Category: Pet Health Articles

Your pet is important to you and you hope your pet will be a member of your family for a long time. But, are you sure that you are meeting your pet’s unique needs? Selecting the right diet is up to you. You are probably cautious about what you eat and how you live your…

The medical name for Valley Fever is coccidioidomycosis – often called “cocci” (pronounced KOK-SEE) for short. The name of the fungus, which causes Valley Fever or “cocci”, is Coccidioides immitis, which grows in soils around areas of low rainfall, high summer temperatures, and moderate winter temperatures. Valley Fever is prevalent in portions of Sacramento Valley,…

by William Pollak, DVM As humans, we strive for more than just freedom from physical limitations, pain, or disease; we seek Wellness, within ourselves and all of that around us. True Wellness is a state of life in which the totality of genetic expression is a living reality. This natural state is the birthright of…

by William Pollak, DVM What are you really feeding your pet? The Truth About Pet Food What we’d like to speak on is the importance of freshness, wholesomeness, and the appropriateness of what is consumed. The information we provide is for those people seeking powerful yet simple suggestions for enhancing Wellness in their companion animals,…

by Stephen Khang, KR Natural Pet Products Stress is a relatively new concept that people are talking about and still very few people really understand that concept. It is defined in the dictionary as a “pressure, force, strain; a state of physical or mental tension including it, or affecting something.” Although this does not help…

The pancreas is an elongated, tapered gland that is located behind the stomach. The exocrine area of the pancreas produces digestive juices and the endocrine area makes hormones, such as insulin, that regulate how the body stores and uses food. Specific Types of Pancreatitis include: Chronic Pancreatitis (inflammation) Chronic pancreatitis can be caused by hemochromatosis (a condition of excess iron in…

Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders in pets. It is a term that describes a chronic inflammation disorder of the small and/or large intestine. When suffering from IBD, the body’s normal rhythmic contractions of the digestive tract become irregular and uncoordinated. This interferes with the normal movement of food and…

What is Giardia in dogs and cats? Giardia is a gastrointestinal infection caused by a microscopic parasite called Giardia lamblia. This is a common parasite causing gastrointestinal illness. It is found in the stools of many animals, including rodents, dogs, cats, cattle, and wild animals. A Giardia infection can be acquired when your pet ingests…

What is Panleukopenia? Panleukopenia is an infection so severe that it was referred to as “Cat Plague” in earlier times when infections would nearly wipe out cat populations in certain geographical areas. It is a highly contagious, severe parvo-virus that causes enteric (bowel), immune system, and nervous system disease. This parvo-virus affects not only domestic…

Our research indicated that dogs can develop epileptic seizures from numerous causes such as exposure to chemicals, pollutants and vaccinations. This alarming trend was the impetus for the development of Epi Plus. EPI PLUS is a combination of herbs vitamins and minerals which is a holistic treatment for epilepsy in dogs and cats. Pets who suffer from nervous…

Is your dog eating its own feces, manure, cat feces, dirt, wallpaper, etc?  Oftentimes this signals a vitamin deficiency.  Dirt contains minerals, and cat and dog feces contain certain vitamins, therefore, by eating these they are trying to get the necessary nutrients they are lacking. There are two things you can do to ensure your…

by Catherine Donnelly Demodex is not a genetic disease. Demodex mites feed on systemic yeast, dietary yeast and/or sugar in the system. Demodex mites take advantage of an immature or lowered immune system, which is why the very young get it, and sometimes the very old, or ill. A dog’s immune system is usually not…

Pet cataracts are the leading cause of impaired vision and blindness in pets today.  It describes a loss of transparency of the eye lens.  Cataract formation damages the sulfur-containing proteins in the lens thus, the damaged lens cannot transmit light effectively to the retina.  Some causes of feline and canine cataracts include: Aging Diabetes Heavy…

You may believe that cancer is different from other diseases, acting like a fire, in that you can’t stop it once it has started. Therefore, you have to cut it out, or radiate it, or chemically destroy every cancerous cell in the body since it can never become normal again. Nothing could be more wrong. Cancer…

How Pet Antioxidants Contribute to the Overall Health of your Pet  Antioxidants support the immune system by increasing the number of antibodies which circulate in the blood stream.  More antibodies mean increased resistance to harmful viruses, bacteria and parasites. Each antioxidant has its own unique function, but they all contribute in improving the immune function,…

