VACCINATION, FEEDING, SUPPLEMENTS, EXERCISE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF…

While one could think that puppies are born with a clean slate, they often carry “a pack full of problems” from previous generations.  These problems are not just genetic. Puppies are burdened by the imbalances and health issues of their parents.

Excessive vaccination, poor nutrition, stress and the use of immunosuppressive drugs such as anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids can create chronic imbalances that reflect in the health of offsprings

If you are planning to get a puppy, the most generous way is to choose one from a rescue shelter. You will feel great about your decision and also give a home to a dog that would otherwise continue to suffer or be euthanized.

If you would rather get a puppy from a breeder, you definitely need to stay away from puppy mills, suspicious ads and pet store bought puppies.

Puppy mill operators (ab)use dogs as breeding machines. They lock them in cages, rarely walk them and most of the dogs suffer tremendously.

Besides the endless suffering, puppies of these dogs often end up with serious irreversible health issues that even a miracle healer or a vet will not solve.  I am warning you right here that treating these problems will suck your pocket dry and break your heart.

If you feel the urge to “rescue” a puppy mill puppy, buying one creates more demand which is exactly what the puppy broker or puppy mill owner wants.  Not buying one will make them go bankrupt and hopefully they will surrender the dogs to authorities.

I suggest that if you can’t find the dog of your liking in your area, there are many homeless dogs in “kill shelters” all over Canada, the US or in third world countries.

Feeding dogs is another HOT TOPIC (especially when you throw in feeding a Raw Whole Prey Diet) and writing about it is like "tugging on Superman's cape"

If you are interested in learning more about natural diet, you can contact me at absinthebassethounds@absinthemenagerie.com   However, I will only mention that good puppy nutrition starts with a well fed mother.

After more than 30 years of feeding and recommending a raw, species appropriate diet, my "Forever Families" and I have witnessed a huge difference between dogs fed processed and raw food.  Because I have repeatedly seen longer lives, less medical issues, shinier and healthier coats, better mobility, less chronic disease and cancer there is no way I would switch back to kibble.

SUPPLEMENTS

Most people understand the role of vitamins and perhaps omega oils are in health.  However, many are unaware that the most common causes of disease and premature aging are mineral deficiencies.

Not one single mineral can be manufactured by the body and minerals are severely depleted in even in organic foods.  The main reason is intensive agriculture and excessive soil exploitation and fatigue.

That is why any pregnant or lactating mother should be getting these basic supplements:

• Essential minerals and Super food supplement
• A high quality Certified Organic Multivitamin
• High quality Omega Oils
• Non-dairy based live Probiotics to promote good digestion and proper immune system function.

The most well known issue of mineral deficiency in pregnant and nursing bitches is lack of blood calcium in pregnant or nursing bitches – eclampsia. One of the causes of postpartum eclampsia is under functioning parathyroid gland which leads to slower release of calcium.  However, proper function of the pituitary gland also depends on the presence of other minerals and nutrients.

Feeding lactating bitches balanced diet and essential supplements is equally essential for the well being of puppies and their development.

Say NO to synthetic vitamins

WEANING PUPPIES NATURALLY

Just recently, I saw a mother at Wholefoods feeding her baby by squeezing baby food from a tube. I watched her and wondered if she knew that this “baby food” had a fraction of the nutritional value of fresh food that she could blend and prepare fresh at home.

It is an example of how blinded we have been by marketing and advertising. Many people are convinced that feeding sterilized, pasteurized food is somehow better.  However, nature doesn’t make baby or puppy food and that is why I recommend feeding puppies the same high quality raw food as you would feed an adult.

Starting at 3 – 4 weeks of age, you can introduce high quality raw food by  feeding the mothers in the pen with puppies that will gradually start eating it.  By the time puppies are 8 weeks old and ready to come home, they should be eating a variety of meats, veggies, eggs and  chewing on raw bones to massage their gums and promote healthy teeth and bone development.

I am not a big fan of giving milk products mainly because in nature, milk is not a part of the canine diet as soon as puppies are weaned.

VACCINES

I am relieved that there are now research studies available that confirm that the practice of yearly dog vaccination has absolutely no scientific basis and that most dogs immunity lasts at least 8 years and possibly even a lifetime.

Vaccines are a fiery topic. All I can do is to give you my humble opinions, experience, and research I gleaned from my Holistic Veterinary Provider.

• Natural immunity obtain from the milk of mothers persist in most puppies until 12 – 16 weeks of age.
• Vaccinating puppies before 12 weeks will “wipe” out the maternal antibodies which leaves puppies more vulnerable to infections.
• Vaccines contain serious carcinogens such as “thiomersal”(that contains mercury), formaldehyde and other chemicals.
• Most people are unaware that vaccines are often produced by infecting and sacrificing healthy animals.  To me, the notion of killing one to save another is insane and I feel obligated to inform you about this practice.
• Vaccines can also cause chronic often life long disease that resembles the disease that they are supposed to prevent.  Some good examples are digestive problems, skin issue or mental and behavioral changes that disappear after neutralizing the effects vaccines have with homeopathic remedies.
• Most vaccines bypass the natural entry gates of infection such as mouth or the airways and this is a severe shock to the immune system.  How would you feel if a person entered your house through breaking the windows (the analogy for an injection) as opposed to ringing the bell?
• The administration of multiple antigen vaccines is also a very unnatural way of creating immunity. In nature, usually only one serious disease pathogen would be present at the time allowing the body to fully focus on one pathogen.  Giving combination vaccines makes the immune system overwhelmed the same way you would if you are working on several major projects at the same time.

Here is an immunity protocol that I have been using with my dogs for years:

• Never vaccinate your puppy before 12 weeks of age if you have the choice
• If your puppy has been vaccinated early, any medical condition may or may not be a vaccine side effect. I recommend consulting an open minded holistic practitioner who knows how to recognize vaccine related issues.
• If you suspect vaccination side-effects you can safely administer a homeopathic  remedy Thuja 200 C – 1 dose to neutralize vaccination side effects.
• Maternal antibodies protect puppies fully until 12 – 16 weeks. When your puppy is 12 weeks old get a parvovirus and distemper “antibody titer test” done.
• If any antibody level is present, retest at the age of 5 months and socialize your puppy on a moderate basis with other dogs. Your puppy will learn the “ropes” by being in the company of other canines and its exposure to pathogens while it is protected will stimulate the production of their own antibodies. This is in fact natures “way of vaccination” and this is exactly what vaccine companies don’t want you to know.
• To me, any level of antibodies suggests protection despite some labs reporting low titers as insufficient. In fact, no one can say what levels are or aren’t low.  I have never seen parvo or distemper in dogs that have had even a low positive titer.
• If your puppy tested negative for antibodies consider vaccination with one antigen of parvovirus (not a combination) at 12  weeks and distemper 4 weeks later.
• Retest for antibodies 1 month and then 2-3 months after the vaccine and then 2 – 3 months later.
• If your puppy’s titer continues to be negative, you will have to make a decision about   which risk is higher – boosters or the incidence of an infectious disease.
• Never use vaccines for Kennel Cough, Lymes disease and Giardia as they have the highest side-effect causing properties.
• If you live in an area with rabies, the vaccine may need to be given, however, give it at least 4 weeks from other vaccination and talk to your veterinarian about the rabies incidence in your area.