If your  dog has cut his paw,  here is a simple natural  approach.

If you are  out an  about and the wound  is bleeding, rinse it if you can with the water  from a tap or water bottle vigorously and bandage it or use a piece  of cloth to apply a pressure bandage.  From here , you have 2 options.

Options A: Wounds that superficial and not  gaping more than 2 mm.

1. Rinse  it  with  water  or saline solution vigorously –  not too hot , otherwise  you would burn the cells that  are supposed to heal.
2. Dry wound  with gauze or  clean towel.
3. Apply Healing Solution on a piece of gauze  liberally and bandage it to the foot using Vetrap or another self sticking bandage material.  You can use a light bandage.
4. Change bandage ideally 2x  daily  for 3  - 7 days depending on how deep and severe the injury is.
5. If you  live in a wet  area, you can put a plastic bootie or thick plastic bag  on when walking outside.

Option B:  In wounds that are deeper (more than 5 mm or gaping more than 2 mm)  stitches may be needed.

I usually  go for light sedation  and local anesthetic as opposed to local anesthetic  only.  Local  anesthetic stings and dogs can get really traumatized by being held down for a long period of time.  Ask your vet if you could be present during the procedure or at least until your dog is  sedated.

If your vet is  open minded, ask him not to use any chemical soaps as they slow down healing and are toxic.

Use the same approach as in  option A before and after surgery. I recommend using Calendula 200 C  homeopathic  remedy once a day for 5 days  in addition to applying healing solution to speed up  recovery.

This approach to wound  care will speed up the rate of healing about 40%.  Usually no antibiotics are needed with this approach that is  proven by years of clinical use.

Good  Luck!

TO PURCHASE HEALING SOLUTION – CLICK HERE

In most situations, wound healing can be done naturally and here is how.

To purchase Healing Solution click here

I swear that originally I had no intention to write a blog on dogs and their sexuality. My very pure intention was to reply to a few questions of my readers about spay, neuter and false pregnancy and then I did some research online  discovered a dog toy of a very different kind.
We all have seen dogs expressing themselves  freely in many different ways.  Sometimes to our amusement and at other times are embarrassed when Fido decides to hump the leg of our mother in law or a dignified official visitor.

So today, I would like to start a very public discussion on dog sexuality, holistic approach to  false pregnancies, spay and neuter procedures and yes, the world’s first sex doll for dogs.

False pregancy

When I was a child we used to have a dachshund named Gerda. In fact  she was on top of the children’s hierarchy when it came to my father’s rating because she adored him and never talked back.

Spaying dogs was not as common back than and I remember Gerda wearing special pants that my dad called “the heat pants.” They not only prevented the carpet from being spotted with blood but also the heat vents  prevented undesired pregnancies. They were kind of a canine version of the chastity belt.
What usually happened within two months after the heat was to me puzzling and also entertaining. As the surge of hormones in Gerda’s body made its way to her brain, she started acting funny.  This occurred in two months dead on. She would pretend that she had puppies. This hormonal change is caused by a hormone called progesterone, which prepares the mother for motherhood after ovulation. This hormone also contributes to milk production, prevents the bitch from going into another heat too early and  creates a very natural desire to care for and nurture.
During the false pregnancy stage Gerda used to steal our plush toys, socks, underwear  and other goodies and gathered them in a nest that she made. She also started to produce milk.  I’m not sure what the likeness is between a piece of undergarment and a real puppy is but she was obviously satisfied.

If you wonder how you should deal with your dog’s false pregancy, I recommend doing nothing but allowing your dog to go through the motions and allow her body to realize that this is a false alarm. There is no need to worry except if your dog’s abdomen is significantly distended. In this case you may want to seek the help of a veterinarian to rule out other problems.

I definitely wouldn’t recommend any medication or doggie Prozac because suppressing the body’s natural tendencies would cause more imbalance and ultimately  poorer health.

Holistic approach to neutering and spaying.

