La Vida Fresca (The Art of Dog)

Observing, Shifting... holistic dog care over time

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:28:00 +0000

Managing a long-term condition like Vida's cancer is a lesson in observation over time. Watching for and acknowledging the importance of the subtle changes is the foundation of good care.

Dogs don't come to us and tell us about these little changes. We have to look for clues in their behavior, body topography, movement, eating & drinking habits, elimination, fur,etc.

Vida's been on her current supplements to control her tumors since August. The primary one is Beta-Thym, a "natural cortisone" that is what reduced the size of her tumors this summer and has continued to do so without fail.

It seems, though, that after getting the tumors under the control the plant sterols started wandering around the body to find more to do. For the last couple of months she's been looking and acting a little "cortisone-y." By that I mean looking like dog that's on synthetic cortisone (like prednisone) - hungrier, thirstier, rounder, sheddier. Her harness was tighter, though her legs and face were still lean. I was filling empty bowls of water instead of replacing dirty water as I've done for years. Her fur was shedding off of her in a way that it never has. She was even less active.

So I made some adjustments. I cut back her Beta-Thym by 25% - 1/2 tablet in the morning & a full tablet in the evening. After two weeks I saw only the smallest improvement so I started her on coconut oil. Almost immediately, much more quickly than I expected, her drinking reduced and her torso got thinner. She's also resumed her active behavior level.

It's been about two weeks since I started the coconut oil and everything still looks good, except she's still shedding. Not quite as badly, but still abnormally. I'm going to give it another couple of weeks before I consider cutting her Beta-Thym again.

This micro-adjusting is totally normal. At least it should be. So often owners land on a routine for long-term care and then stop paying attention to the subtle shifts. By the time they reassess the situation something is really out whack - which is harder to rebalance and sometimes results in a new or renewed problem that requires serious care.

Endocrine imbalances, inflammation....these are often ignored in our own bodies, so imagine trying to see it in your dog. That's why making observation a habit is so important. It's the changes you'll notice.

Worried K9 Family Member

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:25:00 +0000

When a human family member has a health crisis and goes into a hospital, don't forget the family dog. They experience stress too, magnified by their limited ability to understand all the nuances of the care that's being given. All they know is that the person is being kept in a stressful place, perhaps in pain, and when you come home from a visit they smell it all.

Dogs may display stress in a wide variety of ways, not all of them obvious: more self-grooming than usual, guarding and/or barking more than usual, digestive upset, shedding, unusual high or low activity level, eliminating in the house, getting on the furniture, destructiveness, taking treats from your hand with more force, and others.

Vida's most common stress signals are increased self-grooming and barking.

You have to get those Disney-esque fantasies out of your head and really see your own dog. They don't all mope, looking up sadly from the rug, or carry around a slipper of the missing person. Some may chew up the slipper!

Flower essences are very helpful for everyone in the family, including the dog. Five Flower Formula/Rescue Remedy/Stress Stopper - a formula for stressful situations, is the go-to formula for everyone (the patient too).

Lavender is very calming. You can use sprigs of the plant, or use a spray with the essential oil or hydrosol in it and mist the home (not the dog). Remember their sensitive noses and never use products with perfumes (scented candles or "air fresheners").

Be sure the dog is being taken out for stress-relieving activities. This will vary from dog to dog but shorter, more frequent activities are better than putting it off - spending time with in the backyard or on a sniffing walk around the block helps. Some dogs appreciate extra chewing opportunities too.

Talk to them about what's happening. They may not understand the words, but the feelings behind them will be clear. Acknowledge their concern.

Let them sniff you after a hospital visit so they can reassure themselves by scenting the patient's odor on you.

Try not to rely on the dog for comfort. We love petting our dogs when we're down or worried because they seem so sympathetic, but sometimes they need your support to.

[don't worry, Vida was only under the sign for the photo, never left out there on her own]

Reduce-Reuse-Recyle

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:51:00 +0000

Honest Kitchen shipping boxes having a second life as non-toxic grass killer under our grapevines (after mucho weeding by my intrepid mother).

Recipe for Temporary Tummy Trouble

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:34:00 +0000

Vida had a little bit of an upset stomach last night and this morning. Enough to disturb her sleep, but still with good energy. Evidence this morning (mucous coating on some of her poop and vomiting some very sticky white muck) led me to not feed her breakfast, however, and instead I gave her herbal tea, waiting a few hours to offer some food.

Her tea was chamomile and calendula with honey, served room temperature. I made it just like I'd make it for a person, steeping it covered for about 20 minutes, but then let it cool quite a bit more, stirring in the honey with my fingers. She drank it all, about a cup.

Chamomile, as everyone knows, is soothing the stomach. It is helpful for dogs that tend to have "rebellious qi" that results in vomiting. Most people know of Calendula for its skin healing properties, but of course the gastro-intestinal system is the same thing, and calendula tea is slightly astringing too. Honey is soothing, healing, and tasty - an important feature when asking dogs to drink herbal tea.

After a couple of hours and a walk I offered her some steamed eggs. My mom suggested cottage cheese and rice, but really, I think the lightly cooked eggs are a much more species-appropriate light meal.

My dog is one of those that seems to do better with cooked eggs than raw, so I've come to suggest this way of cooking because it's easy and doesn't require oil, which when heated isn't so healthy (and while I love mine gently cooked with olive oil my dog loves them plain just as well), especially for a dog who may have deeper digestive issues made worse with fats.

Steamed eggs? I got the idea from having worked in a local cafe where we scrambled eggs using the milk steamer nozzle on the espresso machine. You steam them just like you steam milk and they turn out lovely (add your flavor extras right in and cook them with the eggs). So if you have a milk steamer at home have at it.

