RAWPETDIGEST
October/ November 2016
IN THIS ISSUE: -Hai r b al l s i n cat s -Ho t sp o t s i n d o g s -Ti t er t est i n g -W el l n ess assessm en t s -A n d m u ch m o r e! Pansy, a Chihuahua. Photo credit: Bre Altherr
Raw Pet Digest Editor-in-chief: Kristin Clark Technical editor: Dr. Jeannie (Jeannette) Thomason
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All emails and letters become the property of Raw Pet Digest and may be reprinted in future issues.
Our mission at Raw Pet Digest is to share information that supports natural health with a broad audience to help improve the lives of our carnivore pets. We believe that only the body is capable of achieving and maintaining true health, but we also believe that there are many things that we can do to help support the body in its quest to maintain balance (health). Raw Pet Digest aims to help educate and inform you about those things so that you can help your pet live a long life and thrive naturally.
DISCLAIMER: All information contained in Raw Pet Digest is intended for educational purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, prevent, or treat any disease, illness, or injured condition of the body or pets, and the author(s), publisher, and contributors accept no responsibility for such use. Anyone or their pets suffering from any disease, illness, or injury should consult with their physician or veterinarian. The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, all views expressed herein by those being interviewed or featured are their own views and do not necessarily represent the views of Raw Pet Digest. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the author(s) and Editor-in-Chief. The articles herein are for educational purposes only. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader.
Lycan, Merlin, Midge, and Pansy. Photo credit: Bre Altherr
FEATURESAND COLUMNS Letter to the Editor - 4 The Alchemy of the Pet Food Industry - 5 Radical Changes, Radical Results - 11 Spotlight on Health: OSCM - 15 The Road to Raw: Chelsea, Sumo, and Dizzy - 19 Cultivating Gratitude - 25 Hairballs in Cats - 28 Easy Wellness Checks You Can Do Yourself - 32 Hot Spots in Dogs - 36
A side profile view of Motley. Photo credit: Kristin Clark
Titer Testing: Is It Really Worth the Hype? - 42 Moving in Mindfulness: Lessons from Cleo - 49
Daiquiri checking out the camera. Photo credit: Jim Clark
Letter fromtheEditor Just a few days ago, I met with a new client who had just brought home a brand-new, 8-week old puppy a few days earlier. It was her family?s first puppy? a gorgeous little Springer Spaniel they named Lily? and she wanted some guidance on some basic training and diet. Her first question to me (and I?m quoting here) was, ?What?s the most important thing I can do for her to help her live a long, healthy life??. I felt like I was in an infomercial! She and I hadn?t talked much before we set up the appointment, and she actually was referred by a friend, so she wasn?t coming to me specifically because she was interested in a raw diet. And yet, here she was, asking me my opinion on the best thing she could do for this adorable little puppy. She was open, she was receptive, and while she was overwhelmed (an 8-week-old puppy will do that to you!), she was also very interested in supporting her dog?s health right from the get-go. I?m sure you can guess what my answer was, but just in case, here it is: ?Feed her what she was designed to eat? raw meat, bones, and organs.? Of course, I went on to explain things from there, but that was my answer in a nutshell. Yes, training and socialization are important. Yes, playing with the puppy and making sure she has enough toys are important. Yes, making sure she gets along with the family cat is important. But first and foremost, Lily? like any puppy? needs the proper nutrition to support healthy growth throughout puppyhood to a lifetime of thriving as an adult. My client had some fears, of course? almost everyone does when they?re first exposed to this concept. In particular, she was concerned about bacteria. We talked about it, and we decided that she would move forward with the information I gave her, with some support from me in the coming weeks. I couldn?t be happier about this! So many times people come to me when their dog is already sick, or at least when their dog is a full-grown adult that has already had some
Kristin with Cleo, Motley, Elle, and Barkley. Photo credit: Adam Gilbert
