Now that we’ve arrived in New Hampshire, I’m finding out that between my improved education in herbs and the increased availability of ready-made raw diets for dogs that I have it waaayyy easier than I used to feeding my dog “in the manner to which she’s accustomed” while I’m here. My local (as in the next town) pet store now carries Stella & Chewy’s and Bravo! The single freezer is stocked up, and at the front of the store. I was so excited to go in on my way to the cabin and get a bag of raw food (though it’s a bit of a schema problem when I also see Science Diet). In the past I had to make everything from scratch using plain grocery meat and supplement s (calcium, the works). And really, I’m on vacation, right? (sorta). I should be able to feed the dog with some ease.
Hurrah!
Vida’s having a little bit of diarrhea, probably just from the four-and-a-half days in the car. When we went for a walk this morning at the town fairgrounds I spied some wonderful looking plantain. I took two leaves to chop in to her food (I think I’ll do one leaf per meal) to help soothe her gut and add some fiber. Plantain grows everywhere, in two varieties. The leaves pictured here are the most common variety in the East. Out in California, at least on the coast, I tend to see the lance-shaped leaf variety more (though this is changing).
Besides the Plantain I also saw Yarrow, Mullein, and Red Clover in bloom (plus some others I didn’t know). It’s so different than the native habitat of California that is on a much slower schedule than here in New Hampshire where there is much more rain to encourage the growth and spread of plants. Here there is natural habitat within the town habitat. You park on Plantain to go to the library!
I've been astounded at the number of items I'm needing to bring for Vida on the trip. I'm packing almost as much for her as for myself! But as I look over the pile of stuff (that I won't picture here, hehe), I realize that very little of it has to do with fact that she eats raw food.We've got leashes, harnesses, poop bags, bowls, bedding, pest control, grooming - all the usual stuff for any well cared for dog. The float coat and water toy take some room, but if she goes on a boat trip she's got to wear a vest (just like a kid, right).I've got some food and treats for the trip, but doesn't everyone? Freeze-dried Stella and Chewy's doesn't take up more room than dry food. What does take up some extra room are her supplements. I can't forgo those for six weeks, so I'm doing my best to bring enough of each one.
There is an impulse to leave things home when traveling, but that needs to be weighed against the fact that travel is stressful, and stress effects the immune system, so if anything supplements and appropriate food are even more important.
Luckily the car trunk is roomy!
Where we live in coastal Southern California, I don't worry about heartworm. My dog doesn't live outdoors, exposed day and night to the few mosquitos we have, and our area is not high risk anyway. I don't want to give my dog an internal pesticide if it's not needed. Now I haven't gotten her tested either, which is something I do recommend to those concerned about the risk.
In anticipation of our summer road trip to New Hampshire I'm starting her on a Heartworm nosode. I did it the last time she went a few years ago but haven't kept up on it (which is ridiculous when you read how easy it is), so I'm restarting her this week.
Quoted from the dispenser:
"Although there are no hard and fast rules for administering nosodes, it is suggested that a dose (3 drops of liquid remedy for a small animal and 6 drops for a large animal) be given: - 3 days for the first week
- 1 time weekly for 3 weeks
- 1 time monthly for 6 months and thereafter
- 1 time every six months.
In case of exposure to a particular disease or an epidemic of a disease, a one time per week dose of the nosode may prove helpful. Detox is also recommended to accompany daily."
I'm going to take her advice this time and write it in my datebook. Easy this time as I'm already writing Vida's herb protocol in to keep track. Just one more note.
There are a lot of different opinions on dealing with heartworm. I'm pretty sure my beliefs would be different if I were living in an area where risk is high, like the gulf coast.
