May 2003
Mysterious Holistic Medicine
Subscribers Only Some (though certainly not all) holistic veterinary practitioners sometimes use unconventional diagnostic methods. Whole Dog Journal describes some of these tools, from the nearly ordinary to the truly far-out. Every system of medicine has something to offer, even if it’s hard to explain just what it is and how it works.
Learning About Nettle
Subscribers Only Are you among the millions of people who set out into the great outdoors every year? If so, are you familiar with Urtica? If not, you certainly should be. Collectively known as nettle, these plants inhabit drainage ditches, stream banks, and other moist soils in North America and throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Nettle deserves your attention. In fact, it actually demands your attention. Even the slightest brush of skin against the stems or leaves of the plant will immediately result in a painful sting.
Products Hazardous to Dogs
One of our primary responsibilities as caretakers of our canine companions is to keep them safe. There seems to be an endless host of hazards just waiting to take advantage of a breach in our defenses and attack our unsuspecting pals. If you’ve owned dogs for any length of time, you’ve probably encountered your share of those hazards and vowed not to make the same mistakes again. It’s easy to become paranoid and want to shroud your four-legged family members in bubble wrap to protect them. But how much protection is reasonable? How do you keep your dog safe and still let him enjoy his life as a dog?
Choosing The Right Dog Chew For Your Dog
Subscribers Only Beef hides and hooves, pig ears and snouts – Do you know which of these animal products are good for your dog, and which are dangerous? Walk down the right aisle in any pet supply store and you can’t miss them: row upon row, bin upon bin of preserved and processed animal parts, all intended for your dog’s chewing pleasure. First, there are the rawhide products – perhaps the least visually objectionable stuff on display. Most pet stores carry many varieties of rawhide chews, including flat discs, round rolls, twisted and braided chews, and fanciful items such as rawhide footballs and food bowls.
Is Your Dog Spoiled?
We’re not talking about dogs who live well; pushy, demanding dogs are the ones who are most likely to be resented by your family and friends. Contrary to what you may have read in some dog training books, letting your dog get on the sofa and feeding him real food does not mean he will turn into a raving dominant maniac-dog, nor does it teach him to drool at your dinner table.
New Hope for Treating Cancer
Subscribers Only An herbal extract from China is showing great promise in slowing cancer growth, and giving dogs more quality time with their guardians. When researchers at the Chinese Institute of Material Medicine discovered a region of China that did not have malaria, they found that its people drank a decoction (simmered tea) of Artemesia annua L. at the first sign of malarial symptoms.
Consider Safety
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