damage from the conventional ways they are fed and taken care of. And that?s fine? I?d rather people start somewhere than panic and not do anything at all because their dog or cat isn?t a baby anymore. But to start a puppy, or a kitten, out with the right diet? what an amazing way to support the body and help to break the cycle of skin allergies, diabetes, obesity, bad breath, joint pain, and all the ailments that come with an imbalanced, weak immune system and body. One person who has really seen a difference in the health of her dogs since transitioning them to a species-appropriate raw food diet is Chelsea Uribe, Facilities Manager and Trainer at Sit Means Sit Cleveland-Akron. We discussed raw diets, her journey of transitioning her dogs, and more with her, and we bring you that interview in this issue. Take a look at it? if you already feed a species-appropriate diet, you will find yourself able to relate to her story, and if you don?t, her words may be of special interest to you. It always helps, I think, to hear about others and their journeys, no matter where you are in the process, and we very much appreciate Chelsea sharing her story with us. As always in this issue, we also look at a number of things that can help you keep your pet thriving naturally. Enjoy the issue, and thanks for reading! -Kristin
THEALCHEMYOFTHE PETFOODINDUSTRY Lycan , a gor geou s Belgian M alin ois, sh ow in g of f h is " bar k an d h old." Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r
Pet food companies specialize in making their products sound like they?re the answer to keeping your pet healthy, happy, and thriving. Their slick pictures, attention-grabbing phrases, and reassurances that their products meet AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards, have helped turn commercial pet food into a multi-billion dollar industry. However, no matter what the brand?s marketing department tells you? and this is a point that bears repeating? processed pet food is not a good source of nutrition for your pet. In addition to the issues that arise from the ingredients (and the quality of those ingredients) that are included in processed pet food, and the processing methods themselves, kibble and canned pet food also often contain toxins that can have a severely detrimental impact on your dog or cat. In this issue, let?s take a look at some of the preservatives that are commonly found in commercial pet food, and the effect that those preservatives can have. Some of the most common preservatives found in pet food include (in alphabetical order): butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butyl hydroxytoluene (BHT), Ethoxyquin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Propyl Gallate, and Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). These are all preservatives that are added to food that have fats and oils so that the food doesn?t spoil. They can be found in many of the products? foods and treats? that are available from a myriad
of pet food companies, which means that if you buy kibble from your vet?s office, or from large pet stores, the grocery store, or other retailers that sell processed dog food, there?s a high likelihood that what you're buying contains one or more of these preservatives. Because these preservatives are cheap and readily available, pet food companies can use them to help drive their profit margins up. Before we get into the effects these preservatives can have, it?s important to understand that there are natural, healthy, safe preservatives available, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, and herbs. Changing how the food is processed? for example, dehydrating it? will also naturally preserve food without the addition of chemical preservatives. However, these natural alternatives are not as cheap as the
Merlin, an American Pit Bull Terrier. Photo credit: Bre Altherr
chemical options listed above, so pet food companies are reluctant to use them. And so, they use chemical preservatives instead? no matter what detrimental effects these chemical preservatives have on your pet. In the article ?Nature Knows Best? (from the April/ May 2015 issue of Raw Pet Digest, available here), I talked about how processed pet food is made. Often, pet food companies use spoiled meat and rancid fats, and it is important that they cover up the smell of the spoiled meats and fats so that you will still feed the food to your dog. Preservatives like BHA and BHT are excellent at doing this! Remember that companies often use 4-D (dead, dying, disabled, or diseased) meat to make the pet food; while this practice is of course not allowed in meat and food intended for human consumption, the FDA?s Center for Veterinary Medicine is well aware of and does nothing to stop the practice in pet food. And because processed pet food may sit on a shelf for a long time before it gets used, pet food manufacturers need to make sure that it stays smelling nice, and that it maintains the color we?ve come to expect, so that pet owners will continue to feed it. These preservatives do the job well? unfortunately, as we?ll see, they also expose your pet to a whole host of health problems. As previously discussed, BHA is a preservative. In addition to being used in pet food, it is also found in some human food, it is used as a packaging preservative, and it is used as a yeast
