Holistic Pets

One of the most painful sights for us as dog owners is seeing our lovable pets suffer. After all, they are a part of the family aren’t they? And what is worse, is seeing them suffer knowing that they depend on us completely for their well being. I know because my wife and I have a spoiled little dog.

Our dog is a rambunctious little wire haired terrier, all of 12 pounds when she is soaking wet. Her name is Cassie and we love her dearly. So when she came down with a yeast infection in her ear we were really upset because she was scratching her ear until it bled. We had no idea that dogs could get yeast infections in their ears, so we took her to the vet to get her checked out. 

The diagnosis was indeed a yeast infection of the ear. The vet wrote a prescription for some drops and after about 2 weeks they worked to clear up the infection, but the vet bill was a bit pricey. Wow, the total bill came to almost $200, just for a diagnosis and some ear drops!

Unfortunately, a year later little Cassie was showing signs of a yeast infection in her ear again. So I started to do some research about yeast infections in dogs. Maybe I could find an effective treatment for Cassie that was a little less expensive than $200 a pop.

What I immediately found out was that yeast infections are quite common in dogs, especially in the ears because they are warm and moist which is an ideal environment for yeast to grow. A lot of different things can lead to a yeast infection in your dog’s ear, but it mainly boils down to an imbalance in your pet internally.

Yeast is naturally occurring in dogs and it will usually not bother the animal. But when there is an imbalance in your pet’s internal system then yeast can overgrow and cause problems, i.e., a yeast infection of the ear.

Many different circumstances can lead to your dog’s internal system being out of equilibrium, antibiotics can kill beneficial bacteria that keep yeast in check, a weak immune system due to an illness can allow yeast to flourish, a scratch or wound in the ear could allow yeast to infect the wound.

It is important to examine your dog’s ears periodically to check for anything irregular. Catching a yeast infection early before it gets out of control is key to being able to treat it quickly, effectively and save your doggie some suffering.

When checking your dog’s ears for a yeast infection you will want to specifically look for cuts, abrasions, reddish rash, swelling, crusty scabs, oozing, and a bad smell. Also, your dog will probably be scratching the ear excessively, or possibly rubbing the ear against an object (the floor) or with its paw, shaking its head, and whining.

Very importantly, many bacterial infections have almost the same symptoms as yeast infections but require a completely different treatment. So if you are not absolutely sure, it is always best to have a vet check it out. But if your dog is prone to yeast infections and you know the signs then you could save yourself a reoccurring vet bill by using some home treatments that are very effective for clearing yeast infections. These home remedies are just as effective as some medications the vet would prescribe, but far less expensive. Here is one you can try:

Once you have a confirmed case of yeast infection the first course of action is to clean the ear with a mild ear cleansing solution that can be found at most any drug store. Or you can use a diluted solution of white vinegar and water. Gently squirt the solution into the ear canal massaging it as you do so. Use a cotton ball to wipe away excess fluid and debris. Allow the ear to dry or pat the ear dry as much as possible. Now use the herb pau d’arco which can be found in most natural herbal stores and is known to kill yeast. Mix the pau d’arco with mineral oil and again squirt the mixture into the ear canal and massage the ear as before. Do this twice daily for about a week. Keep your dog’s ears clean and dry to avoid further yeast infections. Do not hesitate to take your pet to the vet if the infection worsens or gets out of control.

The symptoms of bladder infection in dogs are generally not all that difficult to spot. As a pet owner you may know something is wrong but simply not realize that a potentially serious problem is brewing. But as is almost always the case the more you know the better your chances of recognizing the symptoms of bladder infections in dogs before they get out of hand. In this article we will help you to learn more about what to look for as well as providing a few ideas about how to avoid future or recurring attacks of bladder infection (cystitis). Let’s get right to it. 

So you just woke up only to find your dogs water bowl empty. You think to yourself did I just forget to fill it up yesterday? You are almost sure you did but really can’t say for sure. You go to work and come home only to find the water bowl empty again. Is the bowl leaking, is it evaporating, perhaps a mouse got in and drank it, or is your dog simply drinking an unusually large amount of water. After checking for leaks, ruling evaporation out, and realizing that the mouse idea was just stupid you come to the conclusion that your dog is drinking the water bowl dry almost as quickly as you can fill it up. 

