Ancient Arts Holistic Veterinary Services

            Snakes, lizards and turtles can be fascinating companions within a home.  However, they need a lot of special care.  Most require a tremendous amount of full-spectrum sunlight.  Even in Florida, many people failed to be able to provide this.  Here in the Pacific Northwest, it is an even more challenging task.  Artificial bulbs that are full spectrum can be used, but even if they are emitting light, the full-spectrum only lasts about six months.  Even sunlight through window or aquarium glass is filtered so that it is no longer full spectrum in nature.  What happens if they do not get the light they need?  Calcium and vitamin D cannot be absorbed to keep bones strong and healthy.  Many lizards in particular can get really thick limbs because the body tries to deposit fibrosis, or a type of connective tissue similar to scar tissue, around weak bones.  However, often fractures occur, misshapen jaws, as well as other metabolic issues from this bone disease.  This is a difficult and expensive health condition to correct. 

            Another specialized requirement for reptiles is habitat.  In addition to the lighting, heat and temperature gradients across the enclosure are vital to maintain their digestion and immune system.  Each species has its own optimal range, and should have a large enough enclosure to be able to move and self-regulate if it is getting to warm or cool.  Snakes kept too cool very easily develop respiratory diseases.  Some herbivorous lizards need logs wider than their girth set at an upright angle to allow their gut flora to digest their food properly.  Heating rocks should be avoided because they have hot spots that can scald the skin of basking reptiles.  Many snakes and some lizards will only eat live prey, which can become a squeamish ordeal each feeding time.  Calcium generally needs to be added to food, especially those being fed bugs such as mealworms and crickets, since the phosphorus to calcium ratio is skewed heavily otherwise to set up metabolic bone disease. 

            Moisture is another critical issue, as difficulty shedding results if there is not enough humidity within a habitat.  Many reptiles need an opportunity to soak, and should have access to a soaking tub.  Some will only drink water if they see it running down the sides of the terrarium, so misting on a regular basis is crucial.  Other times too much humidity can predispose skin to bacterial and fungal infections.

            Bottom line is to make sure you do your homework ahead of time.  Study what the habitat needs, optimal temperature range is, and appropriate food would be for a particular reptile you are considering getting.  Find out how large this will grow to become, as well.  Pythons may seem cool, but seventeen feet of snake is a lot to deal with, not to mention to house appropriately. 

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            Rabbits are very sweet and gentle animals.  They thrive best on a diet composed of unlimited timothy hay and fresh greens.  Pellets in small amounts are ok, but are really designed to grow up rabbits fast and heavy.  Fresh greens such as arugula, endive, radaccio, dandelions, parsley, cilantro, mustard, chard, green beans, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, carrots are excellent to add to their food.  Start slow if your bunny is only used to eating pellets, but in general fresh greens should not cause any loose stool.  Fresh fruits such as apple cores, papaya, goji berries are safe in small amounts, but avoid high-sugar fruits such as banana and grapes.  Foods high in calcium should be fed only in small amounts, such as spinach.  Alfalfa hay should be avoided for the same reason, and in addition it is too high in protein for these hind-gut fermenters. 

            Herbs such as fennel, rosemary, basil, thyme, burdock and dandelion root are nice to add every once in a while, as well as sticks for them to chew on.  Lagomorphs, not rodents, they do share their cousins’ trait of continually growing teeth.  If the diet is lacking in fiber, they can get sharp points on the sides of their rear molars, which are extremely painful and will make them eat let and lose weight.  An oral exam with a speculum is necessary to be able to visualize these back teeth.  Although this does not usually require sedation, if they have developed spikes, they must be ground down, which is best to do under anesthesia. 

            Rabbits have a nightly ritual of consuming their own droppings directly from source to increase their own B vitamins and normal gut flora.  This is normal and desirable.  They must have a hutch with flooring that is not too rough on their feet and can otherwise let droppings fall beneath.  Many rabbits can be trained to use a litter pan or papers. 

