anyone who has a pet is going to contend with fleas and ticks. An all-and-out war of ”Them vs. Us" has been waged all over the world for centuries. These external parasites aren’t just annoying; they also increase potential sores and infection from constant scratching and they transmit internal parasites and diseases. In fact, the 14th century Black Death was spread by rat-borne fleas.
Numerous products have been developed to curtail these pests. Unfortunately, many of these are also potentially toxic to the animal being treated, its owner, and the rest of the environment. Carbamates (including carbaryl and sevin) and organophosphates (malathion, runnel, vapona,diazinn, dichlorvas, and parathion) are the two groups responsible for most pet deaths by insecticide poisoning.
Chemical insecticides are specifically formulated to resist natural decomposition processes, so increasingly high toxic levels can accumulate and be stored in our own body fat as well as our pets and in plants or other animals that both we and our pets eat as food.
It is impossible to completely irradiate fleas and ticks whether chemical or natural means are adopted. Using preventative pest control based on the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method is not only an effective pest control means but also the most ecologically responsible. The IPM method is a biological approach to pest control. It first considers the natural life cycle of the flea or tick and applies effort directly on their developing stages. It then chooses the treatment that is least likely to disturb the total environment. The treatment is applied strategically where the pest hide or breed, not just where they are seen.
Fleas
The life cycle of the flea is very dependent on high temperatures and high humidity – Most weather in a nutshell. At cool 55 temperatures, larvae mature in 140 days, but in 95 heat, maturation occurs in only 14 days! The whole process starts with the eggs that are laid by the female flea while on the animal’s body. These eggs fall to the ground, floor, or bedding and under optimum condition, hatch in 2-3 days. After feeding for 4-8 days on dust, pet dandruff, and dry drops of partially digested blood produced by the adult fleas feeding on the host, the larvae spins a cocoon from debris found on its environment. When the temperature and humidity are perfect, the adult flea emerges. This can take from 5 days to as long as 5 months. Until that occurs, the cocoon provides a physical barrier against insecticides.
Ticks
A tick’s life cycle is much more complicated. One female tick can lay between 1,000-3,000 eggs. Within 30 days these eggs hatch into six-legged larvae or \”seed ticks\”. Immediately, each larvae looks for a host from which to feed. A tick attaches itself to an animal either by dropping from a bush or blade of grass or by crawling onto a prone animal. The larvae’s fishhook-shaped mouth hangs on tenaciously as it digs in and gorges itself for three to six days. At that point, it falls to the ground, molts for 1-2 weeks, and changes into an eight-legged nymph. Still with an insatiable appetite it binges for a week on another host, then falls to the ground for yet another molting process, this time to change into an adult. After mating, the adult female lays eggs and the cycle starts over again.
Where to Start
Effective control of both fleas and ticks requires termination of the emerging adults and prevention of future emergence by killing the larvae. These parasites thrive in hot, humid, untidy conditions. It’s difficult to change the weather unless one moves to another states, but a clean environment is possible to change and maintain. This includes daily grooming of the animal, consistent, through cleaning of its bedding, and special attention to the house and the yard as well. Both ticks and fleas are sometimes hard to detect. Adult ticks are much easier to find than the \”youngsters.\” Brown in color with long, oval bodies and six or eight legs, depending upon how old they are, ticks are encased in a gray \”bubble\” which continually increases in size as they gorge themselves with blood. Special attention should be directed to the pet’s head, inner ears, and neck for ticks. If any are found, use a tweezers to pull off the head along with the rest of the body. A head buried in the animal’s skin may cause an infection or a cyst.
Constant scratching may indicate fleas. Look for \”flea dirt\” in the pet’s coat. These are dark, gritty particles that are actually the fleas feces. To determine if it is \”flea dirt\” or regular dirt, put a few specks on a paper towel and add water. If the specks turn red, your pet has fleas.