Yeasts are single cell organisms, which are found on the surfaces of all living things, including your pet’s body. Yeasts normally live on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. Unfriendly bacteria, viruses, allergens and other enemies also find their way into other membrane-lined passageways and cavities. Also existing in the body are billions of…

by Lisa Newman, Holistic Animal Care What’s in your pet’s diet… and why should you care! You have probably heard the scary stories of feathers and beaks and “things” commonly found in pet foods… you may have experienced the pain and expense of caring for a chronically ill animal or may simply be waking up…

Chubby Puppies are adorable and the fatter they are, the cuter they are. However, baby fat stops being cute when it leads to major health concerns. Studies indicate that an overweight pet is at high risk for a variety of weight-related health problems, such as thyroid problems, heart problems, and many other major illnesses. An…

by Jenette Restivo, ABCNEWS.COM If you’re a pet owner, you’ve seen them in your mailbox – postcards from the neighborhood veterinarian reminding you that it’s time for Fido’s distemper vaccine or Fluffy’s leukemia shots. After all, vaccines are a standard in health care. We vaccinate our children against hepatitis, polio and influenza when they’re infants…

Vitamin C is a key chemical in the body’s defense system. It has tremendous anti-viral powers. It is essential to the living process and to all living forms who either produce it themselves or get it in their food, or they will perish within 3 months. No other vitamin deficiency works that fast. Besides preventing…

If you have a dog or cat suffering from seizures, you will want to read this article on how to control seizures naturally using a high-quality diet, lifestyle changes, and supplements. Canine and Feline epilepsy is a growing concern with pet owners and is a very common problem in veterinary medicine. Epilepsy, sometimes called a…

On Kidney Stones in Dogs, and The Benefit of Vitamin C Symptoms: Difficulty and straining to urinate. Only small amounts of urine are produced, accompanied with blood and sometimes pus.        This is a fairly common condition in older dogs of both sexes. What has happened is the urine has become overly alkaline,…

What are heartworms? Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans. Heartworms are classified as nematodes (roundworms) and…

By Stephen Khang, KR Natural Pet Products What are free radicals? They sound dangerous – and they are. You may have read about them recently in connection with the aging process and degenerative diseases. How are they formed? What kind of damage do they do? Most importantly how does the body protect itself against them?…

Is your cat biting at himself, sensitive to touch and showing erratic behavior?  Your cat may be suffering from Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, also known as Rolling Skin Syndrome.  Read how to control FHS naturally through a high quality diet and supplements.  Learn what may cause FHS. Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome also known as “rolling skin syndrome,”…

Dogs and seizures It is very important to get your pet on a high-quality diet, as poor nutrition can lead to seizures and many other health problems.  Purely Pets recommends a homemade diet. If you are interested in free recipes for seizures email, corinne@purelypets.com A homemade diet does not fit into everyone’s lifestyle, and if this…

Dog Digestive Enzymes?  Cat Digestive Enzymes?  Are They Needed? YES, digestive enzymes are catalysts for every process in the body. Whether it is weight loss, eliminating high cholesterol, breaking down excess protein in tumors, or treating digestive problems, enzymes come to the rescue! Benefits of Enzymes: Increases T-Cell (cancer fighting cell) production and activity within…

Have a pet suffering from Colitis?  Learn how to treat it naturally feeding your pet the right diet, making life style changes and adding high quality supplements. Colitis refers to inflammation of the large intestine (colon) and can be caused by a primary disease, irritation of the bowel, antibiotic use, parasite infestation or ulceration. Symptoms…

The number of pets suffering from asthma is rapidly rising.  Some of the reasons for the rise in asthma are explained below.  1. Food allergies Food Allergies can put a strain on the immune system and contribute to asthma.  Major food allergens include: Corn Wheat Peanuts (Peanut hulls) Eggs Food coloring Food additives Soy Beets…

BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Butylated Hydroxytoluene) Testing of rats showed that BHA and BHT inhibited growth, caused weight loss, damaged the liver, kidneys and testicles, caused the rat to go bald, and elevated the blood cholesterol levels. It also caused their offspring to be born without eyes, and there were indications of brain defects.…