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canine nutrition • homeopathy and natural health care • training and behavior 

Volume 3 • Issue 3 • May/June 2012 

DOGS NATURALLY 

PUPPY VACCINES 

Fleas and Ticks 

for dogs without boundaries 

saving lives with 

TITERS 

NATURAL 

HEALING 

for lyme disease 

switching 

Puppies 

to raw 

essential oils 

for pest control

editor’s message 

For once in my life, I’m speechless. I’ve no idea what to write this time around. I’m missing Simon terribly 

and it seems that his loss started a tragic cascade in our household. 

Before Simon’s ashes were returned to us, Aaron started showing the same neurological symptoms. An 

MRI confirmed our fears: Aaron is now dying of a brain tumor too. Of course, I immediately blamed myself 

and promptly removed all of the cordless phones and wireless devices from the areas where the dogs 

spend most of their time. I tested our well water, the pond water, I questioned their food, and virtually exhausted 

myself trying to find a reason why two healthy dogs could suddenly be stricken with brain tumors, 

just a month apart. 

Then one day, I came to terms with the 

fact that I can’t control everything in life. 

There are things I can control, such as 

making sure my dogs get plenty of sunshine, 

fresh air and exercise. I can control 

the quality of food that goes into them, as 

well as their drinking water. I can control 

what drugs, chemicals and toxins they 

are exposed to - to a certain extent. But 

there are also things that are beyond my 

control. 

Life became a lot easier for me when I 

learned to worry only about the things I 

could control and to just let the rest go. 

The reality is life has its ups and downs 

and our happiness relies not only on enjoying 

the ups, but in recognizing that the 

downs are just...life. 

I have two beautiful young puppies sleeping contentedly beside me at the moment. This is my first litter in 

nearly four years and I was so excited about it. Once again, life dealt me a blow and I lost five of the seven 

puppies. I was feeling very sorry for myself last month - but I survived and so did these two wonderful 

puppies. 

If there is one thing that showing and living with dogs has taught me, it’s that we all have to pay our dues. 

Hopefully one of these puppies will stay here with me and soon I will be taking her in the show ring and 

taking her out for swims and walks with the rest of the pack. Some of these days may bring us a rosette or I 

may be suddenly struck with the glowing realization of how lucky I am to have the beautiful and wonderful 

dogs, family and life that I do. On these days when I’m rewarded by life, I will feel like I’ve really earned the 

privilege to enjoy the gifts I’ve been given. 

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but today I’ll enjoy all of the little heartbeats at my feet because 

that’s all I can do. And I’m OK with that. 

Dana 

4 May/June 2012 | Dogs Naturally Magazine

feedback 

Letters 

Your devotion to dogs is inspirational! Can I please compliment 

you on putting together such a wonderful magazine. 

I read both November and January editions back 

to back - and in the process learnt so much! I have had 

two Staffordshire Bull Terriers for 14 years and suffered 

the heartache of losing two last year to cancer. I am convinced 

that annual vaccinations and inappropriate diet 

were contributing factors! I have two Staffordshire Bull 

Terrier rescue dogs now and feed them both a raw diet 

and will not continue with annual boosters! I look forward 

to future editions of the magazine! - Nigel 

I just read your editorial in the January issue and tears 

came...knowing that you are you, and in the world, and 

devoted totally to the welfare of our canine companions, 

and in Canada (good country still). This all rekindles my 

faith and hope and you are an example for me, to follow 

my heart...I hope Libby is comfortable in her moment still. 

- Judith from France 

Dr. Cutright, who recently wrote on Nutrition Response 

Testing in the March 2012 issue, wanted to make some 

clarifications. Firstly, that although she used the acronym 

NRT for Nutrition Response Testing in her article, it actually 

respresents a different procedure and not Nutrition 

Response Testing. She also wanted to remind those inquiring 

that this is a nutritional analysis and the stressors 

she mentioned, including infectious stressors, were better 

described as immune challenge, as “infectious” would 

indicate a diagnostic, not analytical test was performed. 

I noticed an error in the Apothecary article on Calcarea 

carbonica. If you haven’t caught it yet....Last sentence, 

it is Sulphur that shouldn’t follow Calcarea, not the other 

way around. Calcarea is ideal and often follows well after 

Sulphur. - Charles E. Loops DVM 

Facebook 

Lyne Gagné I just can not get enough of this magazine 

wow, always great articles, thank you. I share all your articles 

with my group http://amateurdechien.ning.com. 

I hope my Plume will be chosen for the cover. I’m so happy 

that I found a magazine that has the same belief that 

I do; I feed my dogs raw, don’t over vaccinate and treat 

them only with natural products. I have had a boarding 

kennel for six years now and I accept raw fed dogs, and 

only ask for one rabies vaccine, one DHPP, NO Bordetella. 

Thank you 

Melissa Vrooman Had a “great” time walking four miles 

on the treadmill last night (60 min) and reading up on my 

newest edition of Dogs Naturally! The time just flew by :) 

The vaccine feedback article was wonderful! 

Simone Clark Thanks DNM, the dogs and I just received a 

special present of chicken jerky from Tumbleweed & Eddie’s 

- they get three paws up! If any of the dogs could 

manage it it would have been six paws but they aren’t 

that good at balancing! 

Tunia Harrison Hyland My favorite holistic dog mag! 

Twitter 

@Lucida Puppy Fund @DogsNaturally has a great deal 

of info on #parvo. It hits home, especially with the recent 

bouts at our fellow #rescues, it’s a must read! 

We love our friends! 

Check out our website, Facebook and Twitter pages to stay up to date on the latest stories 

and news, as well as events, contests and exclusive giveaways. Go to facebook.com/dogsnaturallymagazine 

& twitter.com/dogsnaturally. 

Dogs Naturally Magazine | May/June2012 

5

DOGS NATURALLY 

Volume 3 Issue 3 

ON THE COVER 

20 

28 

20 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR PEST CONTROL 

A look at the shortcomings of many essential oil products 

for controlling bugs and how to find better products. 

by: Frances Cleveland 

22 STARTING PUPPIES ON RAW FOOD 

Many dog owners are hesitant to feed their puppies raw, especially 

large breed puppies. Here is a simple guide to start 

your puppy out safely. 

by: Dana Scott 

24 FLEAS AND TICKS 

Spot-on flea and tick products contain many harmful ingredients. 

Learn what new products are on shelves and 

whether or not they are safer alternatives. 

by: Deva Khalsa DVM 

28 PUPPY VACCINATIONS 

Puppy vaccination schedules have three major flaws that 

can harm your puppy. Learn the difference between vaccination 

and immunization and what that means for your 

puppy. 

by: Dana Scott 

34 TITERS 

How a simple blood test can save lives. The ins and outs of 

titers and vaccination. 

by: Don Hamilton DVM 

37 NATURAL HEALING FOR LYME 

Lyme disease can have very damaging effects on dogs. Often, 

antibiotics are used to treat symptoms but you can treat 

Lyme successfully with herbs. 

by: Stephen Harrod Buhner 

COVER DOG 

Dogs Naturally is published six times per year by Intuition Publishing. 

Digital subscription rates are $14.95 per year. 

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Dogs Naturally, 5065 10th Line RR2, New Tecumseth, Ontario, L0G 1A0 

GIDGET 

A six year old Border Collie, adopted 

through Midwest Border Collie Rescue, 

Gidget is owned and loved by Laurie 

Minarcik. 

Gidget and Laurie live in Illinois. 

Photography: 

Stephanie Stanger 


COLUMNS 

4 EDITOR’S MESSAGE 

5 FEEDBACK 

8 CONTRIBUTORS 

12 ASK THE VET 

19 GIVEAWAYS 

27 10 MINUTE TRAINER 

46 NUTRITION WITH LUCY 

48 I NEED THAT 

50 CLASSIFIED SECTION 

53 DOG PEOPLE 

FEATURES 

9 YET ANOTHER ONE 

It appears that we may be on the brink of another massive pet food 

recall. Discover the hidden secrets in pet foods that can harm your 

dog. 

by: Maria Ringo DHMHS, B.GS 

14 THE THEATER OF LIFE 

Musings on life and death. 

by: Peter Dobias DVM 

16 HUMAN PARASITES 

Dog owners go to great lengths to avoid fleas, ticks and worms. 

What can we do to avoid human parasites? 

by: Catherine O’Driscoll 

40 HERBAL SOLUTIONS FOR PARASITES 

Many dogs are affected by internal parasites. Discover how you can 

treat these problems without harmful chemical wormers. 

by: Patricia A. Griffiths 

43 FWGE FOR CANINE CANCER 

Cancer is occurring in our canine companions at an alarming rate. 

Fortunately, there are safe and effective alternatives to chemotherapy 

and radiation. 

by: Dr. Steven Eisen 

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7

INTUITION PUBLISHING 

contributors 

Editor 

Advertising 

Photography 

Illustration 

Promotions 

Dana Scott 

Julia Henriques 

Vic Neumann 

Robert & Patricia Petit 

Linda Boileau 

Nicole DiBernardo 

Dogs Naturally articles are selected for their general 

interest and entertainment value. The authors’ 

views do not necessarily reflect the policies and 

opinions of Intuition Publishing, nor does their 

publication in Dogs Naturally constitute an endorsement. 

Information offered in Dogs Naturally 

is for educational purposes and is not intended to 

replace veterinary advice. 

ADVERTISING 

For information on ad rates, deadlines and requirements, 

email sales@dogsnaturallymagazine.com. 

Dogs Naturally reserves the right to reject any advertisement 

submitted. 

PETER DOBIAS has been in 

veterinary practice since 1988. 

In 2008, he decided to sell his 

thriving holistic veterinary practice 

in Vancouver, BC, Canada to 

dedicate his future years to disease 

prevention and transforming 

the face of veterinary care to 

less invasive and more natural 

treatment methods. He believes 

that we can create a healthy and 

long life, naturally. 

SUBMISSIONS 

Dogs Naturally welcomes submissions of articles, 

artwork or photography. Submission constitutes 

permission for Dogs Naturally, at its sole discretion, 

to use the submitted materials, in whole or in 

part, without compensation to the submitter. Detailed 

information on the format and requirements 

for submission is available via email. Please email 

submissions and requests to dana@dogsnaturallymagazine.com. 

SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS 

If you are missing an issue, have a change of mailing 

address, or have a subscription-related problem, 

please contact customer service at subscribe@dogsnaturallymagazine.com. 

MARIA RINGO is a homeopathic 

practitioner, teacher, animal 

nutritionist, and co-founder 

of Carna4 Dog Food, a small ethical 

company producing synthetic-free 

whole foods for pets. In 

1986 she co-founded Sojourner 

Farms, one of the first commercially 

available raw foods diets 

for dogs. She lives in Toronto, 

Ontario with her family and may 

be reached at maria@nthm.ca 

PERMISSIONS 

This entire publication is copyrighted. Contents of 

Dogs Naturally may not be reproduced or reprinted 

in whole or in part without the prior written consent 

of Intuition Publishing. 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Bulk or wholesale subscriptions are available at reduced 

rates. To subscribe, call 877-665-1290 or visit 

www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com. Dogs Naturally 

is published six times per year. 

INTUITION PUBLISHING 

5065 10th Line RR2 

New Tecumseth, ON Canada L0G 1A0 

E-mail: info@dogsnaturallymagazine.com 

Web site: www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com 

LINDA BOILEAU is an internationally-syndicated 

cartoonist 

and illustrator who has published 

more than 3,000 cartoons in high 

profile publications including 

The New York Times, Washington 

Post, Chicago Tribune and 

USA Today. Her work has appeared 

in Pelican’s Best Editorial 

Cartoons of the Year for 21 years 

in a row. 


Yet another one 

the reasons why there are so many pet food recalls 

By Maria Ringo DHMHS, B.GS 

There is a good chance that at some 

point in the next month you will be reading 

about another pet food recall due to 

toxins found in pet food. Even people 

without pets were riveted to the news 

around the widespread panic that happened 

back in 2007 when Menu Foods 

brands were found to contain lethal doses 

of melamine. Melamine is what they 

make kitchen counters out of, so what 

was it doing in pet food? 

Melamine contains high levels of protein, 

believe it or not. It was added to a “vitamin/mineral 

premix” manufactured in 

China, in order to boost the nutritional 

profile of the mix. Bags and bags of this 

premix, virtually all made offshore, are 

shipped to North American pet food 

manufacturers every day, where the 

mixture is then added by the scoopful to 

pet food recipes in order to meet AAFCO 

minimum standards for certain nutritional 

requirements. Check the back of most 

pet food packages and look at the chemical 

names listed at the end of the ingredients 

list – that’s the premix. 


9

Most pet foods are made from such low 

grade food sources and meat meals that 

additional vitamins and minerals (and 

sometimes proteins) must be added in 

order to make it appear nutritious in the 

guaranteed analysis. These added ‘nutrients’ 

are virtually all synthetic and made 

in large batches in chemical factories offshore. 

Even if the premix is ‘sourced’ in 

the US, most of the vitamins that make 

up the premix are actually manufactured 

only in China or India. 

So if the foreign manufacturer adds too 

much of one chemical to the premix, or 

adds something else like melamine to 

get better numbers, or if the pet food 

company here in North America adds 

too many scoops of premix to the dog 

food recipe, the result can be disastrous. 

But it likely won’t be discovered until an 

animal gets sick because, until recently, 

there was no legal requirement for pet 

foods to be tested for such toxins before 

they went to market. 

One of the more persistent recall issues 

in North America is not related to chemical 

inputs but to the use of low quality 

ingredients in pet food. For example, 

feed grade corn and wheat left in toomoist 

conditions for too long can grow 

high levels of aflatoxin, a type of naturally 

occurring mycotoxin produced by numerous 

species of aspergillus. This toxin 

is harmful to people and pets, though 

humans have a higher tolerance for it 

and rarely get sick from exposure. Aflatoxin 

spores can easily colonize in grain 

both before harvest and during storage 

with prolonged exposure to a hot, moist 

environment. It survives in the milk of 

animals fed contaminated feed, and is so 

common that it’s present in commercial 

peanut butter in doses too low to make 

anyone sick. In pets however, continuous 

exposure to aflatoxin causes liver 

damage which shows up in the animal as 

swelling, bleeding, mental confusion, GI 

distress, and sometimes coma. 

The spores of aspergillus are present in 

most susceptible crops at the time of harvest, 

raising the risk of harmful amounts 

of aflatoxin if cool and dry storage standards 

are not met. These standards are 

generally well followed with grains destined 

for the human market (grocery 

stores and restaurants) because there 

are more laws in place requiring testing 

of these goods. Not so for foodstuffs 

destined for animal feed. Larger pet food 

manufacturers buy their ingredients 

from both the human and pet streams 

and then mix them. Just one spore can 

spread to huge amounts of finished product 

very quickly, thus we get these massive 

pet food recalls spread out over several 

states or even whole countries. 

Frozen raw and dehydrated pet food 

products as an alternative to the above 

are not free of toxin risk either. This segment 

of the pet food market is the fastest 

growing as more consumers embrace 

alternatives to chemical-laden, high-heat 

extruded, low-quality ingredient foods. 

However, several recent pet food recalls 

have been initiated due to unacceptable 

concentrations of dangerous pathogenic 

organisms found in uncooked meat ingredients. 

Depending on the packing and shipping 

procedures, both in the factory and at 

the store level, pathogens have the opportunity 

to thrive on raw foods if thawing 

takes place along the way. Once refrozen, 

the consumer has no way of knowing 

if thawing has happened. In the case of 

dehydrated meat products, the moisture 

must be extremely low, and remain low 

(no storage in damp warehouses or boxes) 

or pathogens again have the opportunity 

to flourish. 

Interestingly, the Food & Drug Administration 

(FDA) in the US is going after this 

group of manufacturers now to prevent 

further outbreaks of pathogens in raw 

food, especially salmonella and E. coli. 

Very soon, all manufacturers of these 

products will be required to ultra-pasteurize 

their products, which kills not 

only the pathogens but also any live enzymes 

in the food, defeating much of the 

purpose for feeding it in the first place. 

Salmonella and E. coli contaminations are 

not confined to raw foods, but also affect 

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Minimize your pet’s risk when feeding commercial diets and packaged treats 

Seek out companies that are transparent about testing for toxins. Make sure they test both ingredients 

and finished batches for mycotoxins and bacteria before packaging. If you are concerned 

about mercury levels in the salmon in your pet food, ask the company if they test for that too. 

Look for products free of synthetic ingredients of any kind. Vitamins from food are hardier than 

those made in test tubes. Read the ingredients panel to spot the chemicals usually listed at the end 

because these are likely made in unregulated offshore facilities. 

Feed products with only table grade food ingredients, i.e., federally inspected for human consumption, 

to reduce the risk of bacterial and viral pathogens like salmonella. This applies to all products 

including frozen and dehydrated meats. 

heat-treated brands as well. Unlike the 

USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) 

and CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection 

Agency) rules governing meat destined 

for human consumption (known as 

‘table grade’) there is no inspection process 

in place in North America to ensure 

that animal carcasses destined for pet 

food are treated with any particular care. 

In other words, your organic chicken can 

sit in a bucket in the processing plant for 

days, unrefrigerated, waiting for shipment 

to the pet food plant. Salmonella, 

E. coli and other foodborne pathogens 

have a field day in that bucket. 

Most manufacturers rely on the high 

cooking temperature of extrusion to kill 

contaminants, but as evidenced by the 

continuing incidences of recalls, this is 

not effective enough. Conditions in the 

post-cooking stage, when the product 

is still warm and moist, are ideal for the 

spread of spores, making batch testing 

for toxins all the more important. To really 

reduce the risk of contamination, the 

manufacturer has to start with higher 

quality ingredients that are less susceptible 

to problems. Like any other endeavor 

in life, quality in equals quality out. 

With so little protection, and recurring 

scary headlines, it’s no wonder that many 

pet owners are turning away from typical 

commercial packaged foods and either 

preparing their own at home or seeking 

out the clean alternatives. 

Amazingly, it was only 13 months ago 

that a federal law was finally enacted to 

begin regulating any aspect of pet food 

production other than package labeling 

in the United States. Previous to January 

4, 2011 there were no laws requiring 

manufacturers to test for mycotoxins, 

pathogens (e.g., salmonella and E. coli), 

or toxic heavy metals (e.g., mercury and 

arsenic) or any wrongly added ingredient 

in their finished product. There is still no 

law in Canada, though the US law covers 

all goods made and sold there, so it effectively 

applies to products imported into 

Canada from the US. 

