I have always treated my animals like I treat my children
and myself in terms of health. In other words, I believe that 'you are what you
eat' - so if you eat healthily then you
will be healthy. That means eating natural food, with as few additives as possible.
I also believe that the early years, for puppies kittens and babies, are crucial in terms of setting up the constitution of
the individual as strongly as genetics and lifestyle will allow. Thus, avoiding
refined foods, antibiotics and vaccinations are second nature to me, and I rely
on good nutritional and holistic information and homeopathy in order to achieve
my aims.
In terms of diet, this means that I put in a lot of effort
when my animals are young. They get a natural and healthy diet, often home-cooked
and frozen in batches. This needs a lot of research, but I have found the work
of Juliette de Bairacli Levy and Richard Pitcairn (see booklist) very helpful
in evolving my own approach. I have to say, I don't ever go the whole nine
yards they recommend as they both are very exacting! I compromise and
substitute in order to find a balance that I can achieve reasonably easily.
No-one want to spend all day Sunday in the kitchen making pet food for the next
week! And once these animals get to two years old, I make more compromises. My
current cats for example are fully grown now and thus they have a very
good-quality meat pouch, the best dried food I can afford, and daily raw meat.
It's easy and straightforward, and while it's not cheap I feel that the money I
save in terms of visits to the vet makes it worthwhile. And I know it works
because I have used these same principles on my cats and dogs for over 20 years
now.
It's not just about diet of course. I do my best to treat
their ailments myself, using herbs and homeopathy. Of course, there are
occasions when you need the vet for an animal, just like you need a hospital
for yourself occasionally. When my dear old cat Badger became suddenly very ill
indeed, vomiting and retching almost convulsively, I didn't hesitate. I threw
us both in the car and accelerated away to see my local vet - I knew he had
eaten something poisonous , probably a poisoned rat - and needed professional
help to deal with the effects. Which he got, in double-quick time, and that was
that. And if I have tried everything I know to get rid of a flea infestation -
brewers yeast and fleabane on animals and furnishings, hoovering daily (not
something I normally do!), and daily flea-combing for my furry friends - and
they are still scratching madly, I will resort to orthodox treatment, because
it works. It's horrible stuff though, and I really prefer not to. Next time I
will try diatomaceous earth - it's supposed to be fantastic for any insect
infestations. It's the microscopic remnants of algae, and is composed of
silica, which shreds the exoskeleton of fleas and mites and thus kills them.
Food grade diatomaceous earth is harmless to pets and people, and is fine to
sprinkle all over carpets and furnishings, hoovering up after a couple of days,
and can even be used on an animal's fur. Do research this on the internet
before you try it (I certainly will), but I have heard some fantastic things
about this treatment, and for me it is certainly worth a try.
Although there are legal complications around treating
animals homeopathically if you are a practitioner, there is nothing to stop you
treating your own animals if you want to. Both Tamzin or I have a lot of
experience in this area, treating animals as diverse as chickens and horses,
and are very happy to give you any advice you need, and of course have a fantastic array of
remedies at our disposal. Giving animals remedies couldn't be easier, as they
can be put in water, administered with food or dropped as a powder into the
mouth.
Here's my booklist of useful books for animals:-
Dr. Pitcairn's
complete guide to natural health for dogs and cats by Richard H Pitcairn and
Susan H. Pitcairn. An amazing book, full of useful tips for feeding and
treating your pets naturally. Not very well edited, so you have to be prepared
to skip through the information to find what you want! A mine of information on
nutrition, with recipes for a healthy diet, which is great for kittens and
puppies to give them the best start. Lots of naturopathic and homeopathic tips
for curing common problems too.
The complete herbal
handbook for the dog and cat or The
complete herbal handbook for farm and stable by Juliette de Bairacli Levy -
A great resource for herbal medicines for animals, as well as a good guide to a
natural diet. De Bairacli Levy was one of the first animal nutritionists to
write lucidly on these issues, and many later books are based on her work. A
good fundamental bible, although old fashioned in some respects.
Homeopathic care for
cats and dogs by Don Hamilton . The first five chapters of this book
constitute an introduction to homeopathy and the use of homeopathy in the home
for acute conditions that applies to humans as well as animals, so it's a good
read for those of you who want to understand and use homeopathy yourselves.
This section is followed by a comprehensive review of many animal illnesses,
with an explanation of the disease state, acute care and suggestions for
remedies. There is also a chapter on the pros and cons of vaccinations which
might be useful to some of you who are interested in this contentious issue.