If your dog is constantly thirsty, especially when there is no reason to be, a problem with bladder infection  could be brewing. There are other symptoms of bladder infection to keep an eye out for as well. Is your dog experiencing pain while urinating or has his urination habits changed in some way? Does your pets urine contain blood, is cloudy and/or foul smelling? These are all signs of dog bladder infection. 

If you recognize the above common symptoms of bladder infection in dogs it is time to take action. While it is generally true that bladder infection (cystitis) is not considered serious, without treatment it can lead to the very dangerous and difficult to cure condition of kidney infection. 

Your vet will likely run a urinalysis to confirm your suspicions and then prescribe a round of antibiotics followed by another urinalysis in about 2 weeks to confirm the cure. The downside to repeated treatment with antibiotics is that antibiotics kill the bacteria lining the urethral wall that acts as the gatekeeper against bacteria and other invading organisms. 

While antibiotics are probably the best course of action some pet owners would rather implement home or natural remedies for treating symptoms of bladder infection in dogs. This can be done affordably and effectively but it important to point out that if symptoms don’t improve in 7 days or less or if urinary blockage or incontinence becomes obvious you must quickly get your vet involved. 

The natural approach to treating symptoms of bladder infections in dogs should include a herbal UTI remedy containing uva ursi, increased water intake combined with extra bathroom breaks, regularly adding either blueberry juice or cranberry juice to your pets water, considering a vitamin C supplement as a natural anti-inflammatory and keeping the area around the anus clean and groomed to prevent re-infection. 

In summary, recognizing the symptoms of bladder infection in dogs early is an important first step for curing the condition before it gets out of hand. It is also important to recognize that this is a very common condition impacting almost 2 out of every 10 dogs at some point during their lifetime.

When it comes to ear infection in dogs, a lot of pet owners are doubtful as to whether or not the problem can truly be solved by herbal remedies. The use of herbs and natural treatments either for a person or for an animal is not yet widely accepted.

However, there are times when owners are left with no other choice but to use these over-the-kitchen-counter remedies rather than give nothing to their ailing pets at all.

When it comes to ear infections, it is important that you first determine the very thing that is causing the infection. Most ear infections are caused by mites. But don’t outwardly assume so. Better to first inspect the ears of your pet thoroughly. Ear infection may also be caused by foreign objects finding its way inside the dog’s ear. If you can, bring your pet to the vet. Otherwise, go to the kitchen and find herbal remedies like apple cider vinegar or cod liver oil to help ease the discomfort.

If you decide to give an herbal treatment therapy to your pet, it is necessary that you take note of its improvement. If you don’t see anything positive happening to your dog since you have applied the cure, you might as well stop it because your dog is not responsive to the treatment anyway. This is also a sign that you really have to take the dog to the vet before anything worse happen to it.

The veterinarian would normally prescribe antibiotics to your pet. Depending on the condition of its ear, oral medicines may be given. Otherwise, topical treatments would suffice. You have to be very consistent when giving your dog these medicines because any changes in the schedule or dosage may affect the rate of recovery of your pet.

You might think that ear infection in dogs is a minor problem. However, your dog could be suffering a lot from it and is just not exhibiting pain. When left untreated for weeks, dog ear infection may lead to total loss of hearing. Worse, your dog may develop a much severe disease because of it. Ear infections may lead to brain problems because the pus and the bacteria start to penetrate your dog’s head. When this occurs, it would be a lot harder to treat your dog. No herbal remedy, or any other type of medicine for that matter, can truly help it.

Therefore, you should always check your dog’s ear whenever you can. Dog breeds that wear their ear down are most susceptible to ear infections because air is not properly circulating around it. As such, you have to periodically take your dog to the grooming center just to make sure that its ears are clean and healthy at all times.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to physically clean the ears of your dog. Dogs have a natural way of keeping their ears healthy. Your job is to merely check that there’s no pus, foul smell, or discharges abnormally coming out of their ears. When you observe any of these, better take your dog to the vet right away for proper diagnosis.

Cat urinary infection is no fun for cats or their owners. They cause a lot of uncomfortable, debilitating symptoms that could become life-threatening if not treated in time.