            Male rabbits can develop embarrassing tendencies if left un-neutered, although some are fine intact.  Female rabbits are prone to ovarian, uterine or mammary tumors later in life if not spayed, although many intact live a long healthy life.  Females develop the dewlap, or extra flap of skin under their chin, which is an easy way to sex rabbits if they are mature. 

            When handling rabbits, make sure to always support under their belly and keep their back legs and feet tucked in.  If they kick, they can actually break their backs if held improperly.  Watch for sharp nails, as these need trimming on a regular basis.  Many bunnies prefer water bottles to dishes, and many enjoy a good salt block from time to time.

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            We are what we eat, and variety is the spice of life.  These old adages hold true for pet nutrition.  Fresh foods are best--cooked for some and/or raw for others, always alternating ingredients to provide different trace nutrients.  Some animals are not able to have rapid changes in their diet, so care and common sense must always be applied.  However, small supplementation with fresh, good-quality meats, veggies, fruits, and whole grains are often well tolerated and appreciated.  Enzymes can help digestion to allow better transitions and additions.  Supplementing vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics, herbs, and enzymes help to ensure that the body is receiving all the cofactors for metabolism that it needs to nourish, repair, and detoxify.  Antioxidants are high levels of particular nutrients that help to correct and stop oxidative damage from free radicals, or stressors from chemicals we are all constantly exposed to in our modern industrial age. 

            In traditional Chinese medicine, there are five branches of wellness.  Food therapy is one of them.   The others are qi gong meditation, acupuncture, tui na energy massage, and herbs.  All branches help the body restore homeostasis, or balance to allow normal function, rejuvenation, and relaxation.  All can be applied to animals, as well as people.  Herbs, especially the traditional Chinese herbal formulas, embody a huge role in wellness.  Besides providing trace minerals and vitamins from the plants themselves, they have energetic and physical properties that correct patterns from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective.  For example, some herbs tonify or improve qi energy/vigor, or boost blood, yin, or yang.  Some are warming or cooling.  Some herbs drain damp and clear heat, as found in oozing skin lesions or bladder stones.  Other herbs release wind from itchy skin or seizure disorders. 

            Many of these traditional herbal formulas have been tailored to our contemporary animal companions’ specific issues.  Many a pet with conscientious guardian is able to minimize vet visits, skin allergies, digestive upsets, arthritis, and cancer by using traditional Chinese medicine for preventative care.  In addition, some cancers that have proven recurrent and unresponsive to surgery and chemotherapy have been improved or eliminated completely with Chinese herbs and acupuncture.  Recently published in TCVM News (Issue 10), a pug with reoccurring subcutaneous mast cell tumors who had undergone multiple surgeries and chemotherapy resolved the most recent mast cell tumors with Chinese veterinary herbs alone.

See “Preventative medicine for avoiding cancer and degenerative diseases: genetics and environment”

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            No one can predict who will get a particular condition in the future, although there are breed-specific predispositions.  Nor are there just one or two factors that cause any condition—even cancer.  Bruce Lipton, a cellular biologist who published “The Biology of Belief” found in his genetic research that there is no “genetic cause of cancer.”  He found that cells change the genetic expression of which proteins they make based on what they are exposed to in their environment.  Nutrition, including having digestible or bio-available amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), vitamins, minerals, clean air, and safety all play a part in determining which proteins genes will express. 

            Safety is important in that feeling unsafe, anxious, being stressed, angry, resentful, or nervous stimulates the “fight-or-flight” mechanism.  This system is the body’s way of dealing with danger.  The body releases adrenalin and cortisol, or stress-hormones, to quickly prepare the body to run away or fight to fend off an attacker.  This physiologically shunts blood away from the organs of digestion, maintenance and repair, toward the arms and legs, to run or fight.  This diversion also happens in the brain, so that blood is shunted away from the thinking, rational part of the cerebral cortex, to the more reactive, “primitive” part of the brain.  This means that learning, reasoning, and relaxation are very difficult for your body in this revved-up state.  The body’s maintenance and repair gets put on hold as well, so that toxins are not released, lactic acid builds up, and soreness and malaise can result. 

