For many years, I have bred and raised cocker spaniels, and have found that they, like most dogs, do much better on a diet mainly consisting of raw meat. However, when I sell my dogs and puppies, I often have a hard time convincing other people to continue this diet. Could you get a veterinarian who believes in this type of diet for dogs to support my position?

We turned this question over to veterinarian Pat Bradley, of Conway, Arkansas. A graduate of Louisiana State University, Bradley practiced conventional veterinary medicine for 10 years before opening an all-holistic practice five years ago.

In the early days of my holistic practice, I tried, like you, to tell people that they had to feed their dogs raw meat. I found, like you, that the idea scared some people so much they would leave my practice. I agree that a raw meat diet is the healthiest for many dogs, though there are always exceptions; dogs are individuals, after all, just like humans. But now, I’m more gentle and flexible about my diet recommendations, and I try to take a gradual approach with people.

What advice I give people concerning their dog’s diet really depends on where they are. Some people still have the mindset that they have to feed dry dog food and no table scraps. I can tell when I start talking to them about home-prepared foods, that barriers go up. I have other clients who eat only organic foods, and often they are a little further along in their understanding that their dogs have to eat foods that are natural for them to eat in order to thrive.

My first recommendation to all of my clients is that they start looking at the labels of all the dog foods they come across. I tell them, “At our next appointment, let’s talk about changing your dog’s food. But right now, I want you to start reading dog food labels, and start looking for some of these things.”

The first thing I want them to become aware of is how many commercial dog foods contain artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. While a direct link between some of these additives and health problems in dogs has not been demonstrated, there has been much anecdotal evidence of such from breeders and owners. Some dogs are not sensitive to these things; others have mild reactions that escape their owners’ notice, or are attributed to something else. Some dogs, however, have very clear reactions, manifesting physical problems and behavior changes.

Given the number and variety of toxins our dogs are exposed to over their lifetimes – artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives as well as vaccines, wormers, flea-killing pesticides, and so on – eventually the body’s detoxification system gets overwhelmed. Seeking out foods that lack these things is an easy way to start to prevent some of the toxins from entering your dog’s system.

Artificial preservatives like ethoxyquin, BHT, and BHA have all been implicated in health problems. On the other hand, no such claims are ever heard about natural preservatives such as vitamin C or E.

I also tell people to check their dogs’ food labels for “junk” ingredients like white sugar, corn syrup, and white flour. Preferable are high-quality ingredients like beef, turkey, chicken, or lamb. The term “by-products” indicates a lower quality protein, not as bioavailable, that is, not as usable to the body as meat protein.

Ideally, I tell my clients to look for products that say they are human quality. If organic vegetables and meat are used, you know the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticide residues are minimal.

If the client is comfortable with the idea of a natural diet for dogs, then I try to get them to start supplementing the dog’s diet with as much raw meat, vegetables, and grains as possible. If they eat good quality food themselves, foods like brown rice, millet, oats, yogurt, then I tell them, “Well, just start fixing more!” It doesn’t take any longer to fix four cups of rice than it is to fix two cups.

I encourage all my clients to experiment with their dogs to see what the dogs like and thrive on. Before I prescribe a specific, formal diet for any given dog, I think the owner should have done some experimenting, to discover the general principles we’ll follow. For instance, if a dog won’t eat beef at all, or if he gets diarrhea every time he eats lamb, we don’t go there. We try to find out what they do like and tolerate well.

The longer I have had a holistic practice, the more comfortable with feeding dogs a high percentage of meat I have become. But some dogs do not tolerate meat at all. No matter what your feelings on the matter are, you have to be open to each individual dog’s needs. I have used high quality dog food on some dogs and gotten an excellent response, then used the same food on another dog and had them start looking and feeling awful. There is no single best dog food – it has to be individualized.

The key is to be closely observant of your own dog. What is happening with his or her coat, eyes, energy, attitude, and stool quality? When you ask dog owners to try different things, while carefully observing (and maybe even recording) their dog’s reactions and state of health, the raw meat diet may just sell itself.

I am the proud (though not everyday) owner of a deaf male Dalmatian named Angus, who requires quite a bit of special care. I got him at a local animal shelter and wish I had been more prepared before I took him home.

