A Trip to the Vet

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We added a new family member over Christmas break: a Maltese/Yorkie mix named Tebow Baggins (our very own hobbit!). My first trip to the vet was eye-opening. I was amazed at the amount of good, basic health information I received from someone not promoting himself as a holistic practitioner. I marveled that this kind of knowledge is so readily available for our pets and not for our children. Here are some highlights:

  1. A corn-free diet is optimal. The vet offered a premium puppy food that is "corn-free." One of the handouts explained that corn often contains aflatoxins, described as "a naturally occurring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus on corn and other crops."

    This is common knowledge in the pet world. According to Entirely Pets, aflatoxins "can cause severe liver damage in pets, which can lead to fatality." Aflatoxins are no better for humans. See this previous post about aflatoxins in food.
  2. Soy is an endocrine disrupter. I asked if the food contained soy, knowing that a soy-free/corn-free diet is a must for our newest addition. "I'm not sure," he said. "Check the website." And then he added, "I don’t like what soy does to the endocrine system." Instead of feeling belittled, I felt validated.

    Research suggests soy is no easier on human endocrine systems. According to the research done by the Weston A. Price Foundation, "Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms." This concern with the hormonal disruption doesn't even address the GMO issue. More than 90% of all soy is now genetically modified. See this startling graph from the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service.
  3. Good teeth reflect good health. The vet spent quite a bit of time looking at Tebow's bite and teeth. He explained how critical his bite is to future health and suggested ways to keep the back teeth clean. It was clear that Tebow's health and the condition of his teeth were related. We are often missing this fact when it comes to our yearly physical. Our daughter's experience with having her front tooth extracted taught me the reality of this connection. Dr. Hal Huggins has written an excellent article explaining the implications of dentistry as it relates to overall health.
  4. Environment affects health. The vet asked about our environment and the breeder's environment, suggesting we be aware of any changes that might affect our puppy's health. Environmental change can bring on all sorts of health symptoms, such as diarrhea, lethargy, and mood changes. We didn’t spend much time on this subject, but the implication was clear: environment and health are connected.
  5. Vaccinations must be given carefully. The vet made it very clear. "I don't do more than one vaccination at a time," he said, explaining that too many shots at one time can overload the dog's immune system. I shudder when I think of the way we vaccinated our nine children. Their immune systems are no less fragile.
  6. Be aware of plastics. The vet expressed a concern about chewing toys and plastics. "I'm okay with rawhide," he said, but expressed his wariness of plastic chew toys. I didn't pursue the subject further, but his caution was refreshing in light of the current concern over BPA in plastics.
  7. Cleanliness is critical. The vet encouraged us to bathe Tebow, keep his eyes free of discharge, and trim his facial hair regularly. We didn't discuss the shampoo we would use; I already knew that petroleum-based, fragranced products were not an option. Here's the recipe we used for Tebow's first bath:

    • 10 oz distilled water
    • 1 tbsp. liquid Castile soap
    • 1 tsp. glycerin
    • 1 drop tea tree oil (essential oils must be used cautiously with pets.)
    • 2 drops rose geranium essential oil

    I chose tea tree oil for the cleaning benefit and rose geranium for its tick/flea-fighting capabilities. See this article for more information on this benefit of rose geranium oil.
Tebow already has brought renewed hope and joy to our home. Now let the potty training begin!

9 comments :

  1. Just be very very careful using essential oils on him. Read up on that, if you haven't already. Some can be toxic to them, even if diluted and used on skin.

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  2. Linee,
    Yes I did. This is why I used such a tiny amount in the recipe. Definitely won't be putting them directly on him! Thanks for the advice.

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  3. Andrea,
    Great post and info... and congrats!!! Tebow has arrived right on time:-)
    so cute!
    (and how is it best to keep the back teeth clean?
    kt)

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  4. He said a raw chicken bone (drumstick or thigh)....

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  5. How wonderful for your family!!!
    Happy New Year to you all :)
    Hugs,
    Ruth

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  6. WOOFLCOME to Tebow from my 2 shihtzu (Mckenzie and Mckodee).
    I am so happy for you guys, Dogs are blessing of the heaven in our lives.
    I started use borax, baking soda and vinegar when I got my dogs, and I also hidden rosemary or eucaliptus leaves in my sofa and dog's bed. And mop floor with a mix (citronela, teatree, lemongrass and geranium oil).
    Have a blessed new year...

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  7. He is so adorable. The bible says we will know God through his creation. He has created dogs to love unconditionally. Unconditional love is the God like quality I see in dogs. What a blessing to the family.
    Some things we have found that work at keeping our dog free of parasites are,diatomacous earth on her food to prevent intestinal parasites and Ark Natural's neem protect shampoo. No fleas in over 4 years.

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  8. Speaking of Dr Huggins & Pets...

    I know that sounds strange given that his areas of expertise is dentistry. But I thought I"d pass this along...

    Dr H wrote a book (in 2010, I believe), entitled "PZI: Non-Diabetic Uses for Insulin".

    He was gifted a large stack of amazing research notes / papers from decades ago (after these famous researchers had passed away) and the research was on the use of Insulin Growth Factor (aka PZI). It's also often used by vets to treat a variety of ailments.

    Dr H was so impressed with it that it became part of his famous Huggins (dental) protocol for amalgam removal.

    However, the amazing PZI book includes A LOT more than it's use in dentistry. It describes 55 non-diabetic uses of PZI -- from treating gangrene to cancer, etc... It even has pictures illustrating how to use it. It's not advertised on his website, but you can call and order it from his office. Dr Huggins is one of my heroes.

    He's truly an amazing, courageous, and inspiring man! (reminds me of you Andrea!)

    BTW, my neice has a yorki-maltese mix too! He's sooo cute! All he wants to do when we visit is shower us with NON-STOP kisses (2-3 licks per second), so you can imagine. Very loving. However, for some strange reason, his really dislikes getting his hair trimmed, so much so that most groomers have labeled him "vicious" and refuse to trim his hair. ??

    Hopefully, your little one will have a more relaxing, enjoyable spa-like experience with his soothing, essential oils! ;)

    I have a small Shiz Tzu myself named Fifi. She's so loving and so much fun! Her personality and her facial expressions are priceless...e.g., she prefers to eat in a sitting position (like a sweet little princess), and when her chin is dripping wet after drinking water, her facial expression is priceless! She looks at me with these sweet, puppy dog eyes, waiting for me to dry her chin and gets very excited when she as I reach to grab a napkin (it's not only incredibly adorable, but also helpful for my tile floors to stay clean!)

    Enjoy your little one!

    Blessings,

    Cary

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