Nutrition, Vaccinations and Parasites - Holistic & Homeopathic View

Our special guest at the January SHARE meeting was Dr. Michael Dym, VMD. He practices at the Burl-Moor-Dribben Animal Hospital in Moorestown. Dr. Dym is one of 250 veterinarians in the US trained in classical veterinary homeopathy by Richard Pitcairn, DVM, PhD. His
practice includes holistic medicine, homeopathy, clinical nutrition, and herbal therapy along with traditional veterinary medicine. He spoke about vaccinations and nutrition and their effects on the
chronic health of companion animals. Everything we do to animals, everything we give them, affects their health. The goal is to provide health, not just to suppress symptoms or treat illness. A healthy animal (or person) is able to resist exposure to infection and stressful conditions. Bacteria, virus, parasites and trauma are always present in the life of every one of us, and if our bodies are fed properly and not overdosed on vaccine toxins, we are better equipped to combat these threats to wellness.

Note: All medical questions should be discussed with your veterinarian.

"Over the past 40 years and 17 generations of dogs and cats, we are seeing tremendous increases in chronic ill health in our pets that was rare back in the early 1960's. Most of these illnesses revolve around a breakdown in their immune systems, and include chronic skin/ear allergies, digestive upset, thyroid/adrenal/pancreatic disorders, seizures, gum/teeth problems,
degenerative arthritis, kidney/liver failure, and cancer, across all ages and breeds.

We are also seeing a record number of behavioral and emotional disorders including alarming and unexplained fears/aggression, as well as difficulty focusing/training and paying
attention. The analogy of these compared with escalating immune/behavioral diseases in children is quite disturbing.

The two biggest factors in our pets' population health decline over these generations has been the severe overuse of multiple vaccines and nutrient poor and toxin filled commercial pet foods. We have also failed to address the underlying cause of disease by only suppressing symptoms with antibiotics, cortisone and related drugs, so the disease progresses and goes deeper. Homeopathy offers a viable alternative in truly curing pets and making their bodies healthier."

The diseases seen recently were previously not epidemic. Now they are very common, and at younger ages. Most center around the immune system, as auto-immune problems. Diabetes is an auto-immune attack of the pancreas, hyperthyroidism is an auto-immune attack of the thyroid gland, and allergies are an auto-immune reaction to allergens that are always present in the environment. Inflammatory bowel disease and gingivitis have become epidemic in cats. Skin
allergies, hypothyroidism and seizures are at epidemic levels in dogs.

The central theme in all of these diseases is an immune system "gone haywire." In many cases, biopsy may just show inflammation with no specific focus, no cause can be determined, and treatment consists of antibiotics or steroids (Prednisone). Concurrent with the increase in all these conditions have been two major factors - over-vaccination and increased use of commercial animal food.

Vaccines are being given to dogs and cats for a large number of diseases, and the results are not always beneficial. The vaccinations are being given in combination, with four and more
different viruses being injected into the animal at the same time. In an animal with any weakness, the combination can be overwhelming, and for some, even single shots can cause problems. Dr. Dym displayed the chart of a dog who had come to his practice three years ago. The dog had been quite healthy, and received a rabies vaccine. Three weeks later, the dog had bloody stool and severe gastrointestinal distress. After treatment, the dog recovered, and had no further problems until this week. Again, three weeks after a rabies shot, the dog developed
bloody stool and severe gastrointestinal distress. Coincidence? Could it have been a "seasonal" problem? But there were no problems in the intervening 2 years.

If this were the only case of a problem shortly after vaccinating, it might not be significant. But there have been many similar situations during his practice. In most veterinary (allopathic) practices, if the animal does not have a reaction to a vaccine within a very short time after injection, it is assumed everything is fine. In those rare cases where there is anaphylactic
shock (severe allergic reaction), it is recognized that the injection caused the problem, but otherwise no connection is usually made. With homeopathic medicine, the animal's entire history is examined and connections can be made between cause and effect.

Should vaccines be abandoned? Obviously vaccines can prevent life-threatening diseases. The question is which vaccines to use, how much is needed, and how often they should be given. Protection from puppy and kitten shots usually last for years, even for the life of the animal. Young animals should be given vaccines for life-threatening diseases, including parvo and distemper for dogs and panleukopenia for cats. Because maternal antibodies may prevent the
vaccines from taking effect in very young pups and kittens, they should be given the normal series of shots several weeks apart. But do not use combinations of many vaccines all at once.

The vaccines for hepatitis and leptospirosis are not necessary, as these diseases are rarely seen, and the vaccines can overload the pups system.
Feline distemper (panleukopenia) is actually very similar to the parvo virus in dogs, and the vaccine is essential. The vaccine for feline rhinotracheitis is ineffective and a waste of money. Kittens who have upper respiratory congestion often have a latent Herpes virus, which never really goes away completely and can flare up whenever the animal is stressed. The feline leukemia vaccine is not effective and can cause serious health problems. Furthermore, any
adult cat over one year old has enough immunity that they won't be susceptible to the disease if exposed. Over 95% of cats who get leukemia acquired the infection before they were one year old.

