What have processed food, dirt and humidity in common? They can all fuel ear inflammation in pets.
Hot, itchy or even painful ears and a forever dirty ear canal cause frustrating cycles of vet visits and “eternal” medicated ear drop sessions.

How do I personally manage a dozen of own pets at home, naturally and without toxins? Is there any long-term solution for pets prone to chronic otitis?

As a practicing vet in alternative and complementary medicine, my preferred treatment choices are, whenever possible, natural remedies.

I found in the tropics coconut oil and colloidal silver solution work gently and effectively in managing recurring otitis (chronic ear inflammation) in dogs and cats.

Here's my “secret protocol” that I apply to manage (and prevent) recurring otitis in my own pets:
3 to 5 drops of lukewarm colloidal silver solution are gently dropped into each affected ear. Gently massage the sides of your pet's head before allowing your pet to shake head. Wipe ear flaps and visible ear canal. Remove loose dirt particles and remaining liquid with a clean soft tissue. Schedule to heal:

1. First week: daily repeat this gentle, non-toxic ear cleanse.
2. Second week: treat ears every second day.
3. Third week and onward: use colloidal silver drops once or twice weekly until you find your pet’s ears need less attention.
4. Maintain healthy ears by using coconut oil to wipe dust and dirt from the ear canal. Depending on your pet’s ear health, do this weekly or monthly.

Cats prefer their ears to be cleaned with 1 or 2 drops of lukewarm coconut oil instead of colloidal silver.
This natural oil not only cleans dirty ears but works against inflammation and can even “suffocate” (kill) ear mites.
Use the same schedule for your cat with coconut oil as above described for colloidal silver solution for dogs.

Of course, no holistic medical protocol is complete without addressing nutrition and diet of chronically ill pets. And yes, recurring otitis is a “chronic disease”!
Carbohydrates and processed ingredients in food fuel inflammation. If your pet’s “weak spot” are his or her ears, understand by feeding this kind of food you trigger and keep ear inflammation ongoing.

To minimize the risk of chronic ear otitis, change your pet’s food to natural, carbohydrate-free balanced fresh foods like FeedLOVE, and you will only need to apply the colloidal silver or coconut oil schedule on rare occasions.

Your pet will thank you for it!

During recent rainy days and weeks, flu and “gastric” problems hit many furkids with full force. Cool temperatures and high humidity allow germs to thrive. I notice the numbers of pets who feel unwell, sport a runny nose, teary eyes and or diarrhea and vomit, are skyrocketing.

If heading to the next vet clinic for a prescription of antibiotics and other drugs is not your cup of tea, but if you rather be proactive to sefl-help your pet become and stay well…. Here is the “holistic veterinary secret” of treating and preventing flu, “gastric problems” and worse.
 
Your most important ally to staying healthy and to heal is your immune system.
Compare it to a well-organized “police force” in the body, the vastest number of our “friendly helpers” are located in the gut.

So, to fight off flu symptoms, to heal a bad belly and even minimizing the chances of cancer to develop, trust your gut to help protect and save you and your pet.
Supporting the immune force doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or “difficult”. Just remember 3 steps, and you and your pet may forget how your vet clinic looks from inside…
 
Number one and daily “to do”... feed fresh, natural, complete food.  The “tools to fight a fair fight” against bacteria, virus and other troublemakers come from the food you provide for your pet’s body and gut.
The gut houses bacteria. All of them form 70% of the body’s immune force. Daily food can boost your pet’s gut bacteria and help the gut to thrive – or feed disease and weaken the “gut police force”.  
 
That’s where “prebiotics” enter the game. Prebiotic describes a group of substances that are necessary to feed the “gut police force”. If you already started feeding balanced and wholesome fresh food like FeedLOVE meals, don’t bother with prebiotics. Balanced holistic fresh food provides ample nutrition of body and gut bacteria, supporting your pet’s protective immune gut force.
 
Processed foods (food from bags and cans) leave the “gut force” vulnerable. Antibiotics, not able to distinguish between good and bad guys in bacterial form, weaken the gut immune system further.

To start treating your pet naturally, invest into a good quality probiotic supplement. For the first 3 months, such supplements provide support for numbers and variety of gut bacteria and subsequently “boost” your pet’s gut police force.