If you aren't a coffee freak with your own milk steamer at home don't worry, a pan works just fine. Just add water when your whisking your eggs before cooking. I don't measure, but for 2 eggs I add a few tablespoons. A quarter cup wouldn't be too much, all it does is add some flavored moisture, which can't be a bad thing for a bad stomach.

Cook over medium heat. I use cast iron pans myself. You'll begin to see the water bubble and steam as the eggs form. Stir them as usual until their opaque and you're done, there's no need to cook off any excess moisture unless you're having some too and prefer them less wet.

Most important - don't serve the eggs hot to your dog! Put your dog's portion in the freezer for a few minutes to quickly cool them down to room temperature (test them before serving). Just one egg is fine for a medium sized dog, then have them wait until their next regular mealtime for more food if they seem fine.

Repurpose/Recycle - Ripping Good Dog Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Yep, that was a box. I was just going to toss it into the recycling bin and thought I ought to get one more use out of it.... dog toy! Handed it out and off she went to the back yard. Shaking, ripping, growling... as I followed along picking up the pieces. Less than 10 minutes, but as you can see she looks pretty satisfied with herself. Now time for breakfast! This is the way to start a Sunday morning.

Watching the dog: updates and clues

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Vida enjoying a Labor Day Weekend party.

Seeing both the holistic vet and the chiropractor in the same week was a reassuring and educational summary of Vida's current health.

Neither of them could feel any evidence of the plasma cell tumor that was next to her spine, which is great confirmation to hear. All her surface tumors are gone too. Her vet hadn't expect such a good result so we had a very happy visit, and my only instructions were to keep doing what I'm doing. Needless to say she'll be staying on the Beta-Thym.

The interesting thing today was seeing where her spine was out of alignment, and comparing it to what I've seen in her physical movement and habits that would seem perfectly normal otherwise.

Recently I'd noticed her scratching her neck frequently. I found no scab or sore, and her lightweight rope collar is quite loose, so I couldn't understand why.... until the chiropractor said her neck was out of alignment.

For most of the summer I'd seen her lying down with her tail curled the "wrong way" under her, something she normally wouldn't tolerate. After watching her walk and seeing a slight tuck with a little side-to-side in her walk I concluded that she was doing it to stretch out the area between her pelvis and tail.... and the chiropractor said that she was out of alignment right around the pelvis.

The chiropractor showed me how to manipulate her tail at the base to stretch it, and said it helps the whole spinal column, an easy bodywork movement that any owner could do.

Dogs have amazing tolerance for back pain. I think all active dogs should get chiropractic adjustments. People would be amazed to see the difference, and would learn to see how their dog is meant to move and thus be able to see subtle changes that indicate a problem.

Vida's resting now, letting the adjustment sink in. I think we'll go to the beach today, as long as I can keep her from doing anything too strenuous.

I'm so lucky to have such wonderful help for my dog's care!

Tumor? What tumor?

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:36:00 +0000

It's there, but Vida says "nuthin to see here, lady."

Joy (& thoughts) on Seeing Tumor Reduction

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:45:00 +0000

Vida's new supplements seem to be doing their job and reducing the size of her surface tumors!

I noticed it yesterday, her muzzle tumor wasn't nearly as prominent - the same "acreage" but flatter. Today it was flatter still, and slightly smaller in its spread. The one on her hock was down by half.

I can't wait to see what else happens, though Vida is tired of inspections, so I'm trying not to check them too much.

Needless to say this bring such joy, after being discourage for much of the summer we've gotten the upper hand. She'll certainly be staying on these new supplements!

This also made me think about the process of examining and dealing with cancers.

Don't give up trying new things! Every cancer is different, and every dog is different. You don't know what will work best until you try it.

Supplements, packaged tablets and such, aren't my usual first choice. I have suspicions about whether I'm paying more for packaging than for what's in it. But sometimes you need special combinations, or a way to get a higher dose of a certain consituency than is viable with full plants. Cancer is serious, and you need to leave your preconceptions at the door.

The concept of inflammation is increasingly discussed about cancer. I think this is a key factor for Vida's cancer. Just looking at these surface tumors indicates that - skin that turns a purplish-red as it swells, swelling more during a heat wave, and the reduction in size from strong anti-inflammatories. Even when young she ran hot and dry.... a total picture points the way.

You can't let up! You have to keep up the level of care and be vigilant to changes.

Glad to end my time in New Hampshire on a positive upswing!

Tumor Update

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:16:00 +0000

Soooo....

More tumors keep showing up, and some of her old ones get bigger.

I veer between negative and positive states when thinking about it, but am taking action.

It’s discouraging to discover new red swellings. Yesterday I found one on her belly while I was trimming her nails. It’s very small and would normally not cause me concern except it has the tell-tale look of the others, like a dark red blister. It’s discouraging to see some growing. The one on her left upper lip grew suddenly two weeks ago, almost doubling. It itches, and I worry about her scratching it. I can feel the tumor’s hardness from inside by slipping a finger into her mouth. I’m starting to worry that it’s impeding full yawns. I worry about stress (hmmm, have to take care of myself too).

New belly spot

None of it seems to be bothering her. She’s full of energy, swimming almost daily in the lake here in New Hampshire and walking in the mornings with my mom. She’s flinging her toys with full force, so there’s not “pain” from the one on her muzzle as far as I can tell. She also vigorously defends us from wildlife here in the woods (ok, I appreciate her barking the bears away, but I’d rather she didn’t feel a need to be so “en garde” at night, it must be stressful). She looks forward to meeting new people. Her skin and coat look great, her appetite is normal (eager!).

In light of the changes I’m adding new supplements on the advice of her holistic vet Keith Weingardt:

Beta-Thym (by Doctor’s Mutual Service Company, their pet line is called Best For Your Pet) is billed as a natural cortisone. It’s ingredients (per tablet):

Beta-Sitosterol 200mg

L-Ornithine 200mg

Thymus Glandular Substance 100mg (yes, that is the official phrase, “glandular substance”)

For her weight she’s getting 2 tablets a day.