Your best bet is to learn what the early symptoms of cat urinary problems are so you can spot them early and eradicate them as soon as possible. Here are 5 surefire signs of urinary infections in cats.

Is your cat urinating outside of his litter box? If so, it’s possible that he is suffering from a cat urinary infection. Urinary infections make urinating painful and difficult and cats start to associate that discomfort with their litter box thus avoid urinating there at all costs.

Cat urinary problems may cause your cat’s urine to smell foul. If you notice that your cat’s pee smells bad, you might want to get him checked out for urinary infection.

If your cat is urinating a lot more frequently than usual, he may have a cat urinary infection. Urinary infections give cats the urge to urinate often. You may also notice that only small drops come out each time he tries to go.

Is your cat crying more than usual? Crying may indicate that your cat is in pain because of cat urinary problems. This is a lot more likely if your cat is crying while grooming himself.

If your cat is straining to urinate, this may mean that he has a cat urinary infection. Urinary infections can partially or completely block the flow of urine. If you notice this problem, you need to take your cat to the vet immediately.

Straining to urinate is often mistaken as constipation. It’s important to get your cat treated immediately if his urine is not flowing well because blockage can be fatal.

Watch out for these signs and symptoms of cat urinary infection. By spotting the problem early, you can avoid taking your cat to the vet and rely on home treatment instead.

Some effective home treatments for urinary infections in cats include homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies are widely available. They contain minute concentrations of natural urinary tonics such as uva ursi and cantharis.

Uva ursi and cantharis help to improve the flow of urine and strengthen the bladder and urinary tract. When combined with plenty of fresh, clean water to drink and a natural diet of unprocessed foods, homeopathy can effectively treat and prevent urinary issues in your cat altogether.

For the best results, give your cat a homeopathic remedy twice a day. You can sprinkle it on his tongue or in his food. Your best bet is to find a commercially prepared homeopathic formula that has been manufactured under the supervision of expert homeopaths in a registered facility.

When it comes to homeopathy for cat urinary infection, you don’t want to rely on home remedies or formulas concocted by amateurs. It’s important to find a reliable brand since urinary infections can become life threatening if not treated promptly.

With the high cost of veterinary care these days, many cat owners are interested in what they can do to prevent the expense and stress of painful cat urinary problems.  Here are some things you can do at home to prevent cat urinary tract infection, or cat UTI.

What’s The Most Common Cause Of Cat Urinary Tract Infection?

Cat bladder stones are at the root of many feline urinary problems, from a cat blockage, to feline cystitis.  Stones in your cat’s bladder can block his urethra, causing a complete cat urinary blockage that will be fatal within a couple of days if left untreated. 

The sharp edges of feline bladder stones can also irritate and inflame the walls of your cat’s bladder, leading to cat bladder infection. 

How Can Cat Bladder Stones Be Prevented?

Diet is the most important factor in the development of feline bladder stones.  Most cat owners don’t realize that by feeding their cats dry food, they’re setting them up for feline urinary problems.  Why is this?

It’s because cats are meant to get most of their water from their food.  You may have noticed that your cat doesn’t drink much water, and this is why.  It’s difficult for a cat that eats only dry food to drink enough water to prevent feline bladder problems.  When a cat isn’t drinking enough water, his urine is very concentrated. 

This is bad for two reasons.  First, toxins and excess minerals are not being flushed out of your cat’s body.  The second reason is that the minerals can begin to clump together to form cat bladder stones.  When this happens, a cat urinary blockage usually isn’t far off.

It’s a known fact that by increasing the amount of water going through your cat, you can decrease the incidence of cat UTI.

Feeding Canned Cat Food Can Prevent Feline Cystitis

Canned cat food has a moisture level of around 75%, which is much higher than dry food, with a moisture level of less than 10%.  Just by changing your cat’s diet, you can prevent many cat urinary problems.

You’ll also want to make sure your cat always has access to lots of pure, clean, water.  It can often be a challenge to get your cat to drink enough water.  Sometimes adding a little chicken broth to his food will make him thirsty enough to drink more. 