Take note, only supplements with a dozen different bacteria strains, numbering billions, boost effectively your pet's “gut force”. 

How is your chosen probiotic packaged? The “gut fighters” in your supplement may only survive your pet’s stomach and body fluids  hiding out inside their protective capsule. To help probiotics arrive at their “police station” alive, don't remove the capsule if your probiotic is in capsules. Should a capsule be too big for your pet, go out and find a liquid or powder-formulated probiotic supplement!
 
Good health and fast healing start with a balanced, “alive” gut police force.
“Trust your gut” to fight and win against bacteria, virus and fungi in the body, so your pet’s nose, eyes, appetite and poop heal and stay well, during and after this rainy season. 

When clinic cat Siam sported a big gaping wound at the base of her tail, we were once again given the chance to apply our kind (of) medicine.

Instead of grabbing injections, pills and putting her into an animal hospital, we chose to support Siam's natural immune and repair mechanisms to “work their miracles".
It’s important to avoid disturbing the body's innate healing capability through toxins and stress.

Starting with an overall medical check, we focus on signs of “hidden” (internal) bleeding. Since there were no signs of anemia and Siam was alert and responsive, it was safe to conclude that she didn’t have any internal wounds. Her body temperature was normal, and the lack of swellings and hot areas made an infection, carried by her blood (“systemic infection”), highly unlikely.

Of course, Siam’s body (and mind) had to deal with a rather large, arrow shaped wound, bare of any skin. We don’t know what happened, but it must have been a scary incident! And painful!

Here's what we chose to do for her and what you can do, too, if you choose to heal your injured pet at home:

1. Prepare a reasonably quiet and clean room for recuperation. If your injured pet is a cat, provide a clean litter box. Regularly change sleeping beds/towels to keep resting areas clean. And provide several water bowls, filled with fresh water available.

If you and your pet live in a tropical or humid climate or if the location of the wound doesn’t lend itself to bandaging, don’t cover the wound! Bandages may obstruct blood flow and trap moisture. This leads to tissue dying off.
What you always should do, is carefully trim off any fur close to the wound. Ensure no hair sticks to the wound or irritates the inured area.

2. Healing starts immediately ywith the homeopathic remedy "Arnica Montana" which minimizes pain and emotional upset. Depending on your homeopathic’s concentration, give the remedy (orally) 3 to 5 times a day duirng the first few days until healing progresses smoothly.
Arnica takes care of a injured body and mind and ensures that both completely recover from trauma. Reduce frequency of giving Arnica on first sights of stabilization. Stop the homeopathic remedy as soon as you notice your pet is healing well and is emotionally stable.

"Aloe Vera" homeopathic globuli (orally given) focus on skin regeneration support. Again, start with more frequent dosages and reduce as your pet’s healing progresses well.

"Hypericum" homeopathic globuli are added if you feel there is pain. It soothes and heals nerves that were injured. As soon as your pet is less or no more sensitive near and on the wound, reduce and stop this remedy.

3. Essential, balanced nutrients are building materials for tissue regeneration (wound healing). Fresh, quality food delivers easy to digest "skin repair material". Make sure that your pet’s meals contain about 60 % moisture (water). Moist food is super important for wound healing because damaged skin and open wounds dehydrate the body! For Siam, 3 daily FeedLOVE meals worked a treat!

4. If a natural “immune booster” may benefit your pet at this time of healing, use a quality probiotic supplement that contains at least 10 (better more) different strains of good bacteria. The “concentration” (measured in CFU’s) of your probiotic supplement needs to be in the billions. Anything lower and your pet is unlikely to benefit from it.

Within 10 to 14 days of this relaxed and non-toxic treatment protocol, wound healing will reach the point where risk of infection and secondary injury become minimal.

Being spared the usual medical stress factors like drugs and hospitalization, emotional and physical healing is fast and smooth. From here on your naturally treated pet will be “whole” (healed body and mind). Without using drugs n non-essential situations like this, antibiotics will work superbly well when they are really necessary.

​Here's to a long, happy and healthy life of your pet!

Do you feed your pet fish?