I have to admit, after reading the wikipedia entries for the ingredients I'm really not sure what it's doing, but am willing to give it a try if there's been good results with others.

Resveratrol Plus by Natrol has 100 mg of Quercetin and 100mg of Resveratrol in each tablet, She’s getting two of those a day. The original aim was for the quercetin, but this formula also had resveratrol to it looked like a good choice.

Resveratrol is extracted from Japanese Knotweed, an imported invasive plant here in North America that happens to be highly medicinal. Resveratrol is an anti-oxidant polyphenol called a phytoalexin that acts as part of the plants immune system. It’s been found useful against cancer, but is also a very good anti-inflammatory, it’s almost a wonder drug. I was actually trying to find some Japanese Knotweed while I was here in New Hampshire to harvest the root, it’s illegal to sell the plant, though one can sometimes find dried and powdered root in products. I highly recommend the book Invasive Plant Medicine by Timothy Lee Scott to learn more about this plant and others that we are trying to destroy.

Quercetin is a flavanoid that is available from many plants. It helps with itchiness from histamine production, as well as being an effective free-radical scavenger... all that good stuff.

While I usually prefer using whole plant material, sometimes it’s difficult to get enough of certain constituents into the body without extracting. The thing is, extracting also removes other complementary constituents that are in the whole plant. Perhaps using some whole plant with an extract would provide the desired synergy?

I wish it were easier to use topicals on dogs, to be able to attack it from outside as well as inside. I’d like to try the Chaga cream from Woodland Essence I have on some of the surface tumors, but I know she’d just lick it off. I think I’ll try it on the new belly one and see if I can teach her to leave it alone.

Cancer is such a mystery, but inflammation sure seems to contribute to it and become one of it’s hallmarks, at least in some types. I’m glad we’re upping the ante.

Healthy Dogs On A Budget With Plants

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:03:00 +0000

It can seem expensive to feed your dog fresh food, but it doesn't have to be. It doesn't have to be “all or nothing,” any fresh food is a good thing, more is better, and thoughtfully chosen fresh food is the best.

One of the best ways to add useful nutrients to your dog's food is to use plants. Surprised? You'd expect to read “meat” in that sentence, but when you learn about the disease preventing power of plant chemistry you'll see that modest amounts of well chosen plant foods are extremely useful for dogs.

I know that there are those who believe dogs don't need any vegetables to live well, and they may be right in an ideal world, but our dogs live in a world full of toxins and other stressors, and plants are ideal for fighting that. But you can't feed grocery store crap dog food and expect the plants to do all the heavy lifting.

Plantain (free!)

Dogs don't eat much plant food, so don't go overboard on portions. Small amounts of various highly nutritious plants are more useful than large amounts of bland mega-corp vegetables. Commercially grown vegetables sold in big stores aren't nearly as useful as weeds.

Always traumatize the plants to make them more usable by your dog's digestive system. If cooking them you should chop them well. If using them raw you should pulverize them in a food processor or blender. If your dog wants to eat some leaves on your walk that's fine too.

Nettles (free!)

Forage – Learn what's growing around you, many highly nutritious plants are available for free! You need to learn a little bit about them first, and know for certain what you're picking, but there is more and more on the internet and in local classes about foraging and the the use of your local wild plants. Good starter plants include Plantain, Dandelion, Nettles, Elder Berries, Hawthorn Berries (heck, all safe and edible berries are good), Purslane, Pineapple Weed, Rose Hips, Amaranth, Wild Mustard, …. the list goes on. Don't pick from roadsides, or locations that may have been sprayed with chemicals.

Freeze – Save bones and various cut-offs like kale stalks from your own food, and make bone broth. For raw ground-up plants I like to freeze spoonfuls of them on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Once they're frozen just put them in a labeled bag (species, date) If your plant mix ends up too wet for that freeze them in ice cube trays or small reusable containers (don't forget to label).

Dandelions (free!)

When shopping, especially when looking for out of season or non-local plant foods, look in the freezer section. Blueberries are the perfect example for those of us who live in areas not known for growing them. The frozen ones are usually organic, and frozen immediately upon picking instead of traveling for days losing potency. The freezing also breaks the cell walls, making the nutrients more bio-available to dogs.

Invest – A little money can go a long way when you invest in some well chosen dried plants and mushrooms. I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs for the great prices and reputable quality. Get with some friends to divide larger amounts for even better savings. A few to add to bone broth that you probably won't find foraging are Shiitake Mushrooms, Astragalus Root, and Burdock Root. Mtn. Rose has nice informational pages for each item in their catalog, so be sure to read those when buying (and please go to their site by clicking on a link on this blog, it means my getting a little bit of money when you purchase - thanks!)

Ollala Berries (easy to grow!)

You probably have some good plant foods sitting in your spice cupboard. Many of the spices we use for flavoring have nutritional benefits as well. Check the dates, most of use keep them way too long.

Plant – Plant some of your own edibles. Nothing is more nutritious than food that's just been picked.

The starting point...high regard.

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 23:13:00 +0000

Sometimes people ask me how I got started feeding my dogs a raw food diet. I usually talk about how my own health issues (chemical sensitivities, toxin overload) brought me toward natural health care in general, and how the health issues in my dogs (cancer) brought me to the decision of feeding them raw food diets.

This is a path of change that is easy to communicate, but it really doesn't get to the core of what continues to inform my decisions about how to feed my dogs.

The core principle that pulls together all of my decisions on caring for my dogs is that I hold them in high regard.