Now in the US, there is the FDA’s Food 

Safety Modernization Act, which imposes 

a number of mandates on individuals and 

businesses that produce food, and it covers 

food intended for animals as well as 

humans. This complex new law provides 

a framework for inspections, tracking and 

record keeping, but doesn’t actually set 

standards for these activities. It merely 

charges the various authorities with creating 

standards. The law does give the 

FDA some teeth, in the form of fines and 

recall authority, to enforce the rules. It 

remains to be seen what comprehensive 

rules will be created by this law and how 

diligently it will be enforced. 

In the absence of enforced quality standards 

and testing requirements, few pet 

food companies have undertaken continuous 

batch monitoring primarily because 

it costs time and money. Some manufacturers 

invest these resources for the 

safety of their customers and ultimately 

as well for the preservation of their company’s 

reputation, but the high cost of 

testing generally discourages voluntary 

compliance. f 

Maria Ringo is a homeopathic practitioner, 

teacher and co-founder of Carna4 

Dog Food, a small ethical company producing 

synthetic-free whole foods for 

pets. In 1986 she co-founded Sojourner 

Farms, one of the first commercially 

available raw foods diets for dogs. She 

lives in Toronto, Ontario with her family 

and may be reached at maria@nthm.ca 

DNM Extras 

Learn about tripe, the magical 

mystery meat. A powerhouse 

of vitamins, minerals, probiotics 

and digestive enzymes. 

Visit www.dogsnaturallymagazine. 

com/the-stink-on-tripe/ 


11

ASK the VET 

Next month, Dr. Deva Khalsa will be our guest vet on Ask The Vet. 

EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS: askthevet@dogsnaturallymagazine.com 

Dear Dr Jordan 

I have been on the fence and researching vaccines for years. I 

have been vaccinating my dogs every four years right now because 

I am not yet convinced they don’t need any, but I am also 

far from thinking they need them more often. But now I need 

to get my boxer spayed and the vets in my area will only do it 

if I vaccinate her now. Why is this? I feel like to do something 

that will benefit her I have also do something I feel could cause 

harm. I’m not sure where to go at this point. 

Mandi from ON 

Hello Mandi from ON! 

This is a very unfortunate situation. Dr. Ron Schultz has clearly 

made the case for duration of immunity on these vaccines for 

the three core viruses lasting nine years and 15 years. He and 

others have been showing us since 1978 that vaccines do not 

need repeating. Our AVMA and AAHA have even written extensively 

on this, with the duration of immunity studies used 

as reference. I recommend you have a titer pulled to show 

that your dog has neutralizing antibody for the core viruses 

and perhaps one of the veterinarians will accept the titer. You 

could also offer to sign a liability waiver for not receiving additional 

vaccines for diseases that your dog is already immunized 

against. 


I am feeding my dog about 60% raw with bones and 40% grainfree 

kibble (he is a picky eater so I feed what he will eat - he 

does not gobble anything!). Is there a detriment to feeding raw 

with kibble? Some web comments suggest this is true due to 

digestive enzyme milieu changes between the two forms of 

food. What do you think? Is there evidence one way or the 

other? Any clues for those of us with picky eaters? Thanks! 

Susan from WI 

Hello Susan from WI! 

Personally, I support the feeding of carnivores according to the 

advice in Dr. Tom Lonsdale’s book, Raw Meaty Bones. You can 

also add kefir, wheat germ, or pineapple stem for additional 

enzyme support. I would recommend eliminating the kibble 

because kibble and raw meat do require a different pH in 

the gut for digestion and it’s not ideal to feed them together. 

Sometimes picky eating can be caused by an unhealthy gut and 

I recommend you give your dog probiotics. Primal Defense, the 

soil based probiotics made by Garden of Life, is an excellent 

choice. Nutritional deficiencies are another cause of picky eating 

and you may want to have your dog’s diet evaluated by a 

properly trained advisor in carnivore nutrition. Consulting a 

veterinary homeopath would also be advisable because vaccinosis, 

even inherited vaccinosis, is certainly always a consideration. 

Vaccines lead to damaged pancreases, insulin problems 

and enzyme issues. 

Dear Dr. Jordan 

My dog recently had an allergic reaction to something which 

caused her eyes to swell and some hives to appear on her muzzle 

and body - this was the first time her immune system has 

reacted this way. Nothing in her diet had changed, there was 

no change in her eating/drinking and she is eliminating normally. 

We hadn’t started using any new household cleaners, so 

we suspected a spider bite. The swelling increased when she 

was lying down. The ER vet prescribed Benadryl according to 

her weight for two to three days. (1) is there is a homeopathic 

or all natural preparation that does the same thing as Benadryl; 

and (2) does this type of reaction typically become more 

exaggerated upon subsequent exposure that it would warrant 

having an Epi Pen on standby in case she ends up experiencing 

anaphylaxis? 

May in MA 

Hello May in MA! 

Type I Hypersensitivity reactions are not fun for the owner or 

the patient. The golden rule for allergies is that anyone can 

become allergic to anything at any time. Not much help for you 

I know. If you vaccinate, consider that the aluminum in vaccines 

is known to upregulate the immunoglobulin E (IgE) and 

make the whole life of the patient more reactive and allergic; 

the reactivity from one vaccine can last for four years. Vitamin 

C is actually an antihistamine but you have to administer frequent 

doses through the day almost to bowel tolerance. Zinc is 

also an antihistamine but a nutrient you don’t want to overdo. 

Pawier Vitamins contain both Vitamin C and zinc and I would 

recommend that product for natural nutrient therapy. Homeopathy 

could also be employed: Apis if there is a lot of swelling, 

Ledum if you think it is indeed a bite, Histamine possibly. I 

would suggest a small kit with a selection of three remedies to 

have on hand in case it happens again, or you may wish to consult 

a homeopath for specific recommendations for your dog. 

Dear Dr. Jordan 

I love your posts - thank you for them. 

I have a Yorkie puppy born on Nov.13 last year; she has had no 


shots yet. I feed her a raw diet and she is healthy. We do not 

meet many other dogs on our walks but other dogs do go to the 

area we walk in. I give her probiotics and a vitamin called SpiruGreen 

Superfood for Pets, with Astaxanthin. I have phoned 

many vets here and they all want to give her the five combination 

shots. I want only single shots, one shot at a time. I cannot 

find anyone to do this. What am I to do? I want what’s best for 

her. I lost my previous dog to the shots. I do not want this to 

happen to her......please help. 

Thank you Dolly from BC 

Hello Dolly from BC! 

I would have a titer pulled now as the puppy might very well 

show that already there is neutralizing antibody on board for 

distemper and parvovirus and then why would you vaccinate at 

all? When people ask about vaccine protocols I always advise 

Dr. Ron Schultz’s minimal vaccination program that he uses for 

his own dogs, which is is a DAP (distemper-adenovirus-parvovirus) 

at 16 weeks of age and then to check a titer two to three 

weeks later. Every time you vaccinate you take a chance. I recommend 

using Probiotics and Vitamins like Pawier with Vitamin 

C and zinc and powerful antioxidants, nutritional greens and of 

course raw meaty bones for the best “vaccine” which is optimal 

nutrition. All I can say is keep looking until you find an informed 

medical professional who has kept up with the duration of immunity 

studies and considers your pet’s health above all else. 

Dear Dr.Jordan 

I realize the rabies vaccine is mandated by law in all 50 states 

but if a person decided to break the law is there any other way 

to protect an animal from rabies? We live in a rural area, surrounded 

by woods and woodland creatures. The CDC has been 

dropping bait packets around the Atlanta area for years and 

that is really not that far from us. I don’t want to expose my 

two year old dog to the vaccine but am still concerned about 

the possibility. If she were to get bitten is that the end of her? 

Lynne in SC 

with our two Golden Retrievers, and during tick season, we 

must pick several ticks off per day. I am hearing of local incidence 

of Lyme Disease, which concerns me, and I am wondering 

whether I need to turn to a chemical protection. Also, despite 

all my good intentions and actions (few chemicals, mostly 

organic home prepared/home raised diet, puppy vaccination, 

then only rabies every three years as required by NYS law) my 

nine year old Golden Retriever Lacey has a large fatty tumor in 

her stifle area. I am wondering what I can do to decrease its size 

and prevent others from forming. 

Janet St. Pierre, Winthrop, NY 

Hello Janet St. Pierre from Winthrop, NY! 

I would suggest you investigate the use of the MediPatch Collars 

for flea and tick control. Also consider Astragalus during tick 

season to help shore up immunity. Your best approach however 

is your daily surveillance of the situation on each of your dogs. 

As far as lipomas, the vaccines, the inflammation, the aluminum 

blue grey foreign body all are generating the lipomas. I suggest 

you administer antioxidant vitamins, probiotics, omega 3 fatty 

acids from an animal source, and a detoxifying green product. 

Delivering optimal nutrition and avoiding vaccines will give you 

the best health and least chance of disease as evidenced by lipomas. 

f 

Patricia Jordan lectures extensively and has written novels on 

vaccine damage for dogs including Mark Of The Beast. For 

more information, visit: www.dr-jordan.com 

Hello Lynne in SC! 

I have been told via private communication that one veterinarian 

was able to get full neutralizing antibody tests on an unvaccinated 

litter of pups, however that method is not published. 

Unfortunately the laws have not kept up with what we know in 

science. In some states it is possible to obtain a medical exemption 

for rabies, if you can find a veterinarian to support you. In 

most areas if your unvaccinated dog is thought to have been 

exposed to a rabid animal, the only options are a long quarantine 

or euthanasia. You might consider having a titer run before 

deciding whether to vaccinate. I found a five month puppy to 

have neutralizing antibody without a rabies vaccination. Many 

cases of this are reported in humans. 


As the spring approaches here in rural northern New York, an 

area with an increasing incidence of Lyme Disease, I am wondering 

what your stance is on tick/Lyme disease protection. For 

the past five years, I have used no strong chemical protection 

against ticks. We spend a lot of time outdoors/in the woods 


13

the Theater of Life 

By Peter Dobias DVM 

How often do you look up to the stars? Do you wonder why 

dogs howl when they see the moon? Perhaps they are sending 

encoded messages to the Universe or God, reporting on the 

happenings here on Earth. 

As a vet, I have seen the stories of life unfolding and have dreaded 

witnessing the end of life more often than I would like. Recently, 

I had an interesting talk with my friend. She shared her 

frustration with me because her friends could not understand 

that natural, wholesome raw food is much more suitable for 

their dog than a fancy bag of stale kibble made in China that 

may or may not contain real food. 

As I was listening to her, I realized that most people living on 

Earth go through similar frustrations. First, we don’t know 

something and resist when others try to teach us, then we learn 

it through making mistakes and, because we know how uncomfortable 

or painful the mistakes are, we want to tell everyone 

else to prevent their suffering - and guess what, they resist, just 

as we ourselves did at first! 

I am a vet who is passionate about teaching people how to prevent 

disease and, naturally, I had to come to terms with this 

strange phenomenon. As time progressed, I created my own 

theory and explanation as to why more often than not, people 

resist someone else giving them advice. I imagined that Earth 

was the place were souls came to experience life and learn 

through the mistakes they made and I also believed that animals 

came along for the ride as our generous teachers. 

In summary, to make sense of all the suffering on Earth, I now 

believe that if our souls didn’t experience hardship and pain, 

they would not be able to evolve and grow. 

In a way, seeing life this way has made it easier for me to witness 

people and animals dying. Before, I felt like I was standing 

on the edge of a cliff watching others blindly stepping into an 

abyss, and whenever I stretched my hand to prevent them from 

falling, they refused my help. I have seen many other people 

going through the same frustrations of helplessly watching others 

falling. 

When I decided to share these thoughts with you, I was looking 

for a good example that would bring a little humor and lightness 

into such a challenging topic as life, disease and death. To 

my surprise, I found a good example while skiing; I came to a 

conclusion that life is like a ski lift. 

I can only imagine some of you thinking, What? Life? Ski lift? 

C’mon, let’s play the game. Let’s imagine that the length of the 

lift is the length of life on Earth, where the beginning is birth 

and the end of the lift is death. 

Wondering what happens on the lift? At the bottom, there is a 

“liftie” who will help you hop on and then the chair glides on 

the cable from tower to tower - and each tower is numbered. 

If life was a ski lift loaded with people like you and I, this is what 

would be happening: 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

The people at tower seven would be wondering why the 

people at tower three are not at tower seven. (This is the 

frustration of why they don’t want to learn what we are 

trying to teach them). 

The folks at tower three would be really frustrated that 

they are not already at tower eight. (This is the impatience 

that we experience). 

Those at tower eight would sometimes act arrogantly 

because they forget that they once were at tower three. 

(These are the people who think that they are better 

than those at towers below them). 

Most of the folks on the lift would be comparing themselves 

with the skiers down below. Are they skiing better 

or worse? Do they have better skis, how about the 

helmet or the goggles? (They are the people who do not 

think that they are perfect the way they are). 

Some would even have a good laugh watching others 

wipe out, which in the ski world is called “yard sale”. 

(They are the people who need to make fun of others to 

cover up their own feelings of inadequacy). 

If life was a ski lift and we had never skied before, most 

of us would be terrified of the end of the lift because we 

wouldn’t know yet that the ski run is the most fun part. 

Throughout the years of working with people I love, their animal 

friends, and sharing my life with my dog Skai (10 years) and 

cat Mina (21 years) , I know that the biggest fear we all face is 

losing those we love. We often worry that we are not doing 

enough or are concerned that we have missed something important 

to keep our loved ones happy and well. Most of us are 

also afraid of cancer and do all we can to fight it while, in many 

cases, it refuses to go away. 

Neither am I immune to these fears despite my years of experience 

and knowledge. I learn to cope with this by believing that 

life on Earth is a theater and that life after death is the ski run 

that starts at the end of it. No, I do not have solid proof but I 

hope and believe that when we get to the end of the “ski lift of 

life”, that is where the fun for our souls begins. 

Last year, one of my dearest friends from my homeland was dying 

at the age of 93. After a few days of not knowing what to do, 

I got up in the middle of the night and booked an overseas flight 

to say goodbye. When I arrived, I was surprised that despite the 

struggle of her physical body, my friend looked peaceful and unafraid. 

I held her hand and she died only an hour after I arrived. 

I gave her the gift of my presence and she gave me the gift of 

being much less afraid of death. 

Of course, I do not like it at all that the lives of animals and 

some people are shorter than we wish and I am terribly sad seeing 

our loved ones go. What I want to say here is that we can 

help to support each other at those difficult times, try to live in 

the present and also believe that the end of the lift is where the 

most fun begins. 

This article was written in memory of all those who are missed 

and loved. f 

For more information, questions and articles, visit www.peterdobias.com. 

You can also check out his free webinar schedule at 

www.peterdobias.com/community/webinars. 

Dr. Peter Dobias has been in veterinary practice since 1988. In 

2008, he decided to sell his thriving holistic veterinary practice 

in Vancouver, BC, Canada to dedicate his future years to disease 

prevention and transforming the face of veterinary care to 

less invasive and more natural treatment methods. He believes 

that we can create a healthy and long life, naturally. 

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15

human 

By Catherine O’Driscoll 

Illustration by Linda Boileau 

PARASITES 

When I was asked to write an article about parasites for this issue, I didn’t immediately think of fleas and ticks, but of the veterinary 

pharmaceutical industry and, in particular, the veterinary vaccine industry. Funny how the mind works! The definition of a 

parasite is: “An organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism while contributing nothing to the survival 

of its host,” and also: “One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.” 

Essentially, a parasite is something or someone who 

takes without giving. Now perhaps I’m being a bit 

harsh. Pharmaceuticals have their uses; they do give 

something in return for the massive profits they generate. 

Who hasn’t been grateful for an aspirin at some 

time? Antibiotics, whilst coming with unwanted effects, 

have definitely saved lives. And vaccines? Well, 

vaccines appear to have halted epidemics. 

So why would the databank in my left brain throw up 

the vaccine industry in relation to parasites? 

I think it’s because the vaccine industry sells vaccines 

that are not needed, denies evidence of harm, and 

misleads, bribes, and even coerces scientists into helping 

with the sales effort. Truth and compassion have 

been replaced by marketing men who talk of sectors 

and segments, compound annual growth rates, and 

multi-billion markets. According to BCC Research, the 

veterinary vaccine market will be worth $5 billion by 

2013, and the dog vaccine market is one of the fastest 

growing stars, despite, or maybe because of, the 

over-servicing of this market segment. Pharmaceutical 

industry chiefs typically receive compensation in 

the tens of millions a year! The industry appears to 

be not so much about healing the sick or preventing 

disease, but about takings. 

All the while, there is a growing backlash from people 

whose children and animals are living with, or dying 

from, myriad vaccine effects – which the vaccine industry 

does its best to deny or cover up. 


Then I started to get philosophical. I thought: “We are probably 

all parasites in one way or another. We’re all trying to survive 

in this world. How many of us take from others without giving 

anything in return? Probably all of us.” 

There’s another side to parasites, too: parasites help the world 

to go round. Intestinal worms, for example, have a function. 

In perfect balance, our dogs would have one sentinel worm in 

their systems. This worm would eat debris and toxins in the digestive 

system, and also worm eggs that our dogs ingest. With 

a strong immune system, a host will benefit from a worm. With 

a weak immune system, or by using chemicals that wipe out all 

worms, infestations occur. 

In an attempt to keep our beloved 

dogs healthy, many of us 

have been forced to leave the 

comfort of received veterinary 

wisdom behind, and find what 

is true for ourselves. 

Viruses are, incidentally, also parasites. Viruses are not cells; 

they don’t have a cell membrane or any components of living 

cells. They need living host cells for their reproduction. Therefore 

viruses form parasitic relationships with living organisms: 

the virus benefits at the expense of the living organism. In the 

case of retroviruses, these parasites can give rise to cancer, and 

this also includes retrovirus contaminants in vaccines. 

However, viruses also appear to be protective in some ways. Dr 

Viera Scheibner discovered in the course of her research, for 

example, that children who have normal childhood infections 

such as measles and mumps are less likely to get cancer or leukaemia 

in adulthood than vaccinated children who do not have 

natural childhood infections. Similarly, viruses can be protective 

to their natural hosts in that viruses which live harmoniously 

within one species can kill that species’ predators. Therefore, 

we are wrong to say that all parasites take without giving. 

The harm is caused not by the parasite itself, but by imbalance, 

or the disruption of natural equilibrium. If the person or animal 

is strong, the parasite will not overcome the host. 