Our holistic veterinary clinic is a magnet for pet parents who are truly dedicated to their furkids.  Yet most pets presented to a specialized practice like AsiaPaws suffer from chronic, deep-seated, severe health problems.

The task of a holistic veterinary consultation is highlighting possible disease triggers and illness contributing factors. This can make all the difference between long-lasting suffering and reaching the goal of a healthy, happy and long-lived pet companion. 
​90% of all cats presented to me in the clinic have fish as the number one protein source in their daily food. And even dogs are increasingly fed salmon or other fish-based foods.

It looks like fish and pet-food is a “match made in heaven.” So, what could be possibly wrong with this treasured food source for our pets?

Most cats love fish, they actually crave for it. We pet lovers indulge our cats. Because we enjoy watching them savor their meals. But... cravings are not a reliable indicator of quality fuel for body and mind... Just think about your very own cravings… be it for chocolate or for potato crisps with an overload of sugar and carbs …

Besides being addictive (yes, fish can do to cats what sugar does to humans – causing a greater addiction than, for example, cocaine does!) fish-based food sports serious health concerns and disease triggers.

1. Fish, especially large species from the sea (for example tuna) and tasty kinds like salmon (due to the salmon’s fat content) show high levels of mercury contamination. A study from 2016 was quoted by Dr. Sarrah Dunham-Cheatham as “in 16 of 100 pet food samples mercury levels were far above the maximum tolerable limit”. (1)
Mercury is accused of contributing to a range of very serious, even deadly diseases, among them cancers and neurological disorders.

2. Another study from 2018 found 20 brands of canned sardines and sprats from 13 countries over 4 continents to contain micro- and mesoplastics. (2) This means that “human grade” canned fish contains plastic particles in worrying numbers. If we think about it, fish used in pet food is unlikely to even come close to human quality standards. How much plastic is likely to be found in the fish of your pet food?

3. And there is this study highlighting “pet cats are exposed to MeO-PBDEs through cat food products containing fishflavors” (3).  The blood levels of these toxins are directly related to the toxin levels in the studied pet’s food. Translated into practical language, these toxins in fish-containing pet food are co-factors triggering hyperthyroidism.

Hyperthyroid cats suffer tremendously. The disease may start slowly, without any red flags.
However, the end stages of an over-functioning of the thyroid gland produces gravely ill cats.
Restless, ever-hungry, meowing, sleepless and severely emaciated, treatment for hyperthyroidism is never straightforward (after all, it’s a hormonal imbalance) and few cats recover and survive...

Although feline diseases due to fish-based pet foods are better documented, plastic particles and high toxin contamination levels leading to hormonal and glandular changes are equally detrimental to dogs.

These facts are sad proof for the saying "what goes around comes around"... man-made pollution of the sea comes back to haunt us and our innocent pets.
​
For a list of American based “worst and best” (most and least contaminated) pet food and treat brands, take a look here: https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/pet-food/

Obviously, local brands are not on this list. So, contamination levels in your local Malaysian, Thai and other Southeast Asian brands are anyone’s guess… and that worries me even more!

These facts should answer one of the frequently asked questions why FeedLOVE doesn’t feature “fish meals” for cats and dogs.  

Fish as a main protein source of regularly offered food for pets must be extra carefully sourced. Professionally composed, researched and balanced pet meals from FeedLOVE are based on taking responsibility for your pet’s health and well-being.

PS: We are working on “clean” and uncontaminated FeedLOVE fish meals in the future. Having said that, without a 100% reliably clean and uncontaminated source, we won’t commit to fish based FeedLOVE meals.

PPS: Above facts are the reason why we don’t use salmon oil or other fish-based omega-3-fatty acids in our FeedLOVE meals!

So, the next time when you reach for that pet food or those treats made of fish… remember the “fishy facts” – and by giving in to your pet’s cravings you very likely feed your pet’s suffering and disease.
 
