During this health crisis, let’s not forget our pets. Here are some helps to rightly identify health problems in man’s best friend, your dog. Our dogs are actually showing us through their behavior, that they need help, and that they are suffering. By understanding what their behavior is saying, we will be better able to help them.
A Little History
Before commercial dog food, dogs ate left overs, and their own kill. I remember our two pet dogs. We saved left overs throughout the day, and that is what they got, along with one whole dried fish that my Father bought in bulk. They did get a little side of dried dog food, but they didn’t really care for it, and our ducks ate it.
Canned horse meat was introduced in the United States under the Ken-L Ration brand after WWI as a means to dispose of excess horses no longer needed for the war. The 1930s saw the introduction of canned cat food and dry meat-meal dog food by the Gaines Food Co. By the time World War II ended, pet food sales had reached $200 million. Pet food, as a new market, represented an opportunity to market by-products as a profitable source of income. [1]
There are mainly two problems with commercial dog food. These are:
- What they are made from.
- The processing – mostly high heat which destroys the natural enzymes
Eating Grass
Eating grass is commonly accepted for dogs, and not much concern is shown for this problem, yet it is more serious then we realize. Eating grass is a way in which dogs tries to balance their gut. Their distress cry is: “I have an imbalance in my gut.” They The problem with this is that most grass is not suitable for them to eat because of chemical fertilizers and weed killers. What they really need is probiotics.
Bad Breath
This is usually a sign that there is indigestion. The undigested food then putrefies in the gut, thus producing the foul smell. This is also due to the “dead” food that they eat, which is totally lacking in enzymes which help digest food. In their natural environment, dogs would eat the partially digested food of their kill, which would be loaded with enzymes. Their distress call is: “I need live food.” The solution of course, is supplementing your dog’s diet with enzymes.
Eating Poop
This is a totally disagreeable practice, but a real distress call. Poop does contain enzymes, and when a dog is desperate, they will resort to eating other animal’s poop.
Skin Problems
Smelling ears, itching, scratching and such skin problems show a more serious condition. Their body is so toxic, that the toxins are coming out through the skin. The distress call here is, “I have a lot of waste products in my body!” Probiotics and enzymes are said to help in these conditions as well.
Solutions
The solution to these problems can be simple:
- Add some probiotics and enzymes to their diet.
- Some ideas of the above are: raw apple cider vinegar, Kombucha, sauerkraut, or purchase some capsules and sprinkle it on their food.
- Parasite can cause auto-toxication, so do a parasite cleanse twice a year.
- Make the Master Tonic below, and give 1Tbl on their food daily.
At Herbs4You, we have a great parasite formula as well as enzymes and probiotics.
We’re Here to Help YOU!
Amy Willis
Sources:
[1] http:..en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_food
About the Author
Amy Willis M.H.