Parasites are part of life. We live with bed bugs, and insects 

feeding off our dead skin. When we die, parasites eat our remains 

and return us to the earth. If fleas are a problem for our 

dogs, natural rearers see them as messengers, telling us that 

our dogs’ immune systems are under par. Similarly, those of us 

who do not vaccinate strengthen our animals’ (and our own) 

immune systems through diet and natural herbs and supplements 

so that, should a parasite seek to take hold, the immune 

system will respond appropriately and healthfully. 

Complementary therapists have long held the view that our illnesses 

or diseases are reflective of our mental and emotional 

states. Much of this has been confirmed with the science of 

psychoneuroimmunology, showing that our biochemicals, and 

therefore our wellbeing, mirror our emotions. When stressed, 

our body produces hormones that are damaging to the body, 

and use up nutrients that are protective to the body. Stress, 

for example, depletes some of the B vitamins – and B vitamins 

repel parasites. Studies also show that stressed individuals do 

not respond to vaccination well (they fail to establish immunity), 

and also that individuals with dietary deficiencies do not 

respond well to viral challenge or vaccination. 

On physical, emotional and mental levels, healthy individuals 

have good boundaries to protect themselves from assault or 

infection. Our immune system – our physical boundary against 

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17

pathogens - develops over time, as do our emotional and mental 

boundaries. They say that what doesn’t kill us will strengthen 

us. 

A statement in the Vedic scriptures goes: “May all be happy. 

May all be without disease. May all creatures have wellbeing. 

None should be in misery of any sort.” Wouldn’t that be a perfect 

world? Could this ever be possible? 

Sir William Blackstone, a great eighteenth century jurist, provides 

a clue as to how this can be achieved. He said that the 

basis of natural law is: “ … that man should pursue his own true 

and substantial happiness”. 

Ultimately, it seems to me, it matters not whether individuals 

or industries are parasites. What someone else does isn’t the 

point. It’s what we do that matters. It is our duty to pursue our 

own wellbeing, and the wellbeing of those directly in our care. 

No-one else is going to do this for us. 

To be happy, which includes being healthy, we need to acquire 

wisdom, which is defined as the comprehension of what is true 

or right coupled with optimum judgment as to action. Aristotle 

defined wisdom as the understanding of causes, i.e., knowing 

why things are a certain way, which is deeper than merely 

knowing that things are a certain way. 

The wise know that not everything is as it seems in this 21st 

century world; we look below the glossy marketing surface and 

ask questions – especially before we submit our loved ones to 

medical procedures that may, or may not, cause harm. 

In an attempt to keep our beloved dogs healthy, many of us 

have been forced to leave the comfort of received veterinary 

wisdom behind, and find what is true for ourselves. 

It occurs to me, in relation to parasites, that love is the greatest 

healer. Love is not just that warm, cosy feeling; love also 

breaks our hearts and forces us to look below the surface. To be 

truly loving of the dogs, to merit the love they bestow upon us, 

we absolutely must look into the nature of things. Kahlil Gibran 

wrote in ‘The Prophet’ that ‘the victim is never innocent of the 

crime’. ‘A Course in Miracles’ states that ‘my brother is innocent’. 

Both of these statements are true. 

We are all here to learn – whether we be pet owners, veterinarians, 

or pharmaceutical chiefs. We invariably learn about true 

love through suffering, whilst acquiring wisdom. Eventually, I 

am told, we even leave our sorrow behind. 

However, in the meantime, there are practical matters to attend 

to. The veterinary vaccine industry has been taking our money 

in return for unnecessary vaccines since the 1970’s. In addition 

to offering no benefit, these vaccines are also doing harm. We 

– we – have allowed this to happen because we let our boundaries 

collapse. We have failed to protect our loved ones; we 

have failed to get wisdom. As a result, there is a massive imbalance 

between the pharmaceutical industry and the people and 

animals it once sought to serve. The pharmaceutical parasites 

have become an infestation. The only recourse is to shore up 

our own defenses and stop this happening – because parasites 

do not stop their feeding frenzy just because you ask them to. 

Animal guardians need to wise up and understand the nature 

of things. A parasite is “One who habitually takes advantage of 

the generosity of others without making any useful return.” My 

databank was not wrong – the veterinary vaccine industry has 

become a parasite; there is a huge imbalance, and we need to 

acquire immunity to it. f 

Catherine O’Driscoll has formed the Pet Parents’ Action Group 

to bring together animal advocates and pet owners from around 

the world. Working together, in strength, the group is taking 

practical action to counteract the massive marketing might of 

the veterinary pharmaceutical and pet food industries. Please 

add your name to the supporters’ list: www.petparentsactiongroup.org 


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19

essential oils 

for pest control 

By Frances Fitzgerald Cleveland 

It is important to protect yourself, your home and your dog 

from fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. These little pests can cause 

you and your dog a great deal of discomfort and, in the case of 

ticks, can carry potentially dangerous diseases. 

Many people search for that all-natural remedy to use on their 

dog so they can protect them from insects and their dangers 

and also protect them from the damaging chemicals found in 

spot-on products. Over the years, my clients have called to ask 

if I make an all-natural fly spray for dogs - one that will repel 

ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. My answer has always been no. 

Creating an all-natural fly remedy is very challenging and I can’t 

ensure that people will use the product as directed. My closing 

comment to these inquiries has always been, “If I find something 

out there that I like, I will let you know.” 

So far, I haven’t found a product I can fully endorse and some 

of the “natural” products I discovered on the market really raise 

some concerns. One product promised to kill fleas on contact and 

listed its ingredients as “Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate…2.1%, 

Undecylenic Acid…0.5%, Other Ingredients…97.4%.” What are 

those 97.4% “Other Ingredients”? How can we know if they are 

potentially damaging or toxic? 

Another product contained cinnamon oil. It didn’t say whether 

it was cinnamon leaf or cinnamon bark oil. It is important 


to specify which of these it is, because cinnamon bark oil is 

a known dermal toxin and should never be used on the skin. 

Cinnamon leaf oil contains the chemical constituent eugenol, 

which can cause irritation to the mucus membranes; and you 

wouldn’t want your dog to lick this remedy off his skin or fur. 

While browsing my local health food store’s pet section, I noticed 

some all-natural flea collars. One of the ingredients listed 

was pennyroyal essential oil. I was shocked; one of the main 

chemical constituents in pennyroyal, pulegone, is known to 

cause abortions, and pennyroyal essential oil is also an oral 

toxin. I would never put this on my dog for these two reasons. 

Two summers ago, we had an unusually large number of mosquitoes 

in Colorado. Our dogs were miserable and we were too, 

so I decided it was finally time to attempt to make a remedy. 

After much research and thought, I decided to put the following 

essential oils together: geranium, lavender, lemongrass and 

lemon eucalyptus. 

I chose these specific essential oils for the following reasons: 

Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens): The chemical constituent 

citronellol helps makes this essential oil an insecticide. It also 

helps with skin issues such as skin congestion and dermatitis. 

Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia): One of its chemical constituents 

is cineol, which may be why it is considered an insecticide. 

Lavender is also very soothing to the skin so if there were any 

skin flare-ups, this essential oil would help. 

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus): Lemongrass has a high 

concentration of the chemical constituent citral and contains 

the chemical constituent citronellol which makes this essential 

oil a very nice insecticide. 

Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora): Its main insecticidal 

chemical components are citronellal (70-75%) and citronellol. 

There are a few species of eucalyptus oils that are considered 

toxic, although if taken orally the dose would have to be 3.5 

ml or more. According to Robert Tisserand’s book, Essential Oil 

Safety, he considers Eucalyptus citriodora to be non toxic. 

When I am creating a product for my dogs, I want it first to be 

very safe. The proportions of the essential oils are low and diluted 

in a spray bottle containing eight ounces of water. If an 

animal starts to show any adverse reaction to the ingredients, 

I stop using the product immediately. Some dogs dislike the 

smell of these essential oils and that is a valid indication to stop 

using them. 

After receiving more phone calls from clients about an all-natural 

dog fly spray, I decided to make a product from the oils listed 

above. I’ve found it to be effective, but its effects are not longlasting 

and it does need to be reapplied throughout the day. 

With so many products and home remedies to choose from, 

you need to read the ingredients carefully and then research 

the ingredients before applying them to your dog, whether it 

is an all-natural product or a chemical-based product from a 

pharmaceutical company. Unfortunately, pet products are not 

consistently regulated, so we can’t assume that all remedies on 

the market are safe for our pets. 

While all-natural remedies can be helpful, they are not 100% effective. 

You may wish to take some other preventive measures 

to combat these pests. Have a flea and tick comb on hand for 

your dog and use it after a walk or after he has been playing outside. 

Keep all the dog beds and your bedding clean, and keep 

your floors and carpeting clean during the infestation season. 

Our dogs are very sensitive beings, so be safe and think about 

what remedies you choose! f 

Frances Fitzgerald Cleveland’s ground breaking Animal Aromatherapy 

work at The Denver Zoo with Orangutans, Gorillas 

and Black Crested Macaques was covered in the Denver Post 

and L.A.Times. Frances lives in Colorado where she teaches and 

practices the art of working with essential oils and plants and 

manufactures her internationally sold products. 


21

starting 

PUPPIES 

on raw food 

As I write, my delightful little twin puppies, just under five 

weeks of age, are happily slopping up some minced turkey, egg 

and goat milk. Hopefully one puppy will stay to live with me 

and the other has a lovely home waiting for her where her new 

mom will feed her nothing but raw food. By the time these 

puppies go home, they will have eaten chicken, turkey, beef, 

pork, lamb, venison, rabbit and more and they will do so with 

little in the way of tummy upsets. 

When you bring home a new puppy that was not raised on raw, 

Balance the calcium and phosphorus 

This is fairly easy to do. If you view a turkey neck as a nice, 

meaty bone, then your puppy’s diet should be half to twofive 

week old Labrador puppy enjoying a chicken back 

it can be a bit trickier to get him started - although really not 

that difficult. There are just a few guidelines you need to follow 

to avoid digestive upset as your puppy transitions from kibble 

to raw food. 

Before I start, I would like to address the issue that many people 

have with feeding large breed puppies raw. I’ve raised every 

litter and puppy in the last fifteen years on raw and have never 

had one of my puppies fail his hips and elbows. Yes, it is important 

to balance the calcium and phosphorus content in the 

food, but it’s easy to do with raw food - and in light of the dog 

foods that were recalled due to excesses of some nutrients, the 

ability to monitor the nutrients in raw food makes it a safer option 

than kibble in my opinion. 

Here are a few tips for getting your puppy started on raw with a 

minimum of fuss - and minimal stains on your rugs! 

Start cold turkey 

It’s not wise to mix your puppy’s raw food with kibble. Because 

kibble requires a different pH in the gut to digest, it will make 

your puppy more susceptible to the bacteria in the raw meats. 

He is capable of handling this bacteria just fine, but once you 

add in artificial foods, the meat will sit in his digestive tract 

twice as long, meaning there is a much greater chance of harmful 

bacteria building up. 

Start with one protein source 

Regardless of whether you are preparing your own raw or are 

using a prepared raw food, it is best to start with just one protein 

source, like chicken or turkey. Give that one protein for a 

good week and, if there are no signs of digestive upset, start 

your puppy on a second source of protein, and so on. 


thirds meaty bones and half to one-third meats and offal (organ 

meats). There is no magic formula and every puppy is a bit different. 

Despite what the kibble manufacturers say, it’s pretty 

easy to balance calcium and phosphorus and there is a wider 

margin of error when feeding raw. Calcium that comes in a synthetic 

powder is nearly impossible for a puppy to excrete, so 

excesses of calcium are more of a concern with synthetic products 

than with the naturally occurring calcium found in bones. 

My Favorite Meaty bones (50% to 65% of the diet) 

Turkey tails and necks 

Chicken backs and necks 

Veal ribs and tails 

Venison bones of any kind 

Muscle Meats (35% to 50% of the diet) 

From a variety of animals (includes heart and tongue) 

Offal (10% of the diet) 

Liver, kidneys, spleen, brain, lung 

Balanced foods (feed often) 

Eggs with shell 

Green tripe 

Whole animals (rabbit, quail, etc.) 

Also includes fish but this should be fed less often, due 

to mercury exposure 

Extra yummies 

Chicken feet and beef windpipes (good source of naturally 

occurring glucosamine and chondroitin) 

Beef neck bones (a great chew that won’t break teeth) 

Don’t forget the supplements 

Even if you’re feeding free range, organic meats, the earth is not 

what it used to be so your puppy will benefit from some supplementation. 

Supplements to consider include: 

Fish or krill oil (a source of Omega-3 fats which are a good idea 

if the meat is not grass fed) 

Coconut oil (antibacterial and antifungal) 

Nutritional herbs (alfalfa, dandelion leaf, nettle and more) 

Probiotics (soil based products are best and green tripe is an 

excellent natural source of probiotics and digestive enzymes) 

Bovine colostrum (helps to build a strong immune system) 

Other important stuff 

Make sure your puppy has plenty of fresh, non-chlorinated water. 

He should also have plenty of fresh air and exercise. Exercise 

for young puppies should not be forced walks - his growing 

joints will suffer less stress if you take him outside for short play 

or training sessions instead. Keep the walks short - about five 

minutes per month of age until he is about six months of age. 

Find a mentor or raw feeding chat group 

You will find there are plenty of experienced dog owners who 

love to help. One day, you can return the favor and help another 

puppy owner realize how simple it is to raise puppies on 

raw! f 

Dana Scott breeds naturally reared Labrador Retrievers under 

the Fallriver prefix. 

Feed three times a day 

Your puppy should eat three small meals a day until he is about 

six months of age - then he can eat twice a day and eventually 

once a day if you wish. This is especially important for small 

breed puppies as they can become hypoglycemic if meals are 

spread out too long. 

Feed 2-3% of his adult body weight 

This is easier to determine if you have a purebred dog, but the 

amount you feed should be 2-3% of your puppy’s anticipated 

adult weight. If you’re not sure what that will be, then feed 

about 10% of his current weight. Watch to see if he gets too fat 

or too thin and adjust accordingly. 

Don’t overdo it with the offal 

Liver and other organ meat can cause some pretty nasty loose 

stools in puppies who have never had them before. If your puppy 

is new to raw feeding, wait until you see a good two or more 

weeks of solid stools before you introduce organ meats. Then 

add them in gradually instead of feeding one giant meal of liver. 

Don’t skip the organ meats; they are important because they 

are full of nutrients not found in muscle meat. 


23

FLEAS 

and 

TICKS 

the battle rages on and your fears are spot-on 

By Deva Khalsa DVM 

Illustration by Linda Boileau 

Every year around the same time, most pet owners begin 

their inevitable battle against fleas and ticks. In the 

past decade, monthly spot-on treatments have been the 

drug of choice. Fleas and ticks may bite the dust due to 

our use of spot-on products but it’s starting to look like 

our dogs may also be biting the dust sooner than we’d 

like and it might not be 

a coincidence. 

In 2009, the Environmental 

Protection 

Agency (EPA), began 

reviewing the safety of 

spot-on flea and tick 

products and what they 

found was not pretty. 

Additionally, the Washington 

based Center for 

Public Integrity (CPI), a 

non-profit investigative 

news organization, and 

the National Resources 

Defense Council, an environmental 

advocacy 

group, have published 

reports about the safety 

of both over the counter 

and prescription flea 

and tick products. 

All flea and tick products 

are made up of 

“active” and “inert” ingredients. 

The active 

ingredients are those that target and kill fleas and have 

the potential to harm dogs too. In fact, all the active 

ingredients in the spot-on preparations have been linked 

to serious health problems in animals. Some of the inert 

ingredients are also toxic, although the word inert suggests 

that they’re safe. 

Despite manufacturers’ claims to the contrary, the ingredients 

of commonly used topical treatments can and do 

enter the pets’ internal systems. Merial’s website states 

that fipronil (the active 

ingredient in Frontline, 

Parastar, EasySpot and 

the new over the counter 

Sentry Fiproguard), 

is absorbed into the sebaceous 

glands of the 

skin which provide a 

natural reservoir, creating 

the impression 

that it does not migrate 

into the dog’s body. Dr. 

Dobozy of the EPA’s 

Pesticide Division took 

a look at fibronil and 

found that it does in 

fact enter the body and 

was contained in the 

fat, organs, urine and 

feces of dogs. 

Laboratory tests have 

shown that with long 

term exposure at low 

doses, fipronil has the 

potential for nervous 

system and thyroid 

toxicity, thyroid cancer, 

altered thyroid hormone levels, liver toxicity, kidney 

damage, convulsions, whining, barking, crying, loss 

of appetite, locomotor difficulty, reduced fertility, fetus 

mortality, smaller offspring, loss of hair at or beyond the 


point of application, moist inflammation, chemical burn 

and itching. That’s a pretty long list! 

The rub is that lots of folks are telling me that it doesn’t 

even work against fleas and ticks any longer. According 

to pesticide.org, fipronil is an extremely active molecule 

that disrupts the brain and spinal cord by interfering with 

the ability of these nerve cells to transmit nerve impulses. 

“Fipronil also disrupts nerves in animals other than 

insects, including humans, but it does not bind as tightly 

to these nerve cells as it does to insect nerve cells.” I 

can’t help but think of children cuddling their dogs when 

I read that. 

When exposed to light, fipronil breaks down into a molecule 

called fipronil-desulfinyl which, according to the 

EPA, is ten times more toxic than the fipronil itself. What 

does this mean? (a) don’t put the plastic vials of fipronil 

in the sun, (b) don’t let your dog bake in the sun after 

you’ve applied the stuff, (c) short haired pooches using 

fipronil products need to stay out of the sun, or (d) all 

of the above? 

Most folks consider the natural alternative, the pyrethrins 

(naturally occurring compounds from the chrysanthemum 

plant) and pyrethroids (the synthetic counterpart), 

as less hazardous. Sadly, the contrary has been 

irrefutably proven. 

Information released through the Freedom of Information 

act to CPI showed that from 2002 through 2007, at 

least 1,600 pet deaths from pyrethroid spot-on treatments 

were reported to the EPA. That’s nearly double 

the number of reported fatalities linked to flea treatment 

without pyrethroids. CPI’s “Perils of the New Pesticides” 

project was based on an analysis of 90,000 adverse reaction 

reports. I shudder to think of how many people 

didn’t report an adverse reaction, making the actual 

number of adverse reactions much higher. 