I respect my dogs as dogs. I respect their intelligence that is different than mine. I respect their skills that are different than mine. I respect their emotional life that is different than mine. I respect their bodies that are different than mine. I respect them as individuals who have experiences separate from my own.

I also respect the inescapable influence I have on them, and take that responsibility seriously.

It is my responsibility to ensure that they can live well in our society. That means teaching them our culture, and how to behave in order to fit into that culture. It means providing a life that is not so restrictive that they live in a constant state of stress. It is my responsibility to carry my own emotional burdens and not visit them upon my dog.

If you cannot respect dogs and view them with high regard, you will be hindered in your attempt to care for them. You won't be willing to learn about their needs by listening to them directly and educating yourself.

If you don't respect dogs how do you expect to understand their culture and their bodies? If you look at them as “just dogs” or even “my dogs” you'll stop short.

Listen and observe. They do. Offer them back mutual regard and you will be rewarded.

Summer Herb Blend

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:49:00 +0000

Since Vida's doing a homotoxicology program that's rather involved, I'm letting that remedy series to the heavy lifting and am using her herbal blend for support with a focus on antioxidants and adaptogens.

2 parts rosehips
1 part hawthorn berries
1 part spirulina
1/2 part astragalus
1/2 part ashwagandha
1/2 part kelp
1/2 part milk thistle

.... hold on....

I was low on ashwagandha, so that and the astragalus are ending up a little lower proportion.

And.....

I had to figure out how much to make for the summer! I found a handy conversion tool that told me that 70 teaspoons is 1-1/2 cups. Whew!

So the finished products is a little different...

2/3 are roughly as above.

1/3 is:

3 parts rosehips
3 parts hawthorn
1 part spirulina
1/2 part kelp

It's fine, it's not rocket science, it's just a meal boost.

And then I bagged up individual meals for the road! 15 meals, grab and go when we get to the hotel (plus a few more for my mom to feed while I'm at IHA). Easy.

Packing List for the Traveling Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 02:56:00 +0000

Food for the road

Honest Kitchen Zeal
Great Life kibble (duck limited ingredient grain/potato-free)

Supplements for the road

Mushroom Matrix MRM
Homemade Herb Blend
3 different dropper bottles for her auto-sanguis therapy (that have to stay refrigerated,so... I bought a cooler that plugs into the car)
Stress Stopper flower essence from Spirit Essences (like Rescue Remedy)

Additional supplements for the 2 month destination

Iceland Pure Sardine/Anchovy Oil
Flea Free
Hyaflex hyalauronic acid
Dried ground Chaga

Miscellaneous supplies

Additional i.d. tag for the trip (says "traveling!" plus cell number) (she has a tag at the cabin with that info)
Mat/blanket (she has a bed at the cabin)
Horseblanket-style fleece jacket
Swim vest
Chuck-It
Two Turnups
Organic cotton plush toy (very important for the hotel, releases energy to shake it after a day of driving)
Small stainless bowl
Portable water bowl
Two Comfort-Flex harnesses
10 foot Mendota lead
Two 6 foot Mendota leads
Water Loopie Sport
Nail tools
Tick and flea tools (Neem spray already at cabin)
Herbal Energetics Herbal 1st Aid Powder
Custom homeopathic remedy for bee allergy
Poop bags
Swim harness (old plain harness because I usually swim her at a boat launch and need to be able to grab her and display "control" if a boat comes)
Heartworm herbs (might use these if it seems they won't interfere with autosanguis)
Icelandic Fish Skin chews
Boulder Dog Food Company Dried Buffalo Heart Strips

I think that's everything!

Homotoxicology Gets Its Turn

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 04:14:00 +0000

Vida's cancer has indeed decided to express itself again, but my vet Keith Weingardt consulted with the surgeon (Dr Mullen) and oncologist (Dr Proulx) and all agreed that surgery would be futile and perhaps worsen thing by propelling the body to make more tumors. The thought is that by leaving them be (since they're not causing problems) they might prevent new ones from developing.

I have mainstream options in my reserve arsenal if needed: prednisone, melphelan, or even radiation (that last one is really not something I plan to do again simply due to the expense), and will be speaking with Dr. Proulx in a few days about that.

I've opted to start Vida on a homotoxicology treatment known as autosanguis therapy. You're probably scratching your head right now, and I'll explain it a bit, but first enjoy this photo of Vida taken the day of her first treatment.

The Heel company has a concise explanation of of homotoxicology, here is a quote from Dr. Reckeweg, the "inventor" of this method, that came from a veterinary text (that my wonderful vet copied from so I'd understand the process), that explains the most central tenet of this method of healthcare:

"According to homotoxicology all of those processes, syndromes, and manifestations, which we designate as diseases, are the expression, thereof that the the body is combating poisons and that it wants to neutralize and excrete these poisons. The body either wins or loses the fight thereby. Those processes, which we designate as disease, are always biological, that is natural teliological processes, whcih serve poison defense and detoxification.

I sort of think of it as between homeopathy and herbs: the very low potencies may have remnants of the plant (or other type of material), whereas strict homeopathics contains no remnants accept the energetics. It also uses combinations that address different aspects of the body and it's current state, rather than trying to find one single remedy, as classical homeopathy does. It tends to have fewer side-effects.

I've linked to a PDF of a Table of Homotoxicosis that shows how diseases show the severity of invasion. In simplest terms, as you move to the right side the likelihood of full reversal lessens because it's embedded more deeply into the matrix of the body, the cells and dna.

OK, you may already be thinking this is crazy, so keep in mind that currently the ONLY thing wrong with my dog is that she has several small tumors, otherwise she's shipshape. Obviously these tumors are indicating that she's not really shipshape, but she's energetic, well fed, and puppyish for an eleven-year-old dog. She's in the best position to have this kind of treatment done, especially as we move in to her best time of year - Summer (the Fire season).

