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Miztiki
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I'll be so glad when I'm spending less time posting in the health section and more time posting in the training or livestock section!

 

Boyden is doing so much better than when I got him, but he had bronchitis recently (which the vet thinks was secondary to his allergies) and another mild ear infection. I don't feel that steroids and antibiotics are the answer. There must be a better way.

 

I've read that antibiotics not only kill the germs, but kill the good stuff too, and I know all too well what steroids do.

 

I've heard mention of probiotics but I'm really not even sure what those are. I've also seen mention of digestive enzymes but again, I don't know anything really. I've seen the list that says dogs shouldn't get any shots and thought that was nuts.

 

I'm willing to learn of other ways of making him healthy, even if it seems nuts. This alternative way of making dogs better is foreign to me. Can someone give me some links and/or forums so that I can get an idea of my options? I'm not even sure what information I'm asking for, just something that's not steroids and antibiotics and otomax.

 

And if green tripe fits into the equation somehow, tell me and I'll get him some.

 

Thanks gusy. :rolleyes:

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I did a quick look. See what you see :rolleyes:

http://www.simplyk9.co.uk/probiotics.htm

 

http://www.holisticvetpetcare.com/dogs_2a.htm

 

http://www.naturalcanine.com/html/allergies1.html

 

http://herbalcollective.ca/allergy.html

 

http://www.weim.net/homeovet/English/Intro.htm

 

This last is not a product page but an Intro to veterinary homeopathy. This should give you some idea of what you can do to boost his immune system.

 

Annette

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This is a really dumb question but have you had him tested for tick borne disease? Both our dogs that had terrible trouble with little infections turned out to be infected with TBDs. fighting the TBD takes up the resources of the immune system and leaves the body susceptible to relatively minor infections. The fact that he's on antibiotics a lot would mask a lot of the other classic symptoms and he may even be in a subclinical phase.

 

Just sounds all too familiar.

 

If it is TBD, the answer is either doxycyline or I forget what the other one is - something really strong and not very common. Cipro? I forget. NOT tetracycline, which some outdated materials recommend - anywhere in the south and most places outside the south, tetra is no longer fully effective against TBD.

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Probiotics are the bacteria that live and flourish in the normal, healthy digestive tract of animals, including humans. In this month's Consumer Reports magazine, (a must read in our home) there's a really good article about the human need for probiotics and a good basic explanation. If you can't find a hard copy, I'll copy ours and send it to you.

 

Digestive enzymes are produced by the body to do just what they sound like - break down foods so that they can be absorbed for the body to use.

 

Some dogs have, for example, a pancreatic insufficiency, (common in GSDs, I think.) The pancreas doesn't make enough pancreatase, (help me out, here, I'm remembering thru the murky mists of time) so that food is not digested sufficiently. Weight loss or failure to thrive is a common symptom.

 

As far as alternative therapies, I've been around the block with my dogs. Chiropractic cured Buzz's soft tissue injury to his neck when all my regular vet could offer was steroids and rest, and it didn't work.

 

Accupuncture/homeopathy didn't seem to make a difference for Shonie, but various supplements for both her and Sammi do help, quite a bit.

 

Another resource is Whole Dog Journal, I'm just finishing up my first year's subscription, and they've got good, well researched articles on health.

 

Do check out the TBD, I think there's an email list with Yahoo Groups.

 

And be prepared to wade thru a ton of information. If you've got any more specific questions about what we've done for our guys, give a holler.

 

Ruth n the BC3

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I don't recall the vet mentioning testing for TBD. Is that something they would do along with all the other stuff? If not, then I'll arrange to have that done.

 

I won't be able to look into this thoroughly until Monday, but wanted to hear from you first in case there was something I could start doing right away. I'll call the vet Monday and make an appointment. I got that otoscope I ordered and need them to show me what to look for.

 

He had no undercoat when I got him but he has a beautiful one now. Just last night I was combing him out real good and clipping his nails and I noticed that he has grown beautiful white hair on his, erm, empty testicle containers. The vet says it means his allergies are pretty much under control. His coat is so incredibly soft that I can't keep my hands off of him. :rolleyes:

 

I'm tired and going to bed. Thanks for the info and links, and feel free to give me more! Ruth, I should search Yahoo groups for a list called TBD?

 

G'nite.

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Miztiki,

Just search these boards for Tick-L and you'll find instructions for joining that list--it has all the information you could possibly need and some great, knowledgeable posters (including vets). I'd put the info here, but it's one of those LSOFT lists and I can never remember the commands, but I know I've posted it here several times at least.

 

FYI, I've learned from the list that at least some vets in TX think Lyme doesn't exist in that state--don't let your vet tell you that. If you decide to test, do a full panel that checks for Lyme, Ehrlichia, Babesia and one other (here in the East it would be Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but not sure if that's a problem in TX so the panel may include something else there).

 

For anyone else, I think it's always a good idea to consider TBDs when your dog has ongoing symptoms that don't respond to conventional treatment.

 

J.

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I agree with Julie. My vet in Ohio told me that there were no ticks in northern Ohio when I first got there. He showed me this wonderful shaded map and all. My kids got ticks on them in my own back yard! (he was trying to talk me out of Frontline Plus). So if you test for TBD test for everything. And honestly, these guys are right, on going stuff, even wierd mood changes can be attributed to TBD. Dunno why I didn't think of it for Boyden. I'll never forget that, I wanted to get tick control and worried about TBD and he said "Ms. Carter, we don't have TBDs because we have no ticks" Poor indy was plagued with the things-even with frontline + on.

 

At least this is "Yay, another avenue to look into!" right?

 

Annette

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Oh boy Annette, that second link is a doozy! Like, wow man, groovy. :eek:

 

I can understand a little of what's being said. I like to garden and I like to do it naturally. A healthy plant is much less susceptable to disease, stress, etc. Having a healthy plant starts with having healthy soil. That's where compost comes in. Maybe compost can be likened to probiotics.

 

I was supposed to hop into the shower but Fynne belched in there and it stunk so bad. I have never in my life smelled such a horrible burp, and it lingered for several minutes. Ugh.

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