Non-toxic Alternatives
Shampoo your pet regularly with a mild non-toxic shampoo that includes herbal essential-oil repellents. Insecticides and harsh detergents in some pet shampoos destroy the hair’s natural oils and cause irritation. The soapy solution drowns the fleas which then float away with the rinse of water. The presence of essential oils interferes with the insects’ ability to sense moisture, heat and the breath of a prospective victim. Even ticks begin to voluntarily pull themselves out. Useful essential-oil repellents include citronella, cedar wood, eucalyptus, rosemary and bay leaf. To make a non-chemical \”dip\” add ¼ teaspoon essential oil repellent to 1 teaspoon shampoo and a 1 cup of water. Mix thoroughly and pour over your pet making sure to avoid the eyes and mouth. Caution: watch carefully. Let the \”dip\” dry on your pet’s coat. Some pets may be extra sensitive to the oils. If so, decrease the amount applied. Irritations are only temporary; rinse thoroughly with plenty of water to dilute the degree of sensitivity. Never, increase the amount of oil recommended.
Apply a nontoxic flea powder when your pet is dry and between baths. Herbal flea powders are ground aromatic herbs such as sage, wormwood, eucalyptus, and bay leaf which have repellent effects similar to the essential oils. Pyrethrins are often mixed with toxic insecticides in many commercial flea powders. This powerful product is related to a particular species of chrysanthemums. Even though considered to be the least toxic of all insecticides, pyrethrins work by causing convulsions and paralysis of the insect’s nervous system.
The paralyzing effect is immediate when dusted on insects living on the pet and its bedding. Many insects die, but frequent applications are needed since some insects recover within a few hours.
Diatomaceous earth (pronounced die-ah-toe-may-shus) is a finely ground fossilized diatom, a one-celled algae with shells. Diatomaceous earth can be found in vast deposits originating from ancient oceans over much of the world. Much of what is solid in this country is mined in the southwestern United States. When this material is finely ground, the microscopically sharp edges of the particles pierce the protective coating of insects so that they dry out in a few hours and die. In addition to its use for eradicating fleas and ticks, it is used by gardeners as a non-toxic dust to control insects on plants, as a natural means of fumigating grains and seeds for long term storage, and to aid intestinal tone and prevent worms in animals when added to a pet’s food on a daily basis. The U.S.D.A. has approved up to 2% by weight of ration as animal feed supplement to control internal parasites, including worms transmitted by fleas. The diatomaceous earth passes harmlessly through the digestive system. Use one teaspoon daily for cats, small dogs, and puppies and 1 tablespoon for dogs over 55 pounds.
The effectiveness of using diatomaceous earth for external parasites is related to the thoroughness of application. 1 cup will de-flea a dog. Put it in a salt shaker or similar container and shake it on the animal’s extremities, and combing it through to get it down to the skin. Be particularly thorough around the ears, between the legs and around the tail. Repeat this process in 7 days and then in another 7 days after that. Since the diatomaceous earth particles can irritate the eyes and the respiratory system, keep the dust of the animal’s eyes, nostrils, and mouth. These precautions are equally important for you. A dust mask may be advisable when working with a large quantity. Refrain from applying diatomaceous earth on windy days.
Never use filter type diatomaceous commonly used in swimming pool maintenance. This type is treated until it no longer resembles the state in which it left the mine. After being air dried, it is treated with soda ash and placed in a kiln. At heats of 2000 degrees, some of the residue is burned off and the primary ingredient, smorphous silica, changes physically and chemically into needles of glass with a tough, ceramic-like coating.
Herbal flea collars help prevent fleas from hopping on for a ride. Unlike dimethydichlorovinyl phosphate (DDVP), a spin-off from nerve gas warfare research that is found in chemical flea collars, herbal flea collars take advantage of the benefits of essential oils. Two types are available – a plastic collar impregnated with herbal oils and a rechargeable cotton variety. Herbal flea collars work best in areas of low infestation. Although not something I recommend, they are available.