The specific treatment we're doing is called auto-sanguis therapy. The name refers to the fact that a small amount of blood is returned to the body, along with a specific selection of remedies:

"This advanced form of treatment involves taking patient blood and mixing it with various antihomotoxic remedies, thereby exposing the cellular arm of the immune system to a mixture of biological therapy agents in tandem with the current antigens in dilution."

This is done successively, so that the first syringe get a few drops of blood directly, the second gets drops from the 1st syringe, the 3rd get drops from the 2nd, and the final mixture of them all is made into an oral remedy that I give at home through the summer twice a day.

These syringes are injected in order, one at a time, into specific acupoints. Each one is for a specific aspect: symptom, drainage/detox, organ, etc.

She had her injections at GV14, BL18, & L13 (eating dried duck meat treats the whole time). It all went quickly, everyone with her on floor level in the carpeted treatment room. Friendly and loving, just as it should be.

Vida actually had her first injection two days earlier, a catalyzing mixture (galium-heel, conenzyme comp.) injected at Governing Vessel 14. I then got a detox/drainage remedy that I'll be using through the summer once a day.

As you can see from the photo this had no negative effect on her. She may have some side effects for a short period, they may even be emotional imbalances, but these normally pass quickly.

So this post has been the quick and dirty introduction. She gets one more round of injections before we leave town for the summer, than it's up to me to keep up the daily doses of drops (and keep them refrigerated during the drive across country).

Coming up next: a rundown on how we've designed the rest of her supplements to support this process.

The Importance of Taking Inventory

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 04:34:00 +0000

This will be a short post:

It's important to take regular inventory of your dog.

What does that mean?

It means knowing every bump in their topography.
Is that a new one?
What is it?
What does it feel like? What does it look like?
Is it bigger than last month?

If you find something new, write it down.

Vida has six discernible abnormalities.

One I'd forgotten about.

One is new, and bad. A plasmacytoma, the same type she had in her mouth.

Thank goodness for her chiropractor. I had felt it a week or so before she got adjusted and thought it was a bit odd. Her chiropractor found it and was immediately concerned and strongly urged me to get it checked out. It was the size of a marble, just behind her right should and next to her spine.

Two weeks later the holistic vet felt it and immediately sent me to get it aspirated. That's how we got it diagnosed only 3 weeks before I'm due to leave for the summer.

Now it's a mad rush to do something about it. Surgery is most likely, perhaps also prednisone (something used last year as part of the treatment for the other tumor).

Do an inventory.

Chaga Redux - for pets and their people

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Mon, 30 May 2011 04:12:00 +0000

I originally wrote about Chaga in March of 2009. I've continued to use it off and on, and have refined my preparation and learned more about its effect on Vida and me. From my experience this is the easiest way to get the most effective medicine.

I get my Chaga from Woodland Essence. It come ground up and ready to use. They are wonderful folks and I have full confidence in their product and that they wildcraft ethically.

I don't usually measure, but I estimate that I use twice what Woodland Essences recommends on their packaging (1 T per cup).

I measured today - since I was writing it up for you I thought I owed some effort toward organization. I used 3 cups of water and a scant one-third cup of chaga. I think it was a little more than I usually use, judging by how it looked in the water - covering the surface a little more thickly than usual.

It does sit up on the surface at first. I don't bother trying to stir it in because it just sticks to your spoon and the side of the pan, it will make you crazy if you overthink it.

Heat over high (or medium high if you're the inattentive type) just until it starts to boil. Then cover it will a well fitting lid and put it on the lowest heat. Check your stove, you might find as we did that it's designed to have a burner that allows for especially low heat. You want it hot but not bubbling because you're going to leave it there for a few hours.

Yes, I decoct it gently for 3-6 hours (depending on my schedule or attention to the clock), I aim for 4 hours. Keep it covered with a fitted lid.

Then turn off the heat and let it cool off to make it easier to work with. You want to strain this tea. I usually use my fine mesh strainer with a double layer of cheese cloth on top, but just using the mesh is fine if you don't mind a little sediment (your dog won't). Give yourself plenty of room to pour.

Your tea will look like coffee.

If using cheesecloth you can squeeze out every last bit. It doesn't expand a lot like you'll see when using dried plant ingredients so you'll not lose a lot if you skip this step.

When it's cooled a bit I pour some in a pint mason jar to store in the refrigerator. I only refrigerate as much as I can use up in 3-4 days.

The rest of it gets frozen in ice cube trays. I've found this to be the easiest way to store and dispense teas because the ice cube size thaws much more quickly than, say, a small tupperware container would, and I don't know about you, but I don't think ahead when restocking from the freezer. The cubes will go easily into a wide mouth mason jar for thawing and use.

If I'm making a big batch or can't spare the trays for long I put them into a ziplock bag once they're frozen. Be sure to label it! Nothing like looking at frosty chunks later and trying to figure out what it is.

So how do I use this?

You can easily read-up on Chaga's immune enhancement properties. On a hunch I recently restarted this for both Vida and I because we were both suffering from what seems like seasonal allergies. She was waking up with reverse sneezing and I was waking up with post-nasal drip... basically we had the same symptoms. My hunch was based on the fact that the tea is somewhat astringent in nature, like coffee. That's why its important to use natural remedies you want to give your pet - it's truly the best way to learn how they act.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well and how quickly it's worked. Within a day or so we were both relieved, and I can tell when I've forgotten it - just one missing dose and the symptoms begin to come back, but will quickly disappear again at the next dose.

Dose?

["Dose" sounds too much like medicine. How 'bout "Serving?"]

Vida weighs about 40 pounds and I give her about 2 tablespoons each meal (so that's a quarter cup a day). I don't measure, I just tip it in from the mason jar. Then I drink about the same amount before returning it to the fridge.