Cats usually drink water after they eat, so by dividing his daily food portion up and feeding him two or three times a day instead of once a day, you may encourage him to increase his water consumption.

Natural Pet Remedies For Feline Urinary Support

Many pet owners are turning to natural pet remedies to prevent and treat minor cat urinary tract infection.  Homeopathic remedies like Cantharis and Staphysagris help to reduce the pain and inflammation of a cat bladder infection.  Herbs like uva ursi and barberry have antibiotic-like properties, and are effective against common bacteria that cause feline bladder infection. 

To find a remedy that’s safe and effective for your cat, be sure to look for one that’s formulated especially for pets so he’ll receive the proper dosage. 

To sum up, cat urinary problems can often be prevented with the proper diet, and adequate water intake.  Remember that it’s easier, and more cost-effective, to prevent feline cystitis than it is to treat it.

Cats can contract a urinary infection much more frequently than their owners would like to imagine. Most often, vets will conclude that the condition is idiopathic in nature, which is simply another way of saying they have no idea what might have caused it. As a result, a common symptom of feline urinary tract infection such as urinating outside the litter box are generally (and erroneously) assigned to behavioral causes, like stress.

The reality is that urinary tract infections in cats are more likely to be physiological rather than behavioral. The condition is one of a number of urinary problems, which can include obstruction in the urinary passage as well as bladder inflammation, more commonly knows as FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease). This is a very unpleasant and painful situation for the cat, as it will strain to urinate but cannot do so. If you’ve ever suffered from a UTI of your own, you’ll have some idea of what your poor kitty is going through. You can best help if you become familiar with the reasons behind the condition, and learn and follow some basic rules of care for your afflicted feline.

As a cat owner, you’ve probably noticed that your kitty usually does not spend a lot of time at the water bowl. This infrequent consumption of water is natural behavior for cats. They originated in arid, desert areas, and over time and through evolutionary changes learned to derive the necessary liquids to sustaining life from their food. The animals they preyed upon provided most of the fluids cats needed to maintain good health. There was little need to drink water from a separate source, and that instinct is still in operation today. Unfortunately, this reluctance to take in water is a major factor in the increased prevalence of feline urinary tract infection.

Your vet, of course, can determine a specific treatment based upon a review of the results of a urinalysis, among other avenues of investigation, but you can help keep your cat’s urinary tract in tip-top health, as well as cut down on vet bills, by putting into practice some proven methods of prevention.

1. Water is of primary importance.

Wash water bowls daily with clean, hot water. If you are using soap to clean them, make sure to rinse the bowl thoroughly as the chemicals in detergent can be harmful. Make finding water easy for your cat. Put a number of water bowls around the house, and make them big enough that your cat can drink from them without their whiskers touching the sides. If you are providing your cat with dry cat food, mix in a little water to moisten it. To make it even more attractive, try adding something tasty, such as chicken broth. If you can afford it, invest in a free flowing water drinking fountain. Cats love moving water and their curiosity may encourage them to imbibe.

2. Steer clear of feeding your cat foods with a high magnesium content, like beef, pork, heart and oily fish.

3. Choose natural foods over prescription diets, buying organic whenever you can. Check with your vet to be sure that the food you provide will produce urine with the correct pH level.

4. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to the water once a day will keep the urine pH a little acidic, and helps prevent the formation of bladder stones. Bladder stones can often lead to urinary tract infections.

As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Follow these basic rules of health and maintenance, and your cat will live a happier, healthier life free of feline urinary tract infections.

Do you want to gain quick relief from all the itching and burning? Do you want something that is safe and effective? With no side effects? Then this herbal cure for yeast infection might just be your best solution.

Click for 12 Hour Natural Cure For Yeast Infection

No one is safe against these infections. It can affect anybody. It can affect women, men, children, babies, the elderly, and even dogs and cats. Symptoms may vary slightly, but oftentimes, the telltale sign is a white cottage cheese like discharge. This natural remedy can be used by everybody.

And it destroys not just the yeast roots, but also its spores, so that you will be completely free from it after the treatment. This is one of the benefits of this route that make this course unique. It’s interesting to note that many of the over the counter medications and even some prescription drugs are only able to kill off the roots. When the spores aren’t killed off also, it leaves you in the position of a possible re-infection. And at the same time, it provides the environment for a drug resistant strain to be born. That would not be good for you if there was an outbreak!