In addition to his deafness, he has had kidney stones and corresponding surgery to remove them. He also suffers from food allergies. I currently have him on Hill’s Prescription Diet U/D, but I think something in the food may be bothering him. I had an allergy series run on him and he is allergic to a lot of foods and my four cats! Currently, he is on antihistamines to control the itching. I could use some real beginner’s information to help familiarize myself with alternative treatments.

We turned over this question to Dr. Nancy Scanlan, a veterinarian for 27 years, integrating holistic medicine into her practice for the last 10 years. Dr. Scanlan is also a prolific writer, authoring a column for Natural Pet for two years as well as a book, “Stop That Itch!”.) Dr. Scanlan’s practice is located in Sherman Oaks, Ca.

As you are discovering, there are a number of things you can do to help Angus, including identifying his food allergies, a restricted diet, pollen and dander control, and other environmental alterations. I’ll start with diet.

You’ve already started the first and hardest task: trying to identify the specific things Angus is allergic to, and formulating a custom diet for him. The allergy tests can help, but a big part of the task can only be undertaken by you: identifying all the foods Angus has been fed over the last six months to a year, then feeding him whatever he has not been exposed to.

Often, as far as the grains are concerned, you can find some things that aren’t often in commercial dog foods, such as oatmeal, quinoa, or millet (cooked until it’s mushy). Meat is usually harder. Sometimes you have to use something weird like ostrich or venison if you are going to formulate his new diet yourself. Veterinarians can sometimes supply you with the ingredients for weird diets like venison and potato, or duck and potato. Organ meats are actually worse than regular meat for kidney stones because of the type of protein they contain – they are higher in the amino acids that form urates.

You will also have to adjust the diet to keep it low in protein, so it is less likely to cause kidney stones. Because of the unique way Dalmatians process protein, you really have to limit the types and the amount of protein they get, to keep them from getting kidney stones. Instead of making urea, Dalmatians’ bodies make uric acid, which is less soluble in water, so it tends to turn into crystals instead of being eliminated in the urine.

Incidentally, one thing you can do to help prevent the kidney stones is to add water to all of his meals to make them soupy. He needs enough liquid in his diet to keep his urine reasonably dilute and of the proper acidity. If his urine is diluted, it helps the crystals stay in suspension better. If the urine gets too alkaline, the crystals will precipitate out and form stones. Supplements that help decrease inflammation are another good thing to include in the diets of allergic dogs. All the anti-oxidant vitamins would help, including C, E, beta carotene, and A – though you have to be careful with A; too much can cause poisoning. Other anti-oxidants such as superoxide dismutase are good, too. These should be added as supplements, not foods, because of the high amounts needed.

Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, can help the skin. Omega 6, found in borage oil and canola oil, can help some, too, but not as much as Omega 3. A “balanced” diet for a Dalmatian with kidney stones is WAY different from a balanced diet for a normal dog. You can’t go by the usual authorities such as Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn, Diane Stein, or Pat McKay, because their recommended diets are far too high in protein for a stone-producing Dal. It would be best to find and consult a veterinarian who knows about home-made diets for weird diseases, not just for regular animals. The only book I know that addresses this is “Small Animal Clinical Nutrition,” in an extremely small section in the back. The book is produced by the people at Hill’s and it’s actually very good.

After you have come up with a balanced diet, comprised of foods that have not yet been implicated in his allergies, you need to keep him on it for a while, perhaps as much as 10 weeks, before you make your final determination that it either did or did not work. Some dogs respond right away, but not all. The most common mistake people make with restricted diets is quitting too fast.

Have you done allergy testing for pollen, mold, and fungal spores? Either blood tests or skin test can give you a clue. Getting Angus’ diet under control is only a small part of helping him if his biggest problem turns out to be a pollen or fungal spore allergy, though dietary control can provide the extra spark that can help the other things work. Constant vacuuming will help with his allergies to cats. If he spends most of his time indoors, a HEPA-type air filter or two (they are expensive) that removes pollen and cat dander from the air can be helpful. Inexpensive filters, unfortunately, don’t work. Bathing once or twice a week with an oatmeal-based shampoo can help itchiness.