The house and the yard
Once the pet is brushed, shampooed and dusted, the house and yard need attention. Fleas spend only 10% of their time on the animal so treating the immediate environment is essential. Clean up any debris which may harbor food and lodging for fleas and ticks. Wash bedding regularly in hot water. Vacuum carpets and crevices regularly. Remove cushions and vacuum cleaner bag at once so flea eggs won’t have a chance to hatch and rein fest the house. Another effective idea is to put a piece of herbal flea collar inside the bag to deter hatching. Then, dust the carpet lightly and refrain from vacuuming for a week. After 7 days, vacuum the carpets and dust lightly with more diatomaceous earth. Repeat the application once again in 7 days. Dust the yard on the same schedule. Moisture will not hurt the diatomaceous earth, but it could wash away.
Nutrition
As per our usual, final attention needs to be geared toward nutrition. Parasites love sick, old, and rundown animals. Add something fresh and raw to your pet’s diet. Many people depend on supplementing their pet’s food with yeast and garlic or using yeast and garlic wafers for treats. Results vary but the scent of the pet’s skin seems to be altered by the combination. Yeast and garlic can aid in pest control, but are no substitutes for an intensive flea eradication program.
For those who rescue animals, the needs are usually so great that is seems nearly impossible to surmount. You know that each and every animal needs help like you are providing. Persist through and you will eventually witness the condition of the animal go from debilitating and sickly to the health of a cared animal. Obviously this won’t take overnight, however, it will confirm everything we have ever printed… good health is proven from the inside out.
Controlling fleas and ticks naturally reduces problems to a minimum and eliminates the use of chemical insecticides in your home and on your pet. Don’t create problems. Maintain the beauty of the environment while you maintain the health of your pet as well as your own.
In closing let me advise you that the professional pest control agent is worried… he waits for me to get home, find fleas and then call for help… and he is going to continue waiting because I have found my solution – self-help. The best yet, it works!
The information in this article is in no way intended to substitute for counseling and/or treatment from a qualified health practitioner.
By Dr. Lisa S. Newman, N.D., Ph.D.
Let’s face it spring is here and so are the pests! Anyone who has a pet is going to contend with fleas and ticks. An all-and-out war of ”Them vs. Us" has been waged all over the world for centuries. These external parasites aren’t just annoying; they also increase potential sores and infection from constant scratching and they transmit internal parasites and diseases. In fact, the 14th century Black Death was spread by rat-borne fleas.
Numerous products have been developed to curtail these pests. Unfortunately, many of these are also potentially toxic to the animal being treated, its owner, and the rest of the environment. Carbamates (including carbaryl and sevin) and organophosphates (malathion, runnel, vapona,diazinn, dichlorvas, and parathion) are the two groups responsible for most pet deaths by insecticide poisoning.
Chemical insecticides are specifically formulated to resist natural decomposition processes, so increasingly high toxic levels can accumulate and be stored in our own body fat as well as our pets and in plants or other animals that both we and our pets eat as food.
It is impossible to completely irradiate fleas and ticks whether chemical or natural means are adopted. Using preventative pest control based on the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method is not only an effective pest control means but also the most ecologically responsible. The IPM method is a biological approach to pest control. It first considers the natural life cycle of the flea or tick and applies effort directly on their developing stages. It then chooses the treatment that is least likely to disturb the total environment. The treatment is applied strategically where the pest hide or breed, not just where they are seen.
Fleas
The life cycle of the flea is very dependent on high temperatures and high humidity – Most weather in a nutshell. At cool 55 temperatures, larvae mature in 140 days, but in 95 heat, maturation occurs in only 14 days! The whole process starts with the eggs that are laid by the female flea while on the animal’s body. These eggs fall to the ground, floor, or bedding and under optimum condition, hatch in 2-3 days. After feeding for 4-8 days on dust, pet dandruff, and dry drops of partially digested blood produced by the adult fleas feeding on the host, the larvae spins a cocoon from debris found on its environment. When the temperature and humidity are perfect, the adult flea emerges. This can take from 5 days to as long as 5 months. Until that occurs, the cocoon provides a physical barrier against insecticides.