Pyrethroid spot-on products also accounted for more 

than half of the major pet pesticide reactions, including 

brain damage, heart attacks and seizures. A possible 

explanation for the number of incidents involving 

pyrethroid spot-ons, according to the report, is the high 

concentration of pesticides they contain. The report also 

notes that while the pyrethroid spot-ons are more concentrated 

than the fipronil or imadocloprid, they are actually 

less toxic than these latter two products. 

A relatively new product, Vectra 3D, ups the amount of 

permethrin in their product to a whopping 36.08%, in 

response to the growing resistance of fleas and ticks to 

these products. Permethrin is another synthetic chemical, 

belonging to the pyrethroid family so it also functions 

as a neurotoxin. Chemical burns are a commonly 

reported result of its use and there is even a class action 

suit (BioSpotVictims.com) against Vectra and Vectra 3D 

which are also sold as Firstshield and Firstshield Trio. 

Biospot Flea and Tick Control, Defend EX Spot Treatment 

and Zodiac FleaTrol Spot all contain either or both permethrin 

and pyriproxyfen. Permethrin as also been implicated 

as a carcinogenic insecticide causing lung cancer 

and liver tumors in laboratory animals. It is also implicated 

in disrupting endocrine function and acts as a neurotoxin, 

causing tremors, increased aggressive behavior 

and learning problems. Another long list. Could these 

products be one of the reasons we are seeing a virtual 

epidemic of hypothyroidism in dogs? 

Not to leave anybody out, Advantage contains the active 

ingredient imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide which 

acts as an insect neurotoxin and belongs to a class of 

chemicals called the neonicotinoids. 

Neonicotinoids act on the central nervous system of 

insects with lower toxicity to mammals. In laboratory 

studies, imidacloprid has been found to cause thyroid lesions 

and liver toxicity, increase cholesterol levels (this is 

commonly seen in the bloodwork of hypothyroid dogs), 

and has the potential to damage the kidneys, liver, thyroid, 

heart, lungs, spleen, adrenal, brain and gonads. 

As a neurotoxin, it has caused incoordination, labored 

breathing and muscle weakness. When this drug was 

tested after its debut in 1994, researchers found an increase 

in the frequency of birth defects in mice, rats and 

dogs. 

There are so many ingredients and so many flea and tick 

products on the market that I can’t mention them all. I 

advise you to read labels and study the ingredients of 


25

the product that you’re using. Alarmingly, the fleas and 

ticks are becoming resistant to many of the ingredients 

that we have been using, so what’s in store for our dogs? 

Here is a frightening example of how bugs can become 

resistant to insecticides. As the weeds that infest the 

fields of Roundup Ready GMO corn and soy have ironically 

become resistant to Roundup, our inventive corporations 

are now creating – you’re not going to believe this 

one - Agent Orange Resistant Genetically Modified corn. 

OK, so it’s only the active ingredient in Agent Orange, 

the herbicide 2,4 D that they’re using, but a rose by any 

other name smells the same to me. 

Just for a dose of reality, allow me quote The Organic & 

Non-GMO Report. “Exposure to 2,4 D has been linked 

to major health problems that include cancer (especially 

non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), lowered sperm counts, liver 

disease and Parkinson’s disease. A growing body of evidence 

from laboratory studies shows that 2,4 D causes 

endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, neurotoxicity 

and immunosuppression”. There’s much more, but 

that’s enough. They’ll spray it on our crops and the cows 

will eat the feed and guess what? Our dogs will eat the 

cows (and so will we). 

There’s only one way out of this mess and that is to go 

back to Mother Nature. There are some old fashioned 

remedies that fleas and ticks haven’t seen for awhile so 

maybe we can surprise them. 

Garlic has had a bum rap recently and for no good reason. 

Some internet sites have stated it’s toxic for dogs. 

Heavens, a 50 lb dog would have to eat 75 large cloves 

or more in every meal for any toxicity to occur. A large 

90 pound dog can safely be fed two large cloves of garlic 

twice a day and a small dog can have one clove twice a 

day. 

Garlic has been fed to dogs as long as I’ve been in practice 

to help prevent flea infestation. There are many 

products on the market containing garlic for this very 

purpose. Both powdered and raw garlic are effective 

in repelling fleas and ticks although raw garlic has significantly 

more health benefits. When using garlic as a 

flea preventive, it’s important to use a castile soap or 

detergent-free shampoo. Dogs don’t sweat as humans 

do and the garlic ‘aroma’ comes out in the oil on their 

coat. It takes several weeks for the garlic compounds to 

build up in the oil and a detergent shampoo removes the 

oil so you will be back to square one again. 

Amongst garlic’s reputed benefits, perhaps the most well 

known is its long history as a natural antibiotic. Modern 

researchers have found that garlic has a broad-spectrum 

antibacterial effect. Additionally, bacteria don’t seem to 

build resistance to garlic as they do with many modern 

antibiotics. Garlic’s antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial 

effects also provide a very important added benefit in 

that daily garlic consumption will help fight tick borne 

diseases. Overall, garlic increases general immune activity 

along with the activity of killer cells (cells that seek 

out and kill invading bacteria and cancer cells). 

There’s a secret to releasing the healing powers of garlic. 

Allicin is the most powerful medicinal compound derived 

from garlic, providing the most important health benefits. 

Garlic has to go through a chemical process, so the 

very beneficial compound called allicin can be released. 

You must finely chop or crush a garlic clove then wait for 

5-10 minutes to allow the chemical reaction to occur. A 

host of studies provide evidence that the allicin in garlic 

works to inhibit cancer formation. 

Ticked Off, a product by Deserving Pets, is a contact flea 

and tick killer. It contains the safe and natural Southern 

Red Cedar Oil, which many other products contain. This 

helps to repel pests but doesn’t kill them. Ticked Off also 

contains safe and effective hydrolyzed silica, which gets 

into the cuticle of the pest and effectively eliminates it. 

There are many natural products out there with scented 

herbs to repel fleas and ticks, but we all know that a desperate 

flea or tick ignores herbal signals. The only surefire, 

totally effective flea and tick repellent that I have 

ever seen is your dog getting skunked! I’m not telling 

you and your dog to go out and upset a skunk, but in 

years of practice, I’ve never had a dog who was sprayed 

by a skunk get fleas or ticks. In fact, when I questioned 

the owners why they hadn’t washed their dog in months, 

they proudly replied that they were getting no ticks and 

fleas and were ‘all natural’. 

I think it would be a good idea to brainstorm on Dogs 

Naturally’s Facebook page and share what natural methods 

have worked for you. Our beloved friends will be 

much better off if we do! f 

Since beginning her holistically oriented veterinary practice 

over 25 years ago, Dr. Khalsa has been incorporating 

homeopathy, acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, nutritional 

advice, allergy-elimination techniques such as N.A.E.T 

and also J.M.T. into her approach. She coauthored, 

‘Healing Your Horse: Alternative Therapies’ (Howell Book 

House, 1993), and most recently authored, ‘Dr. Khalsa’s 

Natural Dog’ (Kennel Club Books, 2009), a book best described 

as a ‘holistic bible’ for dog owners. Dr. Khalsa is a 

Fellow and Professor of the British Institute of Homeopathy. 

She has lectured both nationally and internationally. 

DNM Social Sharing 

Visit our Facebook page and let us know what natural 

flea and tick products work for your dog. 

Visit http://www.facebook.com/DogsNaturallyMagazine 


10 MINUTE TRAINER 

CLICKER TIMING 

If you want to develop good clicker training skills, you need to 

improve your timing. In order to capture a behavior you must 

be able to observe and click the instant it happens. This requires 

good reaction time and must be practiced in order to become 

more skilled with the clicker. The following clicker timing 

games help you focus on improving the mechanical skill of clicker 

training as well as treat delivery skills. These games are ALL 

played WITHOUT a dog. If the human has better clicker skills, 

it will prevent the dog from stress, frustration and possibly from 

learning the wrong behavior due to bad timing. 

Ball Drop - This is an easy timing game. All the person 

needs is a ball and a clicker. Take the ball and drop it. Every time 

the ball drops on the ground use your clicker to click the instant 

the ball makes contact with the floor. You can let it bounce multiple 

times in a row or pick it up and repeat by dropping the ball 

again. 

Dice Game - Two players are needed and one or two dice. 

One player is even numbers and one player is odd numbers, 

which should be determined before the first roll of the dice. If 

the player is odd and the dice number is odd, then the player 

clicks and quickly picks up the dice and rolls it again. If the number 

is even the player that is even will click and quickly pick up 

the dice and roll again. 

Fastest Draw in the West Game - This game 

is to help learn how to click, get the reward and deliver the reward 

in a smooth clean fashion. This should be played individually. 

The trainer stands upright, clicks (with the clicker at her 

side), then reaches for the food, and then places the food in a 

dish that is on a table right in front of the trainer. The dish represents 

the dog or the trainee (maybe you are training your cat). 

• This game can be played just to get the rhythm of clicking, 

getting the reward, and delivering the reward. 

• This game can also be played to learn how to deliver a high 

rate of reinforcement. When played this time, you will need 

a timer. Set the timer for one minute. Then in one minute 

see how many times you can click, reward and deliver treats 

to the dish. The idea is to get faster and faster. It also helps 

to be accurate. If you were training a dog, you would want 

the treat to go directly to his mouth. So, make sure you get 

the treat directly into the bowl or dish. 

Treat Toss Game - A lot of times when working with 

dogs we need to toss treats. In this game you will learn to toss 

treats to the dog. You will need a clicker and a bowl. If you use 

a treat pouch for training you can also have that on. If you keep 

treats or rewards in you pocket, then you can do that also. Either 

way is fine. It is all a matter of personal preference. Place the 

bowl on the ground and pretend it is your dog and you want to 

get the treat directly to the dog. Now, click, get the treat, and toss 

it into the bowl. Repeat again really quickly as if you are working 

on delivering a high rate of reinforcement. You could see how 

many treats you can get into the bowl in a minute or you can just 

see how accurate you are by taking 10 treats and when you are 

finished count how many treats went into the bowl. If you got all 

10 treats in the bowl, you are at 100% accuracy. If you have seven 

treats or less, then you should practice more! 

Happy Clicking. f 

Pamela Johnson B.S., M.A., CPDT-KA has a background in education 

and she is a natural teacher of all things. Pamela’s family 

consists of a Husky Mix (Isabelle), Two Border Collies (Bandit & 

Twix), Cat (Sabrina) and husband (Marxsen). Pamela is also the 

owner of Pam’s Dog Academy www.pamsdogacademy.com 


27

Puppy Vaccination 

too early, too often, too much 

By Dana Scott 

In January 2010, breeder Cindy Williams 

was enjoying her litter of four 

beautiful Newfoundland puppies. 

The puppies were big and strong and 

at 8 1/2 weeks, the puppies were examined 

by the vet before venturing 

off to their new homes. They were 

treated to the usual puppy wellness 

check including a health exam, microchips 

and first vaccination. All 

of the puppies passed with flying 

colors. 

Ten days later, a female puppy, Gracie, 

began showing less interest in 

her food, followed by vomiting and 

diarrhea. Soon afterward, one of her 

brothers exhibited the same symptoms. 

Overnight, Cindy noticed a 

curious twitching around Gracie’s 

head and mouth. Cindy brought her 

into the vet clinic first thing the next 

morning. 

At the clinic, Gracie was given IV 

fluids, steroids and antibiotics – as 

well as valium to calm the twitching. 

The treatment didn’t have any effect 

however. Later that evening, Cindy 

was horrified to see that Gracie’s 

brother Doc began twitching as well. 

In the meantime, Gracie was suffering 

continuous seizures that were not 

responding to any drugs. Later the 

next afternoon, Doc was seen by a 

neurological specialist who declared 

he was suffering the same battle as 

Gracie. By the end of the day, both 

puppies were suffering terribly and 

Cindy chose to let them pass. She 

requested an autopsy as their litter 

mates were at home and she was 

worried about them. 

When the autopsy results came in, it 

was confirmed that the puppies had 

distemper. Cindy was surprised by 

this: the dam was vaccinated, there 

were no unvaccinated dogs on her 

property and no outbreaks in her 

community. The puppy run was also 

enclosed and Cindy supervised the 

puppies when outside, so she was 

certain that racoons did not get in 

that area. 

Cindy began speaking with veterinary 

immunologists, and learned 

that it was possible that the vaccine 

she had given her puppies, a modified 

live combination vaccine (Da2PP 

– distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus 

and parainfluenza), could have 

‘awakened’ in her puppies and actually 

caused the very disease she was 

trying to prevent. She didn’t know 

how to pursue this any further, apart 


from reporting it to the vaccine manufacturer 

and the CIFA, the Canadian 

department for veterinary biologics. 

Cindy kept her two remaining puppies 

and vaccinated them at 14 

weeks with a recombinant vaccine 

and thankfully, they escaped further 

harm. Then, nearly two years later, 

Cindy received a chilling call – it was 

happening again. 

Bastian and Bella were two beautiful 

Newfoundland puppies who Jeannette 

Many Horses was delighted to 

welcome into her home on January 7, 

2012. These puppies were bred by a 

caring breeder of 40 years who, like 

Cindy, did her research and raised 

her dogs on raw food and vaccinated 

them minimally. Bastian and Bella 

were vaccinated with a recombinant 

combination vaccine at the breeder’s 

home and, soon afterward, departed 

for their new homes. 

Bastian and Bella were the picture of 

health when they jumped into Jeannette’s 

arms for the first time. As 

they grew and flourished, Jeannette 

concluded it was time for their second 

set of vaccinations. On January 

20th, the puppies went to the veterinary 

clinic for a checkup and for their 

vaccinations – a combination vaccine 

from a different manufacturer but 

with the same components as the 

vaccine Cindy used. Jeannette’s vet 

also added a monovalent killed coronavirus 

vaccine. 

On January 25th, five days after 

their vaccination, both Bastian and 

Bella became lethargic and had very 

loose stools. When Jeannette called 

the veterinary clinic out of concern, 

she was told that this could not be a 

reaction to the vaccine as the puppies 

would have exhibited symptoms 

sooner. She was advised to do nothing 

and that the illness would likely 

pass on its own. 

Two days later, Bastian began shaking 

and pacing and his seizures and 

pain continued unabated. The following 

morning, on January 28th, 

Jeannette received a phone call. 

Cindy had been informed of Bastian 

and Bella’s illness by another breeder 

and immediately contacted Jeannette 

to warn her of her own terrible 

experience. Jeannette decided 

at this point that it would be best to 

let Bastian cross. On the morning of 

January 30th, Bella also joined her 

brother. 

One day later, on January 31st, the 

unthinkable happened. Jeannette 

learned that Bastian and Bella’s litter 

sister, Sophie who lived several 

states away, also succumbed to distemper, 

just nine days after her second 

vaccination. 

Like Cindy, Jeannette suspected her 

puppies got distemper from the vaccine. 

After she received the necropsy 

results, Jeannette sent the 

puppies’ DNA to Michigan State 

University for testing. The results 

showed a 100% match between the 

vaccine virus and the distemper virus 

found in her puppies. In other 

words, Bastian and Bella died from 

vaccination – with 100% certainty. 

Then Sophie’s DNA also results came 

in, proving that she too died from 

the vaccine virus. 

Many veterinarians and pet owners 

have suspected for years that modified 

live vaccines have the ability 

to revert to virulence in the host. 

These five puppies all died from their 

modified live vaccinations and were 

relatively unscathed by the recombinant 

shots. However, simply switching 

to a recombinant vaccine will not 

render the vaccine harmless, as you 

will see below. 

Pay now or pay later 

Like Cindy and Jeannette, Georgia 

was aware of the potential damage 

of vaccinating too often. Georgia 

however, decided to not vaccinate 

her Great Dane puppy, Easy, at all. 

Easy was a vibrant puppy but Georgia 

later became concerned about 

recent parvovirus outbreaks in her 

area. She decided to titer Easy when 

he was six months to see if he was 

protected against parvo. 

Easy’s titers came back as low for 

parvo and Georgia felt pressured 

by veterinary advice to vaccinate 

him. She took what she envisioned 

to be the safest route possible and 

had Easy vaccinated with a monovalent, 

parvo-only vaccine since his 

titers showed protection against distemper. 

The vaccine was delivered 

to Easy’s scapular area and, three 

weeks later, Georgia ran a second 

titer which was now positive. Easy 

was protected – from parvo at least. 

At the age of 18 months, Easy developed 

osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in 

his scapula – right where the vaccine 

was given one year ago. Six weeks 

later, the pain became too much 

for Easy and Georgia helped him to 

cross. 

Any vaccine given at any point in a 

dog’s life has the ability to kill him 

or cause serious harm. If pet own- 


29

Common reactions 

Lethargy 

Hair loss, hair color change at 

injection site 

Fever 

Soreness 

Stiffness 

Refusal to eat 

Conjunctivitis 

Sneezing 

Oral ulcers 

Moderate reactions 

Immunosupression 

Behavioral changes 

Vitiligo 

Weight loss (Cachexia) 

Reduced milk production 

Lameness 

Granulomas/Abscesses 

Hives 

Facial edema 

Atopy 

Respiratory disease 

Allergic uveitis (Blue Eye) 

Severe Reactions 

Vaccine injection site sarcomas 

Anaphylaxis 

Arthritis, polyarthritis 

HOD hypertrophy osteodystrophy 

Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia 

Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia 

(IMTP) 

Hemolytic disease of the newborn 

Thyroiditis 

Glomerulonephritis 

Disease or enhanced disease 

which with the vaccine was 

designed to prevent 

Myocarditis 

Post vaccinal Encephalitis or 

polyneuritis 

Seizures 

Abortion, congenital anomalies, 

embryonic/fetal death, 

failure to conceive 

ers want to avoid vaccine-related 

dangers, then the best option would 

be to not vaccinate at all. This is a 

viable option for many who would 

gladly trade the risk of vaccine-related 

damage for the risk of acute 

infection from puppy diseases. 

Pet owners who don’t vaccinate – 

and the vets who support this practice 

– realize that the risk of distemper 

is very low and that parvovirus 

in unvaccinated and healthy puppies 

is treatable in the majority of cases. 

They also realize that vaccines are 

ticking bombs that can create immediate 

and devastating disease in 

puppies such as Jeannette’s, or that 

the result might be more insidious, 

as was the case with Easy. 

To the left is a list of potential adverse 

vaccine reactions, according 

to noted veterinary immunologist, 

Dr. Ronald Schultz. If you vaccinate, 

these vaccine risks are not 

completely unavoidable. There are 

steps that you can take however, to 

decrease the risk of disease in your 

puppy. The first step is to have a 

fundamental knowledge of the immune 

system and what vaccines can 

and can’t do. 

