Canine health is more than a lack of disease – it means that your dog experiences a high state of mental, emotional, and physical balance and vitality. Every day I provide my clients with preventative care and wellness advice so their four-legged “kids” can have this experience. Here are ten steps you can take to improve your dog’s health, putting you on the road to a long, happy life together.
1. Improve the Diet
Whenever I consult with a new client, we spend a good deal of our time discussing proper nutrition. Although every dog has individual dietary needs based on age, breed, activity level, and current health status, adding fresh foods to your companion’s diet is always a good idea. Talk to your veterinarian or local holistic pet food store about commercially available diets that include fresh, organic foods and exclude by-products, preservatives, and large amounts of fillers and grains. Your vet can also provide balanced recipes tailored to your dog’s specific dietary needs that you can prepare at home.
2. Reduce Weight, Increase Exercise
Whenever I see a dog in my practice who is suffering from arthritis of the hips or elbows, I always discuss weight loss as part of the treatment. Sometimes the loss of just two to five pounds can mean the difference between life and death for a dog who can barely stand up due to obesity and degenerative joint disease.
Whether or not your dog is overweight, exercise is vital for his physical and mental health. Start with a ten-minute walk around the block twice a day and slowly build up to longer jaunts. If you have an elderly pet, consider a program of gentle stretching and swimming as an alternative to long walks.
3. Get Regular Checkups
Establish a teamwork relationship with a veterinarian you trust who supports your health care ideals. Annual examinations allow your vet to establish what is “normal” for your dog and discover any unusual findings early enough to treat them effectively. You should insist on being an active participant in your dog’s health decisions, but take your vet’s advice seriously if she encourages annual blood tests, dental care (see #5 below), or other health care procedures.
4. Don’t Over Vaccinate!
Many vets still recommend annual vaccinations because that is what they were taught in school, but there is little if any scientific evidence supporting this approach. In fact, research is now proving that annual vaccinations can be harmful to your pet!
Currently, the American Veterinary Medical Association suggests that every dog be vaccinated according to an individual plan agreed upon by his vet and his owner (the rabies vaccine has specific legal requirements in California; discuss with your vet). Generally, my clients vaccinate their pets with the Distemper/Parvo vaccine no more often than every three years, even less frequently if their dogs are elderly or have low exposure risks.
“Titer Testing” measures the blood levels of circulating antibodies and can help your vet assess whether or not a vaccination is needed.
5. Care for Teeth and Gums
Your dog may never have pearly white teeth or minty fresh breath, but his kiss and smile shouldn’t cause you to run from the room! Using raw meaty bones (check with your vet first), teeth brushing, dental chews, and greenies can help keep your pet’s teeth clean and gums healthy. And remember that a well-balanced diet high in whole, fresh foods will help maintain a healthy smile!
6. Reduce Chemical Load
Dogs live close to the floor and their coats are washed by their tongues! Imagine how many toxins they ingest – from floor cleaners and dust mites indoors to lawn herbicides and traffic fumes on walks. Minimize your dog’s exposure as much as possible by buying natural cleaning products, using environmentally safe paints and carpets, and avoiding garden chemicals and all other poisons that can pollute your dog’s environment. And remember: second-hand cigarette smoke is as harmful to your pet as it is to you or your children.
Think of how many toxins you willingly give your pet on a regular basis: heartworm treats, topical flea meds, tick collars, and so on. All of these substances are strangers to the body and need to be processed by the liver and other organs. Even products that are supposed to stay on the surface of the body can be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream. Avoid these medications when possible, or ask your vet or a holistic practitioner for alternatives.
A high-quality diet supplemented by antioxidants and vitamins will help your pet deal with any toxins he does encounter.
7. Provide Vitamins and Other Supplements
No matter how great your dog’s diet, there are still a few supplements he should not live without. The first is a high-quality Omega Fatty Acid supplement, preferably from a fish source, to promote a healthy heart and immune system. Another must for any dog over eight years of age is glucosamine, which encourages the production of fresh cartilage and joint fluid to maintain healthy joints. An antioxidant supplement is invaluable to help your dog deal with toxins he encounters in the world of humans.
All of these supplements are available at holistic pet stores or health food stores. Ask your vet for recommendations.
8. Provide Regular Grooming
Almost all animals love to be groomed – just watch two doggy friends licking and cleaning each other with great TLC! Brushing and grooming remove surface dirt and pollutants and stimulate the skin and its glands. It’s best to avoid excess shampooing, which can dry out your dog’s skin and fur, but be sure to brush him weekly and clean his ears, eyes, and teeth as directed by your veterinarian. Check his feet and other sensitive areas daily for foxtails, ticks, and other foreign material.
9. Provide Training and Other Safety Precautions
A reliable recall achieved through proper training can save your pet’s life when there’s a dog fight at the local park or if he breaks away and is about to run in the street. What’s more, many dogs are euthanized at shelters each year due to behavioral issues that could easily be managed with proper training and behavior modification. Here in the Bay Area, there are many qualified dog trainers to help our dogs stay safe, secure, and happy.
Also on the safety front, a car restraint just may save your dog’s life if there’s an accident. Even a minor “fender bender” could seriously injure her, so the use of a well-fitted canine seat belt harness or secured crate is a must for your pet’s long-term health.
10. Connect with Your Pet!
Walks, playing, grooming, and feeding times are opportunities to spend quality time with our dogs. Try to find a quiet place to relax together with your pet every day. Sometimes ten minutes spent in quiet communion can do wonders for you both. Communicating with animals doesn’t require special psychic powers, just an intention to be present with your heart open. When your dog looks at you with those bright, loving eyes, you can be sure that you’ve gotten his most important message!
Dr. Jenny Taylor has worked as a holistic veterinarian in the Bay Area for twelve years and lives in Oakland with Molly, her Jack Russell Terrorist. In 2001, she founded Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Center on MacArthur Blvd. in Oakland (www.creaturecomfort.com), the first veterinary hospital in the East Bay devoted to integrative medicine and holistic practices for pets. She can be reached at 510-530-1373.
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