Please welcome our lovely members at Have a Happy Hound...using holistic methods to care for your dog. You will find more details on our website too.
At
this time of year, along with thoughts of spring cleaning, clearing out of
cupboards, and holidays in mind; many dog owners cast a critical eye over the
family dog/s that may have become rather “ wild ‘n woolly” over the winter!
Many owners are becoming more aware of the possible dangers of chemicals within
such things as shampoo, flea/tick drops, worming products etc. & are
looking for natural alternatives. I would recommend www.canine_health_concern.org & www.GrandmaLovesTheDog.com
for information/support about canine health care & for their ethical
products.
Happy
Hound Grooming is a holistic, individual and flexible grooming service for the
discerning and caring dog owner, “where every dog is a special dog”. Grooming
is done on a 1-1 basis, using natural chemical free coat products, & where
every dog has a free health check as part of the grooming service. Reiki can be
used to calm nervous stressed dogs, & my experience in dog training, &
with rescue dogs can help make the whole process as calm as possible.
What
should dog owners be trying to achieve to keep their dog as healthy as possible
for the year ahead? Well, with the mild winter which has just passed, & the
milder spring weather we have had recently; flea/tick infestations may well be
a problem in the months ahead. Dogs that
are fed a fully “raw” diet are less receptive to fleas/ticks, & the addition
of small amounts of garlic to the diet, not only repel unwanted “visitors” but
help support the dogs’ immune system, which in turn means the dog is better
able to fight off infection. While garlic is a member of the onion family,
which is poisonous to dogs, the selenium and other useful nutrients in it mean
it is a very useful tool in the health/first aid kit. It can be used in
granule, tablet or fresh format with the dosage adjusted to the size of the
dog.
Further
protection from fleas/ticks can be obtained from the use of Neem products. Neem
is obtained from the bark of the Neem tree in India, where it has been used for
hundreds of years as an effective protection against insect infestations. I use
Neem shampoo when grooming, & as well as it’s anti flea properties, it
provides a wonderful sheen to the coat. While there are many sites selling Neem
products I use ( www.neemgenie.co.uk ) which in addition to
it’s pet products has a wide range of human products which can be used to help
eczema, psoriasis lice infestations etc. After treating the dog however, be
sure that all bedding, beds & soft furnishings are also treated, otherwise
a “repeat cycle” of infection will be set up. I have found the use of DE powder
( Diatomaceous Earth) obtainable from www.GrandmaLovesTheDog.com
to be very useful for kennels, beds, bedding etc. In fact for those dog
owners who also keep hens, DE powder is a versatile product that can be used in
hen houses, & dusted on hens to kill off any mite infections. In high risk
areas using a Neem Pet Guard spray can help minimise the chances of infection
although, it is best to check for any fleas/ticks, immediately after walks.
There are 4 types of worms in dogs, with the
likelihood of developing an infestation being higher if bitches are not worm
free before whelping, if dog faeces are not cleared up on a regular basis, if
your dog scavenges carcasses which are infected or, if it eats snails. The 4
types are Toxicara (or round worm) Tapeworm, Hookworms or Lungworms. There are
a number of natural products which can help worm infestation however, garlic
being one, neem chew sticks on a regular basis being another & crushed
pumpkin seeds being another. I live in a rural location and in 2010 after about
three years of only giving natural anti worming products had all my dogs faeces
tested. Not only were there no worms, there were no egg cells either. A raw fed
diet means the gut of the dog is less mucousy /attractive to worms. The only
proviso regarding Neem products is it should not be used in breeding bitches.
Liquid
garlic obtainable from ( www.dorwestherbs.com)
is a natural antiseptic & is very useful for cleaning out dogs ears,&
superficial cuts. Colloidal Silver ( www.GrandmaLovesTheDog.com ) is also useful for cleaning ears
& for care of superficial wounds. If
you are going away on holiday with your dog, be sure, to adjust the ID tag to
reflect your temporary address, & inform the microchip company too, plus
ensure you have an adequate supply of any regular medication.
Hopefully
you will find the information above of use, but if you have any queries, please
do not hesitate to get in touch with doreen@haveahappyhound.co.uk , “where every dog is a
special dog”!
Doreen
Simpkins
01785
851 300 or, 07967636644
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