Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Natural Flea & Tick Options

After Lexy was diagnosed with cancer I've reevaluated everything that I put on and in her body.  Its come that time when she needs a fresh round of flea and tick so I started researching my options.  First things first, most of the regular topical stuff people buy sounds REALLY BAD FOR THEM!  I guess I never really thought about it, but your essentially putting pesticides on your dogs skin.

A variety of common flea and tick products contain chemicals called organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which have been linked to brain damage, endocrine system problems and certain kinds of cancer.  Each year, millions of people purchase flea and tick products believing that these products have been thoroughly tested and are safe for both pets and their caregivers. The main active ingredient in some flea and tcik control is a pesticide known as Permethrin, used in more than 18 similar products.  It kills insects by paralyzing their nervous system (that is also how nerve gas works).  However, it cannot distinguish between an insect's nervous system, a dog's nervous system, or a human's nervous system.  Sounds safe!

Needless to say, I started researching some other natural ways to keep the fleas and ticks off my pooch.  This might not be a good method for other dogs, but for Lexy I think they may work.  She's not very furry and she's not outside for long periods of time.  Plus, she has cancer, I just don't want to subject her immune system to anything more than what she's been dealing with.

Listen to what this lady has to say.  Really informative website about flea and tick defense.  I'm not saying to buy her stuff, but listen, read and learn.  There's definitely cheaper similar stuff on Amazon.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/natural-flea-and-tick-control.aspx

Here are the natural Brazilian oils and ingredients found in Natural Flea & Tick Defense spray: 

Lemongrass oil –When formulated into a spray for pets, promotes a shiny, healthy coat , and helps repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. 

Cinnamon oil – A versatile essential oil widely used in the household. It is an effective environmentally-friendly ingredient that helps deter mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and other pests from attacking your dog or cat. 

Sesame oil – A rich, almost odorless oil derived from tiny sesame seeds. When combined with other essential oils it helps protect against pests and promotes the health of your pet's skin and coat. 

Castor oil – Castor oil has been used for years by veterinarians. When combined with other oils, helps to repel a variety of pests.

Chinese Herbs

Lexy had her second acupuncture treatment this weekend and this time it really seemed to relax her.  I really like this vet and his holistic approach to giving her relief. This is where we've been taking her.

http://www.marlborovillagevet.com/

He also ordered Lexy some new Chinese herbs to help relieve some of her symptoms.  It's only been 3 days, she's only on half the dosage, and we are already seeing signs of relief.  It literally sounds like someone stuck a tube up her nose that's allowing her to breath out of the one nostril that's been decommissioned for quite some time now.  We've also noticed that her sneezes are now regular dry sneezes.  It's such a happy feeling to see something pay off!

This is her a few hours after her acupuncture... I'd say she was a tad relaxed. : )


The herbs she was given are below.  These aren't regular herbs that you can purchase on the internet, they have to be prescribed by a licensed Chinese herbalist. 

Here is a lookup for vets in your area:
https://www.tcvmherbal.com/

Stasis Breaker to shrink the tumor - http://www.euroherbsshop.nl/stasis-breaker-20005g-caps-p-2397.html

Wei Qi Booster to boost immunity - http://www.euroherbsshop.nl/wei-qi-booster-20005g-caps-p-2283.html

Xin Yi San a nasal decongestant - http://www.euroherbsshop.nl/xin-yi-san-20005g-caps-p-2171.html

Your dog doesn't need to have cancer to try alternative medicine, maybe they have arthritis or a skin condition... all I know is this guy is cheap compared to the other options, and it's giving her relief without the stress of hardcore medical devices. 

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Cancer Diet

Any vet that we've been to for treatment of Lexy's cancer has all asked the same question... what does she eat?  They all seem to be in agreement that a high protein diet is really important as carbs feed cancer. 

Lexy eats Evo Weight Managment dog food, which is very high in protein.  I also supplement the food with a mixture of chicken, eggs and fish oil.  For treats she eats cottage cheese and dehydrated liver.  This is definitely Lexy's favorite part of her cancer treatment!

The articles below really helped guide me find the right diet for Lexy.

http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/cancer-diet-dogs

http://www.k9medicinals.com/dog-cancer-diet

http://www.caninecancer.com/nutrition.html

This website has a lot of great information, and all you have to do is plop your email in for a 75pg cancer diet guide!

http://www.dogcancerblog.com/

Holistic Vet Visit

Last week we took Lexy to a holistic vet in order to try to explore some other methods of treating her cancer besides radiation.  This vet was really great and offered us lesser expensive options of acupuncture and Chinese herbs.  He had to order the herbs so there's not much to report on that, but we did do acupuncture.

Here's some information on acupuncture and healing:

http://pathwithpaws.com/blog/2011/08/22/acupuncture-for-animals-with-cancer-stoking-the-healing-power-within/

http://www.dogcancerblog.com/some-science-behind-acupuncture-for-cancer-pain/

http://dogtime.com/acupuncture-dogs-cancer-faq-becca-seitz.html

http://www.netplaces.com/natural-health-for-dogs/natural-healing/the-power-of-acupuncture.htm

Some sucess stories:

http://www.fourpawsacupuncture.com/index.php?page=happy-dogs

In order to give Lexy the best chance possible, we're going to try everything!  We're going to do the acupuncture weekly for 4 weeks and keep her on the herbs for 4-6 weeks.  The visits cost as much as a regular vet visit and it didn't stress her out as much as the specialty vet.  I guess we're giving her a little break before we do radiation.

When I get the herbs I'll definitely keep you updated on what they are and how they are working.