            Relaxation through exercise, play, proper rest, quiet, massage, breathing techniques, and other novel ways help to get the body out of the “fight-or-flight” mode and back into rejuvenation mode.  In this day and age, we are bombarded with noise from electronics, traffic, neighbors…smells from cleaning supplies, perfumes, off-gassing carpet and upholstery, blacktop, car fumes, chlorine in water, heavy metals in vaccines, seafood and canned foods, toxic chemicals in flame retardants, pesticides, and herbicides (Roundup is particularly notorious), known carcinogens such as ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT as preservatives in food or treats, etc. 

Remember that our animals are even more sensitive to these smells, sounds and chemicals than we are.  Also keep in mind that even if a cleaning product or slug bait, etc is labeled as “natural” or “non-toxic,” there are a lot of potential allergens or carcinogens that may or may not be included on the package labels.  Companion animals generally have a smaller body size than humans and have much more contact on their feet and noses with upholstery, carpets, and blacktop, where potentially harmful chemicals can be lurking.  An example is that the flame retardants used on upholstery have been linked to having a contributory effect towards hyperthyroidism in cats. 

See “Preventative medicine for avoiding cancer and degenerative diseases:  nutrition and wellness-builders”

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            Just like people, animals have a spine that can get compressed if the vertebrae get out of alignment.  This can create discomfort, lame gait, mild malaise, or overt pain from pinched nerves.  The spinal cord is protected by the vertebral bones, and in between each separate vertebrae, several nerves come out to provide neurological input and output to every part of the body—muscles, limbs, skin and all the internal organs.  So even mild compression could potentially impede nerve conduction and therefore proper function of the body’s organs. 

            Animals who walk on all four legs have the added strain on their backs of being elongated horizontally.  Especially if an animal is carrying extra pounds around the belly, or is a breed that has an extended length back, regular adjustments could improve overall health and vigor.  Making sure the vertebral column is in alignment allows the spinal cord to conduct the nerve impulses without pressure or inflammation.

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            How do you decide whether to pursue alternative or “Eastern” medicine such as acupuncture and herbs?  When should these be considered instead of or in addition to “western” or allopathic medicine?  Most of the time, the two traditions can be combined.  In emergency situations, it is always advisable to get to the emergency room right away, although there are actually acupuncture points for emergencies.  In general, most conditions can be helped with alternative therapies.  If standard medications or therapies are not helping a pet’s condition, or are having undesirable or harmful side effects, then alternative therapies are recommended, either as an adjunct or as an alternative.

            For example, if your dog or cat has elevated liver or kidney values, and also has difficulty getting around, then the standardly-prescribed anti-inflammatory medications are not right for them—these can harm the kidneys and/or liver further.  Acupuncture, on the other hand, helps mobility-related issues due to arthritis, hip dysplasia, back problems, and other conditions, and can actually be used to help heal the kidneys and liver at the same time.  Another example is psychoactive drugs being used in dogs, such as xanax or prozac.  Although these may help some dogs with anxiety, most feel more vulnerable while on them, and therefore benefit more from acupuncture and gentle herbs for calming.

            Another common reason alternative therapies are sought are if a condition seems to clear, but keeps coming back.  A great example of this is cystitis in cats.  If you have a cat that gets bladder irritation repeatedly, consider acupuncture and herbs to get to the root of the issue, rather than masking symptoms with antibiotics each time it happens.

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            How important is it to vaccinate your dog or cat?  Chances are, if they are over the age of 1-3 years, then it’s not likely as vital to their health as most veterinarians make it seem.  Most of the vaccines given to pets are for diseases that the pets are most susceptible to when they are very young.  Chances are, that if they had healthy parents, the immunity they would get from their mother during nursing would cover them during the crucial times.  However, we people like to think we know better than Mother Nature.  Or rather, the pharmaceutical company marketing and fear-based “health care” plan that we are conditioned to have created a grossly over-exaggerated need for vaccinations—in both humans and animals.