Here are a few links that discuss alternative treatments:
http://www.pets4homeopathy.com/parasites.html
where I got my nosode
http://www.homeovet.net/content/lifestyle/section4.html
http://www.holisticvetpetcare.com/heartworm-infection.htm
http://www.naturalrearing.com/coda/n_heartworm.html
http://www.danebytes.com/heartworm-cures.htm
http://www.tarascavaliers.com/html/re_nosodes.html
After reading some of these I may consider Black Walnut tincture too, but I'll have to do some good research to make sure it wouldn't interfere with her other herbs. I don't want to overdo it!And of course the usual prevention tactics of keeping indoors or screened areas and spraying with deterrants (I found Ark Natural's Neem Spray did a good job of deterring mosquitos).I'm glad my dog is healthy. No fleas yet this year, which I think is pretty good (almost June). No fleas on her that is, plenty on other folks dogs.
Acupressure isn't a lesser substitute for acupuncture. I don't believe one is better than the other, but that they are simply different ways of accessing the meridians, the energy channels of the body. Some dogs prefer one over the other, so pay attention to your dog's responses during treatments to get an idea of what they think.
Acupressure sessions are always adjusted for each animal's needs. One of the most significant benefits of acupressure from a qualified practitioner is that during the treatment adjustments are made as the dog reacts to every touch. There is no "one size fits all" in acupressure. I am always amazed as the dog's body gives me feedback as each point is manipulated. This guides me in my decisions about exactly how much pressure to use, which points on the body need attention, and which areas need special care with other methods or tools.
Some dogs are suspicious the first time they get acupressure. While we humans may know that acupressure is beneficial, some dogs are suspicious at first, especially dogs that have had painful veterinary procedures in the past. Since they don't know what to expect from this new "procedure" they expect what they've had in the past that may have hurt or frightened them. These dogs need to go slowww, so often their first session includes reiki, gentle tui-na massage, and only a couple of acu-points. They do best when their owner is with them, calming them and working with me. The most important thing is that they have a positive experience, so they welcome their next session.
Acupressure doesn't have to involve pressure. Acupressure isn't about trying to imitate a needle. It's about stimulating the energy system of the body. Some dogs are very sensitive to touch, and resist pressure. For these dogs I use a tool that emits red light, which can penetrate the skin and stimulate the energy of the acu-points. This red light spectrum also stimulates the cells themselves, and thus can be very valuable for assisting in the healing of injuries.
Acupressure can be powerful. Acupressure isn't just a fancy word for massage, but a powerful healing technique of its own. The benefits can be profound, and a session can leave some dogs napping the rest of the day as they rest their bodies and adjust to the changes. It's not unusual for them to drink a lot after a treatment, or need to relieve themselves during or immediately after treatments. Sometimes they even take a short break in the middle of a session, and then come back for more.
Dogs enjoy it! I can't tell you how wonderful it makes me feel when I return to a dog's home for another acupressure session and they greet me at the door, smiling & wagging, and walk me in. They often proceed to where we're going to work and lie down, waiting for me. This response from dogs is what convinces me that acupressure works. They understand that I'm there to help them, and take an active part in their own healing. It is this cooperative process that makes acupressure an amazing healing art.
When I talk with folks about feeding their dog raw or cooked fresh food diets, the issue of money always comes up. And of course everyone has to take their monetary situation into account when making decisions about groceries. However, the conversations can't simply be about the monthly food bill (Yes, dry food is less expensive per month than even the least expensive prepared raw diets). The cost vs. payoff equation is much more complicated than that.
These are some of the questions that come to my mind:
How many times a year does your dog need to go to the vet?
Are you medicating your dog for recurrent ear or urinary infections?
Are you buying expensive and toxic flea treatments?
Does your dog exhibit "allergy" symptoms that you buy tests and treatments for?
Is your dog's behavior off the charts, sending you to trainers with unwholesome techniques that promise a quick fix?
How long do you expect your dog to live?
(and by the way...) How much do you spend on prepared coffee daily?
All of these are part of the cost benefit ratio. If you're dog is healthy you save on vet bills. If you know how to prepare basic meals, supplements, and bodycare items you save money.
Heck, if you learn how to wash your own dog and trim their nails, you save money. Not to mention avoiding the insane anal gland squeezing "service" that is performed on dogs by groomers willy-nilly.
(sorry... got in the rant mode there for a sec...)