Vaccination or Immunization? 

It may come as a surprise to some 

people – and many vets – that vaccination 

and immunization are not 

the same thing. Your dog or puppy 

is perfectly capable of creating immunity 

all by himself – and once he 

does, the immunity likely lasts for a 

lifetime. 

Natural immunity is why, not that 

long ago, parents used to have 

‘chicken pox parties’ for their children; 

and also why, once children got 

chicken pox, they never got it again. 

Natural immunity is how most dogs 

survived without vaccination when 

parvovirus first came on the scene 

over thirty years ago – and how the 

original strain of parvo is still in the 

environment but very rarely causes 

noticeable clinical signs in dogs – 

even though there is no vaccine for 

it. The body has a highly functional 

immune system that works exceedingly 

well in most cases. 

Vaccines do not immunize: they sensitize. 

Their job is to introduce small 

amounts of disease to the body, albeit 

artificially, so the body is able 

to form immunity on a more convenient 

and predictable time frame. 

Most vets pay a lot of attention to 

vaccinating but very little attention 

to immunizing. The result is that 

most puppy vaccination series are 

poorly timed and the wrong vaccines 

are given at inappropriate times and 

given too often. Simply stated, puppies 

are vaccinated too early, too often 

and with too many vaccines at 

once. When this happens, the vaccines 

suppress the immune system 

instead of supporting it – or in many 

cases, they can cause an over-stimulation 

of the immune system and 

the body can begin to attack its own 

cells (autoimmune disease). So it is 

crucial that every vaccine and every 

puppy is treated with the utmost 

caution and care and that immunization, 

not vaccination, is the goal. 

Too early 

When puppies are very young, they 

are protected from disease by ingesting 

their mother’s first milk, called 

colostrum. This rich milk contains 

maternal antibodies against disease 

which the mother passes down to 

her puppies. The puppy’s immune 

system is not fully mature, or active, 

until it is around six months of age, 

so the maternal antibodies provide 

passive immunity to each puppy. 

When a puppy with a reasonable 

amount of maternal antibodies is 

vaccinated, the maternal antibodies 

will essentially inactivate the vaccine, 

just as they would a real virus. 

The maternal antibodies for distemper 

are fairly predictable and are 

usually low enough for vaccination to 

be effective at eight or nine weeks of 

age. In the case of parvovirus however, 

the maternal antibodies last a 

lot longer in most puppies so vaccinating 

at eight or nine weeks would 

not be all that effective. 

In a study performed by Vanguard, 

it was found that a combination vaccine 

(which typically contains parvovirus, 

distemper and one to five 

other antigens), given to six week old 


puppies had only a 52% chance of 

protecting them against parvo. This 

means that the puppy has all of the 

risk of the vaccine but only half the 

potential benefit. At nine weeks of 

age, 88% of the puppies in the study 

showed a response to the vaccine. At 

12 weeks, 100% of the puppies were 

protected. Some vaccines will provide 

protection earlier or later. 

Only one dose of the 

modified-live canine 

‘core’ vaccine, when 

administered at 16 

weeks or older, will 

provide long lasting 

(many years to a lifetime) 

immunity in a 

very high percentage 

of animals. 

Vaccinating puppies under 12 weeks 

of age, and certainly under nine 

weeks of age, for parvovirus is a 

high risk, low reward approach. Not 

only is the parvovirus component of 

the combination vaccine not all that 

likely to be effective, it can actually 

work to block the effectiveness of 

the distemper component. It also 

makes the vaccine more dangerous, 

because the more antigens contained 

in the vaccine, the greater the 

risk of autoimmune disease (including 

allergies, joint disease and cancer). 

Moreover, most vets haven’t 

seen a case of distemper in years 

which begs the question: what is the 

big push to start vaccinating puppies 

at six to eight weeks of age when the 

parvovirus component is unlikely to 

work and it is very unlikely the puppy 

will come into contact with distemper? 

Too often 

Pfizer performed an interesting field 

study in 1996 where they split vaccinated 

puppies into two groups. 

Group A received a single vaccination 

at 12 weeks and Group B received 

a first vaccine between eight to 10 

weeks and a second at 12 weeks. 

When titers were measured, 100% 

of the puppies vaccinated once at 12 

weeks were protected whereas only 

94% of the puppies in Group B were 

protected – despite receiving two 

vaccines as opposed to one. 

It appears that the first vaccine can 

interfere with the second vaccine. 

So vaccinating your puppy twice not 

only doubles his risk for adverse vaccine 

reactions, it appears to make 

vaccination less effective overall. 

Most people – and many vets – believe 

that it takes more than one 

vaccine to create immunity in a 

puppy. This simply isn’t true. It 

only takes one vaccine to not only 

protect a puppy, but to protect him 

for life. After more than 40 years 

of testing immunity in thousands of 

dogs, Dr. Ronald Schultz has come 

to the following conclusion: “Only 

one dose of the modified-live canine 

‘core’ vaccine, when administered at 

16 weeks or older, will provide long 

lasting (many years to a lifetime) 

immunity in a very high percentage 

of animals.” That very high percentage 

is nearly 100%. 

The only reason vets give puppies 

more than one vaccine is that they 

are trying to catch the small window 

in time when the maternal antibodies 

are low enough that they will not 

block the vaccine, but the puppy is 

young enough that he is not exposed 

to viruses in the environment. The 

point in time when the maternal antibodies 

for parvovirus wane enough 

for vaccination to work can vary between 

eight weeks and 26 weeks. 

So vets dutifully and mindlessly vaccinate 

every two to four weeks – with 


31

a combination vaccine, not just with 

parvo - trying to get one of them to 

work. Most vets also vaccinate once 

more at a year of age – just to be 

certain. 

Nearly all vets vaccinate every year 

or three years after that – for some 

unknown reason because there is no 

scientific validity to this practice. As 

Dr. Schultz stated, there is no need 

for revaccination once a puppy is 

protected – and if a puppy receives a 

vaccination at 16 weeks, he is very, 

very likely to be protected. 

Nomographs and titers 

are useful tools 

that really aren’t 

that expensive in 

the long run when 

compared to the 

thousands of dollars 

pet owners spend 

on chronic, vaccineinduced 

diseases. 

Too much 

The result of these errors in judgement 

is that puppies receive more 

vaccines than they need – lots more. 

They receive a parvovirus component 

in their first combination vaccine 

when that part of the vaccine 

has little chance of working. Most 

puppies are protected against distemper 

with the first vaccine if not 

given too early, yet most puppies are 

given a combination vaccine containing 

distemper at 12 to 16 weeks and 

older – when they really only need 

the parvovirus. 

Most combination puppy vaccines 

also contain an adenovirus component. 

Adenovirus has been shown 

to suppress the immune system for 

ten days following vaccination. This 

means that puppies that receive 

needless vaccines not only suffer 

the risk of adverse events from the 

vaccine, but they are more at risk of 

picking up any other virus or bacterium 

that crosses their path because 

their immune system has been overloaded 

by the vaccine itself. 

This is not a good proposition for a 

puppy taken to the vet clinic to receive 

his vaccines, because it exposes 

him to the riskiest possible 

environment outside of perhaps an 

animal shelter and his immune system 

will be suppressed while his body 

tries to fight four, five or even seven 

different diseases, all at the same 

time. It is no wonder that puppies 

can succumb to vaccine-induced disease 

– their immune system is simply 

overloaded at a time when they 

are exposed to a pretty dangerous 

place for puppies to be. 

Adenovirus is an upper respiratory 

disease that is self limiting – that 

hardly seems like a good trade-off 

for immune protection when puppies 

need it most. The same applies 

to parainfluenza - and coronavirus 

which commonly occurs only in puppies 

too young to be vaccinated anyway. 

And that’s just the core vaccines. 

Some puppies will also be 

vaccinated with other non-core vaccines 

including the particularly dangerous 

leptospirosis vaccine. 

Clearly, vets are very good at vaccination. 

The problem is, current 

puppy vaccination programs don’t 

adequately address immunity. Very 

few vets take a realistic and scientific 

look at the best time to vaccinate for 

distemper, followed by the best time 

to vaccinate for parvovirus, followed 

by asking why are we even vaccinating 

for self limiting diseases such as 

coronavirus and adenovirus which 

are really only dangerous in puppies 

who are too young to effectively vaccinate 

anyway? 

Taking the guesswork out of puppy 

shots 

Vaccines may seem technologically 

advanced, but when given randomly 

and for no good reason, they are at 

best useless and at worst dangerous. 

Vaccine manufacturers are constantly 

trying to improve the safety 

of vaccines, but there will always 

be an inherent danger when injecting 

pharmaceutical products, along 

with their toxic chemicals, into puppies. 

Until the dubious time comes 

when vaccines are completely safe 

and completely effective, there are 

two proven, effective ways to reduce 

the number of unnecessary vaccines 

in puppies, thereby reducing the risk 

of puppies dying or suffering permanent 

illness from vaccines. 

Nomographs 

Not that many years ago, vets used 

something called a nomograph to tell 

breeders the best time to vaccinate 

their puppies. The nomograph examines 

antibody titers of the dam 

and determines almost exactly when 

her maternal antibodies will wear off 

in her puppies. The value in knowing 

this is that the breeder can provide 

the right vaccine at the right time, 

eliminating the need for, and risk of, 

unnecessary vaccinations. 

Nomographs are perfect for breeders 

who are interested in using only 

monovalent (single virus), vaccines 

in place of the more dangerous combination 

or polyvalent vaccines. For 

example, the nomograph could predict 

that the maternal antibodies for 

distemper will wane at eight weeks, 

but that parvovirus might be at 14 

weeks. The breeder would then 

vaccinate with the right vaccine at 

the right time and the vaccination 

schedule would be based on science 

instead of guesswork. Yet for some 

reason, nomographs have fallen out 

of favor. 

Titers 

For puppy owners without the advantage 

of a nomograph, titers can 

save puppies’ lives and protect their 

well being in the long run. Instead of 

guessing if vaccination is necessary, 

running a titer three weeks after a 

vaccination will indicate with nearly 

100% certainty whether the puppy 

needs another vaccine or not. 

Titers also allow vets to use the safer 

monovalent vaccines. A puppy can 

be vaccinated at nine weeks with 

distemper only – an age when he is 

very likely to respond to the vaccine 

– and the titer will later most likely 


show that he is protected and protected 

for life. Then, a monovalent 

vaccine could be given for parvovirus 

at perhaps 12 weeks and a titer 

run three weeks after that. If the 

titer is low, then the vaccine can be 

repeated but if it is high, the puppy 

is protected against parvovirus, very 

likely for life. 

Despite these two easily accessible 

options, many vets believe – 

and lead us to believe – that puppies 

must be subjected to a series 

of vaccinations. Many vets understand 

titers but don’t offer them as 

an option to vaccination. This may 

be because vaccines are cheap and 

titers are not. Whether that equates 

to less profit for the vets or they are 

assuming that puppy owners don’t 

want to invest in a safer vaccination 

program is unknown. Titers can be 

expensive – but so can the damage 

that results from vaccines. Unlike 

vaccines, titers are completely safe 

for puppies. 

Many vets are also not willing to 

stock monovalent vaccines because 

of the higher cost. The most likely 

scenario however, is that vets are 

simply vaccinating with the typical 

puppy schedule out of nothing more 

than habit and convenience. 

In the end, the best way to avoid 

vaccine damage – and your puppy 

being the subject of another tragic 

story – is obviously to not vaccinate. 

This might increase the risk of acute 

disease, but domestic and wild animals 

– and people too – have been 

exposed to viruses for years and 

the immune system, when not suppressed 

with vaccinations, poor diet, 

toxins and drugs, has a profound 

ability to fight off exposure to viruses 

and bacteria. Simply supporting the 

immune system can go a long ways 

toward avoiding acute disease such 

as parvo - and will certainly reduce 

the severity of the symptoms. 

The second safest option is to choose 

vaccines wisely and with a constant 

awareness that every vaccine has the 

potential to kill the patient. Nomographs 

and titers are useful tools 

that really aren’t that expensive in 

the long run when compared to the 

thousands of dollars pet owners 

spend on chronic, vaccine-induced 

diseases including but certainly not 

limited to, hypothyroidism, seizures, 

cancer, arthritis, allergies and gastrointestinal 

issues. They are very 

cheap insurance in many regards. 

The worst option is to do nothing 

different and haphazardly vaccinate 

puppies every two to four weeks 

with a combination vaccine. Many 

vets are not making the connection 

between chronic debilitating disease 

and over-vaccination, so unless a 

puppy’s head swells to the size of 

a football immediately after vaccination, 

they are reluctant to blame 

vaccines for any of the adverse reactions 

that Dr. Schultz identified. 

It’s important to understand that we 

pet owners can open vets’ eyes to 

safer and more effective puppy vaccination 

programs by paying for titer 

tests and investing in monovalent 

vaccines – even if that means having 

to buy a whole case of vaccine 

vials for one little puppy. Chances 

are that case of monovalent vaccines 

will disappear, one by one, and every 

one used means one less puppy who 

will be potentially harmed by needless 

or thoughtless vaccination. f 

DNM Extras 

Find out what every vet and pet 

owner should know about vaccines. 

Visit www.dogsnaturallymagazine. 

com/what-every-vet-should-knowabout-vaccines/ 


33

TITERS 

Protecting your dog 

with this simple test 

makes good sense 

By Don Hamilton DVM 

Photo: Robert & Patricia Petit 

After three decades of veterinary practice, I believe vaccination 

to be a troublesome aspect of medicine. My own observations, 

along with insights from those who taught me, indicate that vaccination 

is fraught with misunderstanding. Furthermore, vaccination, 

in my experience, is likely responsible, at least in part, 

for the vast majority of chronic disease we see in human and 

non-human animals in the modern world. For this reason, I do 

not generally recommend vaccines. However, there is also an 

inherent risk in not vaccinating. Vaccination does in fact prevent 

some acute illnesses like parvovirus and distemper virus in 

dogs and panleukopenia virus in cats. While puppies are at much 

greater risk than adult animals for contracting infectious diseases, 

adult animals are not without risk. I have seen unvaccinated 

adult cats, for example, who became infected with panleukopenia 

virus, and some of these died. I do not recall seeing canine 

parvovirus in an adult dog, but it can occur. I have seen canine 

distemper in an adult dog, although thankfully not a fatal case, 

so far, in an adult. Vaccination, therefore, has a certain benefit. It 


is the risk that is less well understood, but my experience is that 

this risk is high. 

There are larger questions here, including Darwin’s “survival of 

the fittest,” which implies that diseases are in fact strengthening 

factors for species. If we view the species as that which must be 

kept alive rather than the individual, then we must not vaccinate. 

However, it is not so simple to ignore the individual, and in this 

case, many animal guardians choose to vaccinate. As I understand, 

though, vaccination protects against the acute illness by 

inducing a chronic one in its stead. The more vaccinations we 

give (or receive), generally the greater the impact of the chronic 

disease. 

Today, many animal caregivers recognize the basis of this danger 

of over-vaccination, and many will choose not to vaccinate 

except as required by law, preferring the risk of exposure to that 

of vaccine induced disease. Others, however, choose not to risk 

infection, preferring to vaccinate as wisely as possible. For those 

guardians, we look for ways to minimize the damage while maximizing 

the protection. Titer testing is one way to do this. 

A titer is a measurement of the amount of antibody in serum to 

a given antigen. An antigen is a substance that can induce an immune 

response, and usually refers to inducing antibody production. 

Proteins and other substances on bacterial and viral outer 

surfaces, for example, induce antibody production following 

infection or vaccination. Antibodies are proteins that the body 

produces to help fight infections; these bind to foreign antigens, 

facilitating their destruction and removal from the body. Antibodies 

are also called immunoglobulins. 

greater. This will depend upon the laboratory performing the 

test, however, so any result must be compared with that laboratory’s 

standards. For any of these viral diseases, though, as long 

as a dog has a titer with the second number equal to or higher 

than that of the lab’s protective titer, you can rest assured that he 

or she is protected. 

Now, however, this brings a second question, and that is, does 

an animal have to maintain such a titer to remain protected? The 

short answer is no. However, in response to client requests (or 

due to their own knowledge), many progressive veterinarians 

now offer titer testing in lieu of routine vaccination. The idea is 

that, perhaps three years after the last vaccine, the veterinarian 

would take a blood sample and test a dog for parvo or distemper. 

Should one of these titers fall below the protective level, then the 

veterinarian would recommend a booster vaccine. 

While this is a great step forward from routine boosters, and especially 

from annual routine boosters, it is mostly unnecessary. 

Immunological science informs us that, once an animal has a 

protective antibody level, as indicated by a protective titer, that 

animal is almost certainly protected for life, at least for the major 

diseases (parvo, distemper and canine hepatitis virus). Thus, 

once you run a titer test that indicates a protective level, you need 

Titer testing involves using a known antigen (such as canine distemper 

virus) and mixing this with serum to see if the serum 

contains antibodies that will bind to the antigen. This binding is 

called agglutination. If agglutination occurs, then the laboratory 

technician will dilute the serum and repeat the test. This step is 

repeated until the serum is diluted to the point that agglutination 

no longer occurs. The last dilution at which agglutination happens 

is then said to be the titer against distemper, for example. 

Historically, titer testing was done at two-fold dilutions, in the 

sequence 2, 4, 8, 16, and so on. The resultant titer would then be 

represented as a ratio, such as 1:16 or 1:32, meaning that agglutination 

still occurred when the serum was diluted to 1/16 or 1/32 

of full strength. The higher the second number, the more dilute 

the serum could be and still agglutinate the antigen, therefore 

the more antibody was present in the serum and the greater the 

protection. 

In practice, there is generally a recognized minimum titer that 

provides adequate protection, and anything over that is gravy, 

so to speak. Additionally, today the titers are tested more mathematically, 

so the older two-fold dilution is not always how titers 

are reported. For example, protective titers for canine distemper 

virus (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV) are generally 1:5 or 


35

not concern yourself further with that virus. Thankfully, canine 

hepatitis is rare today so most guardians do not test for this. 