At this time of year, with the rain most of the country has had this year, if mold and fungal spores are a big factor, you may be kind of stuck. Every little bit helps, though, so do what you can to make sure all the areas where Angus hangs out are dry. Moisture in dog houses can often contribute to allergy problems, as can moldy rugs or bedding.

In dogs who are allergic to pollen, the closer they are to the source of the pollen, the more problems they will have. If he has an allergy to Kentucky Bluegrass, say, and your lawn is pure Kentucky Bluegrass, you might consider getting a new lawn with a different grass or landscaping the yard in some other way.

There are a LOT of other things that help itchiness, including homeopathic remedies (requiring a complete workup by a good homeopath), Chinese herbs (requiring a complete workup by a veterinarian familiar with Chinese herbs), some Western herbs, some Ayurvedic herbs, acupuncture, and other energy work. The reason I say he needs a complete workup is because there are so many variables to consider – the way the skin looks, the way the dog acts, the time of year he is itchiest, and many more – before the most effective herb or remedy can be determined.

Anti-histamines work well for some dogs and not at all for others. Don’t give up after using just one; there are several families of anti-histamines and if one doesn’t work, sometimes another will. Sometimes if you use a smaller dose three times a day, it works better than just twice a day.

Alternatives for Epileptics
I have read that epilepsy can be caused by (or at least aggravated by) certain nutrient deficiencies. Are there any supplements you can recommend for dogs for prevention of epileptic seizures? I’m looking for alternatives to Phenobarbital.

-Name withheld by request

San Mateo, California

My five-year-old Cocker Spaniel, Casey, has been getting convulsions/ seizures since she was three years and four months old. She has been on Phenobarbital (30 milligrams twice a day) for almost two years. I understand that after a certain time Phenobarbital can damage organs in the body. Is there an alternative to Phenobarbital that is safer and has fewer or no side effects that will control her seizures?

-Sandra L. Neuheimer
Fleetwood, PA

A Veterinarian’s Opinion
We posed these questions to two experts: a holistic veterinarian and an herbalist. The first view on the subject of epilepsy comes from Dr. Charles Loops, a well-known holistic veterinarian in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Dr. Loops practices homeopathy exclusively, and consults with many of his clients over the telephone. He has a special interest in cancer treatment.

Epilepsy is a common problem for every veterinary practitioner. There are so many variations in symptoms, frequency of occurrence, intensity of seizures and age of onset, that any combination can be found between the numerous animals afflicted with this condition.

This is an old disease that seems to have always affected a small percentage of animals, however, vaccinations are a stress factor that can bring out this problem. Many animals begin seizure syndromes following a vaccination. Some can be cured of this imbalance with homeopathic treatment and others can only be controlled.

Occasionally a diet change or addition of supplements will correct a seizure problem but not often. B-vitamins are very important in neurological functional maintenance and should be supplemented when a seizure problem exists. I feel it is best to use a B-complex supplement, one containing all the known Bs, rather than choose certain ones. This avoids imbalances which might occur if individual ones such as choline are given in high doses.

Most epileptic dogs can be treated homeopathically without using Phenobarbital or other seizure medications. The more resistant cases will benefit from homeopathic and diet improvement as an adjunct to chemical therapy and generally require lower medicinal doses. As with most conditions, utilizing holistic treatments before starting on chemical medications enhances the odds that a cure will be possible. The use of suppressive treatments can take the curable case to the incurable level.

An Herbalist’s View
The next answer is from Gregory L. Tilford, co-owner and formulating herbalist of Animal’s Apawthecary. He is also the founding president of the Natural Pet Products Association, and the author of two books on wild medicinal plants: The EcoHerbalist’s Fieldbook (Mountain Weed Publishing, 1993) and Edible & Medicinal Plants of the West (Mountain Weed Publishing, 1997). Greg and his wife, Mary Wulff-Tilford, a professional member of the American Herbalist’s Guild, are completing a comprehensive guide book on herbs for animals.

There are several herbs that can be used to reduce the severity and frequency of epileptic fits. However, like Phenobarbital, herbs will only treat the symptoms of epilepsy (seizures); they won’t stop the disease.