First of all I am definitely in favor of birth control for our pets. Many animals get euthanized because they haven’t found a suitable home. Excessive breeding makes it harder to find homes for homeless animals. I agree that there are some good and responsible breeders whose role it is to preserve the heritage of certain breeds and  I very much respect their work. I  especially value those who breed responsibly for healthy genes and disease prevention  instead of for looks.
There is another reason why I am in favor of spay and neutering. I believe that un-neutered pets suffer unnecessarily because the majority are never allowed to breed. Imagine if you had to live in celibacy against your natural desires and instincts. My heart goes out to many unneutered male dogs who are never let off the leash. Their owners worry that they will either get into a fight or run away to find “a girlfriend.”   The life of a neutered dog is much easier and they frequently make much better pets.

Male dogs

may be neutered around the age of  7 -8 months, however, some sources claim that neutering after the closure of bone growth plates is more appropriate which usually happens between 12 – 18  months of age depending on the breed.  I suggest you basing your decision on your dogs behavior  and if there are no issues, than you can wait until 15 months.  However, because of the scrotum and testicle size, the surgery is more traumatic when done later.

The neuter procedure is relatively simple and I recommend you not cheap out by going to low-cost, high volume spay and neuter clinics. General standards of medical care vary despite clinic inspections. Presurgical blood work, intravenous fluids, proper inhalation anesthesia monitoring and gentle and caring handling are from my point of view essential.

However, don’t get your hopes up thinking that your dog will stop having sudden urges and the leg humping will stop.  I have been laughing my head off since I discovered  the  worlds first dog sex doll. However, when I thought about it from the  dogs’ health point of view,  I  feel that it is a great idea because healthy sex life leads to good health.  Think about it, if  your dog’s first “best friend” is placed in a private location in your home, this could  avoid embarrassing situations when guests arrive.    Fido may become also much happier  and less prone to get in trouble of any kind.

Female dogs

The spay procedure has become subject to controversy as to whether to remove both, uterus and ovaries (ovarie-hysteroctomy) or remove the ovaries only (ovariectomy).  This is from my point of view a better choice.

If you can’t find a vet who is willing to perform such a procedure, just look elsewhere. The main benefit is that if the uterus is left behind, it continues to produce certain hormones that are beneficial to the body, (despite them not being able to cycle or get pregnant). Females with intact uterus appear to be more comfortable after the procedure and have lower rates of  female urinary incontinence.  Some people may  be concerned about pyometra, a life-threatening buildup of pus and fluid in the uterus but I haven’t seen this in my practice.

Natural approach to postsurgical care

Over the years I’ve developed a simple postsurgical care protocol that has worked very well.

1. Arnica 1M – a homeopathic remedy administered orally once every two hours (or less frequently) for the first 24 to 48 hours depending on patient’s comfort level.
2. Calendula 200 C – 1 dose daily for five days. This remedy has a very positive effect on the incision healing.
3. Some people worry about what would happen if the incision healed too fast. In fact the faster it heals the better.

Incision care

I have left toxic chemical soaps, disinfectants and antibiotics behind long time ago.  Instead I have been using a formula called Healing Solution. My grandfather was a herbalist and  thanks to the knowledge that he passed on, I have been able  to create Healing Solution – a herbal mixture that is great for wound healing.  Calendula improves the speed of the healing, Hydrastis (Golden Seal) has antibacterial and antifungal properties, Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) reduces inflammation and swelling and Yucca contributes to healing and reduces inflammation.
I’ve used Healing Solution in my practice for more than eight years now and to my own surprise I have not seen problem incisions for very long time. The benefit of using Healing Solution is not only faster healing and recovery but it also eliminates the need for antibiotics in most cases of  skin and wound care.

Just recently I accidentally stepped on a very dirty dog comb and it was hanging from my foot about three quarters of an inch deep. The first thought was that this would get infected and then I decided to test Healing Solution. I rinsed the wound thoroughly, sprayed it with Healing Solucion and compressed it with a piece of gauze and held in place by Vetrap bandage and  waited 24 hours to take the bandage off. There was no sign of an infection, no abscess and  no antibiotics, no emergency, no drama.