Putting a wee bit of thought and money in to your dog's diet shouldn't be seen as a waste. Isn't it worth having your dog with you a few more years? Isn't it worth having a companion that glows with health when they smile at you?
How great is it when fleas aren't even attracted to your dog! Yes, that's right - healthy animals attract fewer fleas. In the late summer I finally do find some fleas on my dog and whisk them away with a flea comb (to certain death in the soapy laundry sink). I believe the toxic pesticides are a much greater risk to me and my dog than a few summer fleas.
It's pretty simple (and cheap) to provide your pet with natural food, herbs, skin cleaners, body care (trims, massages), and exercise. Compassion is free!
Knowledge is free! If you're reading this post you have access to a vast array of information about dogs, natural health, species appropriate feeding, dog behavior, etc, etc.
You can learn how to care for this animal you've chosen to have with you. Because don't you want that animal to live a happy, healthy, fulfilled life? If not, why do you have a dog? Really.
When I originally wrote this post I never imagined that Chaga would become trendy. PLEASE - there are many good medicinal mushrooms out there that, unlike Chaga, are easily grown for use. Chaga's natural life has very limited parameters which put it at risk for overharvesting. Use Chaga mindfully and specifically, and please use commercially-grown medicinal mushrooms whenever possible. --Margarat, Nov 17, 2013.
Medicinal mushrooms are a topic of interest to me as I continue herb studies and keeping Vida's cancer at bay.
We usually think of Asian mushrooms as the medicinal ones, but I think this is just because our culture has become "denatured" and we just don't know what's in our own backyard.
"Backyard" can vary, of course. Chaga mushrooms grow on Birch trees, which definitely aren't part of my Southern California backyard (natural habitat). Birch trees are part of my New Hampshire habitat.
The ground Chaga that I used today was purchased from Woodland Essence, which harvests from their area in New York. (They have a nice little info page on Chaga, which is also the source of the above photo).
I decocted the Chaga for 20 minutes (that means starting with cold water, bringing to a boil, and them simmering covered), using 1 tablespoon Chaga for a cup of water. Decoction is recommended by Christopher Hobbs in his book on Medicinal Mushrooms, as the best way to get the full medicinal effects (based on chemical studies), even though the bag it came in only suggested infusing for 5-10 minutes.
The result looked like coffee (grounds and all) - here's a teaspoonful (strained) on a saucer:
It tastes bitter, like coffee, but it has no lingering aftertaste. While my mom thought it tasted "like biting into a tree," Vida didn't seem to care at all lapping it up.
I'm beginning to suspect that bitter/dirt tastes are inconsequential to dogs. Either that or the trust you when they see you take a sip first.
There isn't really information about how much of this one should consume every day, except to say that overdoing it doesn't seem to come up at all. Dogs certainly don't have the luxury of a dosage guide, so it seems to me that a sensible dose would be a tablespoon for a medium dog.
Most of the studies on Chaga come from Russia and other nearby areas - obviously because of the birch forests of the region where one would find Chaga.
It's got anti-tumor properties, and has shown to be especially helpful for cancers of the digestive system, as well as digestive issues related to cancer treatments. It's of course an immune booster, and helps balance the endocrine system and blood sugar, and has some anti-inflammatory properties as well.
The taste and feel of it to me seems very slightly astringent, not drying the mouth, but cleansing it. I choose to interpret this as Phlegm Resolving, Bitter, and Neutral.
While the polysaccharides are the primary immune boosters, it's thought that the strongest anti-tumor properties are due to the fact that Chaga feeds off Birch trees, absorbing specific chemicals that may be the core chemicals for attacking tumors.
Wouldn't it be something if Vida's little lipoma got littler? That would be a nice visible success to be able to point to.
All-in-all this sounds like a great drink not only for Vida, but for me! Finally, I'm gonna do something for myself too (besides just the liver tonic tea we've been taking together).
I'd love to hear from anyone about their experiences or knowledge about Chaga, or their questions about my opinions here.
Hurrah! 