Whichever approach you take, I’d also suggest taking a critical look at the dog’s diet; nutrition is so important. I recommend that people improve the dog’s diet before they use herbs or medications. Make sure the animal is getting the essential fatty acids, especially if he has any kind of nervous system disorder, because the Omega 3s and 6s are critical to proper nerve function. Also, you’ve got to have the amino acids taurine for cats and carnitine for dogs in order for the nervous system to work appropriately. Without those in place, herbs won’t have any foundation from which to work. It’s like send fire engine to a fire without water; they have nothing to work with.

There are several herbal remedies commonly recommended by herbalists for epilepsy, and some holistic veterinarians are using them as alternatives to Phenobarbital.

One of the ones I recommend contains some amount of choline, the nutrient that the first writer alluded to. However, the herbs are not generally used for their nutritive content, but rather, for their abilities as nervines. This is a term used for herbs which moderates or adjusts nervous function. They are not necessarily sedatives, but they can have a sedative effect.

The first herb I’d suggest using is skullcap, or Scutellaria. Skullcap is a nervine that is especially helpful for any kind of nervous jitteryness. It’s indicated for dogs with the kind of nervous anxiety associated with having the shakes or muscle tremors, or for dogs that have hyperactive excitability.

Research has shown that skullcap can affect the higher brain center; that’s the area of the brain where epileptic fits are triggered. We have had many positive reports from pet owners and veterinarians who have given it to pets who experience frequent seizures. Commonly, dogs that receive a regular dose of skullcap exhibit a reduction of the frequency and the severity of the seizures.

The second herb I’d try is valerian, or Valeriana officinalis. It has also been shown to work in the higher brain centers. It is indicated more for general anxiety – like the animal that paces all night, or the animal that just can’t relax when you are traveling not necessarily the nervous jitteriness or insomnia. Valerian can work more quickly and be more effective than skullcap, but in some animals it can cause a groggy irritability. If the dog is predisposed to being cranky in the first place, or has mood swings, I wouldn’t give him valerian; it might cause him to even more grumpy.

The third herb I’d suggest, oatstraw or Avena sativa, is a really good general nervine tonic. Oatstraw can have a profound effect toward nourishing the myelin sheath of nerves; it’s nourishing to the entire nervous system. It does contain choline, which is a large part of the nerve signal carrier. Oatstraw can help regulate and qualify nerve impulses, helping the nervous system work more efficiently. It can also be fed every day and is very safe; it’s a neutraceutical, as much a food as a medicine.

A dog owner could try any one of these herbs, or any combination of them. I like using all three in equal parts. Some companies, mine included, offer blends of these herbs. These herbs can be fed directly, in fresh or dried form, but few dogs like the taste of skullcap or valerian. They might be more readily accepted in tea form. My personal favorite method of administering herbs, however, is in tincture form.

Tinctures are the strongest, most versatile, and readily usable forms of herb preparation. Either alcohol or glycerin is used as solvents to break the plant material down and release the active constituents into a concentrated liquid base. This allows pet owners to give a small but powerful dose that allows for quick and complete absorption into the body. In my experience, pets tend to object to the taste of alcohol-based tinctures, which is why my company makes only glycerin tinctures, which are sweet and palatable. Both forms are equally effective.

Tinctures are best fed on an empty stomach, without interference from digestive action. It’s also best to split the daily dose into at least two or three feedings, to maintain a small but constant amount in the dog’s system. I’d recommend giving a medium-sized dog one-half to one milliliter of the tincture (or 12-20 drops for every 20 pounds of the dog’s body weight) three times a day. You can dilute alcohol tinctures if the dog won’t accept them, or put it in the dog’s food or water as a last resort.

A caution: I would strongly recommend that if your dog is already receiving Phenobarbital, you see a holistic veterinarian before administering any herbal remedy. The herbs are capable of amplifying the effects of Phenobarbital.

Commonly, holistic veterinarians suggest slowly reducing the dog’s dose of Phenobarbital, and progressively replacing it with an herbal formula. But if the animal has been on a relatively high dose of Phenobarbital for a long time, he is likely to be highly dependent on it at that point, so a veterinarian’s supervision is critical.

