All Pet Naturals Blog

Announcement – New Reiki Practice for Animals Opens in Vancouver, BC

(effective January 23, 2010)

VANCOUVER, BC: Taymarah K. McAwe has opened a private practice offering Reiki treatments in the Vancouver (Delta) community. Sessions are available for both animal and human clients.

Reiki Master Taymarah K. McAwe opens new Practice in Vancouver, BC

Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive Japanese form of stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing. It is an energetic healing that can yield powerful results. The word Reiki means “universal life-force” energy. This healing energy is channeled into the animal (or client) through the practitioner’s hands in order to ease pain, discomfort, stress and illness. This can be done as a hands-on treatment in person or at a distance. Reiki can be used with animals in a way that is comfortable to them so that they are in control of the session. Reiki works to ease the source of the illness and works for the highest good of the animal. In order to receive the full benefits of Reiki, it is suggested to follow a scheduled program of Reiki treatments. Reiki is wonderful to help with illnesses as well as a healing tool for prevention and health maintenance.

Reiki works in harmony with therapeutic methods such as homeopathy, aromatherapy, naturopathy, massage, acupuncture, nutritional therapy, reflexology, and chiropractic. The following examples are a few reasons why Reiki can be used for treatment; separation anxiety, stress (the transition to a new home environment), depression (the loss of a family member), behavioral difficulties, inflammation, poor circulation, pre-operative stress, complications from surgery, past and present trauma, injury, and for those whom are dying (and to their pet family or caregiver) to help promote a sense of peace.

Taymarah is a certified Reiki Master Practitioner & Teacher and a nurse. She is also  a graduate of the Dog Safe Canine First Aid and the Animal Communication workshop in Agoura Hills, California. To schedule an appointment with Taymarah, please telephone 604.590.5188 or send an email to taymarahk@angeluniverse.info.

- 30 -

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Part IV

As far as preventing infection you can use a natural antibiotic cream such as Goldenseal or an another alternative that works really well  is VIRAFUNGAL FIGHTER from allpetnaturals.com. Another ointment is Calendula cream which is a herbal based. Use tweezers for removing foreign objects or insect stings.

For irritation to the eye, use an eyewash to clean and soothe until you can take your pet into the veterinarian, and an eyewash that is safe is boric acid which needs to be diluted to half strength. In an emergency to flush out foreign material or irritants from the eye, a natural saline based contact lens solution can be used. You can use a rubber bulb syringe such as is used for babies. Eyebright tea or solution works really well for any kind of eye infection or irritation.

For shock or trauma Rescue Remedy is of great benefit. It can be safely used before visiting the vet or after any kind of injury. It will often revive animals that are in shock.  It has definitely saved many animals and is totally safe. Use four drops of the stock bottle to one once glass dropper bottle of spring water shaken up. It is best to make this up immediately before use, as the mixture will not keep too long. Two or three drops of  the mixture can be given into the mouth or onto the gums every five minutes until a response is seen. It can even be sprayed onto the skin or ears with a spray bottle and will still have a beneficial effect.

Another useful remedy that people should have in their First Aid Kit is a homeopathic one called Arnica, of which the potency can be 30 C or 6 C for first aid use. It is typically used for bruises and trauma to the body and helps healing after any kind of surgery or accident as well as helping with shock. It is available in pellets that can be dissolved in water and given by mouth. It works more on the physical body, while Rescue Remedy works more on the emotions.

For diarrhea a little Kaolin with Pectate is useful to give four times a day, and the dose depends on the size of your pet. The human brand is not recommended because it contains aspirin. Instead use a natural herbal remedy that contains Slippery Elm. The does of Slippery Elm is half a capsule twice a day for an average adult size cat.  fFr younger animals, a fourth of a capsule twice daily is better. For larger breed dogs one or two capsules twice a day. The best thing to do is mix the capsule powder with a little water to make it liquid and give it with a syringe. I would recommend taking any animal with diarrhea into the veterinarian to make sure it is nothing serious as they become dehydrated so quickly.

In closing first aid is called first aid for a reason and that’s because its a first measure so it is well worth having your veterinarian examine your pet to make double sure their is nothing else going on.

Be very careful about giving your  pet ANY TYPE OF HUMAN drug because the metabolisms are very different. Regular aspirin for example can be fatal to a cat. Always check with your vet.  Keep the emergency numbers close by and remain as calm as possible in a pet emergency.

Have fun with your pets, and I hope that none of you have to deal with any emergencies, but if you do I trust this article gives you some practical ideas to help you and your pets in a more natural and holistic way.