So now, what do you do with this information? For adult animals, 

whether a year old or older, if you have never run a titer, 

you could have your veterinarian do so. If you see protective 

levels, forget about booster vaccinations, for the viruses I have 

mentioned in the paragraph above. These are the primary canine 

viruses for which titers have value and which are life-threatening 

diseases, not including rabies. For most other organisms, either 

vaccination is of questionable value, the disease is not as dangerous, 

or titers are not as useful. For example, circulating antibody 

is not as important for protection against upper respiratory 

pathogens like kennel cough (bordetella/parainfluenza virus), as 

well as the uncommon canine coronavirus. Immune suppressive 

intracellular viruses and bacteria like the Lyme disease spirochete 

(Borrelia burgdorferi), the feline leukemia virus, the feline 

immunodeficiency virus, and feline infectious peritonitis virus 

depend more upon cell mediated immunity and immunosuppression, 

and vaccination does not work well, nor do titers accurately 

indicate protection. (I mention these feline viruses here as 

classic examples of viruses which require immune suppression 

to infect their hosts). 

The initial studies for the first Lyme disease vaccine required immunosuppressive 

doses of steroids to even induce short-term 

infection in the dogs used in the investigation. Without the 

steroids, researchers could not successfully infect animals with 

the Lyme spirochetes. This, to me, strongly suggests that there is 

much more to the Lyme disease picture than a simple organism/ 

host and organism/vaccine relationship. I do not recommend 

Lyme vaccination, and titer testing is also not too valuable. 

Leptospirosis, while uncommon in most areas, can cause a severe 

infection occasionally. I will discuss this further in the next 

segment. Part two will also include suggestions for puppy vaccination 

and titers, as well as rabies. f 

Dr. Don Hamilton has been practicing veterinary medicine since 

1979 and practicing homeopathy since 1988. His practice is now 

exclusively homeopathy. He is the author of Homeopathic Care for 

Cats and Dogs: Small Doses for Small Animals. Dr. Hamilton has 

concerns about our interactions with companion animals and is 

interested in how these interactions affect animals, as well is in 

what these interactions suggest about modern culture and our 

own needs as humans. Dr. Hamilton believes that all animals and 

plants have an inherent right to exist that is independent of their 

usefulness to humans. 


NATURAL HEALING 

for dogs with lyme 

Oddly enough, there is no definitive medical text on Lyme 

disease. Even more oddly, a book I wrote in 2005, Healing 

Lyme, has become the closest thing to one in print. 

This is because, at the time I wrote it, I analyzed all the 

peer reviewed research papers on the Lyme bacteria and 

correlated their findings in one place – something no one 

had done before. The interesting thing is how much difference 

it has made in Lyme treatment. For the first time 

the disease began to be somewhat understandable. 

Because Lyme disease can appear as arthritis, or heart 

disease, or severe neurological problems, or gastrointestinal 

problems, or partial facial paralysis, or limb atrophy 

(as well as a multitude of other, seemingly unrelated, 

conditions) the disease itself often seems unintelligible, 

even malevolent, to those who have it. And this 

has made diagnosis extremely difficult for both vets and 

physicians. 

Many people with Lyme have been misdiagnosed for 

years as having multiple sclerosis, psychiatric disorders, 

or lupus, for example. But it turns out that the Lyme 

bacteria are pretty easy to understand once you really 

spend some time with them and begin to understand 

what they do in the body – and why. 

Lyme bacteria are a parasitic organisms, as many bacteria 

are. They need a host in which to live. And because 

they can’t make all the nutrients they need themselves, 

they scavenge them from their hosts. Most of what they 

need can be found in collagen tissues. So, once they enter 

the human or animal host, they begin breaking down 

collagen tissues into a kind of soup in order to feed. 

Where they break down those tissues is important. If it 

is in a joint, then the result is Lyme arthritis. If it is in 

the heart, Lyme carditis. If it is in the central nervous 

system, it will cause neurological Lyme with associated 

brain fog, difficulty thinking and remembering, tremors, 

facial paralysis, loss of limb function and so on. This is 

the secret to understanding the disease and how to treat 

it. 

Once Lyme bacteria move to a site rich in collagen, they 

initiate inflammatory processes that begin to break down 

the collagen at that site. Then they decrease certain aspects 

of the immune response, essentially the parts of 

the immune system that can affect them (in particular, 

CD57 cell counts). So, in order to successfully treat the 

disease, three things need to occur: 

By Stephen Harrod Buhner 


37

1. reduce the inflammation the spirochetal 

bacteria cause; 

2. support the collagen in the body; and 

3. increase immune function. 

A final, fourth, important consideration, at least for most 

of the cases I have seen, is to treat any specific symptoms 

that might arise. For example, neurological Lyme 

can often cause extreme anxiety, so treating that specific 

symptom is highly important. 

Additionally, there 

may be extreme fatigue 

which is also crucial to address 

for healing to occur. 

Very much the last thing 

to do, in my experience, is 

to use antibacterials to try 

and kill the spirochetes. 

(However, if it is a serious 

case of Lyme and the patient 

has never used antibiotics, 

they are definitely 

worth trying). 

After nearly ten years of 

focus on Lyme, often with 

people who have, without 

success, gone through 

multiple rounds of antibiotics, 

I found that if the 

inflammation is stopped, 

the collagen protected and 

the immune health raised, 

then the disease goes into 

a kind of remission where 

a balance is established 

with the bacteria and their host. In such instances, all or 

nearly all symptoms disappear. Sometimes, the bacteria 

disappear completely because their source of nutrients 

is cut off. 

Lyme, and many of its co-infections, are common in 

companion animals, although Lyme can infect nearly all 

animals on the planet. A number of people, concerned 

about their pets, and exasperated at the lack of progress 

by their vets, reported good success once they began 

using the protocol I developed for people on their dogs 

(and horses, although I never have heard of it being 

used with cats who are a lot more sensitive to herbal 

medicines in general). So, here is a good general protocol 

to use with your dogs. Generally, improvements 

begin to occur within two to four weeks. 

The most important herb to use is Japanese knotweed 

root (Polygonum cuspidatum). Inflammation can occur 

through a number of different pathways in the body but 

the root of this plant is specific for the exact pathways 

that the Lyme bacteria initiate. It will reduce the inflammation 

which will then reduce many of the symptoms 

that occur. Additionally, the herb is a fairly good synergist 

which means it tends to increase the actions of both 

herbs and pharmaceuticals when used along with them. 

NNatural protocol for dogs with lyme 

Japanese knotweed root 

Cat’s claw 

Glucosamine sulfate 

Homeopathic Ledum 

Japanese knotweed is a food grade herb which means it 

can normally be taken in rather large doses. For pets, I 

would recommend you get the bulk root, powder it (in 

a Vitamix or blender), and add it to their food. I think it 

is best given at least twice a day, morning and evening. 

I would look at an initial dosage of three tablespoons, 

twice a day. Another benefit of this plant? It is invasive in 

nearly all Lyme endemic areas so if you are on the east 

coast you can often harvest the root yourself. 

The second crucial herb is cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa). 

This herb will raise the particular parts of the immune 

system specific to the disease. Again, I would use 

the bulk herb as a powder and the same dosage as the 

knotweed. Cat’s claw is also a very safe herb; I know of 

no side effects from use, even in largish doses. 

Please note: ALL the herbs can be given simultaneously. 

ALL the herbs may be used along with antibiotics. Also, 

if your dog is very small, use smaller doses, if larger use 

more. The doses I am giving here are for a medium sized 

dog. And yes, you can use liquid formulations as well. I 

just prefer to use the herbs themselves. 

The third important substance is glucosamine sulfate. 

This is a natural supplement that is often included in 

doggy snacks to help joint problems. It does help with 

pain and inflammation but I like it for its ability to help 

restore and protect cartilage. You can get this in powdered 

form which I think, again, would be the best form 

for dogs. (If you buy it for animals rather than humans 


you can get larger quantities at a greatly reduced cost.) 

Some of the powdered forms also include chondroitin, 

MSM, and collagen. All these are helpful. I would use, to 

begin with, two tablespoons, twice daily. 

It may seem odd to hear that 

plants can often heal more 

effectively than pharmaceuticals. 

Nevertheless, it is important 

to remember that our 

species has only been around 

a hundred thousand years or 

so. Plants have been around 

between 170 and 700 million 

years. They get infections 

just as we do but they have 

learned a thing or two during 

those millions of years about 

creating chemical compounds 

to combat infections... 

These three things will, for most dogs, take care of the 

majority of the problems Lyme causes. In addition, here 

are a couple of other things that can really help. 

Teasel (Dipsacus spp): Teasel is very good for joint inflammation. 

If your dog is suffering badly from Lyme 

arthritis, use this. It is a very safe herb as well. I would 

recommend the powder in food, one tablespoon twice 

daily. 

Remember: Lyme is curable. There is no reason you or 

your pets have to suffer years of illness from Lyme infection. 

Most of us have been raised to believe that “modern” 

medicine has all the answers, so it may seem odd to hear 

that plants can often heal more effectively than pharmaceuticals. 

Nevertheless, it is important to remember that 

our species has only been around a hundred thousand 

years or so. Plants have been around between 170 and 

700 million years. They get infections just as we do, but 

they have learned a thing or two during those millions of 

years about creating chemical compounds to combat infections 

(which is, I suppose, why pharmaceutical companies 

model so many of their drugs after them). Plants 

are, in fact, the best chemists on Earth. 

I guess, when it comes right down to it, I am just old 

fashioned. f 

Stephen Harrod Buhner has worked in the natural healing 

fields for over 30 years. He is the multiple-award 

winning author of 15 books including Healing Lyme and 

Ensouling Language. You can see more about him at his 

website www.gaianstudies.org. He lives in Silver City, 

NM. 

Homoeopathic Ledum: A veterinarian, Steven Tobin, 

has reported that he has used Ledum (strength 1M, 

three times daily for three days – yes, that is all, just 

three days) in treating hundreds of dogs for Lyme with 

very good success. Homeopathic remedies are very safe 

and generally inexpensive, so it does make sense to have 

some on hand and to use them for your pet. Some people 

have indeed reported that it worked well for them. 

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus): Research into 

the onset of Lyme infection found that the more depressed 

the immune system, the worse the infection and 

the worse the outcome. As well, the better the immune 

health, the better the outcome and the milder the infection. 

Astragalus is a very good immune herb that has 

been used in China for millennia. It raises exactly the 

immune markers needed to keep infection low or nonexistent. 

I generally recommend that people who live in 

Lyme endemic areas take it year round. It is also a food 

grade herb and can be taken in large doses. I would recommend 

three tablespoons, twice daily in food. 

In some cases of long standing Lyme, due to certain 

complexities of the infection, the herb can exacerbate 

the symptoms. It is best used as a preventative and if 

the Lyme infection is less than two years old. 

HEALING LYME 

Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis 

and Its Coinfections 

Available @$19.95 Plus $6.00 Shipping 

ISBN 0970869630 Raven Press 

Foundation for Gaian Studies - www.gaianstudies.org 

575-538-5498 


39

PARASITES? 

herbal solutions made simple 

By Patricia A. Griffiths 

Parasites date back thousands of years and are as old as the 

animals they feed upon. They can be as small as one cell, such 

as giardia, or several feet long, such as tape worms. They can 

be internal (round worms, whip worms, heart worms, etc.), or 

external (fleas, ticks and mites). They include fungus, yeast and 

mold infections. 

Parasites can be transported by insects, including ticks and 

mosquitoes. Their eggs can be passed from one animal to another 

through their feces, or through eating or drinking from 

the same bowl. Parasites can be picked up from drinking untreated 

water or even from the food we eat and the ground 

we walk on. Some of them can be transmitted to humans. Even 

yeast, which is a normal part of our intestinal tract, can get out 

of hand and become destructive through the use of modern 

medicines. 

Symptoms of a parasitic infestation include: diarrhea, nausea, 

cramps, change in appetite, foul-smelling gas, bloating, restlessness, 

coughing, fever, anemia, fatigue, muscle pain, wheezing 

and coughing followed by vomiting. Your pet may not have 

all of the symptoms but if he has two or more of these symptoms, 

parasites should be considered as the cause. A visit to 

your veterinarian will confirm your suspicions. 

Once it is decided that your dog has parasites, you have two 

choices. You can either follow the parasite treatment your veterinarian 

prescribes or you can choose a holistic treatment. 

Many people shy away from holistic treatments because there 

are so many to choose from and it’s difficult to know which one 

is best. Most of them do work, but they have their pros and 

cons, so let’s take a look at some basic ingredients in a good 

anti-parasitic formula. 

First, you will need an herb that will kill parasites. Long before 

the development of modern drugs, man learned how to quell 

the tide of these little pests by using certain plants. Nature has 

provided, in every part of the world, plants that will keep these 

little squigglers at bay. Here is a list of some of the more common 

herbs used in many formulas. Keep in mind that none of 

these herbs should be overused, as they can cause complications, 

so care must be taken not to give more than is recommended. 


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Amargo or Quasia is an herb from South America. It is an excellent 

herb for getting rid of almost all types of parasites. It is used 

in many commercial preparations on the market today. Amargo 

can cause blindness if it is given in large quantities. 

Black Seed comes from the Mideast and parts of Africa. It has 

been used for centuries by the indigenous populations It will 

get rid of most types of worms and is completely safe. 

Cloves are effective against microscopic parasites, such as giardia 

and coccidia. Freshly crushed leaves will kill the eggs of parasites. 

The oil of cloves can be highly toxic given in large doses, 

so you should be careful when using it on small dogs. 

Garlic contains an amino acid called allicin which is effective 

against round and hook worms. When used in large amounts 

for long periods of time, garlic can cause anemia. 

Pumpkin Seeds were used by the American Indians to expel 

round and tape worms. Early settlers mixed pumpkin seeds 

with milk and honey and gave it to their children to rid them of 

these two parasites. Pumpkin seeds are safe to use, even during 

pregnancy. 

Black Walnut Hulls are effective against tape and round worms. 

There haven’t been a lot of studies done on black walnut hulls 

and for that reason it is only recommended for short term use. 

Pau d’ Arco is another South American herb that is very effective 

against microscopic parasites and candida. Candida is a 

yeast infection but, because of the nature of antibiotics, candida 

overgrowth is becoming an increasingly common problem 

in our pets. 

Wormwood is also called absinth. Wormwood and black walnut 

hulls are effective against hundreds of different types of 

large and small parasites, but wormwood should not be used 

for more than three weeks at a time as it can affect the brain, 

causing retardation. 

Gentian Root is good for most round worms and liver flukes. It 

should not be used for more than three weeks, especially when 

there is weakness. 

With the exception of pumpkin seeds and black seed, none of 

these herbs should be used during pregnancy or lactation. 

Another thing you should look for in a parasite cleanse is an 

anti-microbial. Parasites carry viruses and bacteria, so many 

manufacturers will put an anti-microbial in their formulas. 

Some of these might include echinacea, golden seal and fenugreek. 

Many of the anti-parasitic herbs are also anti-microbial; 

these include garlic, gentian and Pau d’Arco. 

Olive Leaf has been used for centuries to effectively fight bacterial 

and viral infections. It has been proven to kill almost anything 

it comes in contact with. In addition, olive leaf is famous 

for its immune building functions. When the immune system 

is down, the microscopic parasites have an advantage over the 

body. When ridding your pet of parasites, it is important to keep 

the immune system stable. 

Jatoba, a South American herb, is also excellent for building the 

immune system and ridding the body of microscopic parasites. 

One more thing you will want to look for in a parasite formula 

is an herb that will calm the intestinal tract. Since parasites can 

cause bloating, gas and cramps, many manufacturers will add 

herbs that will make your dog more comfortable. Spearmint, 

peppermint and chamomile are the most common herbs you 

will find, but in trying to make their product unique, some makers 

may add less common herbs. Most manufacturers will list 

product ingredients and their uses on their web pages; otherwise 

it’s usually easy to find information via a web search. 

Most herbal wormer instructions will recommend giving the 

formula 10 days on, five days off, and then 10 days on. There 

is a reason why this is done: it takes 10 days to kill the worms. 


41

When worms die off, they lay eggs to propagate the next generation. 

It takes about five days for the eggs to hatch, so the 

treatment needs to be repeated to kill the new offspring. 

Pumpkin seeds with milk and honey would be good for puppies 

with parasites. Puppies should never be de-wormed if they are 

sick. 

External parasites include fleas, lice, ticks, ringworms and fungal 

infections. One thing that repels these parasites is garlic 

and, if you can stand how your dog smells, it will repel fleas, lice 

and ticks. A garlic oil can be rubbed on the skin but needs to be 

replaced after the dog has been given a bath. Garlic oil is very 

easy to make. To a pint of oil, add one bud of crushed garlic and 

let it stand in a warm sunny place for four to five weeks. Strain 

the garlic out and it is ready to use. Put a little on your hands 

and work it through the fur. 

For ringworm, a simple treatment is an indelible pencil or drafting 

pencil, which contains nitrus oxide. Ringworm will not cross 

the purple (nitrus oxide) line. If ringworm cannot expand, it will 

die off. 

To help keep your family and pets safe from parasites you 

should follow basic rules: 

Get your dog an annual physical. 

Conduct annual heartworm testing. 

Provide fresh water with a good balanced diet. 

Examine your dog’s feces for parasites often. 

Clean indoor dog areas regularly to eliminate fleas and lice. 

Always clean up feces in your yard. Your dog will shed eggs in 

the stools and can be reinfected by sniffing in the same area. 

Scalding hot water can be used in your yard to kill microscopic 

parasites; for other parasites, some people prefer to use a solution 

of one part Clorox to 30 parts water, which will kill the eggs 

but not harm your grass or most plants. 

Following these suggestions will help your pet to live a healthy, 

happy, parasite free life. f 

Patricia Griffiths is an Herbalist with over 35 years of experience. 

She is a founding partner of Amber Technology LLC and 

is responsible for the development and production of animal 

herbal health care products. She is the mother of nine children 

(five boys and four girls) 26 grandchildren, three great grand 

children and is active in church and community. She loves people 

and animals. 

MOVING?? 

It can take a few weeks for changes of address to 

be recorded, so please try to submit changes before 

you move. Call, write or email us your new information. 

MISSING OR DAMAGED ISSUE? 

Contact us if your issue is damaged and we will replace 

it immediately. Remember that delivery time 

for periodical mail can vary, so please be patient 

and wait till the end of the issue month to report a 

missing issue. 

CONTACT DOGS NATURALLY 

US and Canada: (877) 665-1290 

Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm EST 

subscribe@dogsnaturallymagazine.com 


FWGE 

for canine cancer 

By Dr. Steven Eisen 

One of the most emotionally distressing things I ever experienced 

was finding out my dog had cancer. 