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Crazy Around Cars
After reading the article What a Drag (WDJ July 1998), I decided that the Halti head collar was just what my 15-month-old Beagle needed. However, even though the device made sense to me, unfortunately it didn’t work for my dog, who freaks out every time a car passes by.

I’ve been walking my dog since he was four months old, but over time he has become increasingly worse in his behavior with cars that go by. My biggest problem is controlling him as he’s barking and trying to get to the cars in the street. I normally use a nylon cord choke collar on him, but I figured I’d give his neck a break (no pun intended) and use a head collar. However, the Halti didn’t stop the behavior; he even managed to shake his head out of it!

I’ve tried making him do a sit/stay, or a turn around, to distract him while the car passes, but nothing seems to work. Eventually I stopped walking him as it was becoming less enjoyable for both of us.Would a harness help? It seems to me that a change in the collar device is not going to help with this particular problem.

-Pearl White
Melrose Park, IL

We sent this question to Bill Stavers, a dog trainer and animal behavior specialist from Beverly Hills, CA. Stavers assists veterinarians as the staff trainer/behaviorist at the Wilshire Animal Hospital, is the behavior consultant for the Huntington Hospital pet assisted therapy program, and is a certified animal evaluator for the Delta Society. He teaches training in classes and private lessons (using only positive reinforcement) and solves problems via telephone consultations.

I agree that a change in collar device won’t help. A harness, like a head collar, is just another restraint; it won’t stop the behavior. By using nothing but a restraint device, as you have noticed, over time, the barking becomes more intense and begins earlier, when the car is farther away. When introduced and used properly, a head collar can be an effective and relatively pain-free tool, but in this instance, the solution does not lie in the type of restraint used.

You were on the right track when you tried a sit/stay, but the training process to completely and reliably distract him with other tasks will require several steps. The first steps should be taught before you go out even before you put his collar on.

First, teach your dog look at me and sit on command, so that he will respond, even when he’s not looking at you, when you say the command inside and outside. Use highly desirable treats as reinforcers.

Next, go to the edge of the area where the problem occurs. You must be far enough away from any cars that your dog is not nervous or aroused. Do a couple of look at me” commands and some sit commands and reinforce. Then, jog away from the area happily calling your dog. Slow to a stop, kneel down, and playfully reinforce him with lots of treats, petting, and praise.

Go home. Return and repeat this sequence until your dog is anticipating your actions. Reinforce his expectation that you will ask him to look at you, ask for sit and jog away to play with him each time you approach the area. You are now changing from classical to operant conditioning. (For a thorough discussion of learning theories, see Excel-Erated Learning: Explaining how dogs learn and how best to teach them, by Pam Reid. It’s published by James & Kenneth and available from Direct Books, 800-776-2665).

The next step is to do the look at me and sit commands the instant your dog detects the presence of a car in the distance. At the moment you see that he perceives a car, you give him the look at me cue, run happily away while calling him, give the sit cue, kneel down, and playfully reinforce. At this juncture, you could even throw a couple of treats on the ground and allow him to do what he does best: sniff, sniff, sniff. After he finds the goodies, go home.

The process from here is to gradually, and you have to use some judgment here, alternate look at me, sit, and jogging away cues with the car closer and closer, until you are able to keep his attention on you even as the car gets to you. Be ready to fall back to a previously successful session if he begins to bark or lunge for a car, which will most likely happen at the moment the car crosses an imaginary line that signifies it is no longer approaching but departing.

The head collar will be helpful in about six weeks when all seems to be going well, but there is still a residual, small amount of arousal when the car gets to you. You may then be able to use the head collar to interrupt your dog and turn him toward you, then give the cues without jogging away. The advantages of this approach are that you solidify trust in your dog and continually strengthen his positive behavior through reinforcement. You also teach him that you are a good owner, that it pays to follow your lead, and, last but not least, that you will get him out of a stressful situation (if it all becomes too much) by leaving instead of yelling at him and pulling on him.This might take six weeks or more, but you have the rest of his life to enjoy his progress.