- 30 -

Dr. Anna Maria Gardner, MA Vet.MB MRCVS is a holistic veterinarian based in Washington State and is certified in acupuncture and homeopathy. She lives in Spokane with her new husband as well as two dogs, three cats and a crazy parrot, all of whole have helped inspire her as a holistic vet. She runs an entirely house call and phone consultation practice. You can contact her by email or by phone.

drgardner@petsynergy.com or by phone at 1.360.796.3749

END

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Part III

For injuries bandages are useful.  You can bandage an injured foot or leg, or even an ear using tape to secure it in place – the idea is to stop the bleeding whilst on the way to the vet. For heavy bleeding, such as surface wounds from fighting or other accidents take come cotton and gauze squares and apply pressure for as long as you can to stop the bleeding. you can even improvise a tourniquet by tying pantyhose above the bleeding area, if it is on a leg,  and keep the pressure on for five minutes then release for one minute, unless it is still bleeding excessively.  At this point you should be on your way to the veterinarian or emergency clinic.

Bandages that are useful are gauze, some soft kind of padded bandage, as well as a conforming bandage, which you  can get at some good pet stores or your vet’s office. Please note that YOU MUST TAKE CAUTION! as any dog or cat, however, gentle, will BITE when they are in pain, so just do what you can without injury to yourself and get to the vet as soon as possible.

You will also need some blunt scissors to cut any bandages and tapes with it. Cotton swabs are useful for cleaning wounds, as is hydrogen peroxide. It is best to dilute the 3% hydrogen peroxide using one part of this to nine parts of water, the use this mixture to cleanse the wound. Bandages and swabs can be found at any pharmacy.

Part IV Next

- 30 -

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

FLOWER REMEDIES and essences have many and varied uses, but act mainly on the higher emotional levels. The body is affected very much by the emotions and the mind, and by healing at a deeper level flower remedies can shift illnesses, either alone, or more often in combination with other forms of treatment. For example, skin problems may manifest in animals during times of anxiety and stress, such as when a new pet or a human baby, enters the household. The physical symptoms may be due to jealousy, anger, resentment, loneliness or other emotions, but by careful questioning an idea of what may be going on can be determined and a remedy mixture made up to address the root cause of the problem. In the meantime the skin may also need to be treated, but the end results with addressing the issue at both these levels are much better than merely treating the skin alone.

Flower remedies can help a lot with behavioral problems in pets such as biting and aggression. It’s important to combine the remedy with training and behavior modification, and both these approaches are enhanced by the use of flower remedies. Fear, which is a common problem in animals, also can be helped by suitable remedies, and a combination of Rescue Remedy (or Tranquility Blend) and the fear remedies mentioned above will often help in situations such as fear of thunderstorms, or general lack of confidence. Animals that have been rescued or abused in the past often benefit wonderfully from the use of appropriate flower essences, and they can help to restore their confidence and build trust.

Rescue Remedy combined with the homeopathic remedy Aconite makes a wonderful calming essence that can be used on wild animals, and for rehabilitation, as mentioned above it works well on any kind of stress or fear situation and definitely helps with survival rate in these situations. A few drops of the combined essence on the gums or even onto the ear of the rescued animal will calm them down and make them easier to handle. It can even be sprayed onto the skin or ears with a spray bottle and will still have a beneficial effect. A dropper of the combination can be put in the daily water for rescued animals to help them withstand the stress of captivity, and make them more manageable.

Other problem pets such as animals that tend to wander away from home, cats that urinate and defecate all over the house, animals that suffer from separation anxiety can all benefit from flower remedies, and their problems can be improved. It depends on the situation, often if the change will be permanent, some problems are related to other animals in the household, such as territorial behavior, and this may persist as long as another cat is present. Nevertheless appropriate flower essences can help alleviate and resolve many of these situations, again combined most effectively with behavior modification and possible changes to the living environment.

- 30 -

Dr. Anna-Marie Gardner

reprinted with permission by Dr. Anna Marie Gardner, MA Vet. MB MRCVS, Holistic Veterinarian

Adviser to allpetnaturals.com. Please visit her website at-

www.petsynergy.com

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Flower essences are dilute extracts of various types of flowers and plants that are used to treat animals and people. They are similar to homeopathic remedies and herbal remedies and like homeopathic remedies they are diluted and potentized to make them more effective than just using the original flower as a herbal extract.

The person who first developed the original flower remedies was Dr. Edward Bach, a famous English physician. He developed the Bach Flower Remedies when he was working as a homeopathic practitioner and devoted the last years of his life to researching and developing his remedies, from 1930 onwards. He wanted to find a simpler form of treatment that would not require anything to be destroyed or altered.