Click for 12 Hour Natural Cure For Yeast Infection

And also, just because a certain remedy is labeled natural, does not make it completely safe for you to use. There are some that people will recommend, but they have inherent risks. For example, olive leaf extract is shown to be very effective. However, a possible side effect is fatigue due to the substance overtaxing your liver which could result in excess poisons leaking out into your system and thus making you sick. If you were to use this, you would have to use it with great caution and of course, it is not be used with children or the elderly.

The best herbal cure will be one tailored to your body’s needs. Because everyone reacts slightly differently to different products. There are people who have written guides to help you in this matter. These people have done their research and have found that certain combinations of common remedies can be very effective and yet are very safe to use. So safe in fact, that pregnant women and babies and children are able to use it with no ill effect.

Click for 12 Hour Natural Cure For Yeast Infection

Cat bladder infection can form in any part of your cat’s urinary tract (UTI). Infection can be caused by bacteria (28%, viruses (.4%) or fungus. Approximately 1% of cats that visit a veterinarian have a urinary tract infection with the most common type of bacteria being E. coli. Other names for the condition depend on the location of the disease including LUTD or lower Urinary Tract Disease or in the upper urinary tract. Once one part becomes infected, usually it spreads to another part. Because of this it is sometimes difficult to diagnose the exact location of the infection.

Cats tend to contract the infection through the urethra, which is the part of the cat that allows urine to leave the body. For example if this opening comes in contact with a dirty litter box, then bacteria can enter the body and spread up the tract, eventually leading to the bladder causing feline bladder infection. Normal urination can usually keep the urinary tract clean since it is an excellent antimicrobial (bacteria killer), however, if your cat is having bladder problems or is urinating less than usual, then the immune system becomes overwhelmed with the bacteria.

Feline cats that are older than 10 years are at a higher risk to get an infection. It is rare to see the problem in younger cats. Female cats that have been spayed have the highest incidence. Cats that have feline diabetes mellitus are also at risk.

Symptoms of Cat Bladder Infection and UTI

Symptoms of cat urinary infection include blood in the urine (haematuria), excessive frequent urination (pollakiuria), slow and painful urination (stranguria) and urination in inappropriate places such as outside of the litter box (periuria).

Diagnosis of Cat Bladder Infection

The urine will be tested for the presence of an unusual number of white blood cells, the cells which help the body fight infection.

Treatment of Cat Bladder Infection

Antibiotics are used to kill any bacteria associated with the feline bladder infection. The type of antibiotic selected will be based on the specific bacteria causing the infection. Treatment is of a short duration. Some cats may have bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics. In this case different antibiotics and longer term treatment may be required.

The body naturally kills bacteria as urine passes through the urinary tract. Some owners like to supplement the prescription medications with natural remedies which are associated with restoring balance to the entire urinary system and possible a change in diet. Ingredients such as Arctostaphylos uva ursi help maintain the proper PH in the urinary tract so your cat’s body can naturally fight infection. Check with your veterinarian on how to combine prescription and natural choices. If your cat eat dry cat food, consider a switch to canned which will provide your cat with more moisture and in turn cleanse the urinary tract due to more frequent urination.

Your cat will be retested several weeks after treatment to ensure that the feline bladder infection is gone.

Prognosis of Cats with Feline Bladder Infection

Treatment in effective in 85% of cats with no additional recurrence. If it is a continuing problem for your cat consider options such as diet and using natural supplements to ensure that your cat’s body has the nutrients needed for long term urinary health and the proper PH balance.

Bladder infection in cats is not an uncommon occurrence with two out of every ten felines falling victim during their lifetime. While two out of ten may not seen all that ominous a significant number of bladder infection cats will become chronically infected. Additionally, ten percent of will develop more serious conditions.

So what the above paragraph tells us is if we have a feline that could be classified as a bladder infection cat we should do everything possible to identify and treat the condition promptly and not allow it to become chronic or recurring.