(1) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377840116309257
Mercury concentrations in wet and dry cat and dog food.
Citation data: Animal Feed Science and Technology, ISSN: 0377-8401, Vol: 222, Page: 190-193
Publication Year:  2016
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada Reno, MS 186, Reno NV 89557, United States
Received 19 March 2016, Revised 14 October 2016, Accepted 30 October 2016, Available online 31 October 2016.
KEYWORDS: Mercury consumption
 
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28898945
Sci Total Environ. 2018 Jan 15;612:1380-1386. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.005. Epub 2017 Sep 25. Microplastic and mesoplastic contamination in canned sardines and sprats.
Karami A1, Golieskardi A2, Choo CK3, Larat V4, Karbalaei S2, Salamatinia B3.
KEYWORDS: Additive; Canned sardine; Heavy metals; Mesoplastic; Microplastic

If you fur kid has taken already repeated trips to the vet, you and your pet know how frustrating urinary problems can be.

So, when antibiotics, prescription food and acidifying substances don’t cut it, its time to look deeper. Almost every repeated bladder issue has an emotional angel. Not surprising, drugs and the stress that comes with them, don’t solve the problem.
 
One of the most common urinary bladder conditions called “feline idiopathic cystitis” (FIC) describes a recurring inflammation of the urinary bladder “without know cause” (that’s what the impressive word “idiopathic” in medicine means).

2 out of 3 cats with diagnosed urinary problems suffer from this rather vaguely defined, yet deeply disturbing health problem. All affected cats and feline guardians know way too well, what tremendous suffering this causes… And as if this wasn’t bad enough, FIC symptoms may also come with other problems, most often gastrointestinal symptoms!

Changes are your cat is in the “high-risk category for FIC” if your furkid is part of a multi-cat household, male, eating a diet containing over 50% kibbles (dry food) and is overweight. Being an indoor-only cat can also be part of the trigger range. All FIC candidates have anxious or nervous personality. Some show this more obviously than others. (1) (2) (3).

Oh dear, it’s easy to spot how these common factors result in the misery of recurring cystitis!
The presentation to the veterinary community in 2014, highlighted stress as the main factor in cats developing FIC. Be aware, we don’t talk here only about stress for cats. It’s also how stressed humans who care for their cats can contribute to their fur kid’s stress-related suffering.
The good news is, there are effective, no-drug methods to help your cat!

At AsiaPaws we help your cat heal and minimize painful episodes by using only safe, chemical-free and scientifically proven methods!

• For immediate stress, pain and anxiety relief – acupuncture at AsiaPaws. Acupuncture only benefits a stressed cat if performed in a calming manner in a relaxing treatment environment. As soon as the cat (and client!) is stressed, acupuncture may be futile! That’s why at AsiaPaws, comfort and relaxation of pet patient and pet parent are an integral part of our treatments. You’d be surprised how well your cat will tolerate our treatments in our clinic!

For long-term emotional support – Bach Flowers at home. From Rescue Remedy to a tailored Bach Flower choice, these water-based essences without any taste or smell work amazingly well. But they must be applied right. All 34 Bach flower mother essences are available at AsiaPaws. And we specialize in the most suitable application for your cat and you to be effective!

• Environmental changes - at home. This may include addressing emotional support for “companion cat bullies” to reduce “bullying stress” at home.

Secondly, we discuss how to resolve any under-stimulation (boredom). What is reasonably possible to enrich your cat’s environment. Especially if your cat is kept indoors-only. Another issue may be litter-box dominance towards the FIC cat. Stress can be caused by another cat “hogging the toilet” (litter-box location).

• Since anxious cats are often picky, don't experiment with halfheartedly prepared food or meals from a “backyard kitchen” produced by people who lack knowledge in balanced essential nutrients. Professional designed and prepared fresh and tasty food should contain only human grade quality ingredients to promise best long-term results for better bladder health.

• Another food related problem is reducing (and subsequently eliminating) the FIC cat’s kibbles ratio. You will be hard-pressed to find better advisers helping you switch your cat from a kibble addict to a “health food fiend” than at AsiaPaws. We actually have “walked the talk”, proudly drawing from our very own practical experience of switching cats to better food! 

• As the only specialized clinic for Chinese and Western plant-based veterinary medicines, your cat may receive a prescription of a specific herbal formula in support of holistic re-balancing and healing.

• If supplements are necessary, we prescribe specific, only scientifically supported "clean" (filler and additive minimized) supplements. Our range of supplements is never “pet grade only” but usually of the best human highest quality.