            Anyone who has seen parvovirus in a puppy would gladly vaccinate to protect against it.  However, one or two properly given vaccines likely “lasts a lifetime” according to Dr. Ronald Schultz, DVM, expert on veterinary immunology.  Dr. Schultz has also discerned from his years of study on the topic that “repeating vaccinations does not improve immunity” beyond the initial two-dose series.  Add to those facts the reality that many vaccines may still contain trace amounts of mercury in the very toxic, albeit minute, form of thimerasol.  A very well respected expert on immunology also admitted that some vaccines contain ethylene glycol, aka antifreeze, the chemical known to cause kidney failure.

            When considering annual or even the progressive “no more often than every three year” (American Animal Hospital Association AAHA, AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association, and UC Davis) new vaccine guidelines, often animal guardians will compare the vaccine schedule to themselves, declaring, “I don’t get revaccinated after my childhood vaccines.”  True!  Also, in human vaccines, tricky things happen like raising the allowable limit of mercury, so that vaccines can be labeled “mercury free” when in fact they are identical to the regular thimerasol-laced vaccines.  Another stunt pulled was to have a reputable spokesperson make a statement saying that there is no longer any thimerasol used as a preservative in vaccines.  Well guess what?  By definitition, thimeraol is now considered a sterilizer.  So they didn’t lie to you—directly—just misfed you information to make you feel safer so you’d stop asking questions. 

            Vaccinosis, or adverse reactions from vaccines, can include irritation or inflammation of the skin, bladder (ie pissing cats), arthritis, autoimmune disorders, seizures, neurological disorders, and many other insidious conditions.  In people, vaccines have caused the diseases they were meant to protect (polio vaccine), as well as neuralgia and paralysis.  Those are the serious documented side effects.  More mild or transient effects can include malaise, fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, or anaphylaxis—that last of which can actually lead to death.

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Inflammatory bowel syndrome/disease (IBD) is chronic gut issues resulting in vomiting, diarrhea or constipation.  In 1997 the National Institutes of Health put out a consensus statement that acupuncture was a valid and effective therapy for IBS/IBD for people.  The same is true in animals. 

Acupuncture, herbs, food therapy, fasting, reiki, energy work, understanding the human-animal bond, evaluating stressors in the environment, and nutritional supplements are all contributors to helping ease IBD.  There are many options for treatment that avoid antibiotics, steroids and immunosuppressive drugs—the typical therapies for these gastrointestinal nightmares.  The natural therapies tend to calm down and heal the gut lining, making it less inflamed and reactive to food.  Therefore, your pet will have less or no puking or diarrhea for you to have to deal with.  Plus, your pet will feel better, have a healthier immune system, and be less likely to catch other infections or develop cancer as a result of being on immunosuppressive drugs.  Cyclosporin and prednisone are immunosuppressive drugs used to suppress the immune system.  If the immune system is creating excess inflammation, then the theory behind that therapy is that it needs to be suppressed.  But at what cost?—especially when there are healthier and safer alternatives? 

Antibiotics—especially chronic use of antibiotics, obliterate the natural beneficial gut flora critters.  These are vital and needed to be in the intestines—they help process the food and feed the cells of the lining of the gut.  If a gut is leaky or inflamed and overrun with bad bacteria, the toxins are easily distributed throughout the body.  But antibiotics are not selective, and kill good natural gut bacteria as well as the bad.  It is estimated that about 70% of the immune system is actually created in the gut.  So if it is not working properly, then all systems in the body will suffer.  Antibiotics and steroids also tend to lose efficacy over time, becoming less effective if they even help at all.  Even if they do help, the steroids can create a predisposition to developing insulin resistance, or diabetes.  The chronic antibiotics create resistant bacterial strains and contribute to imbalances in gut flora, and therefore the immune system.