de-foaming agent in food manufacturing. Studies have shown BHA to have adverse effects in many areas, including allergies, behavior, brain function, liver and stomach cancer, cell abnormalities, and increases in the formation of fatty tumors. Like many toxins, BHA is what?s known as a bioaccumulative substance, meaning that it is absorbed by the body at a faster rate than it is lost through the processes of catabolism and excretion. That means that, when it is fed over time, the body cannot flush it out effectively, and so it builds up and puts an additional load on the liver and kidneys. Like BHA, studies have shown that BHT can negatively impact the liver, can lead to tumors, and may be carcinogenic. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for BHT indicates that it may be toxic to blood, the liver, and the central nervous system. It also warns against ingesting BHT or allowing it to come into contact with the skin or eyes. The MSDS also warns against inhalation of BHT, and states that it may cause dizziness, weakness, headache, confusion, temporary loss of consciousness, respiratory depression, and that prolonged or repeated ingestion may affect the liver, kidneys, thyroid, adrenal gland, blood, and cause issues with behavior. It may also lead to allergic reactions. Also according to the MSDS, it is classified as hazardous by OSHA. I don?t know about you, but it doesn?t sound like something I want my pets eating! BHT is actually banned from baby food in the US, and it is banned from food completely in 7
the UK and Japan; this indicates to me that it is known to cause serious issues. Vitamin E has been shown to preserve just as well, but as I mentioned earlier, it is much more expensive, which means that pet food companies wouldn?t make as much of a profit? so, in most instances, they choose not to use it. Ethoxyquin is another preservative that pet food manufacturers regularly use in food and treats. However, unlike the other preservatives listed here, Ethoxyquin isn?t added directly to the food, and therefore won?t show up on the ingredients list. It is used by many companies as a preservative in fish meal. It has been used as a pesticide, and it is classified as a hazardous chemical by OSHA. The USDA lists it as a pesticide, and containers containing Ethoxyquin must have the word ?Poison? printed on them. This stuff is
Motley, a Portuguese Podengo Pequeno mix. Photo credit: Kristin Clark
no joke! It can cause (again, in alphabetical order) allergic reactions, behavior issues, bladder cancer, deformity in puppies, infertility, kidney cancer, organ failure, stomach tumors, and skin issues. Like BHA and BHT, Ethoxyquin accumulates in the body faster than the body can eliminate it, so when fed day after day, it can cause significant and severe problems. Propyl Gallate is generally used in conjunction with two of the other preservatives we discuss here: BHA and BHT. It has been shown to cause stomach irritation, liver and kidney damage, and it may be carcinogenic. It may also be an endocrine disrupter, and lead to thyroid tumors, brain tumors, pancreatic tumors, and adrenal tumors. Just like with all the other preservatives I?m mentioning here, it just doesn?t seem like anything I want to give my pets. Sodium Metabisulfite (try saying that one three times fast!) is next on our list of preservatives to watch out for in processed pet food. In addition to being a food preservative, it is also widely used in commercial wine making. Among other things, it can depress the central nervous system, and it can also cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Some dogs and cats (and humans) are particularly sensitive to sulfites, and in those individuals, Sodium Metabisulfite can cause shortness of breath, wheezing, 8
