Nutritional Supplements For Pet Birds Articles & Resources

Ticks. It's a good idea to hunt for ticks at the same time. Gently massage your furry canine or feline all over, feeling for little bumps. If you find one, check it out under a bright light, and, if it's a tick, remove it with tweezers. After getting rid of the varmint, cover the bitten area with "3% hydrogen peroxide, a dilute solution of tea tree oil, diluted grapefruit seed extract, or all three," recommends Puotinen. "These antiseptics are recommended because they destroy the Lyme disease bacteria [carried by deer ticks] on contact." Puotinen also notes that frequent "brushings during tick season help remove ticks that are crawling on fur, but it won't dislodge attached ticks."

Keeping the bugs away

Fleas. The good news is that fleas are not as attracted to pets who are very well-nourished. Anecdotal experience suggests that the internal use of wormwood and rue helps repel fleas by "making the blood taste bitter and less appealing" (Puotinen). Other traditional "tricks" include:

* Spread black-walnut boughs in possible flea-infested areas;

* Rub a sprig of pennyroyal over your pet's fur every day;

* Buy pet cushions stuffed with cedar shavings;

* Add several drops of eucalyptus oil to a gentle liquid (pet) shampoo. And, while bathing your pet, "watch for fleas that climb onto your pet's snout in order to escape the water; pick them off and drop them into a glass of soapy water," suggests Puotinen.

* "Recharge" your pet's flea collar with pennyroyal. This should also help with: flies, mosquitoes, wood ticks, chiggers, and gnats.

* To make a safe flea-repellant spray for a kennel run, take 1 quart of water and mix in 1 Tbsp of essential oil of pennyroyal. Traditional advice warns that pennyroyal (sprays and oil) should be kept away from pregnant pets and mothers-to-be.

Pet nutrition and fleas. Make sure that your pet's diet, and supplementation program includes nutritional, or brewer's, yeast and garlic.

Ticks. Although ticks are not permanent boarders, they're not fun. They attach themselves, vampirically suck some blood, then later fall off to lay eggs. After young ticks are born and crawl up onto branches and blades of grass, the cycle starts over again.

According to Richard H. Pitcairn, .M., and Susan Hubble Pitcairn, ., in their Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats (1995), "groom your pet thoroughly before you let it run in an area likely to contain ticks, such as woods or fields. Remove loose hair, and matted hair, [...] then dust the coat with an herbal flea repellant," especially one containing eucalyptus.

Apple cider vinegar for bugs? In addition to being helpful for cuts, wounds, hot spots, dull fur, skin infections, calluses, and itchy areas, it soothes the skin, helps the coat, and deters fleas and ticks!

Puotinen tells us that "to make a fragrant astringent that doubles as a skin and coat tonic, make a cider vinegar tincture of fresh or dried leaves and flowers such as rosemary leaves, calendula blossoms, rose petals, lavender, lemon peel, sage, comfrey, plantain, and/or chamomile."

Place the botanicals loosely in a glass jar (fill the jar only one-third-full if you're using dried herbs). Leave the jar in a warm spot, in or out of the sun, for a couple of weeks, gently shaking the jar from time to time.

Strain the liquid through cheese-cloth into a large measuring cup, adding some drops of essential oils, like rosemary or lavender. Transfer to storage bottles, and put in a cool, dark place.

How to use it? To use as a repellant, pour a bit onto a damp washcloth and wipe your pet's coat. To treat an itch or rash, you can directly apply it to the spot, according to Puotinen.

To help prevent Lyme disease, occasionally give your your pet grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf extract, astragalus, bee propolis, or other infection-fighting supplements.

Okay, so what comes after "itchy, bug-ridden spots"? You guessed it:

Hot spots

And, no, we don't mean trendy, strobe-flashing pop-music dance emporia. Nope, these "hot spots" are a result of the toxic burden of chemicals in our pet's environment (and ours).

According to the Pitcairns, "a buildup of toxins may not cause a specific disease by itself, but it can make a pet more susceptible and set the stage for worse conditions -- infectious disease, acute inflammation, or gradual organ degeneration." For example, an animal with chronically inflamed skin may develop a sudden case of moist eczema, also called "hot spots," say the Pitcairns.