• Your cat may need GAGs (glycosaminoglycan supplements) to support healing of the inner bladder lining and to protect the bladder from highly irritating urine (containing high levels of potassium, for example). GAGs, together with dietary adjustments and natural substances (see below) can reduce the impact of bacteria that may be settle in your cat’s bladder AFTER being irritated and inflamed. This “secondary” problem is NOT the cause of FIC, however! The right diet and stress relief are by far more important for long-term success!

• Some patients need “emergency pain relief”. We agree with our veterinary colleagues specializing in treating cats that only Buprenorphin should be used. This pain killer is suitable to break the cycle of anxiety, pain and more anxiety in severely affected cats.
  Please note that the commonly prescribed antibiotics are for FIC not only useless but rather damaging. (3)

• Last but not least, we also include YOUR role in your cat’s recurring bladder problems. There is no blame or shame involved. It’s simply a matter of teamwork to reduce overall stress levels from every angle. No worries, in the privacy of our relaxing and pleasant clinic, a friendly discussion among friends can work wonders.

Here's to a long-term, natural solution for your cat's and your well-being in the future!

(1) Sarah J. Wooten, DVM, Nov 30, 2017, DVM360 MAGAZINE: “Fetch dvm360 conference” Feb 21, 2014 Tony Buffington, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVN, and Jodi Westropp DVM, PhD, “the gurus of all things lower urinary tract” describe FIC as “Pandora’s syndrome”; Dr Fischer.

(2) Osborne, CA, Kruger JM, Lulich JP, et al. Prednisolone therapy of idiopathic feline lower urinary tract disease: a double -blind clinical study. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 1996; 26(3):563-569
​
 (3) Kruger JM, Lulich JP, MacLeay J, et al. Comparison of foods with differing nutritional profiles for long-term management of acute nonobstructive idiopathic cystitis in cats. J Am vet Med Assoc 2015 Sept 1: 247(5): 508-517

Not only humans, but also our furkids can suffer from irritating bouts of cough. Rainy weather, haze or other air pollution factors are the most common triggers for a harmless yet annoying irritation of the throat.

A persistent cough may point out a deeper, more serious problem, like a weak heart, pneumonia or airway obstruction. My advice to not overlook that is to observe your pet’s progress during the few days while you use natural remedies. Consult with a professional (veterinarian), if your furkid’s cough doesn’t improve or gets worse.

Personally, I have had great success with natural remedies for combating simple cough spells and sore throat. An additional positive of natural remedies is that you won’t harm your pet and they are easy and inexpensive to purchase. Many of my remedies will be already in your home. What I like most about these remedies? Besides being gentle and effective, they can save your pet and the environment from yet another prescription of toxic drugs, like antibiotics.

Here is a list of tips and tricks for my patients:
1. Take ¼ teaspoon of honey (if you buy honey, choose the best quality you can afford) and mix it with a teaspoon (2.5 ml) of warm water. Syringe the honey-water slowly into your pet’s mouth, two to three times a day. Honey water soothes an irritated, dry throat effectively. And that makes the cough go away.
2. For cough that’s accompanied by fluids or phlegm from the nose and/or heavy breathing, I use steam sessions with chamomile.
A good way to soothe and liquify stubborn phlegm, is a daily steam session which takes about 30 minutes to prep and do.  
First, place your pet into his or her carrier.
Then prepare a cup or bowl by filling it with boiling water. Add to the boiling water 2 or 3 chamomile tea bags.
Now place the steaming chamomile tea cup (or bowl) in front of the closed carrier door (your pet is in the carrier), and cover both, the carrier and steaming chamomile bowl, with one large towel.
You are improvising a cozy “steam chamber” for your pet. The increased humidity in the “tent” together with the evaporating essential oils from the chamomile tea calm your pet while cleansing clogged up and irritated airways. This works great for cats and small dogs. For larger dogs you may either use a table covered with blankets as a “steam tent” or a kiddie play tent. Be sure you keep your pet always safely away from the boiling hot water! * www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/
3. Besides honey water, most dogs and some cats accept a natural cough syrup made of lemon and honey. This syrup help sooth a sore throat. Mix 2 teaspoons of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of water, give 1 teaspoon to cats and up to 1 table spoon for an average sized dog, twice daily.
4. Remember to remove any collars! An irritated airway tolerates so much less pressure on the throat. When necessary, just use a harness instead.
5. For immune suppressed pets (they have repeated eye and nose discharge and often other recurring illnesses) echinacea herbal drops or homeopathic echinacea preparations may be useful. They can be given directly into the mouth, homeopathic remedies like globuli may be added to the food. For dosage recommendation, consult the package information or a professional.
6. During any illness and as a preventative, I give my furkids that extra boost to the immune system by adding daily a quality probiotic to our pet’s natural food - for a month or even longer.
7. For irritated throats , soupy, room temperate nutritious food like bone broth or mashed meats are best. Coughing pets may seem often “picky” with food. But actually, it’s that sore or irritated throat that prevents them from eating dry foods like kibbles (“biscuits”).
8. Last but not least, here something from my highly valued homeopathic remedy “treasure box”: Belladonna for dry cough. Pulsatilla for cough that’s only dry at night but loose (“liquid” or “productive”) in the morning. Nux vomica for suffocating cough with restless, cold or flu and feeling cold. Bryonia for dry, hacking, painful cough and your pet dislikes to move. Hepar Sulph works for dry “rattling” cough with chilliness.
 
