Stein - Natural Remedy Book for Dogs and Cats

The alternative healing methods of this book are not meant to take the place of expert veterinary care. When your pet is ill, consult a holistic veterinarian.

Copyright 1994 by Diane Stein
Illustrations 1993 by Amy Sibiga
Photograph of Diane Stein by Davida Johns

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stein, Diane, 1948
The natural remedy book for dogs and cats / Diane Stein:[interior illustrations by Amy Sibiga].
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-0-307-82789-0
1. Alternative veterinary medicine. 2. DogsDiseasesAlternative treatment. 3. CatsDiseasesAlternative treatment. I. Title.
SF745.5.S745 1994
636.708958dc20

94-22084

v3.1

Acknowledgments

I gratefully thank Dr. Wendy Thacher, DVM for her thoughtful critique, preface, and check of veterinary accuracy of this book; and Marion Webb-DeSisto for her Appendix material on using gemstone healing with dogs and cats, as well as her chakra and aura information. Thanks also to Leslie Kaslow of Ellon USA, for support and flower remedy information; Susan Griffin, Diane Deubler and Cheryl Lenard of the Clip Joint and Naturals for Animals for flea and skin, nutritional, and behavioral information; and Jill Turner and Jane Brown for general healing and support both for my dogs and myself.

Thanks also and always to Elaine and John Gill and the wonderful folks of The Crossing Press, who have made this book both beautiful and possible. Thanks to Amy Sibiga for her artwork, and Davida Johns for her photo of Kali and Copper.

Preface

Diane Steins book provides extensive and detailed guidelines for healing our animal companions in ways that work above, beyond, and sometimes in spite of the realm of traditional medicine.

While traditional Western medicine has many badges of success, such as the healing of wounds and broken bones, the treatment of shock, the prevention of infectious diseases, and the control and treatment of chronic diseases like hypothyroidism and diabetes, it still has a long, long way to go. Allopaths, or traditional practitioners, are taught to spend too much time focusing on the disease and its symptoms. They consider remission of symptoms a sign that health has returned.

Dianes words awaken us to the needs of the entire animal, which may actually be harmed by successful symptom remission (suppression). Astute practitioners and guardians are beginning to realize that health is more than a lack of symptomstrue well-being resonates beyond the physical, measurable bodily functions.

For example, in the veterinary hospital, there are still many mysteries. Why do animals with the same disease, the exact same blood test values, and identical treatments experience completely different levels of recovery? Why does the same virus cause different symptoms in each animal, barely causing a sneeze in one, nearly killing another? What causes a patient to get better and thrive against all odds? What is that certain something that makes the difference?

Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats guides us to that immeasurable space where help can be found. Through proper nutrition, herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, and other remedies, we can heal our companions in the places traditional medicine cannot touch. As we begin communicating on this deeper level, we will be able to detect and prevent imbalances before physical symptoms appear.

The practice of true healing is very humbling, because we must constantly listen to the voice of our patients, and learn from the inherent wisdom contained in their bodies. We begin to realize that true talent lies not in matching the medicine to the disease, but rather in matching the therapy precisely to the needs of the individual animal. Discovering that match takes a good bit of careful listening. Diane helps us begin this long journey of understanding, which will benefit not only our animals, but also ourselves, and ultimately, our world.

Wendy Thacher, DVM

Women are mistresses of the beasts and guardians of the animals. When we attune to the powers of the beasts, we are fearless. We are also concerned about male control of the animals, since the beasts first trusted women when they agreed to live with humans.

Attuning to the animals rather than controlling them is the pathway to the stars.

Barbara Hand Clow,
Signet of Atlantis

Grandmother Earth, hear me! The two-leggeds, the four-leggeds, the winged, and all that move upon You are Your children. With all beings and all things we shall be as relatives; just as we are related to You, O Mother.

Black Elk

Contents

Introduction

Healing the Animals, the Earth, and Ourselves

This is a book of natural remedies for dogs and cats, listed by methods and dis-eases. It briefly describes eight methods of pet healing, then applies these methods for use with fifty dis-eases common to companion animals. The healing methods are: nutrition, naturopathy, vitamins and minerals, herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture/acupressure, flower essences, and gemstones. The methods and directions on how to use them comprise the first part of this book, and the dis-eases are in alphabetical order in the second section. Though the methods are summarized, this book is meant as a companion and continuation to my previous book, Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats (The Crossing Press, 1993). The remedies and methods are also applicable to other small animals and to horses by adjusting them to body weight; they are safe for humans, as well. Some of the methods, i.e., homeopathy, flower essences, gemstones, and acupressure, require no adjustment at all for use with larger or smaller bodies. For human holistic healing, refer to my previous books, All Women Are Healers and The Natural Remedy Book for Women, both published by The Crossing Press.

Natural remedies are not meant to replace qualified veterinary care for a seriously ill pet. Their primary purpose is to prevent dis-eases at their onsetnutrition and vitamins and minerals are the keyand to keep small dis-eases from becoming serious ones. They are also a support to veterinary care and greatly increase the pets comfort and rate of recovery. In many cases veterinary attention is made unnecessary by natural healing started soon after the symptoms are noted. Moreover, it is a first defense in any situation. In incidents that are not life-threatening, try natural methods first, and then go to chemicals and the veterinary/medical system, if the pet does not respond. I have found that natural healing works with my own two dogs often when veterinary methods and drugs fail.

When a professional is needed, I highly recommend contacting a holistically oriented veterinarian. She will often do phone consultations if she is too far away, and she will frequently work with the diagnosis of a standard veterinarian if she cannot examine the dog or cat personally. To locate a holistic vet in your area, contact