Ticks
A tick’s life cycle is much more complicated. One female tick can lay between 1,000-3,000 eggs. Within 30 days these eggs hatch into six-legged larvae or \”seed ticks\”. Immediately, each larvae looks for a host from which to feed. A tick attaches itself to an animal either by dropping from a bush or blade of grass or by crawling onto a prone animal. The larvae’s fishhook-shaped mouth hangs on tenaciously as it digs in and gorges itself for three to six days. At that point, it falls to the ground, molts for 1-2 weeks, and changes into an eight-legged nymph. Still with an insatiable appetite it binges for a week on another host, then falls to the ground for yet another molting process, this time to change into an adult. After mating, the adult female lays eggs and the cycle starts over again.
Where to Start
Effective control of both fleas and ticks requires termination of the emerging adults and prevention of future emergence by killing the larvae. These parasites thrive in hot, humid, untidy conditions. It’s difficult to change the weather unless one moves to another states, but a clean environment is possible to change and maintain. This includes daily grooming of the animal, consistent, through cleaning of its bedding, and special attention to the house and the yard as well. Both ticks and fleas are sometimes hard to detect. Adult ticks are much easier to find than the \”youngsters.\” Brown in color with long, oval bodies and six or eight legs, depending upon how old they are, ticks are encased in a gray \”bubble\” which continually increases in size as they gorge themselves with blood. Special attention should be directed to the pet’s head, inner ears, and neck for ticks. If any are found, use a tweezers to pull off the head along with the rest of the body. A head buried in the animal’s skin may cause an infection or a cyst.
Constant scratching may indicate fleas. Look for \”flea dirt\” in the pet’s coat. These are dark, gritty particles that are actually the fleas feces. To determine if it is \”flea dirt\” or regular dirt, put a few specks on a paper towel and add water. If the specks turn red, your pet has fleas.
Non-toxic Alternatives
Shampoo your pet regularly with a mild non-toxic shampoo that includes herbal essential-oil repellents. Insecticides and harsh detergents in some pet shampoos destroy the hair’s natural oils and cause irritation. The soapy solution drowns the fleas which then float away with the rinse of water. The presence of essential oils interferes with the insects’ ability to sense moisture, heat and the breath of a prospective victim. Even ticks begin to voluntarily pull themselves out. Useful essential-oil repellents include citronella, cedar wood, eucalyptus, rosemary and bay leaf. To make a non-chemical \”dip\” add ¼ teaspoon essential oil repellent to 1 teaspoon shampoo and a 1 cup of water. Mix thoroughly and pour over your pet making sure to avoid the eyes and mouth. Caution: watch carefully. Let the \”dip\” dry on your pet’s coat. Some pets may be extra sensitive to the oils. If so, decrease the amount applied. Irritations are only temporary; rinse thoroughly with plenty of water to dilute the degree of sensitivity. Never, increase the amount of oil recommended.
Apply a nontoxic flea powder when your pet is dry and between baths. Herbal flea powders are ground aromatic herbs such as sage, wormwood, eucalyptus, and bay leaf which have repellent effects similar to the essential oils. Pyrethrins are often mixed with toxic insecticides in many commercial flea powders. This powerful product is related to a particular species of chrysanthemums. Even though considered to be the least toxic of all insecticides, pyrethrins work by causing convulsions and paralysis of the insect’s nervous system.
The paralyzing effect is immediate when dusted on insects living on the pet and its bedding. Many insects die, but frequent applications are needed since some insects recover within a few hours.