A few years ago, my beloved Lhasa Apso, Fergie, suddenly 

collapsed by my wife’s feet. I was devastated to see her 

lifeless and lame body, but she was still breathing. We 

immediately rushed her to the pet hospital. The next day 

we were informed that she had a tumor in her spleen. 

Emergency surgery was indicated and we had the spleen 

and tumor removed that day. Thankfully, the surgery was 

successful and Fergie remained in the hospital for a few 

more days to recover. 

The tumor was biopsied and the lab results came back 

showing that Fergie had lymphoma. This meant that if we 

did nothing at all, she would most likely have only a couple 

of months left to live. The veterinarian explained that chemotherapy 

had about a 50% chance of extending her life 

for up to another year. 

As a Doctor of Chiropractic who had studied holistic medicine 

and nutrition for more than 30 years, I understood 

how toxic chemotherapy can be. Many chemotherapeutic 

agents are derived from nitrogen mustard gas used 

in chemical warfare. It’s not only toxic to rogue cancer 

cells, but to normal, healthy cells as well. So much so, 

that many individuals who receive chemotherapy suffer 

significantly from the collateral effects. 

Knowing this, I immediately embarked on a fervent mission 

to quickly assemble a protocol of safe, effective, natural 

and non-toxic treatments. The results more than ful- 


43

filled my hopes and expectations: Fergie lived for nearly 

two and a half more years. She reached her full normal life 

expectancy and maintained a great quality of life. 

There are literally hundreds of natural supplements that 

can be used therapeutically to treat canine cancer. In addition, 

there is a plethora of misinformation about holistic 

treatments out there on the internet and elsewhere, especially 

for dogs with cancer. For most, including veterinarians, 

this makes it confusing and perplexing to know which 

treatments to choose. 

Chemotherapy is like a 

nuclear bomb. While it 

may deter the monster 

it also causes debilitating 

collateral damage to 

innocent bystanders. 

My approach to fighting canine cancer begins with nutrition 

and detoxification. Out of the hundreds of substances 

that have cancer fighting properties, there is a hierarchy 

from most effective to least effective. Out of all of these, 

there are some that I consider small guns and others, big 

guns. Common herbs and spices for example, such as 

rosemary, oregano and turmeric are known to have cancer 

fighting properties and are convenient to add to food. 

While recommended and beneficial, I consider those small 

guns. Cancer is a monster. Shooting a small nine millimeter 

pistol at King Kong can have benefits but is not likely 

to defeat him. 

On the other hand, chemotherapy is like a nuclear bomb. 

While it may deter the monster, it also causes debilitating 

collateral damage to innocent bystanders. I prefer the biggest 

guns, selectively aimed at the target, as the primary 

focus of treatment. Neither chemotherapy nor simple 

herbs and supplements meet this criterion. Bazookas, for 

example, are more likely to defeat King Kong than small 

pistols. 

There are a number of big guns for canine cancer proven 

to be at least as, or more effective, than conventional 

toxic treatments. And it makes the most sense to me not 

to rely on just one, but to fire them all at the same time. 

A required criterion in my holistic approach is that those 

guns not cause any collateral damage or side effects to 

the good healthy cells or bodily systems. A natural food 

supplement containing fermented wheat germ extract 

(FWGE) is one of the biggest guns I could find. 

Avemar has been scientifically proven to be more effective 

against numerous types of cancers than chemotherapy, 

without toxic side effects. To understand the success behind 

FWGE, it is necessary to start with some discoveries 

made nearly 90 years ago. 

In the past century, there have been a number of scientists 

who have made significant contributions to our understanding 

of life. Perhaps Albert Einstein is the most recognized 

and well known of these. Others less well known 

have made discoveries that are just as important. Dr. Otto 

Warburg and Dr. Albert Szent-Gyorki are two whom you 

may not have heard of but should. Both won Nobel Prizes 

for their discoveries. 

In 1924, Dr. Otto Warburg discovered that cancer cells 

use up to 50 times more glucose than healthy cells. Cancer 

cells have a molecular sweet tooth. Warburg’s theory, 

now recognized in biology as the “Warburg Effect”, surmised 

that this consumption of sugar was at least partially 

responsible for the rapid proliferation of cancer cells and 

tumor growth. He theorized that if the supply of glucose 

to cancer cells could be stopped, the growth of the cancer 

would be slowed or stopped as well. 

Then in 1937, a Hungarian scientist named Dr. Albert 

Szent-Gyorki was awarded a Nobel Prize for discovering 

the Krebs Cycle and Vitamin C. Years later, after both his 

wife and daughter died from cancer, he learned that the 

chemotherapy used to treat them was a derivative of mustard 

gas. As such, he developed a personal research interest 

in cancer. 

Szent-Gyorki theorized that by using organic compounds 

known as quinones and methyl-substituted benzoquinones, 

he could activate the “Warburg Effect” in cancer 

cells by blocking specific metabolic pathways to inhibit 

glucose utilization. Recognizing the most potent source of 

these compounds was wheat germ, he concentrated it. 

When applied to cancer cells, initial results confirmed Warburg’s 

theory: the cancer cells were, in fact, starved to 

death. 

In 1989, a Hungarian biochemist, Dr. Mate Hidvegi, picked 

up the gauntlet and patented a technique of fermenting 

concentrated wheat germ extract in an effort to standardize 

a compound for study, based on Szent-Gyorki’s research. 

In more than 100 studies since the 1990’s, FWGE has been 

shown to speed cancer cell death and reduce cancer cell 

recurrence (aka metastasis), by inhibiting the cancer cells’ 

use of glucose. One of these studies on animals, reported 

in a peer reviewed journal, showed that FWGE reduced 

tumor development by 70%. None of the subjects in the 

study suffered from new metastases and no toxicity has 

been found in any study. But it gets even better than that. 

All of us, including our pets, have cancer cells in our bodies. 

In general, these cancer cells are easily recognized 

by a healthy immune system and attacked and destroyed 

before cancer fully develops. However, once cancer cells 


get a foothold they can “cloak” themselves so they can’t 

be recognized by the immune system. 

For illustration purposes, imagine there are the good guys 

(normal cells), who are in white and bad guys (cancer 

cells), who are in black. Normally, a healthy immune system 

easily sees the bad guys in black and attacks and kills 

them. Now imagine that the bad guys get hold of some 

white clothes and put them over their black clothes. The 

bad guys – now wearing the white clothes - infiltrate the 

good guys’ camp and aren’t recognized as bad guys because 

they are wearing white. The bad guys can now start 

destroying the good guys because they aren’t recognized 

as rogue invaders. 

When it comes to 

feeding a raw diet, 

who should you believe? 

This is what happens in individuals with cancer; however 

instead of hiding behind white clothes, the invaders display 

a surface molecule called MHC-1. MHC-1 is the enemy 

cells’ white clothes. They walk in and say, “Don’t attack 

me; I’m one of the good guys”. 

FWGE essentially strips off the white clothes (MHC-1) from 

the bad guys so they can once again be recognized and 

destroyed. When FWGE is combined with other supplements 

that boost the activity of the immune system’s Natural 

Killer (NK) cells, there is a synergistic effect. The bad 

guys are exposed and the good guys that kill them are 

strengthened. 

As you can see, FWGE is very impressive and I personally 

and professionally have seen remarkable results using it 

in dogs with cancer. I recommend using it for at least 60 

days initially, or until remission. It is also essential that 

you feed your dog a homemade diet that does not include 

any grains, starches or high glycemic vegetables. That 

means no rice, pasta, potatoes or other high glycemic 

foods. Combined with FWGE, this diet could deprive the 

cancer cells of glucose, and initiate the “Warburg Effect.” 

You may be wondering, “If FWGE is so amazing, how come 

I haven’t heard about it before?” The answer is simple – 

health claims can only be made for substances classified 

as drugs and, since it is a food product, it is illegal for the 

manufacturer to make health claims. FWGE surely hasn’t 

received the attention it deserves, so most health professionals 

will tell you they have never heard of it; but please 

don’t let them dissuade you. They simply don’t know - but 

now you do! f 

As a passionate dog lover and pet health advocate, Dr. 

Steven Eisen teaches others how to improve the health, 

quality, and longevity of their pet’s lives. His best-selling 

book, Dog Cancer: The Holistic Answer, A Step-by-Step 

Guide, has helped thousands of dogs live longer lives with 

a unique, non-toxic approach to healing canine cancer, incorporating 

information unavailable from any other single 

source. Dr. Eisen offers free resources to help dogs with 

cancer at his website, www.dogcanceradvice.com 

Believe your veterinarian. 

Believe your eyes. 

Believe your dog. 

Why feed a raw diet? Food full of grains, preservatives, additives, 

and sub-standard ingredients cannot be good for your dog’s health. We 

believe they are the root cause of persistent health problems. Many of these 

conditions are resolved quickly by switching to a high quality raw diet like 

Bravo! We make our products with human grade ingredients in a USDA 

Certified facility under our control. Our products are tested for safety, made 

with extreme care and the knowledge of the true nutritional needs of dogs. 

The proof? Just ask anyone who has made the switch to a Bravo! raw 

diet and believe what you hear and see. 

Shinier, healthier skin and coat 

Cleaner teeth and fresh breath 

Better weight control 

Improved digestion 

Reduction of allergy symptoms 

Harder, smaller, less smelly stools 

More energy and stamina 

Increased mobility in older animals 

For more information visit:www.bravorawdiet.com 

© Bravo!, LLC 2011 


45

Nutrition with Lucy 

eating 

Disorders 

By Lucy Postins 

An eating disorder isn’t among the list of challenges most 

dogs owners expect to encounter, but the problem actually 

plagues a surprisingly high number of animals. There’s a lot 

of speculation about the cause of a dog’s refusal to eat his 

meals, and a wide array of approaches, when it comes to 

how owners choose to deal with the situation. 

Eating disorders may involve a perceived (or even owner induced), 

behavioral problem that’s brought about by the way 

mealtimes happen in a household – for example, an intermittently 

skipped meal now and again, natural fasting on a 

more routine basis, a naturally minimal appetite, a reaction 

to hot weather, or flat out failure to eat anything at all (which 

might result from something like past severe emotional trauma 

such as that which occurs after abandonment, cruelty, 

grief or illness). 

But failure to eat can also be a sign of a serious underlying 

medical issue that results in a diminished appetite over time, 

and the accompanying weight loss, lack of energy and general 

malaise. 

As a pet owner, witnessing an animal’s refusal to eat can be 

unnerving, or downright frustrating, depending on the cause 

and circumstances. Some dogs are just predisposed to eat 

less (smaller breeds generally have a less ravenous appetite 

than their usually more greedy, larger breed counterparts). 

Other dogs are just picky individuals and some are actually 

made worse by their owner’s constant worrying and watching 

while they try to eat, or by owners who decide to free 

feed their animals rather than sticking to a more regular 

schedule of defined, spaced out meal times. 

It’s natural that, when a dog begins to exhibit appetite problems, 

the owner becomes concerned. Sometimes, distraught 

owners hover near the dog at meal times, or even take a seat 

on the floor to observe the meal’s progress, or lack thereof. 

When the root of the problem is nervousness or anxiety, the 

owner’s behavior can exacerbate the situation by causing 

a further increase in anxiety and self consciousness on the 

part of the dog, making him even less inclined to eat than 

he was before. 

Some owners actually resort to hand-feeding or spoon-feeding 

their dogs, or offering a selection of food alternatives 

and unhealthy additions if a meal is refused or goes unfinished. 

The net effect of this can be teaching the dog that if he 

doesn’t gobble up his whole meal right away, something better 

is sure to be offered by hand, or dropped into the bowl. 

It’s important to identify what’s causing an apparent eating 

disorder, especially if the issue is happening for more than a 

couple of days. There could be a problem with a particular 

batch of food, or an allergy or food sensitivity may be present 

or just developing. It’s also possible the dog may have a serious 

underlying health concern that’s making him reluctant 

to eat, or trying to send a message to you that something’s 

wrong. Dental issues and other medical problems like cancer 

and kidney complaints can also cause a loss of appetite. 

However, if a medical reason can be ruled out, it’s generally 

better not to give an eating disorder too much charge, by 

maintaining a low key approach to meals. 

In some cases, grief can cause a dog to fast, and in this situation, 

lots of patience and the use of complementary thera- 


pies such as flower essences or homeopathy can help with 

the emotional aspects of the problem. If the grief is for another 

pet, introducing another dog or puppy to the home 

when the time is right, can (in addition to providing some 

companionship), create a little bit of healthy competition for 

food, which usually helps to improve appetite. Other dogs 

however, actually become more nervous or distracted when 

there are multiple animals in the household. For some dogs, 

this problem may originate from a past situation where the 

dog has been attacked by another animal who wanted to 

steal his dinner. It’s helpful to experiment by feeding dogs 

in a crate, or in another isolated environment, instead of a 

group setting. 

For those animals who have some kind of psychological issue 

surrounding meal times, another tactic is making meals into 

a game; for example placing the food into a stuffable plastic 

or rubber toy to help take away some of the emotional 

pressure off eating and make it a more light hearted affair . 

Another option is to hide small portions of the meal in different 

places for the dog to seek out. This doesn’t always 

have to be undertaken long term and the idea is that, once 

the appetite starts to pick up, it’s possible to gradually ease 

back on the tactics and transition back to normal mealtime 

behavior, such as putting the food in a dog bowl! 

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Occasionally, the bowl itself is the issue. Some dogs can’t 

stand the jangling noise their tags make, bumping against 

the side of a steel dish. Other dogs are averse to plastic and 

the taste that appears to permeate into their food. A tough 

pyrex or glass bowl may help with this situation. For dogs 

with flatter faces, any sort of bowl maybe offputting, and a 

plate is more comfortable. Offering much smaller portions 

instead of a giant bowl of food can help a sensitive dog feel 

less overwhelmed and a routine of three petite meals might 

be better tolerated than one or two larger ones. Spoon or 

hand feeding should really be avoided, however, except in 

extreme circumstances. 

Sometimes, a dog simply doesn’t like his dinner – or he’s 

been fed the same food for so long that he just can’t stand 

the thought if it for one more day. Sheer boredom with food 

is quite common in dogs, and it’s hardly surprising, when 

so few domesticated canines get to enjoy any dietary variety 

whatsoever, because a monotonous, homogenous diet 

has gradually become the accepted way to feed dogs in this 

country. A more varied diet is great for alleviating boredom 

and provides different foods (and a broadened array of nutrition), 

every day or two. Simply rotating the protein or varying 

the mix of add-ins can help; a spoonful of plain yogurt 

or a little cottage cheese can work wonders. 

The quality and overall taste of the food of course play an 

essential role as well. A poor quality food made with lots 

of by-products, fillers and cheap cereals might be a lot less 

appetizing than a higher quality meal that’s made with 

whole food ingredients and contains plenty of real meat. Of 

course, many dogs are scavengers and there are those who 

love the cheaper foods because of all the added salt, sugar 

and sprayed on flavorings that the manufacturer applies to 

entice their taste buds. But as a general rule, as with human 

food, a quality meal is much more delicious than a cheap 

alternative. 

There’s a balance between pandering to a picky pet and paying 

attention to a situation that actually needs some corrective 

action. A low key approach or a simple adjustment to 

routines may be all that’s needed to resolve the problem for 

good. 

If a major weight loss isn’t occurring and a routine vet exam 

has been done to rule out serious problems, it’s generally 

better to stand back and allow the dog to regulate his own 

intake without too much outside interference, which could 

entrench the problem in the long term. f 

Lucy Postins is a companion animal nutritionist and founder of 

The Honest Kitchen, a natural pet food company in San Diego, 

CA. More nutritional resources are available on www.thehonestkitchen.com 

or (866) 437-9729. 


47

essentials for your dog 

Reiki for Dogs, by Kathleen Prasad 

This invaluable new book by Reiki Master and author Kathleen Prasad will teach dog owners, trainers and shelter 

workers how to heal their pets with the Reiki Energy around them. Reiki is the 90 year old art of channeling 

universal energy to heal with one’s hands. This Asian form of treatment has helped cure ailments in both people 

and animals across the globe. In her book, Kathleen Prasad explains the principles of Reiki, describes specific 

hand positions and how to channel energy, and shares a number of stories about how Reiki has helped dogs 

get over anxiety, anger, stress, and trust issues. “When you know an animal well, you can read subtle physical 

cues and learn what is troubling them,” explains Prasad. “The healing of the animals that we Reiki practitioners 

facilitate is simply a byproduct of the miracle that is healing energy.” You’ll be surprised at how you can channel 

this powerful energy to improve your dog’s well-being. The book will be released on April 17, 2012 on Amazon. 

DERMagic Organic Flea Shampoo Bar 

The brand New DERMagic Organic Diatomaceous Earth Flea Bar kills fleas naturally, relieves itching, 

repels insects, is anti-microbial, calming, and therapeutic for both dry and oily skin. The uniqueness 

of this bar lies in the use of Diatomaceous Earth, a fine white powder made by microscopic water 

creatures. They make silica-based shells for themselves and these shells fall to the bottom of the sea 

and are then mined. Each tiny “shell” is very sharp, like razors to insects, but completely safe to mammals. 

In fact, people and pets can take a teaspoon or two daily in a glass of water to eliminate internal 

parasites. The DERMagic Flea Bar also incorporates a proprietary blend of essential oils that will 

deter fleas from jumping back on the dog. And, it is completely safe! There are no toxins, chemical 

insecticides, sulfates, or other irritants in the bar. Purchase online at www.dermagic.com 

Machu’s Blend 

Everyone’s into healthy teas these days, and your dog is no exception, now that Machu’s Blend is here. 

