Dogs age, we study them, filled with hope / Dog Longevity Project: Big dogs, real deal / Teeth and gums affect even blood sugar? / Distemper: Safe protection / Liver is magic, and more.
Interesting that you’re writing about aging canines this week. My 17 year old dachshund I spoke with you about a month ago died last Sunday, his heart failure finally making his lungs fill up and his desperate bid to breathe driving me to seek the final peace of no more suffering. Would that we had a holistic vet in my part of the world. he had a good run but was suffering dementia too. Working on the husband as I write to ditch the egg shells and start giving our 5 year old some chicken neck every day. Keep writing, I need all the ammunition I can get!
I am saddened to hear you beloved dachshund has crossed Rainbow Bridge but no doubt the memories of those 17 years will bring happiness and peace to your heart.
Please see this link to check if there is a holistic vet near you.
As I have told you in the past, Dr. Falconer, I so wish I had known a wise vet like you in the past when I raised and lived with multiple cats and dogs. If only, I would not have made so many mistakes. If I were sharing my life in the same way now, you better believe those animals would be benefitting from your invaluable advise, and there would be bones and organ meats daily. Please keep giving your wisdom to all who will listen.
We all start when and where we are at the moment, so no need for regrets about it not being soon enough. I was, as most, conventional in my thinking when I started being a vet and as I heard about a few “out of the box” ideas about health, thought, “Well, surely, they’d have taught us about that if it were true!” Little did I know who ran the education in medicine back then…
My large breed dogs are five or six years old now, mostly raw fed since 5 weeks old, and showing no signs of slowing down. They had no puppy shots or vetting at all, nothing until they were a year old and I had to do rabies for licensing. I was lucky to find a holistic vet who procured the thimerosol-free shots at least. There are organs in their raw blend, 10% is what they advertise, but I also give them a little raw liver (the cats too) a few times a year. Maybe I'll do it more often now that I've read this article.
What bothers me about raw feeders or even to a much lesser extent holistic vets is that they warn against synthetic supplements, which is fine, but when an imbalance shows up, do not offer any advice on what to do besides spend lots of money on tests or vets. I know in the human space that the RDA is woefully inadequate and I am willing to bet money that the organizations that define balance for household pets are too.
Two vitamins and several minerals meet this: Vitamin A and Vitamin D. The minerals are selenium, iron, iodine and zinc. All with "too much leads to this bad thing, that bad thing, another bad thing: fear, fear, fear." Spend TONS of money in this test, hire a coach (trained in conventional nutrition) and retest until 'normal' where normal is defined by the very industry that makes money off nutritional imbalances (I did not say deficiencies). Why can't we have the minimum requirements to thrive??? For example in the human space to thrive, Vitamin D intake needs to be between 2,000 and 5000 IU. 800 IU prevents rickets but not sickness or a weak immune system even with a good diet (organic and all that).
I’m pretty sure no one’s measuring nutrients for the wolves, and they seem to do just fine, don’t they? How do you suppose they’ve managed for all these years as a species? My point: to the extent that you vary ingredients and don’t get stuck on “every meal needs to balanced,” you’ll do fine without measuring levels of any nutrient.
I just talked to a friend I haven't seen in several years. She told me her 16 y.o. dog wasn't doing well, has to be carried a lot of the time, has to be lifted into the car. She took the dog to her vet and got the annual vaccines. Aaaargh!
Oh, I fear for the poor dog. Let it be widely understood: seniors rarely to never die of infectious diseases! And they are often in a very delicate balance. A vaccine can easily tip them right into their final days.
2 weeks after their shots, slight nerve damaged started. One got DM, and the other developed GOLPP. Fasting and homemade keto helped slow the progression of the larpar in my second dog and gave us 4 more years, but the first one went fast. Slight toe drag 2w after the shot to full paraplegic within 6mo.
Oh, God. Guessing rabies vacc was part of the shots then. As always, in the name of “it’s the LAW!” (which no vet is deputized to enforce, for all who feel they must follow that crazy push). I’m so sorry to hear this.
Ya, it's been live and learn with them. Eventually, if I get another dog, I will still do my homemade food, and minimal vetting, as there are not really any good homeopathic ones in my area.
This reminds me to take out the frozen sheep liver I have in my freezer and give it to the dogs with their meal. My cats love it too. Thank you for another great newsletter.
I was wondering what greens and herbs you recommend to mix with the liver. I have a Chihuahua with a particularly sensitive nose 🙈. Thank you for the great tips! Heike
Far greater value raw, yes. Give it a shot and see, but perhaps not ice cold. Room temp is better, more tempting, and doesn’t chill her digestive fires.
My (soon to be ex-) vet incorporates some elements of Chinese medicine and has said that chicken is a ‘hot’ protein and is not recommended for some dogs, especially in the summer. Thoughts?
A separate reason: unless you know the raiser of the birds, most are raised in the most atrocious way that they end up being toxic, regardless of season. Not unusual to hear of The Itch improving when chicken is eliminated.
Interesting that you’re writing about aging canines this week. My 17 year old dachshund I spoke with you about a month ago died last Sunday, his heart failure finally making his lungs fill up and his desperate bid to breathe driving me to seek the final peace of no more suffering. Would that we had a holistic vet in my part of the world. he had a good run but was suffering dementia too. Working on the husband as I write to ditch the egg shells and start giving our 5 year old some chicken neck every day. Keep writing, I need all the ammunition I can get!
I am saddened to hear you beloved dachshund has crossed Rainbow Bridge but no doubt the memories of those 17 years will bring happiness and peace to your heart.
Please see this link to check if there is a holistic vet near you.
https://www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/#!directory/map/
or you can google, "holistic veterinarian in (put your city)".