Dr. Bach believed that diseases of the body come about as a result of imbalances or negativity at the level of the soul, and by correcting the problem here healing would result and the body would heal on all levels. The flower remedies act to balance in harmonies in the emotional and spiritual body, and bring about a gentle healing by bringing the body back in balance with itself. They act almost a catalysts to cause healing. There were originally thirty eight Bach Flower Remedies that at that time Dr. Bach felt would correct all imbalances that were possible. There are remedies such as Holly which he found would heal the state of anger, and open the heart, and remedies that deal with a variety of other emotions from lack of confidence to over enthusiasm and impatience.

Animals respond just as well to Bach Flower remedies as people, and seem to have similar emotional imbalances that can be corrected with the appropriate remedy. The flowers are gathered from nature when they are just at the point of perfection and it is important that the flowers are free from any toxins and preservatives. The remedies are made by leaving the flower out in the sun and the extracted essence is then diluted in water and preserved with alcohol to make a mother tincture. The resulting remedy is then diluted in spring water to make a solution that can be taken by an animal or a person.

Subsequent to Bach’s work other Flower Essence Societies have been formed and remedies have been developed that are appropriate to that particular area, or the times we are living in. The most important of these are the California Flower Essences that are developed from native American plants in the Sierra Nevada foothills in California. The Flower Essence Society has developed an extensive research program and been very important in helping people understand and use Flower Remedies as a healing tool.

- 30 -

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

by William Greenbaum, aka love ya woof!

In many articles that appear on our blog, the word “Homeopathy” is often mentioned, so its probably a good idea to give everyone a definition and go into detail about this healing system.

Homeopathy is a form of treatment in which tiny dosages of a particular ailment that the person is suffering from are re-introduced back into the body in a highly diluted  form, so as to treat and heal, which is the basic tenant meaning, “like treats like.” It was developed in Germany by physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann in 1796.

Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755 - 1843)

He believed that by inducing a disease through use of drugs, the artificial symptoms empowered the vital force of natural energy inside every person to neutralize and expel the original disease, and that this artificial disturbance would naturally subside when the dosing ceased.

Homeopathic remedies are made with natural substances from plants, minerals and animals and are used to treat a wide range of health problems, diseases and chronic conditions. Unlike most western doctors, homeopaths treat their patients based on more than just their symptoms. They examine the emotional, physical and mental health of the patient in order to determine their treatment. What’s great about homeopathic medicine is that it has no side effects and is able to cure chronic conditions without the patient relying on taking a pill on a routine basis.

Remedy preparation for diseases is also interesting too. Homeopaths take a substance and dilute it with alcohol or distilled water and then vigorously shake the preparation in a process called “succussion”.  This process activates the vital energy force of the diluted substance. The original substance and its preparation is called “The Mother Tincture.”  In homeopathy, the mother tincture, which contains the vital energy force, is then diluted again to increase its effectiveness. This re-dilution is called one “C” or the Centesimal scale or “C” scale and at 1C the dilution factor is 100 times. Depending on the symptoms and the ailment or chronic disease the patient is suffering from, the homeopath will recommend different remedies with different C factors such as a 2C or a 4C dilution. Once again in homeopathy the vital force that comes from the “mother tincture’ and the particular substance inside the solution are the active healing combinations necessary for treatment.

Homeopaths generally begin with detailed examinations of their patients’ histories, including questions regarding their physical, mental and emotional states, their life circumstances and any physical or emotional illnesses. The homeopath then attempts to translate this information into a complex formula of mental and physical symptoms, including likes, dislikes, innate predispositions and even body type. From these symptoms, the homeopath chooses how to treat the patient.

Homeopathy for Pets

Homeopathic use for animals has been around equally as long. In fact Hahnemann himself wrote and spoke of the use of homeopathy in animals. Today it is called veterinary homeopathy, and in the United States, the FDA has not approved this treatment methodology as of yet. However, in the UK, veterinary surgeons who use homeopathy belong to the Faculty of Homeopathy and/or to the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons. Animals may only be treated by qualified veterinary surgeons in the UK and some other countries. Internationally, the body that supports and represents homeopathic veterinarians is the International Association for Veterinary Homeopathy.

Flower Remedies

Flower Remedies

Flower Remedies are used sometimes confused with homeopathy and often considered the same thing but they are not. Flower remedies are produced by placing flowers in water and exposing them to sunlight. The most famous of these are the Bach Flower Remedies, which were developed by the homeopath Edward Bach. Although the proponents of these remedies share homeopathy’s vitalist world-view and the remedies are claimed to act through the same hypothetical “vital force” as homeopathy, the method of preparation is different. Bach flower remedies are prepared in “gentler” ways such as placing flowers in bowls of sunlit water, and the remedies are not succussed.

