animal Living pawsitive!
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wellness For a long, healthy life!
SPECIAL ISSUE
DIANE KEATON Why she's
"GOTTA GIVE"
to the animals
Is Fido
STRESSED? Take our test to find out
5 steps to a healthy IMMUNE SYSTEM Are his toys safe?
INDOOR CAT happy & healthy
DEC./JAN. 2006
Display until Jan. 20, 2006
$4.95 USA/$5.95 Canada
VOLUME 7 ISSUE 6
How to keep your
www.AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
animal wellness
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contents 36
Photo: Lon Jones – Helen Woodward Animal Center
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features 18 Supplements to
strengthen her immune system These health-enhancing nutrients fight disease and boost wellness
Photo: Kenny Williams, If Your Horse Could Talk
22 The feline perspective
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Immune support for your kitty
24 Keeping your
indoor cat happy and healthy Is Fluffy bored? Here's what to do
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Diane Keaton When it comes to animals, she's just "gotta give"
40 Toy story
Are his toys safe?
42 Make a list and check it twice
... to ensure a safe & stress-free holiday!
44 Delicious holiday
baking for your four- and two-legged friends Try these scrumptious festive recipes
59 Is Fido stressed out? Here's how to help him relax
animal wellness
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ONTARIO REGIONAL SECTION
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66 Indoor gardening
brightens up the winter months for you and your animal
80 Fluff's adventure
has many counting their blessings A lost kitty is happily reunited with his human family
Bringing the outdoors in
77 Remembering
Hurricane Katrina A tribute to the animal rescuers
82 The eyes have it
Is it as bad for him as it is for you?
R E GIONAL S ECTION
Create a visual tribute to your best friend
changes a chimpanzee's life
Second-hand smoke
CALIFORNIA
companion with a scrapbook of his very own
98 Cataract surgery
An intro to iridology for horses
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93 Celebrate your
A ground-breaking operation restores Jacky's vision
ATLANTA
REGIONAL SECTION
animal wellness
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Supplements to
strengthen
her immune system by Shawn Messonnier, DVM One of the most common questions people ask me is: “What do you recommend to boost my animal’s immune system?” I am most often being asked to prescribe something for infectious diseases (especially feline respiratory disease, kennel cough, and distemper), as well as cancer, mange, and conditions in older animals, although nutritional supplements for the immune system are very important for any ailing animal. In this article, I’ll discuss some of the more commonly used immune-boosting supplements, along with recommendations on how to keep your animal’s immune system as healthy as possible all year round.
Why support the immune system?
Photo: Hildegard Franks
Many people mistakenly think that if their sick animals take all their prescribed medications, they’ll get well. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. While drugs and natural therapies can help kill infectious organisms and even combat cancer, a healthy immune system is needed to return the animal to wellness. In researching my new book The Natural Vet’s Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs (New World Library, February 2006), I came across a very interesting statement. With cancer (or really any disease), it doesn’t matter how much chemotherapy, surgery or radiation we use: if the animal’s immune system is not functioning properly, he will die! That’s a pretty powerful statement, and shows just how important the immune system is in helping animals recover from disease.
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The right supplements, combined with natural food and a decreased animal wellness
reliance upon vaccines and anti-parasite products and other medications, can also help prevent (or at least minimize) many of the diseases we see in animals. Minimizing stress and the harmful environmental chemicals found in certain diets and medications go a long way towards keeping the immune system healthy and functioning properly.
gamma. Arabinogalactans have strong immunostimulating and anti-inflammatory properties. They can be used as part of an integrative approach to cancer treatment, and any other time immune stimulation is needed (for example, in viral, bacterial, or fungal diseases). Arabinogalactans are among the supplements I use in all my cancer patients.
Common immune-enhancing supplements
• Purine nucleotides are the final class of supplements that can provide immune system support. These compounds are involved in virtually all cellular processes and play a major role in structural, metabolic, energetic and regulatory functions. Like arabinogalactans, they have been shown to
There are many different supplements that can support the immune system; these are just a few of those most often prescribed. • Antioxidants are among the most commonly used supplements and can help animals with a variety of medical disorders. They are useful whenever disease is present and immune support is needed. Antioxidants include specific vitamins (such as vitamins C and E) and plant and animal compounds (bioflavonoids like grape seed extract, quercetin, coenzyme Q10 and ginkgo biloba) that are responsible for maintaining health. Technically, they do not boost the immune system, but rather clean up the oxidizing chemicals that cause cell damage. Antioxidants also decrease other chemicals that can damage cells, such as histamine, interleukin, and tumor necrosis factor. As animals age, their antioxidant needs increase, so it’s probably wise to consider antioxidants as part of the supplement protocol for all older animals. • Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallida) is the most familiar immune stimulant. It also functions as an antiviral and antibacterial herb. Echinacea contains a number of classes of pharmocologically active chemicals, including polysaccharides, flavonoids, caffeic acid, essential oils, alkylamides, and polyacetylenes. Echinacea in either herbal or homeopathic form is one of the immune-boosting supplements I use in sick animal patients. • Arabinogalactans are polysaccharides mainly derived from the larch tree (Larix occidentalis). Studies show that these compounds may enhance natural killer cells and cause a release of interferon
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