As I have told you in the past, Dr. Falconer, I so wish I had known a wise vet like you in the past when I raised and lived with multiple cats and dogs. If only, I would not have made so many mistakes. If I were sharing my life in the same way now, you better believe those animals would be benefitting from your invaluable advise, and there would be bones and organ meats daily. Please keep giving your wisdom to all who will listen.
We all start when and where we are at the moment, so no need for regrets about it not being soon enough. I was, as most, conventional in my thinking when I started being a vet and as I heard about a few “out of the box” ideas about health, thought, “Well, surely, they’d have taught us about that if it were true!” Little did I know who ran the education in medicine back then…
"The coconut oil won’t be solid again until December, earliest." 🤣🤣🤣 I thought I was the only one who used that as a sign of the seasons!
My large breed dogs are five or six years old now, mostly raw fed since 5 weeks old, and showing no signs of slowing down. They had no puppy shots or vetting at all, nothing until they were a year old and I had to do rabies for licensing. I was lucky to find a holistic vet who procured the thimerosol-free shots at least. There are organs in their raw blend, 10% is what they advertise, but I also give them a little raw liver (the cats too) a few times a year. Maybe I'll do it more often now that I've read this article.
What bothers me about raw feeders or even to a much lesser extent holistic vets is that they warn against synthetic supplements, which is fine, but when an imbalance shows up, do not offer any advice on what to do besides spend lots of money on tests or vets. I know in the human space that the RDA is woefully inadequate and I am willing to bet money that the organizations that define balance for household pets are too.
Two vitamins and several minerals meet this: Vitamin A and Vitamin D. The minerals are selenium, iron, iodine and zinc. All with "too much leads to this bad thing, that bad thing, another bad thing: fear, fear, fear." Spend TONS of money in this test, hire a coach (trained in conventional nutrition) and retest until 'normal' where normal is defined by the very industry that makes money off nutritional imbalances (I did not say deficiencies). Why can't we have the minimum requirements to thrive??? For example in the human space to thrive, Vitamin D intake needs to be between 2,000 and 5000 IU. 800 IU prevents rickets but not sickness or a weak immune system even with a good diet (organic and all that).
I’m pretty sure no one’s measuring nutrients for the wolves, and they seem to do just fine, don’t they? How do you suppose they’ve managed for all these years as a species? My point: to the extent that you vary ingredients and don’t get stuck on “every meal needs to balanced,” you’ll do fine without measuring levels of any nutrient.
Safe journey to the Himalayan hill station Dr. Will!
I just talked to a friend I haven't seen in several years. She told me her 16 y.o. dog wasn't doing well, has to be carried a lot of the time, has to be lifted into the car. She took the dog to her vet and got the annual vaccines. Aaaargh!
Oh, I fear for the poor dog. Let it be widely understood: seniors rarely to never die of infectious diseases! And they are often in a very delicate balance. A vaccine can easily tip them right into their final days.
Yep. Happened to both my dogs. Both had my mistake of getting “that last shot” after 10yo.
Arggh. How did they fare?
2 weeks after their shots, slight nerve damaged started. One got DM, and the other developed GOLPP. Fasting and homemade keto helped slow the progression of the larpar in my second dog and gave us 4 more years, but the first one went fast. Slight toe drag 2w after the shot to full paraplegic within 6mo.
Oh, God. Guessing rabies vacc was part of the shots then. As always, in the name of “it’s the LAW!” (which no vet is deputized to enforce, for all who feel they must follow that crazy push). I’m so sorry to hear this.
Ya, it's been live and learn with them. Eventually, if I get another dog, I will still do my homemade food, and minimal vetting, as there are not really any good homeopathic ones in my area.
Boom!
Oh no, elder dogs with chronic issues especially should not be jabbed. She could also have been written a Rabies waiver by her vet.
Except that it was her vet who gave the dog the jabs. The vet could have suggested that the dog shouldn't be jabbed, but he didn't. Unbelievable.
Guess she does not subscribe to Dr. Will and had no knowledge of the dangers of jabs as are many vets that are blue pilled.
This reminds me to take out the frozen sheep liver I have in my freezer and give it to the dogs with their meal. My cats love it too. Thank you for another great newsletter.
I was wondering what greens and herbs you recommend to mix with the liver. I have a Chihuahua with a particularly sensitive nose 🙈. Thank you for the great tips! Heike
Oh, it’s been too long! But liver should smell quite tempting to most dogs, so give it a try.
That's great you're writing from India. I spent time in Landour years ago studying Hindi. A nice walk up the hill from Mussoorie.
How much liver should you start with? And is it ok for a 3.5 month old Shepard?
Oh, say ½ cup or so. Remember, it’s food. Every wolf (your Shep’s ancestor and genetic match) would eat all he could.
Thank you!!
What was too long? Did you write more? I will try :-)
I meant too many years ago to recall the details (greens? Herbs? 🤷).
Pets take on our diseases and sacrifice themselves for us ❤️
I’ve just recently started introducing liver to my dog who loves it - I’ve been cooking it. Should I be giving it to her raw? ❤️
Far greater value raw, yes. Give it a shot and see, but perhaps not ice cold. Room temp is better, more tempting, and doesn’t chill her digestive fires.
My (soon to be ex-) vet incorporates some elements of Chinese medicine and has said that chicken is a ‘hot’ protein and is not recommended for some dogs, especially in the summer. Thoughts?
A separate reason: unless you know the raiser of the birds, most are raised in the most atrocious way that they end up being toxic, regardless of season. Not unusual to hear of The Itch improving when chicken is eliminated.
I only feed organic or non-GMO pasture raised but I don’t know if that’s much of a guarantee. Thanks