The Pitcairns are rather drastic in their treatment for pets with hot spots: "If your pet has inflamed, irritated skin, begin with a fast. Let the animal's digestive tract rest for a day, or two, on water only. For [pets] with serious hot spots [...], follow the water fast with several days of liquid fare, such as raw juices, raw milk diluted with water, or small quantities of raw meat blended with water. Introduce solid foods gradually toward the end of the fasting week.

REFERENCES

Pitcairn, Richard H., .M., and Pitcairn, Susan Hubble, . Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press, 1995.

Puotinen, . The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care. New Canaan, Conn.: Keats Publishing, 1998.

Schwartz, Cheryl, .M. Four Paws, Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs. Berkeley, Calif.: Celestial Arts, 1996.

RELATED ARTICLE: 12 supplements for pets

Supplements are critical.

That's because many pets with allergies need help assimilating nutrients from food, say the Pitcairns in their book, Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. With that in mind, let's look for some of the all-natural pet-food/superfood/supplement ingredients.

Note: Remember: it's important to, whenever possible, find all-natural pet-supplement/pet-food products that have the proper amounts of these ingredients for pets, in some cases geared specifically for dogs or cats (and even for horses and birds, too). Grinding up human supplements is not a safe approach for pets.

1. alfalfa (and many other digestible veggies) -stimulates digestion and appetite; helps pet gain weight (when needed); good for joint pain and urinary/bladder irritation. According to the Pitcairns, it is `best [...] for animals that are underweight, nervous or high-strung."

2. amino acids (including taurine!) -- critical for dogs and cats. Since cats use the amino acid, taurine, faster than they can replenish it, cats (especially) need meat sources of this amino. Since high-quality protein sources are often hard to come by, high-quality amino acid ingredients are important.

3. barley -- in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), barley is considered a "cooling" grain, the consumption of which is thought to be beneficial for the kidneys and helpful in reducing burning, painful urination (Four Paws, Five Directions, 1996). Barley is also rich in carotenoids and vitamins C and E.

4. chlorophyll -- lifeblood of plants, this green component is considered a great odor-reducer (breath, and overall).

5. enzymes -- since it's difficult for pets to manufacture enough amylase, for example, for proper carbohydrate digestion (and assimilation), enzymes are important; they also help reduce possible food sensitivities to grains.

6. essential fatty acids (including flaxseed oil) -- "A lack or essential fatty acids, which is found in pets fed [mass-market] grain-based pet foods, can seriously disrupt the animal's health," according to The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care by . Puotinen. Fat sources can include: evening primrose, borage seed, flaxseed, avocados, etc. Digestive enzymes help break down these fats, as well.

7. garlic -- helps get rid of worms and parasites, strengthens digestion, and beneficially stimulates intestinal function.

8. kelp -- contains iodine. Helps remove toxins from your pet's system. Also assists in producing a luxuriant coat.

9. minerals -- whether in whole foods and food concentrates, or in chelated form, minerals are key for our pets. They help balance cardiac electrolytes, etc.

10. nutritional yeast -- premium-quality nutritional, or brewer's, yeast is rich in: B vitamins, amino acids, trace minerals, and electrolytes.

11. oats -- said to relieve intestinal irritation and to soothe a "growling" stomach, says Puotinen, aside from intrinsic nutritional value. Often used as the main grain in pets' diets.

12. vitamins (including the B vitamins) -- vitamins A, B-complex, D, and E [and all the rest] are important. The B vitamins are "vital to the health of the nervous system," says Puotinen. Make sure that the vitamin pet supplement you buy does not contain sodium benzoate, "especially for cats, for whom this preservative is a poison," say the Pitcairns.

RELATED ARTICLE: Holistic pet care

Here is a brief list of holistic petcare organizations, which can answer questions from, and provide assistance to, the public.

American Holistic
Veterinary Medical
Association
2218 Old Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
.com
fax #410-569-0795
or e-mail:

(send SASE -- or fax request -- for
a listing of holistic veterinary
practitioners in your area)

Veterinary Institute for Therapeutic Alternatives 15 Sunset Terrace Sherman, CT 06784 phone #860-354-2287

Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy phone #305-652-1590 .org

--compiled by Donna K. Guest