Rabies vaccine is required by law in most communities, but should not be given more than once every three years. There have been increasing numbers of problems caused by rabies injections, and every animal should be watched for a lump at the injection site, which can
become cancerous. (It is thought that the actual rabies vaccine does not cause the problem, but that it is probably caused by the "carrier" - the substance the vaccine is dissolved in.)

Dr. Dym says that no animal should be vaccinated for anything if there are any health problems present. People who are concerned their animal is susceptible to disease can have a titer performed to determine whether there is enough immunity already present. A titer measures the amount of antibodies present in the bloodstream - if it is at an adequate level, further vaccine would be totally wasted and might even be harmful.

Nutrition and diet are the other significant factor affecting the health of our companion animals. Pet food is a $20 billion industry - second only to breakfast cereal in supermarket shelf
space. What goes into most pet food is the dregs of the rendering plant. The largest pet food companies are owned by giant conglomerates which also manufacture beverages, fast food and
household cleaners. Most of the so-called premium brands contain BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin, all known carcinogens which are not allowed in human food. The side effects of these ingredients may include runny eyes, waxy ears, skin allergies, and digestive disorders. Sugar, salt and artificial color are added to stimulate appetites, with results that include hyperactivity and other health problems.

The ideal food for dogs and cats is fresh and home made. For cats, there should be 50 - 75% meat, with vegetables and a small amount of cooked grains making up the balance. For dogs, the ratio should be 1/3 meat, 1/3 cooked grain and 1/3 vegetables. Raw meat is best, as canines and felines evolved without benefit of cooking. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means their bodies have evolved as meat eaters. Dogs they have also evolved as carnivores, but can get by with a vegetarian diet as long as their nutritional needs are met.

Both dogs and cats are biologically hunters, and they have a digestive system that works best with an occasional fast, about 1 or 2 days per month, to allow their systems to clean out. Feeding dry food is not recommended, and is especially harmful if food is available at all times. Food should be left in place for a short time and then removed, especially when feeding fresh food to prevent it from rotting. Recipes for home-prepared meals for dogs and cats are
available in Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, by Richard Pitcairn, DVM, PhD, & Susan Hubble Pitcairn, and The New Natural Cat, by Anita Frazier.

If you are not able (or willing) to prepare your dog or cat food, there are several manufactured foods that are "not a bad compromise," including Life's Abundance, Innova, and Pet Guard. These products have few or no preservatives or byproducts, dates on the bags, cold-extrusion pelleting, and promote disease prevention. Avoid especially the semi-moist dog and cat foods (which are loaded with preservatives and sugar) and anything containing excess fat, ice cream, white flour, and cooked bones. Of course, everyone knows (don't we?) that chocolate is toxic for cats and dogs.

Dr. Dym talked about parasites. Many veterinarians now recommend giving anti-heartworm medication all year. This means that dogs are given a poisonous substance all year even though mosquitoes can only transmit heartworms when the average daily temperature is 65º or higher for 30 days in a row. This does not occur in our region until about the middle of May. Since most heartworm products can last about three months, it makes much more sense to give one dose in May and one in August. This saves money and provides adequate protection against heartworm, without exposing the dog to a pesticide more than necessary.

Flea and tick products are also overused. The first line of defense is for the dog or cat to be kept as healthy as possible, since lowered resistance increases susceptibility to parasites as
well as to other diseases. While fleas can cause serious problems, the preventive products may be far more dangerous. Note that many tell you to wear rubber gloves while applying them, and yet these products are in direct contact with the animal's body. And of course when cats and even dogs lick themselves, the products are ingested into their system. Products applied to the back of the neck are absorbed into the animal's bloodstream and some are fat soluble, which means they remain in the body indefinitely. If fleas are a problem, there are several products that are safe and effective, including Halo and Flea Busters. For treatment of the premises,
diatomaceous earth can be used to prevent flea larvae from surviving long enough to mature. Diatomaceous earth is made from the shells of microscopic sea creatures, and has a very rough surface which kills the soft-bodied flea larvae as they crawl over it.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) in cats is caused by Corona virus, and the best defense is keeping the cat healthy to resist exposure. Lyme disease in dogs is caused by a spirochete, and the vaccine has not been proven effective. Both are auto-immune diseases, and most animals are exposed but do not become sick because their immune systems are healthy. Animals that do become sick usually have a compromised immune system, and the disease is an immune response to the infectious agent. Injecting chemicals into the animal's body does not help and may cause more serious problems.

Several web sites with more information about homeopathic medicine - http://www.demystify.com;
http://www.drpitcairn.com;
Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy at http://www.acadvethom.org.

For more information, contact Michael Dym, VMD, Burl-Moor-Driben Animal Hospital, 104 Kings Highway, Moorestown, NJ 08057, 856-
235-2155, fax 856-722-9240.

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group Feb 7, 2002