coughing, swelling of the skin, tingling sensations, and shock. Finally, TBHQ, or Tertiary Butylhydroquinone, is actually a form of butane (butane!). Ready for the laundry list of issues that TBHQ has been shown to cause? The list includes delirium, dermatitis, DNA damage, stomach cancer, hyperactivity, nausea, restlessness, collapse, and vomiting, to name a few. It has also been shown to be an endocrine disruptor. There are some studies that have been carried out for some of these preservatives that did not find they caused the issues that other studies found. However, I question who funded those studies, and given that there are many studies that showed that these
Grubat, a Maine Coon cat, on his cat tree. Photo credit: Jim Clark
preservatives cause major health issues, is it worth the risk? Not to mention, of course, the money you will probably spend on vet bills trying to figure out what?s wrong with your pet, and then treat it? I for one would not expose my pets to risks like this when there are much better things for them to eat that I know are safe, and actually support them in thriving and living optimal lives. The preservatives I included here are very common in many brands of pet food and treats. When you stop and think about it, it seems crazy that they are allowed to go into the food of any living being, whether human or animal, and yet there they are. And to top it all off, the preservatives themselves? as harmful as they may be? aren?t the biggest part of the picture. The fact of the matter is, by continuing to include preservatives in the pet food they sell to well-meaning pet owners, pet food companies are managing to keep our dogs and cats alive, but certainly not thriving. The end result? Our pets? health suffers, while at the same time the pet food and pet health care industries make more and more money. The best way to break this cycle and help your pet truly thrive is to avoid feeding these things to your dog or cat and instead feed them what they are designed to eat? a species-appropriate raw food diet of raw meaty bones, organs, and glands from animals that are hormone and antibiotic-free. Despite the 9
slick claims of the pet food companies, a species-appropriate diet is truly the food that will support your pet so he or
she can flourish and thrive throughout their whole life. -By Kristin Clark
Another shot of Lycan showing off his "bark and hold." This picture perfectly captures my feelings about what the pet food industry is doing. Photo credit: Bre Altherr
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RADICALCHANGES, RADICALRESULTS
On e of t h e f low er s t h at bloom ed u n expect edly f r om a cact u s t h at w as gif t ed t o u s. Ph ot o cr edit : Adam Gilber t
As I sit here writing this, I am on day three of a 10-day juice fast. I don?t know if you have ever done any kind of fasting, but I can tell you that I had only fasted (only taking in water) for a day here and a day there before. I had never gone more than 24 hours without chewing something, with the exception of times that I was really sick (stomach flu, for example), or when I was a baby and wasn?t eating solid foods yet. I decided to embark on a juice fast for a few reasons. I wanted to do a little ?reset? to my system, I wanted to give my system a break (I?ve been working hard at getting my new business, Canine Health Promotion, going, and my food choices haven?t been the best as a result), and I wanted to experience what it would feel like to flood my system with nothing but juice for a set period of time. The most fascinating part of the journey? and granted, I?m only at the beginning? is how well my body has adapted to just taking in juice for the past couple of days. I experienced a slight headache on the first day, and I was very, very tired as well. The second day, I felt some cravings, some irritability, and some tiredness, but none of it was extreme, and in between I felt energized and happy. Today, I woke up full of energy. I tried to do my regular vinyasa yoga class (probably a bit prematurely, but you never know until you try, right?) and felt totally zapped, but a juice afterwards and some coconut water set me right. I did experience a tiny bit of nausea, but again, some warm water with a bit of fresh shaved ginger helped me get past that
very quickly. Everyone told me the first three days would be the hardest, but they have been completely doable. I also found that my creativity and focus increased, even during the first few days, and I?m so excited to see what the next seven days will bring. Yesterday and the day before, I was craving fried foods and bread and chocolate. Starting last night, I began craving vegetables, and today I?ve been daydreaming about a few vegetable soup recipes I recently saw that sound amazing? along with a beet and carrot salad that a friend described to me, and which sounds truly amazing.