Simple solutions such as soluble fiber (pumpkin, acacia) and culinary herbs such as fennel or peppermint can help calm IBS symptoms.  Often, diet restrictions need to be applied, the possibility of parasites needs to be evaluated, and stress needs to be moderated in the life of the patient.  This usually means more playtime and exercise.  Often this includes meditation or lifestyle changes for the pet guardians as well.  But isn’t this better, long-term, than side-effect laden pharmaceuticals which only mask the symptoms?  Do you want to take responsibility for your part, as pet-guardian, or do you want to give your cat a pill for the rest of his life?

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            Pain, like the topic of fleas, is a very sore subject for many pet guardians.  Why?  No one wants to acknowledge if their beloved pet may be uncomfortable or have a parasite.  One would think it was a stigma.  However, both fleas and pain are more common than what some folks would like to admit.  That’s the reason for this article—to give tools for looking into this painful (sorry!) topic.  Just because an animal needs to have an issue addressed does not mean their guardian is not caring, competent, and attentive.  Here are some tools to help you gain some perspective on the subject of soreness.

            Pain can range from chronic low grade, dull, aching, to very sharp and sudden.  Usually we hear animals vocalize for sharp sudden pain.  However, more subtle symptoms will not necessarily garner such dramatic reactions.  Consider that wild instinct is to disguise or hide pain and weakness, so as not to be picked out by another predator or bully.  Subtle signs of pain include:

• limping
• reduced activity, lethargy, sluggishness
• reduced appetite or changes in eating patterns
• increased or decreased drinking
• restlessness
• difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• whining or increased vocalization
• hesitancy to jump, exercise or play
• grumpiness with others or other behavior changes
• “cloudiness” to the mentation/eyes
• purple or lavender color to the tongue, scalloped appearance to the sides of the tongue, or seeing teeth marks or veins pulsing in the tongue
• muscle spasms or tightness
• digestive upset: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
• increased “dream activity”
• abnormal elimination/litter box habits
• reduced grooming
• tail ducking, sinking in the rear end posture
• excessive grooming or barbering of fur
• obsessive-compulsive types of behavior
• halitosis or other offensive body odors including flatulence

            Each animal is an individual, and will display unique symptoms.  The big take-home advice is to notice if significant changes have occurred in your animal friend.  These changes include feeding, drinking, elimination, exercise / activity, social, sleeping and cognitive aspects.  If changes are noticed, is there a reasonable explanation?  For example, if you change foods, digestive upset can be quite common.  As long as it does not persist, there is probably no cause for alarm.  However, if everything is the same at home and with the routine and your stress level, but your cat suddenly will not jump up or play with you, then you may want to have kitty evaluated. 

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/Medicine/Treating-cancer-pain-in-dogs-and-cats/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/160624

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     Cushings disease is over production of adrenal corticosteroids, or stress hormones.  In 85% of dogs it is a result of a benign tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain.  In a small percentage of dogs it can be from a primary tumor in the adrenal glands.  Some dogs act as if they have Cushings if they are on steroids for allergies or auto-immune diseases.  If a dog has too many endogenous stress hormones drifting through their circulation from anxiety or pain, they can often begin to display symptoms of Cushings, and yet test negative with the diagnostics. 

            Symptoms include excessive panting, drinking water, eating, and urination.  Belly and other muscles get weak and they appear bloated.  It seems easier for these patients to blow knee ligaments and acquire other musculoskeletal injuries due to the muscle weakness.  They also tend to tire easily, although they seem to be in “overdrive.” 

            Standard treatment options include suppressing the adrenal function by drugs that act almost like chemotherapeutics.  A newer drug on the market seems to be more promising as far as quality of life is concerned.  Acupuncture, herbs, and food therapy are extremely useful for moderating the cortisol levels, helping the pet to relax more, be more mobile, have better muscular-skeletal strength, less panting, less pain, better drinking and eating habits, and better quality of life. 

This is a condition that will require life-long therapy.  The diagnostics are involved and can be extensive to get a biomedical diagnosis.  However, with traditional Chinese veterinary medicine, the diagnosis is made by examining the animal.  Symptomatic and pattern assessment are used to guide treatment, with often “more satisfying” results than those gained with pharmaceuticals.

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