The first step in this pursuit is to recognize the condition. Signs of bladder infection include frequent voiding, painful or difficult voiding, and a change in urination habits. Other signs include blood in the urine, pungent urine odor, and cloudy urine. About 1 percent of the time bladder infection cats will show no signs at all.

We have now recognized many of the symptoms above and determined that indeed we do have a bladder infection cat. Our next step is to formulate a treatment plan.

Some pet owners will opt for prompt veterinary care while others will feel more comfortable implementing home remedies, while taking a wait and see approach.

If the veterinary option is the treatment method of first choice your vet will ask a few question about symptoms and then perform a urinalysis to confirm the type of bacteria causing the infection. E coli is the most common culprit but not the only possibility. Once determined a round of antibiotics will be prescribed along with a follow up visit to confirm that the treatment has been a success. It is important to point out that overuse of antibiotics will kill beneficial bacteria located in the lower urinary tract responsible for keeping bacteria out. This opens the door for recurring infection.

For those opting for the home remedy wait and see plan you will be focusing on a broad spectrum approach that works with your felines body to eliminate the infection and avoid re-infection. Let’s explore a few steps that could prove helpful for bladder infection cats.

Additional fluids: Cats that don’t drink a lot of water urinate less and tend to retain bacteria in the bladder and urinary tract. This can be done in a straight forward manner with an eyedropper or by more subtle means of adding water or chicken broth to their food.

Citrus can help: Two citrus juices (cranberry and blueberry) inhibit E coli bacteria from being able to latch onto the lining of the lower urinary tract. So this second step can be helpful in making step number one even more effective.

Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy for UTIs. Advocates of this natural remedy advise ½ teaspoon once per day.

Litter box cleanliness: Dirty litter boxes are breeding ground for bacteria. To avoid re-infection keep litter boxes clean.

Trim hair around the anus: Once again we are doing everything possible to keep bacteria away and give your pets immune system a chance to fight off the infection. You might also consider bathing your pet regularly until the infection is brought under control.

Herbal remedies containing uva ursi: Uva ursi is consider by many to be the most effective herb against bacterial infection. It seems to be particularly helpful against the E coli bacteria and is a natural diuretic as well.

In summary, bladder infection cats present a special set of challenges for pet owners. By implementing smart treatment options hopefully you and your feline friend will be able to get back to a healthy, happy, disease free life in a matter of days.

If you think that only human beings can be afflicted with urinary tract infection or UTI, then you just might be surprised to learn that cats do suffer from such an infection as well. In fact, studies show that more cats suffer from UTI than dogs. Thus, it would pay to learn more on the subject if you have a feline under your roof. This way, you can find effective feline UTI remedies early on.

For the most part, veterinary medicine does not really produce results that are encouraging. Sadly, this is in spite of the fact that the condition would be met with pet antibiotics that are quite costly. Nevertheless, without these antibiotics and immediate treatment, the condition could worsen and could very well become chronic in nature. This could jeopardize the condition of your pet further, easily adding veterinary expenses on that already hefty bill. There is then a need to be informed about the prescribed veterinary treatment methods that are currently being practiced.

Conventional UTI remedies for cats would most likely involve antibiotics, as mentioned above. However, these would not be limited to just antibiotics. For instance, if your cat is diagnosed with chronic UTI, your vet just might recommend surgery or catheterization. Your vet would also recommend nutritional support so that the functioning of your cat’s urinary tract system would be regulated accordingly. Your vet would also prescribe the proper diet that you should prepare for your cat. Commercial cat food is actually perceived as ideal here, provided that this contains the essential nutrients. Aside from cat food, hygienic practices should be observed to prevent further infection. Make sure to provide clean and fresh water as well as clean litter boxes so that healthy urination is encouraged.

Still, just because these are the conventional practices does not mean that they are effective all the time. Plus, there is also that risk of side effects occurring when you use conventional remedies. Because of such side effects, you just might want to try alternative feline UTI remedies, perhaps herbal remedies. Amongst the popular herbs used are Bearberry and Barberry. These herbs are actually natural antibiotics so they can help deal with bladder infections in cats.

Of course, you should not take it upon yourself to choose whatever herbs you want to try. You just might end up worsening the situation. Thus, you should still consult your vet for the different herbs that he or she would recommend for your pet’s condition.