The first juice I drank on my juice fast. Photo credit: Kristin Clark
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The reason I'm sharing this with you is because, sometime yesterday, it occurred to me that the way I?m feeling right now is probably pretty close to how our pets feel when we transition them off of a processed-food diet onto a species-appropriate raw diet. I had been eating a lot more processed food than normal, because I was feeling stressed and out of time and wanted to reach for the ?convenient? answer. Our pets don?t have a choice as to what we feed them, and often we decide to feed them what seems ?convenient? to us at the time. That means that, just like me when I ate the processed food, they aren?t getting good, holistic support from their food. Their bodies can continue in that fashion? the processed food will keep them alive, up to a point? but they can?t thrive. Like I was, they experience fatigue, never feeling completely full, weight gain, skin issues, mood issues, non-normal stool (bouts of either constipation or diarrhea), decreased cognitive function, and more. Yes, I was experiencing all of those things, and our pets do too. I had gotten used to them, at least somewhat, but I realized that it wasn?t healthy and decided to change. Our pets don?t have that option. They eat what they are given. And so often, what they are given is the equivalent to substandard, processed, fast-food junk, even if the bag says that it is a balanced, whole, healthy meal. As you know from our discussions of processed pet ?food? and what it does to our dogs and cats,
there is no such thing as healthy kibble or canned food, just as there is no such thing as a healthy Big Mac (check out the movie Supersize Me if you want to see the effects of eating nothing but McDonald?s for just one month, and then imagine what would happen if it was for a longer period of time. In essence, when we feed our pets kibble or canned food, it?s like we are feeding them McDonald?s, but not just for one month? this is day in and day out, often for years.). I fully anticipate feeling better and better and better over the course of the next seven days. And of course, for me, just like with my dogs and cat when I first transitioned them off of processed food and onto a raw diet, it won?t end there. I will continue to eat whole, unprocessed foods, because I love how I feel when I eat in a healthy and natural way. Every single dog or cat that I have ever seen that is transitioned to a species-appropriate raw food diet also shows, in a thousand different ways, how much better they feel on their new diet. It?s so exciting for me to be able to experience how much better a radical (but still eminently doable and, yes, convenient, once you get the hang of it) change in diet, from an unnatural, man-made ?convenience? diet to a nature-designed, species-appropriate diet, can make anyone? human or animal? feel. A quick update, because I couldn?t resist: I?m now on day 8 of the 10-day juice fast. I can?t believe the changes in my body, or how incredibly good I feel. I have lost 17 pounds, my skin is clearer, I have so much energy, and my mental clarity is through the roof. I am 13
looking forward to eating again, but the food I want is whole foods? fruits, vegetables, and so on, and it?s not the intense cravings that I experienced at the beginning of this journey. The internal and external changes that I am experiencing are akin to what I have seen so many animals go through when
A beautiful walking trail in Spain. Photo credit: Mardi Linane
transitioned to a species-appropriate diet. It is truly amazing, and it makes me even happier that I have transitioned all of my animals, and helped clients transition their animals, to healthy, appropriate foods. What a difference in vitality and life a healthy diet makes, in such a short period of time! -By Kristin Clark
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SPOTLIGHTONHEALTH:OSCM Editor's note: In the August/September 2016 issue of Raw Pet Digest, Nick Scott, co-founder and instructor at the Ojai School of Canine Massage (OSCM), shared a great article about trigger point massage therapy for dogs. In this issue, we interviewed Nick Scott about massage and about the Ojai School of Canine Massage. If you are interested in learning more about the Ojai School of Canine Massage, or about their instructional DVD, Therapeutic Holistic Dog Massage, please see the Advertisements section at the end of this issue. Enjoy the interview! 1. I know t hat you are passionat e about caring f or dogs nat ural l y, part icul arl y using massage. The Ojai School of Canine Massage, al ong wit h t he videos and writ ing you have done, have hel ped many peopl e l earn how t o saf el y and ef f ect ivel y massage t heir dogs t o rel ieve pain, increase wel l being, and hel p t hem t hrive. What got you int o canine massage?
2. What l ed t o you st art ing t he school ? We started the school as a human massage school but decided, early on, to add animal massage and aromatherapy to our curriculum. Teaching others how to help other living beings seemed like a good way to concentrate our energies and benefit both humans and animals. 3. Tel l me a l it t l e bit about t he Ojai School of Canine Massage. What can pot ent ial st udent s expect t o l earn t here? Potential students will learn a variety of therapeutic massage techniques intended to balance the animal?s body and thus
After 15 years in the human massage field, it became apparent that the animals could benefit from the same types of massage that humans benefited from. I wanted to help all living beings get relief from pain and suffering, and this motivated me to learn how to apply massage to dogs and cats. A dog getting a massage. Photo credit: Nick Scott
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