I'm giving this daily, and am not concerned about using it long term with this type of preparation and modest amount. I can easily test whether she needs it by stopping for a few days, and expect that her needs will change over time (as will mine).

I've never had her mind the taste at all, but I am mixing it into raw food, so keep that in mind dry food feeders.

An extra tip for people-drinkers of Chaga:
During the Winter I like to add fresh ginger and a toss of cinnamon to warm it up and make a tasty "chai." I add them at the beginning, the ginger will get much more sweet with long cooking. It was an important food to avoid the flu/cold/bronchitis that was wracking my friends.

Getting Creative

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Thu, 12 May 2011 03:17:00 +0000

If you've read this blog for awhile you know I do a lot my own herb concoctions for Vida, but often they've been for specific acute situations. Well now I'm playing around with her daily herbs.

I've been thinking about how useful some herbs are on a daily (or almost daily) basis, but how I'd like to reserve the right for a little customization. I want her to get herbal foods in her daily diet that help strengthen her immune system and ensure healthy organ function. I do this because the basic food I feed her as basic vegetables in it, but not the power-veg that I want her to get.

So I've been playing with powders.

Dog powders in an easy-to-grab box
(they're stored in my "herb pantry")

Powdered herbs are by far the easiest to integrate into a dog's diet daily because they're so easy to dispense. You want your powders to be pretty fresh, though, never more than a year old, and stored in a dark container to maintain it's potency.

Here's what I've been doing so far, she gets one teaspoon a day:

Starting March 26:
Equal parts: Astragalus, Ashwaghanda, Burdock, Cat's Claw, Dandelion Root, Chaga, Noni, Hawthorn Berry, Kelp, and a half-part Spirulina.

Starting April 30:
Equal Parts: Ashwaghanda, Cat's Claw, Dandelion Root, Noni, Hawthorn Berry, Kelp, Rosehips; half-parts Astragalus, Spirulina (the second batch of this had a full part of Spirulina).

I'm almost out, and will adjust it again. I think it's time to take a couple of things out, and then I'll be thinking about what to bring with me to New Hampshire - a much simpler one I'm sure, just a few ingredients.

It's so easy when you have ten herbs in small enough amounts that you'll be able to use them up in 8 months or so. You can recombine them every month or so.

Shop at Mountain Rose Herbs - use the link on the sidebar of this blog and I'll benefit from the sale, a nice little tip for me and Vida if you enjoyed this post.

Earth Day

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 06:20:00 +0000

Today is Earth Day. It's been a day of thinking, listening, and writing.... and a day of digging, watering, and weeding.

I started my morning listening to a special Earth Day program on Democracy Now. I was really inspired by snippets of presentations done at PowerShift 2011, a youth conference on environmental issues. Van Jones and Tim DeChristopher were exciting speakers. I encourage you all to watch them online by using the links. I started my morning off with more serious awareness of Earth Day than ever before, and I carried that energy through the day and right on to writing this post.

I did get outside today. Did you? Do you have a vegetable garden? This is ours on Earth Day.

You can see that it's not the tidiest thing, but the bees love it (and we need to care for our bees!), and there really are veggies in there: chard and sorrel with mustard, kale, dill, salad burnet, peas, tomatoes, potatoes and grapes nearby (the herbs get their own place, and we have fruit trees up the hill). I make medicine from the California poppies, but don't eat the nasturtiums much - all in all an abundant healthy crowd.

Don't worry about having a perfect garden, just plant something. Plant food you can share with your dog. Growing your own is the perfect way to get your dog interested in fruits and vegetables. Dogs love to share yard adventures, so try picking and sampling and sharing tastes with your dog.

Stop using chemical herbicides and pesticides. It will make you, your dog, and your yard healthier. Pesticide Action Network is just one online resource to learn more the dangers and alternatives. We can no longer afford to pretend that these chemicals don't matter. Don't believe what the companies are telling you about safety, they're only interested in sales today, not consequences tomorrow. Just this week Pfizer has agreed to take their flea product ProMeris off the market, but it took many dogs and cats suffering irreparable harm before they did it. Our pets should not be test subjects.

We all have to be brave enough to face up to what we've allowed to happen in our society and on our planet. Start at home, with what you can control. Start with food. Eat fresh, real food. Feed your pets fresh, real food. Please!

Do you really want to just keep scooping pellets out of a bag and depend on huge corporations to have your pet's best interests at heart? I keep up with a blog called Truth About Pet Food. Susan Thixton has dedicated herself to researching the rampant deceptions in the pet food industry. You owe it to yourself and your pets to learn about what's really going on in this industry. The pet food industry is inexorably intertwined with other major industrial production, it's not about your pet anymore.

It's time for us all to step up and take responsibility for our place on this earth.

Go outside, feel the earth beneath your feet. touch plants, touch trees. Taste them, talk to them. Listen for the birds, watch for the bees, learn the rhythm of the natural world. Take a deep breath. Smile.

Spring Sprouts

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 05:45:00 +0000

Yep, simple. Sprouts. Add 'em to your dog's bowl and see what happens.

Vida eats them, but usually dumps them out on the floor to finish with after she's cleaned the bowl, so your dog might do that too.

If your dog's never had sprouts before I would suggest offering a pinch of them as a treat. Nothing gets a dog's attention more than being handed something you just took out of the fridge.

If your dog isn't a veggie eater you can mix them into your meat, starting with a small amount.

I usually use red clover sprouts, sometimes alfalfa, but try whatever you like - the only thing more enticing than a food you've gotten out of the fridge is a food that you just ate yourself.

Springtime is the natural time to use sprouts. You'll often see dogs eating young grass this time of year, that's your hint.

Start with sprouts, and move into spring detox foods next.

Bone Broth

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:53:00 +0000

Great color!