Diatomaceous earth (pronounced die-ah-toe-may-shus) is a finely ground fossilized diatom, a one-celled algae with shells. Diatomaceous earth can be found in vast deposits originating from ancient oceans over much of the world. Much of what is solid in this country is mined in the southwestern United States. When this material is finely ground, the microscopically sharp edges of the particles pierce the protective coating of insects so that they dry out in a few hours and die. In addition to its use for eradicating fleas and ticks, it is used by gardeners as a non-toxic dust to control insects on plants, as a natural means of fumigating grains and seeds for long term storage, and to aid intestinal tone and prevent worms in animals when added to a pet’s food on a daily basis. The U.S.D.A. has approved up to 2% by weight of ration as animal feed supplement to control internal parasites, including worms transmitted by fleas. The diatomaceous earth passes harmlessly through the digestive system. Use one teaspoon daily for cats, small dogs, and puppies and 1 tablespoon for dogs over 55 pounds.
The effectiveness of using diatomaceous earth for external parasites is related to the thoroughness of application. 1 cup will de-flea a dog. Put it in a salt shaker or similar container and shake it on the animal’s extremities, and combing it through to get it down to the skin. Be particularly thorough around the ears, between the legs and around the tail. Repeat this process in 7 days and then in another 7 days after that. Since the diatomaceous earth particles can irritate the eyes and the respiratory system, keep the dust of the animal’s eyes, nostrils, and mouth. These precautions are equally important for you. A dust mask may be advisable when working with a large quantity. Refrain from applying diatomaceous earth on windy days.
Never use filter type diatomaceous commonly used in swimming pool maintenance. This type is treated until it no longer resembles the state in which it left the mine. After being air dried, it is treated with soda ash and placed in a kiln. At heats of 2000 degrees, some of the residue is burned off and the primary ingredient, smorphous silica, changes physically and chemically into needles of glass with a tough, ceramic-like coating.
Herbal flea collars help prevent fleas from hopping on for a ride. Unlike dimethydichlorovinyl phosphate (DDVP), a spin-off from nerve gas warfare research that is found in chemical flea collars, herbal flea collars take advantage of the benefits of essential oils. Two types are available – a plastic collar impregnated with herbal oils and a rechargeable cotton variety. Herbal flea collars work best in areas of low infestation. Although not something I recommend, they are available.
The house and the yard
Once the pet is brushed, shampooed and dusted, the house and yard need attention. Fleas spend only 10% of their time on the animal so treating the immediate environment is essential. Clean up any debris which may harbor food and lodging for fleas and ticks. Wash bedding regularly in hot water. Vacuum carpets and crevices regularly. Remove cushions and vacuum cleaner bag at once so flea eggs won’t have a chance to hatch and rein fest the house. Another effective idea is to put a piece of herbal flea collar inside the bag to deter hatching. Then, dust the carpet lightly and refrain from vacuuming for a week. After 7 days, vacuum the carpets and dust lightly with more diatomaceous earth. Repeat the application once again in 7 days. Dust the yard on the same schedule. Moisture will not hurt the diatomaceous earth, but it could wash away.
Nutrition
As per our usual, final attention needs to be geared toward nutrition. Parasites love sick, old, and rundown animals. Add something fresh and raw to your pet’s diet. Many people depend on supplementing their pet’s food with yeast and garlic or using yeast and garlic wafers for treats. Results vary but the scent of the pet’s skin seems to be altered by the combination. Yeast and garlic can aid in pest control, but are no substitutes for an intensive flea eradication program.
For those who rescue animals, the needs are usually so great that is seems nearly impossible to surmount. You know that each and every animal needs help like you are providing. Persist through and you will eventually witness the condition of the animal go from debilitating and sickly to the health of a cared animal. Obviously this won’t take overnight, however, it will confirm everything we have ever printed… good health is proven from the inside out.
Controlling fleas and ticks naturally reduces problems to a minimum and eliminates the use of chemical insecticides in your home and on your pet. Don’t create problems. Maintain the beauty of the environment while you maintain the health of your pet as well as your own.
In closing let me advise you that the professional pest control agent is worried… he waits for me to get home, find fleas and then call for help… and he is going to continue waiting because I have found my solution – self-help. The best yet, it works!
The information in this article is in no way intended to substitute for counseling and/or treatment from a qualified health practitioner.