-
*Janmejai K Srivastava, Eswar Shankar, Sanjay Gupta; Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future

​In our clinic I see failing kidneys among the most common health problems presented today. It’s a devastating diagnosis, followed by a rigid conventional standard treatment protocol that leave kidney patients with a bleak prospect of life circling around clinic visits for subcutaneous "subcut" sessions, "renal prescription diet" food and pills to be forced into a miserable pet - for the rest of a possibly rather short life 😓.

But, wait! That's not the only option for you and your pet. Here's focusing on positive ways of dealing with CKD in pets.

The most important difference between a conventional standard protocol and alternative medicine is that the first concentrates on symptoms managing blood values while holistic medicine focuses on your managing pet's wellbeing.

At AsiaPaws we start with avoiding stress in our patients!
Dietary changes, forceful medicine applications and clinic visits must be gradually introduced and, where ever possible, minimized.

So, how does acupuncture fit into a kidney treatment protocol?
1. This kind of treatment, performed in a relaxed environment like our clinic, triggers endorphins that make your pet instantly feel better and happier.
2. Acupuncture helps the body regulating blood flow to the kidneys. Which reduces blood pressure related damage.
3. Nerve stimulation helps all organs working together harmoniously. Which prevents or minimises damage to other organs beside the kidneys.
4. Detoxing by acupuncture reduces the workload for kidneys.
5. Acupuncture addresses gastrointestinal issues for better digestion.and appetite.

The impact of acupuncture treatments is beneficial on multiple levels. Without being forced, scared or enduring injections or pills, the CKD afflicted body is stimulated to rebalance while, last but not least, your pet feels already more relaxed and positive.

How can you, as your pet's guardian, verify whether your pet's is feeling better?
You should notice your pet sleeping more restfully, being again more it's usual self, more alert and proactive and having better appetite.

If none of these changes are even remotely visible within the first 2 to 3 acupuncture sessions, your pet may be beyond the capability to re-balance.

Weak response to acupuncture is,
A) a consequence of a non-conductive treatment environment (boarding or treatment in noisy, too warm or too cold clinic or hospital rooms).

Debilitation of the kidney patient can be due to
B) poor or imbalanced nutrition,
C) excessive amounts of subcutaneous liquid (overburdening the pet's remaining, limited kidney function) and
D) emotional stress by anxiety and fear. Frequent hospital visits with painful procedures skyrocket stress levels in humans and animals.

For severely traumatized pets and owners and for the more proactive pet parent, our clinic offers beside acupuncture "holistic veterinary medicine" consultations.

A holistic vet always tackles failing kidneys from various angles, with the patient's life quality in mind first.
This approach includes optimizing existing medical protocols to make them work for, not against, your pet.

Holistic sessions address a variety of factors that all influence a CKD patient's survival and life quality .

The basis for all alternative kidney treatments is Hippocrates' wisdom:
"Let food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food" and, of course,
"First, do no harm".

Holistic CKD treatments are a topic for another article
As always, "let's focus on helping your furkid naturally!"