Bottom line, the take away wisdom of this healing modality and what homeopathy is all about is essentially that nothing happens in our bodies for no reason. What we eat, how we act, how we treat others, how we deal with stress and our overall outlook all affects our health.

- 30 -

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

AllPetNaturals: We are here today with Christina Carrion of Aromandina. Lets begin by asking you to tell us a little about your business and your profession.

Cristina: Sure. I am a professional aroma therapist with over 14 years of experience.

AllPetNaturals: How did you get into this career?

Cristina: I have Ecuadorian roots, so over time it was only natural that I was drawn to explore the various therapeutic properties of exotic Andean botanicals. At Purdue University in Indiana, I completed courses and the International Advanced Training Program in Essential Oils. 

AllPetNaturals: Please tell us about some of your products and your business?

Cristina: I run my own line of aromatherapy products under the label Aromandina (www.aromandina.com). I have been formulating specialized and customized products for the spa, fitness and hospitality industries for many years. I am regularly invited to speak at conferences, seminars, workshops and talk shows for radio and television. I use this opportunity to educate and inform my audience about the natural and holistic benefits of essential oils and aromatherapy. I use only essential oils and blends for my own health and my family’s too. Through my blog (http://www.aromandina.com/about-us/blog), I talk about how aromatherapy has helped me at various stages in my life.

AllPetNaturals: For our part, we are quite interested in how your business applies to pets and animals?

Cristina: As an experienced aroma therapist, I also specialize in using essential oils for pet health and breeding. I have previously worked with kennels and breeders and helped them create a healthy environment for pets and other animals in a safe, natural and effective manner.

AllPetNaturals: Thanks Cristina, we are so pleased you were able to give us some of your time for this interview and we know you have a huge day ahead. So again thanks, and Namaste – in health. BTW we love your products and your website. They are awesome.

- 30 -

Cristina Proano-Carrion
C.H. Dip. Aroma

Born and raised in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, Cristina’s memories are always related to the scents of her homeland. A professional Aromatherapist since 1994, Cristina received her Complementary Health Education Diploma in Aromatherapy in 1997 from the Kevala Center in the U.K., and advanced her studies in 1998 when she took the International Training Program in Essential Oils at Purdue University in Indiana.  She is eager to share her successful experience and the therapeutic values of her homeland’s pure healing ingredients. For more information about Aromandina, please visit their stunning website at www.aromandina.com.

Address: 4491 Gates Hill Court, Gainesville, GA 30506, Telephone: 1.678.897.4869, Mobile: 1.6770.361.3948

story compiled by Emily Schultz

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

A good general approach to skin problems in dogs is therefore to consider them the results of a body loaded with toxins, and anything that can be done to reduce this load will help the animal. So a good natural diet is often the single most useful thing that can be done, as discussed in an earlier edition of this magazine. This will often make a big difference and is well worth trying before resorting to steroids, or other drugs. The use of a good filtered water source or high quality spring water can also help, as can purifying the air in the home your pet lives in. Replace the use of dips, sprays and all strong chemicals to control fleas and ticks with natural flea control. It is a fact that when your pet becomes healthier, and on a better diet and preventative health regime, they will be better able to repel the fleas and not become totally infested. If we can strengthen the immune system, then we can help the body to heal itself, not suppress it further with steroids and strong drugs.

The addition of supplements to the diet is also necessary to also enhance immune function. And, apart from a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, it is helpful to add extra garlic and brewers yeast, which helps skin condition.

Extra vitamin A, C and E can also help as these are important anti-oxidants that will help keep the body healthy as a whole and improve skin and coat condition in your pet. Flax seed oil added to the food according to the weight of the animal will also help as well as other oils, but it is best to get a good book or seek professional advise about the quantities of supplements to add, as overdosage is possible, especially of vitamins A and D. Regular bathing and grooming increases the circulation to the skin, and the use of a massage glove on your pet is beneficial to both them and you as you will both find it incredibly soothing and relaxing!

The Tellington-Touch method of gentle touch to the body can also help to break the stressful itch-scratch cycle seen in these animals. We will be covering that in the next edition, as it is a wonderful healing tool that is becoming increasingly popular. Skin problems are deeper seated than many people realize and homeopathy and even acupuncture may often help over time to get to the source of the problem and make your pet strong and healthy again and increase both the quality and length of life. And, the earlier you begin, the better and faster results you can expect. It isn’t always easy, but you will be rewarded by a glowing healthy pet that is not depressed and miserable from continual drug use. What a joy that can be!!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites