Diabetes: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Beccadog — 7/14/2011 3:50:49 PM

As far as medical checkups are concerned, my dog received a clean bill of health in December 2006. Within a couple months, she was limping badly. The veterinarian suspected bone cancer, as lots of dogs in South Louisiana were getting bone cancers. And sure enough, when she was tested again in March, she was dying of a fast growing bone cancer, which was in her shoulder, and given less than a year to live at the most, even with radiation, chemo, and amputation.

Unfortunately, she had to be put down to relieve her from the pain, because I just started physical therapy for a fractured hip and total hip replacement and could not help myself, much less her. So much special care would have been needed that my husband was not prepared to give and I could not.

Medical checkups do not prevent disease. They may find disease, or may not, as was Becca's case. Becca was almost 10 years old, and was a beautiful German Shorthair Pointer.

I strongly believe that the cancer was due to radionuclides of the oil and gas drilling production waters (Normally Occurring Radioactive Materials) mixed in top soil as a cleanup method. My husband ordered some "CHEAP" soil to fill holes left from hurricane Lili. Becca tastes some of that "soil" and three months later was dead.

Even when one tries to protect the lives of pets (Becca even ate carrots and broccoli and organic food that I made myself), we cannot protect our loved ones when our environment in poisoned by the fossil fuel industry, and medical exams cannot protect us either.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Beccadog — 7/14/2011 3:33:53 PM

Fluoride in drinking water is the reason, I believe, that dogs are getting some of the same illnesses as people like arthritis and possibly bone cancers. But, although fluoride damages the thyroid, I'm not certain it adds to the risk of diabetes.

It also may come from the ingredients used in pet foods, which are also genetically modified with bacterium to withstand more herbicide spraying. Ingredients like soy, corn, cotton seed, and canola are all in vegetable oils; rice is genetically engineered as well with foreign DNA. And soon alfalfa will all be genetically engineered to basically drink Roundup and possibly 2,4-D. 2.4-D is strongly linked to cancers in dogs and people, was the other half of Agent Orange which may be contaminated with dioxin, but is still on the market. If they GE crops to withstand 2,4-D cancers to people, pets, livestock, and wildlife will soar, as will other related diseases which are increased with dioxins, in my opinion.

There are many studies that link diabetes to dioxin. Dioxin has contaminated some herbicides and is released into the air, falling out over agriculture. It is also created when industrial, medical waste is burned. And when certain chlorinated herbicides, like 2,4-D are used. The longer livestock graze, the more dioxins build up in their bodies. Adverse effects are occurring, including diabetes, cancers, birth defects. Dioxins build up in food chains, the higher up the animals, the more toxic the food.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Conjeanneal — 6/5/2011 8:32:50 PM

While I agree that overfeeding an animal is definitely one major aspect of obesity, I have to say that the "foods" that people are STILL feeding and the way that people are feeding these poor creatures is abominable!

For starters....Supermarket "foods" are the worst of the worst....pure garbage, especially the dry foods. Sadly in today's economic climate, people tend to buy the cheapest of the cheap for their pet's food. Also, when people leave nothing but a dish of dry food out all day every day, the animal just nibbles and nibbles and nibbles....ALWAYS eating, always smelling the food and usually never hungry for real foods. I've also seen the wet foods left out for MANY hours so the animal never is hungry. This is deplorable and if we had to smell our food left out for many hours, we would never be hungry come mealtime. The animal should be given an appropriate amount of time to eat, and then pick the plate up.

Another bad "food" ritual is to give the dog all the leftovers from all the junk food the owners eat. Some people feed their dogs as though they want to save a trip to the garbage can!

Second is vaccinations and (I think barbaric)VERY EARLY spaying/neutering. One of my cats from the local shelter was not only supervaccinated but spayed at either 4 or 6 weeks of age and the reason given by the shelter is that they of course don't want to see animals over-reproducing and no longer trust the owners to get the animal spayed! This is absolutely DEPLORABLE because my one cat that went through this UN-NATURAL brutality is lethargic, drinks water like it was going out of style and probably never developed properly due to the extremely early spaying. No one can tell me that this is the better answer! Why mutilate the animals because you don't trust the owners to bring the animal in for spaying???

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Christinestone — 6/5/2011 7:22:32 AM

My dog is living on prednisone due to his beyond serious allergies to everything !

Alternatives to prednisone for anti itch while he is enduring the allergy testing & syrums.

Poor guy, he is only 5 and has been on pred since he was 2 ish.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Isbells — 5/30/2011 8:06:56 AM

Can anyone (or Dr. Becker) help me with the issue of over-vaccinating - specifically the Rabies shot? I doubt I'll ever repeat any of the other vaccs. to my pets, but my concern now is Rabies. I live in FL, but would guess that all states are just as strict. I don't think a titer test is acceptable and even though we can do the 3 yr. shot, I still dread taking my dogs to the vet. In fact, it is possible that they will refuse to see them without (first) giving them a Rabies shot. My first hand experience with over-vaccination is when I got my 2nd dog and he quickly developed demodectic mange. I am sure it was from over-vaccination.

Does anyone know how to get away with not re-vaccinating for Rabies, or is that one that we just have to grin and bear it?

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

melaniepearl — 5/27/2011 6:52:51 PM

It's the fluoride in their drinking water, too.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

RubySage — 5/27/2011 11:02:05 AM

Perhaps the addition of corn and grain to dogfood provides the perfect environment for plaque to thrive and multiply-corresponds what happened in humans with the advent of agriculture-dental caries. Earlier hunters and gatherers apparently had an absence to the scourage of dental decay. Wild canines, the same.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

adam — 5/27/2011 2:32:29 AM

As for flea prevention, I have already began putting my puppy on a modest raw garlic regimen. I cut just a small bit off the tip of a garlic clove, chop it up, and then mix it with a VERY small amount of shredded cheese, then "chop" all that up in the palm of my hand with a butter knife and mix it around. It's a win/win/win situation -- my puppy eats the garlic, he gets a tasty treat, and I keep myself healthy by chopping up the remaining garlic and swallowing it down with water! (I eat MY portion BEFORE hand-feeding my puppy!) And now I come to find out that it will help his immune system and prevent the demodectic mange which he, a very young puppy, seems to be undergoing. (I just moments ago came to realize this to likely be the case when I read healthypets.mercola.com/.../sarcoptic-mange-and-demodectic-mange-in-pet-dogs.aspx)

I am thinking about trying a new tactic for flea prevention...CRUSHING garlic and rubbing it on him, probably his belly (though starting with a very small amount to ensure to allergic or otherwise unpleasant reaction occurs). Follow my logic here... concerning humans, the bottom of the foot is the most porous part of the body and, in some people, rubbing garlic on their feet makes it absorb into their bloodstream so readily that the smell of garlic is noticeable on their breath. I'm thinking that with his belly skin being so thin and supple, the same thing will occur. He will likely then also lick it, getting it on his breath even more in the process. Why might this help against fleas? Blood-sucking parasites find their hosts by a combination of things, like detecting specific ranges of smell, temperature, and carbon dioxide levels (think of a "stinky" mammal panting in a field, be it a dog or a buffalo). Masking the smell alone is often enough. By getting the animal to smell like garlic, it not only masks itself from pests but also actively repels them.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Miroslav Cap — 5/26/2011 10:34:18 PM

Everyone is avoiding the most crucial issue, OVER FEEDING pets. Owners just love to "kill their pets with kindness". I guess anthropomorphism (ascribing human traits to animals) plays part in in. Historically, both feline and canine species were always hungry, but now in captivity they are being over fed. Their system can't cope with excessive food intake. Especially dogs can not tolerate excess protein intake.

"But they love it" is the common argument, but pets eat as much as they can because in wilderness, they didn't know when their next meal was coming to them..

Pet food must be portioned to them, and their begging for more must be disregarded.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

CGG — 5/26/2011 6:05:32 PM

Brush your dogs teeth every day. When my poodle at 16 and my belgian at 15 died, their teeth were still white. They never had dental care. Unfortunately, none of my cats would let me do their teeth, even starting with them as kittens. Their dental surgery costs were outrageous. Any animal that I have taken in for surgery I always give them milk thistle for a month after, to boost their liver, due to the damaging effects of the aenesthetic. Plus I demand that they are given a flushing i.v. during surgery and for at least 4 hours after to get the aenesthetic out. I had one Himalayan kitten die (25 years ago) from a neuter surgery, because he was not monitored properly, and he suffocated to death from the aenesthetic. If I can prevent a surgery, such as dental surgery, I will brush every day. I wish the cats would co-operate.

Whether dog or cat, I would never allow them to get overweight. I have always viewed this as cruelty. I believe baby vaccinations only.

I read to get rid of ticks, soak a cotton ball in soap, wipe over a few time's and the tick comes out. Have not needed to try this myself. Might help someone?

For fleas add brewers yeast to their food. It is suppose to repel fleas. I read that garlic will also help and also discourage mosquitos. But I have also read cautions for garlic and I would discuss with my vet, before giving it to them.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

DoyleHudgens — 5/26/2011 12:05:47 PM

I purchased 3 bottles of the Natural Flea and Tick Defense and found it to be ineffective on our 3 cats and 1 dog, all of which are inside animals. How we ended up with fleas, must have been carried in from the patio where the dog does her business. I do not know what to do next. I am trying Bio Spot, which is what the dog rescue group I belong to uses. Why is the Natural Flea and Tick Defense not working? I do not know. I used it regularly per instructions.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Yogibear2 — 5/26/2011 11:39:57 AM

Dear Dr. Becker, thank you for all of your articles, the one on yeast solved my dogs problem with licking paws constantly, however if I do not soak daily, he is back to the problem...but atleast it is natural and no more prednisone...I write today to tell you about a natural flea and tick repellent that I use that is meant for humans called

"Cedarcide Best Yet" ...it is only red cedar oil (ten percent)and other natural ingredients and I use it on the dog before each walk...really works and one can purchase online at the above name dot com...The only ticks I have ever found were dead, and if I am careful when I spread this around his body, no ticks at all....Thought you would like to know.

Caterrytoo@yahoo.com

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

Peas_Mom — 5/26/2011 11:30:00 AM

I wish that the Natural Flea and Tick Defense didn't need to be applied every two to three days. Spraying a cat this often is a nightmare. Maybe dogs tolerate it better than cats, but I gave my three bottle supply costing $45 away. I tried spraying it on my hands and rubbing them but no luck, they caught on so I gave up.

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

croddis — 5/26/2011 11:11:59 AM

Regarding the dental issues, I am sure there is an increase in dental problems. The vets over charge for dental work! Just to get my Maltese's teeth cleaned is over $500 in Miami. Three years ago the cost was $200. I cannot afford to pay those kind of fees since I have been unemployed for the last 2 years. My dog is 14 years old and needs dental care but it is out of my financial reach!

re: The 'Human' Disease that's Soaring in Pets

openeye — 5/26/2011 10:21:49 AM

The fact that many pet foods have gone down in quality and include bio-engineered soy and meat from other animals fed bio-engineered products is important here.