This weekend's grey and rainy tone made my bone broth seem even more important. A warming, nourishing antidote to the blustery weather.

There are many description of making bone broth on the internet, and no one way to do it. The only thing that's really consistent is that you need to add an acidic element to help pull the minerals out of the bones, and that you need to cook the bones a long time to get the most nutrients out of them.

It will fit! A hodgepodge of saved bones

Always add vinegar!

I save up bones in the freezer. Turkey legs are good because they roast up well for us humans to use, and they have joint cartilage that is so rich in collagen. Vida can't eat chicken, so I avoid the obvious chicken carcass choice (in my last batch I did manage to fit the bones of a whole turkey in this crockpot!).

You'll see in these photos that there is a random collection. I decided not to use the buffalo bone you see in the bag because, as you can see in the crock, I had no room (I just pulled apart that leg that's jutting out when it had thawed a bit).

Decided to add extras a couple hours into the process.

I cover the bones with water and add a few tablespoons ( a glug or two) of raw apple cider vinegar. The vinegar will help draw the nutrients out of the bones.

You can add anything else you like. In this batch I added astragalus root, reishi mushroom, two kinds of seaweed, a clove of garlic, and a chunk of fresh ginger. I tend to think of this as a base to which I can add veggies for human soup later. I've made it plain, and I've made it with highly nutritious foods like this batch, whatever suits your fancy.

Large slices=reishi, small slices=astragalus, dark=seaweed

You should cook this for a long time; try to do 24 hours for poultry bones, 48 hours for big bones like beef if you can. I prefer using a crockpot because it makes it easier and safer, but if your stove has a good low setting you can use a regular pot (some folks will turn it off overnight for safety and turn it back on in the morning.. you can see why I use a crockpot).

24 hours later... done.

I really don't think 4-8 hours of simmering is enough, even for chicken bones. You'll get something, but not as much. Medicinal mushrooms and roots can handle this amount of time too, though adding other types of herbs at the end of the cooking for simple infusion is fine.

After straining it and storing it in your fridge it should have a jelly-like consistency. That's what you want! Skim the excess fat off the top and use the broth as needed: make yourself some soup, add to your dog's regular food or use it as a base for a cooked meal.

Strain with care

Bone broth is a nourishing convalescence food, and can be given along with slippery elm bark to sustain dogs that refuse to eat during illness.

If you enjoyed this post and want to buy herbs to use in your bone broth, please click through on the ad in this blog for Mountain Rose Herbs. They offer high quality products at great prices, and by clicking from this blog you'll be "kicking back" a percentage of your purchase to me as a "thank you."

Sauerkraut?? You betcha!

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 22:03:00 +0000

I'm on a sauerkraut kick. I just made my second batch and it's delicious, one of my new favorite condiments.

Latest batch results.

I never liked it growing up, but I'd only had the store-bought stuff. The most important difference is that the sauerkraut you buy at the store that's sold unrefrigerated has none of the key nutritional values that home-made has.

It's not only rich in vitamin C and other nutrients, it's rich in enzymes and probiotics. I love the fact that we can eat food instead of taking a powder or capsule. Well guess what? So can our dogs. Yes, dogs can eat sauerkraut. It's just fermented cabbage. It's actually closer to prey animal stomach contents than straight raw vegetables, and is an excellent addition to a fresh food diet. You can add other veggies to the cabbage too, like seaweed, to make it even more nutritious.

How much? Well of course there's no dose for this sort of thing. It's food, just be sensible.

So how do you do it yourself?

Read the simple instructions on the Wild Fermentation website (this is the method I use).
Buy a crock. You might be able to find one at a thrift store, but I found them at a great price here. You need to have the straight sides (vs. most jars that are small at the top) so you can press it.

Have fun! Encourage your dogs to taste it and enjoy it yourself. When I found out how easy it was to make I was shocked, and happy to find an easy way to improve my own and my dog's diet.

How To Turn Your Dog Into An Herbalist

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:04:00 +0000

I call Vida an herbalist. Not because she always knows exactly what to choose for self-care (many animals do this, just read Wild Health), but because she's willing to try almost everything I offer her to eat. She's open minded, and trusts me when I offer edibles. How did this happen? Here are some tips that should help you develop this relationship too.

#1 - Shared interests and explorations
If you spend time watching dogs meet and hang out together, you'll see that shared exploration is an important part of their social behavior. It's a way to make friends, a way to bond, and a way to find and learn about resources (that's the wild part of them). I do this with Vida myself. I show an interest in her finds, she then reciprocates and shows an interest in mine. So when I pick a leaf of a plant and show interest in it, she'll usually try it when I offer it to her. I took her on an herb walk in Tecolote Canyon and offered her everything we tasted. The young wild mustard greens were her favorite, and she just started eating them like a goat (rip, chew, repeat).

I tell her about what I'm offering, that it's good for her, encouraging her when she eats it. Whether you believe dogs can understand our language or not isn't the point, the point is that they understand our intention. And the easiest way for us to clarify our intention is to talk about it (we're chatty, we humans!).

#2 - Try herbs yourself

Dogs are very curious about what their owners eat. It can instill confidence and curiosity when you offer them some cooled off herbal tea that they've just seen you drink. Tasting first also insures that you know what they'll be experiencing (dogs, by the way, want their liquid much cooler than people, warm to us can seem hot to them). Chamomile is a good tea to try first. Dogs don't mind bitter as much as we do, either, so learn to love the taste of plants - your "ew!" response might turn your dog off too. Who knows, maybe you'll make the shift I did, "If this is good for my dog maybe I should be taking it myself!"

#3 - Have a positive attitude
Nothing ruins it more quickly than a negative attitude. If you're filled with skepticism every time you feed plants you'll influence their opinion. Tell them why you're giving it to them with a positive attitude.