Healing Solution can also be used for hotspots, wounds, punctures, ulcerations, sores, some fungal infections, insect bites and stings and anywhere topical healing is required. Similar to GreenMin, it has been tested on  people and is good for you and your  animal friend.

PS:

In recent years I’ve seen animals being neutered and spayed much earlier than necessary. I find this practice not ideal because early spay and neuter often affects physical and even mental development. It is also more traumatic to the young and growing body. The ideal time for spaying is somewhere around 6 to 7 months of age and around 7 to 9 months in males.

First, I am happy to inform you that  I have no more  fear of loosing my veterinary license. This concern is very common among holistic practitioners,  simply because the licensing bodies often recognize conventional medicine only.

I love the newly found freedom because it gives me an opportunity to share anything important with you, no matter what the opinion of  the less open minded conventional circles is.

This year,  I will be paying more attention to the  intuitive part of healing, where the answers come with ease and clarity.  I would like to teach you how  to tap into your intuition,  inner knowledge and  healing energy that resides in all of us.

Here are my plans:

If Dogs Could Cook

is the name of the upcoming book. Some of you may already know that my new book on raw and natural diet is in the works. I have been in the final stages of making editions and adjustments andhope that this book will bring you ease and clarity into natural diet feeding.

Healing Solution

is our proven and universal herbal solution that can be used for a variety of situations from scrapes, incisions, cuts, hot spots, bacterial and fungal skin infections, abscesses and skin chafes.

• The beauty of Healing Solution is that it is 100% natural and made with organic herbs.
• It is a healthier and safer alternative to  the conventional products that are toxic to the skin cells
• There will be  several different versions of Healing Solutions available for a variety of uses.
• The  estimated launch is Spring 2010

Green Min Balance

is our brand  NEW product with the logo of wagging tail “h”. After years of searching for a complete mineral and micro-nutrient supplement, we are in the final stages of preparing a 100% plant based, human grade, certified organic formula that contains 73minerals and nutrients.

It is also a rich source of highly bio-available calcium which replaces supplements containing indigestible calcium sources like lime, coral or cooked or steamed bone that is often ontaminated with heavy metals. Green Min Balance is a revolutionary product that you do not want to miss.

Good Life Learning lecture series

will be continuing in 2010. My focus will be on helping you save money on vet care through disease prevention and understanding the connection between your dog’s physical body, emotions and also
your own well being. We are planning to introduce webinars, continue our Vancouver based seminars as well as making these available in audio and video format.

Gradually, I will be inviting other speakers who will present on a variety of topics to help you create the good and healthy life for you and your animal friend.

Our Blog

has been growing in the number of posts and provides handy, free information that can save you virtually thousands of dollars, but mainly keep your best friend’s healthy.
http://www.peterdobias.com/community

Flying Dog Club

Some of you may be familiar with the concept of Flying Dog Club. The goal is to create a community of people who would like to travel with their dogs safely and humanely. In the next few months, we are planning to organize our first online meeting to discuss our plans and listen to your suggestions.

Join me on Facebook, Twitter

Become part of the community building efforts or just checkthe latest news. I hope that we will be able to create a momentum and increase interest in gentle, side-effect free healing. Together, we can show people how to make the right choices when it comes to animal health care.

Thanks to Healing Foundation donors!

I would like to thank Christy Johnson and Healthy Hound Pet Foods and Faye Mosher for their generous support of our new foundation. In the first stage of our efforts, we would like to distribute printed material on the damaging effect of choke chains, prong collars, tight collars. These medieval methods of “restraining dogs” take a big toll on their health. If  you would like to be part of this effort, stay tune for our meeting…

As time progresses we hope to conduct studies especially in the area of cancer prevention, allergy treatment, kidney disease, thyroid issues to name a few. If you would like to contribute to Healing Foundation  Programs or volunteer, click here.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year…

Dr. Peter Dobias