Created by California Tea House, this once-a-day herbal tea contains several therapeutic herbs for your 

canine companion. Chamomile is a mild sedative that can relieve anxiety; Ginger Root, a natural antiemetic, 

helps prevent upset stomachs and nausea or motion sickness, and may even avert bloat; Fennel 

Seed helps the digestive system, eases the stomach and serves as natural gas relief; Skullcap supports the 

nervous system, relieves stress and can even help prevent epilepsy and seizures; Calendula soothes the 

stomach, helping to prevent ulcers and gas. A little Machu’s Blend goes a long way: use 1/2 teaspoon of 

Machu’s Blend for each cup of water. Steep for one to two minutes in almost boiling water, then allow the 

tea to completely cool or even add ice before serving. If your dog has never tried Machu’s Blend before, 

start out with a small serving to assure he has no adverse reactions, before adding the tea to your dog’s 

everyday routine. Learn more or purchase at www.californiateahouse.com 


Waglet Works Adventure Dog Gear 

At this time of year, as we shed our coats, and with them the pockets we’ve been using to stash all the things 

we need to bring on dog walks, it’s sometimes hard to find a convenient way to carry keys, poop bags, 

water, treats, toys..... Waglet Works has come up with a brilliant and stylish solution. First, buy the system 

belt, a sporty belt in three sizes with D-rings to hold your accessories. Then, pick your accessories: the Poo 

Transport Pack, with a separate pocket for used bags; the Wipes Pac for wet wipes; the Water Bottle Holder, 

Water Bottle and Fold Up Water Bowl; the Personals Pac for your keys, cash and cellphone; the Snac Pac 

for treats; the Toy Tote - in mesh to allow wet or slobbery balls to dry; the Sit Upon roll-up mat to keep 

you dry when it’s time for a break; the Carry All Tote - large enough for extra clothing and more; and the 

Illuminator Flashlight for nighttime adventures. Visit www.wagletworks.com to explore the possibilities! 

DGP 

An aging dog’s aches and discomfort increase every year and watching them slow down, struggle to get up or unable 

to simply enjoy the things they used to can be absolutely heartbreaking. However, DGP’s all-natural formula 

can help support continued mobility and quality of life by easing those aches and pains. DGP was formulated over 

a decade ago by Australian scientists and a master herbalist by combining high quality herbs, digestive enzymes 

and sources of mucopolysaccharides which are all essential in providing relief and to maintain lubricated joints. 

To purchase DGP and get 25% off go to www.theharmonycompany.com/dogsnaturally or call 800-422-5518. 

The Honest Kitchen Love 

Love was designed to cater to dogs of all life stages including adults, puppies, pregnancy and nursing. 

Love is ideal for dogs that may have grain or gluten sensitivities, or to help maintain a healthy 

body weight. Love is low carb with just 35% carbohydrates. The Honest Kitchen’s whole food recipes 

bridge the gap between the health benefits of a homemade raw or cooked diet, and the convenience 

of a prepared product. 1 cup makes 1lb of fresh food. The Honest Kitchen uses NO food ingredients 

from China, and details the origin of every ingredient (like free-range chicken from Petaluma Poultry 

in California, wild line-caught haddock from Iceland) on its web site. The products are made 

in a facility that also produces food for human consumption. The company uses only non-GMO 

produce, organic ingredients when possible and SFI certified / recycled packaging that’s recyclable 

or compostable after use. Purchase at www.thehonestkitchen.com 

Hyalogic Joint Logic 

Hyalogic has developed an exciting new joint support supplement for dogs, using Hyaluronic Acid (HA) as its main ingredient. HA is a natural 

lubricant found throughout the body in all joints, bones and cartilage structures, as well as in tendons, ligaments/connective tissue, eyes and coat. 

Four different formulas build on the HA foundation. Pure Essence is a simple HA joint support product for growing and active dogs. Performance 

Power has HA plus N-Acetyl Glucosamine and is good for active and older dogs; Complete Care adds MSM and supports active dogs, larger breeds, 

and those under physical stress; the top of the line Athletic Performance also contains Cynatine FLX (derived from the keratin in New Zealand 

wool) and is intended for working or competitive dogs and extreme athletes. Very cleverly, Hyalogic offers all four products in a choice of liquid, 

granular pour-on, or chewable tablets; so if you have a dog who’s difficult to dose, you can pick the right one for your picky pet! Learn more, find 

a retailer or purchase online at ww.hyalogic.com. 


49

marketplace 

holistic vets 

Charles E. Loops, DVM 

Pittsboro, NC 

Phone consultations by appointment 

Acute and chronic disease treatment, 

alternative cancer therapy, behavior 

problems and disorders 

www.charlesloopsdvm.com 

Integrative Veterinarian 

Dr. Julie Mayer certification in 

veterinary acupuncture, veterinary 

chiropractic, canine rehabilitation, 

Reiki Practitioner. 

Holistically treats companion animals 

dr.julie@integrativeveterinarian.com 

holistic health care 

Mother Nature MD 4 Pets - Jan Litza 

Natural health for your dog with 

Young Living Essential Oils. Enhance 

their lives naturally! 

j.litza@comcast.net (219) 670-1163 

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Karen Duewel 

Young Living Essential Oils - embrace 

health and wellness NATURALLY! 

wehavecomefullcircle@gmail.com 

(847) 772-0212 

www.synergyiskey.com 

Animal Reiki Source 

Kathleen Prasad 

369B Third St., #156 

San Rafael, CA 94901 

(415) 420-9783 

info@animalreikisource.com 

http://www.animalreikisource.com/ 

Enlightened Animals LLC 

Ellen Kohn 566 Meadow Vista Drive 

Evergreen, CO 80439 (303) 670-1023 

horsegal52@aol.com 

http://www.EnlightenedAnimals.com 

animal communicators 

Carol Schultz Animal Communication 

Interactive and compassionate Consultations 

& Healing for all animal 

species. 

www.CarolSchultz.com 

Founder/Director 

www.AnimalSpiritNetwork.com 

online learning institute. 

boarding and daycare 

Pawsitively Heaven Pet Resort 

10051 Kitty Avenue 

Chicago Ridge, IL 60415 

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Willow Farm Pet Services Boarding 

Grooming, Healthy Foods & Treats 

802-886-5000 

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books and DVDs 

Dogwise 

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groomers 

Salon Fido LLC 

1807 Main Street 

Cross Plains, WI 53528 

(608)798-4464 www.salonfido.net 

online stores 

Holistic Pet Info 

www.HolisticPetInfo.com 

(877)573-8227 

pet food 

My Pet Carnivore 

An exclusive line of frozen raw petfood. 

Just meat, bones & organs from 

the best local sources. (317) 694-4749 

orders@mypetcarnivore.com 

www.mypetcarnivore.com 

pet supplies 

Nature’s Feed 

Natural pet food, supplements, 

grooming supplies and more 

2440 Westward Dr. Unit C 

Spring Grove, IL 60081 

815-675-2008 www.naturesfeed.net 

Naturally 4 Paws 

Silverdale, WA 

360-337-2444 

www.naturally4paws.co 

The Lucky Dog Barkery 

“The store your dog would build” 

8320 Preston Center Plaza 

Dallas, Texas 75225 

Waggin’ Tails Healthy Pet Products 

Feed Pets WELL! Whole Foods for 

Carnivores, 

B.A.R.F. Frozen, Freeze Dried, Green 

Tripe & Raw Bones 

Houma, Louisiana 

www.waggintailsbarf.com 

Whiskers Holistic Pet Products 

235 East 9th 

New York, NY 10003 

1-800-WHISKERS 

1800whiskers.com 

PetX Supplies and Tack 

132 W Highland Rd, Suite 101 

Howell, MI 48843 

517.546.6740 

www.mypetx.com 

Metro Pet Market 

1637 Victoria Avenue 

Regina, SK S4P 0P8 

(306) 352-9663 

www.metropetmarket.ca 

The Neighborhood Pup 

4230-D 4th Avenue 

Whitehorse Y1A 1K1 

http://www.theneighborhoodpup.com 

PAWS-itive Health 

Maureen Tate 

51 Sarah Crescent 

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2W4Z2 

(902)435-2528 

divineaire@gmail.com 

Back To The Bone 

For raw feeders, we provide a wide 

variety of ground proteins w/bone, 

meaty bones, supplements and 

healthy treats. 

495 Walkers Line, Burlington Ont. 

L7P1N7 

289-337-4577 

www.backtothebone.ca 

Heronview Raw and Natural 

7692 Ashburn Rd 

Whitby Ontario L1M1L5 Canada 

905-655-5747 

leolvr@sympatico.ca 

www.heronviewrawandnatural.com 

Bones Pet Boutique® 

Ontario’s First “Real Food for Pets” 

Store 

www.BonesPetBoutique.com 

1500 Upper Middle Rd. Suite 5 

(North on Brant, Left @ Upper Middle) 

Burlington, Ont. L7P 3P5 

905-336-7338 

Rawsome Dogs 

Rawsome Dogs is dedicated exclusively 

to offering wholesome raw food 

diets. We offer a variety of affordable 

raw meal plans for dogs made of 

only the highest quality all natural 

products. 

Woodstock, Ontario 519-533-5272 

www.rawsomedogs.com 

rawsomedogs@gmail.com 

Bailey Blu Pet Boutique 

6152 Sherbrooke St. W 

Montreal, Quebec H4B 1L8 

514.507.4526 

www.baileyblu.com 

www.facebook.com/baileyblu 

ORDER YOUR CLASSIFIED AD 

877-665-1290 or sales@dogsnaturallymagazine.com 

Ask about our upcoming Special Pricing! 


Poochinis Barkery 

Treats so good, they’re made to woof 

down 

254 Main St. South 

Newmarket, ON L3Y 3Z5 

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www.poochinisbarkery.com 

Inner Wolf 

BARF Nutrition & Natural Health 

Centre 

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schools 

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Network 

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Professional Mastery Programs. Teleclasses, 

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rescues 

Reunion Rescue 

Home of the World’s Friendliest 

Pit Bulls! 

Dogs are raw fed and treated with 

homeopathy 

California and Texas 

www.reunionrescue.com 

Journey’s End Ranch Animal 

Sanctuary 

Forever home for abused & abandoned 

animals 

Consults in holistic 

care,nutrition,detox,Lyme 

www.jersanctuary.org 

breeders 

Fallriver Labrador Retrievers 

Naturally raised show and specialty 

winners, obedience and field dogs 

and couch warmers. 

Ontario, Canada 

(905) 729-1189 

fallriverlabs@gmail.com 

www.fallriverlabs@gmail.com 

Abundant Life Silk Dogs 

Holistically reared, no vaccines, raw 

food, hypo-allergenic, low shedding 

Champion lines, CHIC#’s, 3 generations 

of health testing 

(571) 271-3479 

www.abundantlifesilkdogs.com 

Boldwind Reg’d Border Terriers 

Naturally reared and home raised 

since 2000. 

Breeding for health, temperament 

and conformation. 

Carole & Sandy Baldwin 

(204) 475-1112 

boldwindbt@yahoo.com 

www.boldwind-border-terriers.com 

Fresh, homemade, organic/ 

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dog snacks. 

Specialty 

Dog Treats 

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exceptionally healthy 

www.simplypawesome.com 


51

Dog People 

David Stauble - Carna4 

We talked with David Stauble, co-founder and President of Carna4, an innovative new packaged pet food, to learn about the story 

behind this interesting product (www.carna4.com). 

You and Maria Ringo started your family business making 

Carna4 in 2010. Please tell us about your respective backgrounds 

and what led you to create Carna4. 

Both of us had considerable experience in the pet food industry. 

Maria was one of the pioneering founders of Sojourner 

Farms in the mid 80s. She was one of the very first advocates 

of raw diets and created Sojourner Farms food as a grain and 

herb mix that pet owners would feed with their own raw meat. 

They were years ahead of their time and produced the first of 

the dried foods. After about ten years, the business was sold 

to Maggie and Ward Johnson. Maria’s real love is homeopathy. 

She had worked for a homeopath and was also a patient. At 

first she read a lot and learned in a grass roots fashion; but she 

wanted to take it further so she pursued a formal education 

and became a homeopath herself. 

I spent 22 years creating private label pet foods for Canada’s 

largest pet specialty retailer. During that time I visited extrusion 

plants, bakeries and renderers (the latter was a terrible 

experience!), and really got an insider’s look that helped me 

learn what not to do to make a good quality pet food. My 

years with the company gave me the experience and knowledge 

to work outside of the box. Maria had also worked at the 

company for a while as a buyer. She taught us about holistic 

and natural pet food and helped us make better quality foods. 

After I left the company, I was out riding my bike one day and 

realized that, through my retirement package, I now had the 

means to start my own business, and I had the contacts to do 

the necessary research and development. This was about the 

time Maria had been awarded her homeopathy diploma; at 

that point she had no desire to get back into dog food manufacturing. 

She had already taught me a lot about natural foods 

and brought me to the point where I could run Carna4. Her 

intention was to stay out of the business and focus on her homeopathy 

practice. But as people found out about her they 

were more interested in her than me! Now we attend trade 

shows together and Maria answers questions on nutrition and 

health. Her role for the company is Director of Health Care, 

which she does daily as needed while maintaining her homeopathy 

practice. 

On the surface, Carna4 looks like a normal kibble. Please explain 

why it isn’t. What’s different? 

The difference is in not only the ingredients, but our methods. 

We use fresh, table grade meats (not meat meals), fish, eggs 

and produce, in a process that preserves as much of the nutritional 

value of the ingredients as possible. We do not use 

extrusion like most pet food manufacturers; the extrusion process 

destroys both nutrients and flavor, and in order to meet 

AAFCO standards, the pellets must be supplemented with synthetic 

vitamins and mineral premixes, which are added to the 

food, along with flavoring which is usually made from animal 

digest. Instead, we gently bake the food at moderate temperatures 

which eliminate harmful pathogens while preserving the 

natural nutrients, probiotics and enzymes. 

But the real innovation in Carna4 is the use of sprouted seeds. 

We were working on R&D with a nutritionist who had done 

a lot of research into sprouted seeds. She suggested adding 

them to the food because they are such nutritional powerhouses. 

When I started reading about them, I saw that they 

were extremely expensive - about eight times the cost of nonsprouted 

ingredients. But we went ahead and took out cheap 

grains, replacing them with a mix of sprouted seeds, and tested 

the nutritional profiles of the finished product. When we 

got the lab results back, we were stunned by how nutritious 

the food was, and realized we didn’t need to use any added 

vitamins or minerals. AAFCO standards measure 37 different 

nutrients, and we blew through all of their standards with a 

much more nutritious product than required. This was all due 

to using the sprouted seeds; we also eliminated meat meal 

and used whole meats to preserve the protein levels. 

People always believed that cooking over 118 o F killed probiotics 

and enzymes. So did we - but this is no longer true. There 


53

has been an evolution in ingredients and cooking techniques, 

and if the probiotics and enzymes are from sprouted seeds, 

they can withstand a lot more punishment and survive much 

better. The “mortality rate” is very small and the nutrition far 

exceeds that in any other “complete and balanced” food. This is 

hard to believe for raw food advocates, but we are very transparent 

with our data and we have the analysis to back up these 

claims. 

How does the nutrition in Carna4 compare to a raw diet? 

Of course, the very best way to feed your dog is by purchasing 

a variety of good quality fresh meat, after grilling the butcher 

about his sources and what processes are used, then adding 

other whole foods and supplementing appropriately. But this 

takes a lot of knowledge and time, and not everyone has the 

ability to do the research, or the access to the whole foods and 

nutrition their dog requires. If your choice is prepared food, 

Carna4 is as nutritious as anything you can buy in a package 

- and without adding any potentially harmful synthetic supplements. 

Some people feed raw but use Carna4 for greater convenience 

when they are rushed, or on the road. Other customers 

have switched from raw or home prepared foods to Carna4. 

Since Carna4 is not heated to high temperatures, how do you 

ensure the safety of the food? 

First of all, the baking temperature we use (195 o F/90 o C) is 

sufficient to kill pathogens like salmonella. But, to be certain 

the food is completely safe, we thoroughly check the finished 

product before it’s released for sale. Our quarantine program 

ensures that each batch does not leave the plant until all the 

testing is done. We test every single batch for 64 different nutrients 

as well as for salmonella, E. coli and other pathogens, 

including aflatoxins, mercury and arsenic. We test down to one 

part per billion and we don’t find any contaminants, which is 

due to using really good quality ingredients and making the 

food in small batches. 

the necessary nutrients without the risk of contaminants, and 

there is a need for products with only natural nutrition. 

Carna4 is quite expensive compared to other packaged foods 

- can you comment on that? 

People do get sticker shock when they first see our prices. But 

it doesn’t make sense to compare Carna4 to an ordinary bag 

of dog food - which has no real food in it! The higher nutritional 

value of Carna4 means it is more appropriate to compare 

it to raw food. The daily feeding cost is actually quite modest; it 

compares very favorably to many premade raw foods, and we 

have provided some analysis on our website. 

What is your vision for the future of the company? 

We intend to stay small. We are a real family business. Maria 

and I love working together: some couples don’t but we do, and 

I have recently moved my office into a space in Maria’s clinic. 

We also seek out other family businesses to work with. We buy 

our sprouted seeds from a family business in Iowa; our baking 

is done by a family business and our packaging is supplied by a 

family business. 

We want to remain a real family business, and we want to continue 

producing small quantities of really good food. We would 

much rather focus on maintaining the high quality of our product. 

f 

This is very important. Most pet food manufacturers are now 

doing testing to show the FDA, but they are not testing every 

batch. If every batch were tested, you would never have recalls. 

After the melamine contamination one company decided to 

start using a quarantine program - it lasted only a month! 

With all the recent scares about contaminants in vitamin and 

mineral premixes used in kibbles, people are becoming much 

more aware of what they are feeding. Even though many companies 

say they “source” their premixes in the US, that doesn’t 

mean the country of origin is the US. Some vitamins are just not 

made in the US, and 80% of them are produced in China and India. 

Dog owners are looking for alternative foods that provide 


A meal is only as good 

as its ingredients 

Every ingredient used in The Honest Kitchen’s pet 

food is 100% human-food grade, and the San Diego 

company’s commitment to quality doesn’t stop there. 

Free-range, sustainably 

raised chicken: 

The Honest Kitchen’s chicken is from Petaluma 

Poultry, in California. It is USDA certified freerange, 

humanely raised, 

vegetarian fed without 

the use of animal fat 

or by-products and 

is never fed antibiotics. 

Free range 

birds are raised in 

roomy, naturally lit 

barns and have open 

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Each of the eight whole-food recipes is produced 

in a human food facility that makes the same foods 

you eat. That means the products don’t just start 

off ‘human grade’, they stay that way from their 

kitchen, all the way to yours. 

The Honest Kitchen’s team take pride in handselecting 

each ingredient that goes into the recipes – 

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the world* to make nutritious products that are 

colorful and bursting with flavor (they know, 

because the staff tastes everything they make). 

Wild, line-caught 

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The Honest Kitchen’s 

Haddock is wild caught 

using a line and hook 

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Organic, 

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The company has 

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For a free sample 

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or call 1.866.437.9729 

for a complimentary 

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* The Honest Kitchen does not use 

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Each ingredient is harvested at the peak of its 

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dehydrated to remove only the moisture. This 

means the nutritional integrity of the raw food stays 

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