#4 - Hide it
In food, treats, whatever. Nut butters can be a one way to hide powdered herbs (I use nut butter for some of my own herbs, as well as smoothies). Tripe can hide the taste of a lot of things. Most importantly, feed delectable meals! If you cook you can include herbs in the recipe. Tea can be made with meat broth.

If you think you can stick to dry food and add herbs to it, you'll probably fail. Raw food, home cooked, dehydrated, canned, or a combination of these is the way to go (the fresher the better). You may need to work extra hard at hiding new supplements, but usually they get used to the taste and you can ease up on the mixing.

Herbs are just plants. They should be a normal part of your dog's diet and your diet too. Many of them are safe to use regularly, even daily. It's important to know what you're feeding them, so educate yourself or work with an herbalist to get some ideas. The book Herbs for Pets by Greg Tilford is a good pet-specific reference if you're interested in learning more.

Waste Not Want Not - Making Food With Weeds

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 19:08:00 +0000

I chide my mom for her antipathy toward dandelions, but it does save me a lot of work - I don't have to pick them all! I found her "harvest" in a pot in the yard and grabbed them all for making some veggie-mashup for Vida.

Here they are all washed - a colander full of leaves, roots, and even some flowers (thanks to our mild weather here in Southern California). I just soaked and stirred them in a couple of basins of water, a little dirt is a good addition, I think.

Let's remind ourselves why Dandelions are a good addition to pet food: high in minerals, very good for the liver, for skin eruptions due to poor waste removal, leaves are diuretic (safe since they are high in potassium) so are good for edema, promotes healthy bile activity for good digestion, flowers are high in lecithin and have a mild analgesic action (without salicylic acid that is toxic for cats).

I just pulped them up in a food processor, it only took a few minutes. Since they are bitter, and I already know that Vida doesn't care for the leaves (she'll eat the flowers with relish on the cue "weed.") I added some blueberries, almonds (helped hold the goop together), and purslane (another nutritious weed, sweeter taste).

Then I covered a small pan with wax paper and put spoonfuls on it, as if I were making cookies, and just popped it in the freezer for the night.

The next morning I bagged up the frozen nuggets and put them back in the freezer. Tip: always I.D. your concoctions with ingredients and the date. I usually use a Sharpie to write on the bag.

These can be added to any meal, though I recommend adding it to something tasty and stirring it in (most dogs won't like it plopped on top of a pile of dry food). Adding one of these nuggets once or twice a week is an easy way to add fresh nourishment from plants usually not included in their diet. If you're dealing with any of the health issues mentioned use it more often, especially at the onset of Spring (for some dogs in Autumn too, here in Southern California).

Remember, this type of herbal food addition shouldn't be relied upon to resolve serious problems on it's own - don't leave your veterinarian out of the loop (those tests can be lifesavers). If your vet is opposed to the use of herbal foods try finding a holistic vet who will support your care.

PS: Yes, you can eat them too! Try adding them to a smoothie.

"There's nothing wrong with me a couple of treats won't fix."

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 04:08:00 +0000

It's been three weeks since Vida's surgery. Check it out. If you look really close, you can just about make out the path of the scar. Except where the hair is growing over it. Yep, it's already receding into the forest of fur that's coming back (the brindle pattern helps camouflage it too, hehe).

She never licked the sutures, but has been taking care of the scar since they were taken out. She's doing her own scar massage once or twice a day, reducing adhesions, reorienting the energy flow.

I, on the other hand, stopped doing anything to it once the sutures came out. All the healing has been fueled by her inner energy, which has been fueled by the usual raw foods, plus an array of immune-boosting supplements (detailed in past posts). The importance of those supplements can't be denied. You really do need more than raw food to do this kind of healing.

She used to get sullen when her cancer was brought up in conversation (I try to use her as an example of how a dog can do well in spite of a cancer diagnosis). She's always hated the sad sympathy attitude from folks, but now she's starting to brush it off by showing off how NOT sick she is. Her energy is up, she looks years younger (yes, random folks have said that, it's not just me), and she doesn't want anyone's sympathy - except when treats are being withheld - she is a professional folks, you'd better watch out when she's giving you the Jackie Coogan act.

It's called a Nerve Sheath Tumor

noreply@blogger.com (Margarat Nee) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:11:00 +0000

We have a name for it now, the blob that Vida just got off her leg. It was a Nerve Sheath Tumor. It looks like the margins were good, and while there's a chance it could come back I'm not too worried (good news about this type is that it doesn't spread). Not unconcerned enough to stop the extra immune supplements and care, but it was immediately clear after the surgery that her energy was clear now.

I found some links for those of you who want to read more. I visited them, and saw that there are differing opinions, as there always is.

An E-How Article
One from the National Canine Cancer Foundation
VetInfo - this site discusses that this type of cancer might be related to hemangiosarcoma, which is disheartening because that was the kind my dog Haley died from before I got Vida.

After researching it's clear that we're lucky that the tumor was on the outside of the leg, not buried within the tissue.

It's also clear that one should take these growths more seriously. I had assumed that it was a simple lipoma, something to ignore, something that all dogs get. I've learned that sometimes you need to do surgical interventions even if the growth isn't causing obvious problems.

I think this will also be a lesson for our vets, who, like me, assumed it wasn't much to worry about. Ultimately it was resolved, which is a relief. I think that it was easy for me, who is not a vet, to assume it was nothing, but it is their job to give honest, strong opinions if they are concerned and have information that I need to make a decision. I hope that my dog's out of the ordinary cancers are teaching them too.

As a celebration, here's a photo of Vida with a puppy she might have to live with (hehe). He's only six weeks old in this photo (taken today). Hopefully this puppy can escape the cancer curse (he's raw weaned, no vaccs, hybrid - pretty good start!)