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Cats and dogs detox diet
that is so very interesting, Leap! thank you for sharing.
My very old "toxic cat" diet has changed again from my last blurb, he is now mostly eating the "fancy feast" (but not the liver versions), in *small amounts* with lots of WARMed water in the bowl (very much like a chunky soup). There are so many varieties, and variety keeps him eating, which he does *often* (every few hours) He also gets table scraps of cooked meat and occasional raw meat, occasional tuna and it's water. When I have to work a long day I will sometimes leave a little bit of dry food, because it seems to me that my cat needs lots of small meals. But as soon as I return I take away the dry because "soup" is what works best for him.
This "small soup meal often" routine has really cut back on the vomiting @leap7 and keeps those healthier poops coming.
Regarding bugs, I've heard that mosquitos (don't know about fleas) are attracted to those with higher blood sugar.
Once when I suspected my indoor cat got fleas, I treated it with Diamotacious Earth. I put it on his fur and then afterward regretted it--it felt horrible. However, it worked (or the flea infestations was imaginary, LOL) It could be something to look into
I read that mosquitos are also attracted to people who smoke - maybe these bugs are attracted to the VA in some way, since I think excess VA can drive people to smoke.
I read @lil-chick post on mange in dogs, so I wanted to add that at one point during his detox my dog had what looked like mange... He would be itchy almost constantly and his bottom was bare. But now his fur has grown back! I'm not sure if it's back to 100% but it's much better. Perhaps he did not have enough soluble fiber or enough protein to help him through detox. Also, he has probably detoxed a good amount of VA since then. I gave him protein based on requirements I saw on websites, but looking back that may have been enough. He eats more liberal amounts of meat now and occasional beans.
Oh, something else. My dog is a curly haired dog, he's a poodle mix. But I recently looked at his old photos and his hair was so much curlier. His hair is very fluffy and almost straight now. I don't know if it's an age thing or if it has to do with the detox at all. I'm not sure when his fur started getting straighter.
Also wanted to add that my dog's eyes seem to always have a tint of cloudiness now. Otherwise he is doing fine.
Also, my dog's nose is black. In the past few years some areas of it would lighten a bit. Now on the detox his nose is pretty much black now, except you can still tell where lightened spot used to be.
Thanks for that interesting info about your dog, @leap7. "toxic cat", of my two cats, has always seemed the least healthy. (of course, the other one died sooner, leaving me wondering). "toxic cat" has occasionally broken out in bald patches in the chin area. His nose color has also changed, with patches of black on the pink that seem to come and go. Like it can't decide what color to be.
I wanted to clarify that I am now feeding him "fancy feast" not because it is low VA (it isn't that I know of) but because he is extremely elderly now and it is what he will eat (found the recommendation on a kidney failure web board--many kidney failure cats get anorexic). It it seems the side effects of anorexia might have killed my other cat. I guess I'm hoping that the year of low VA that I managed to accomplish with him helps him enough that now he can eat a sort of "normal" cat diet.
Besides lessons about healing balding patches, this makes me think about any lessons for lowered-VA diets for the extreme elderly. I think the lessons would be... keep food going through the system, and make sure they are getting enough meat and fluids. I think that small soup portions throughout the day are probably the very best thing for this. The warmth also seems helpful.
I finished reading Grant's book last night on the "Extinguishing the Fires of Hell". Near the end of his book he mentions Yogurt and yeast mixed together to help with the detox of Vitamin A. Well, that brought up something that happened by kind of an accident. There is a dog that lives down the road. She lives there because she chooses to hang out with that farmer. She is feral in that she won't let anyone touch her so there is no way a person even that farmer to take her to a vet. (Got dumped out here in the country and lived off of squirrels and whatever to survive for quite a while).
Anyhow, a couple years ago she got bald on her tail and half her body. She itched like crazy all the time. I read some old books about what people did to treat this on their own back before there were lots of vets and drugs and money. One was cottage cheese, oil, Brewers Yeast and I think some vitamin E. Well, I did try that but not the vitamin E. And it did clear up her skin. But, this year I noticed she started itching again and I used yogurt instead of cottage cheese because that is what I had, and mixed it with Brewers Yeast and some tallow or oil or beef fat, whatever I had. Gave the mixture as a "treat" to the farmer and he spreads it lightly over her dry dog food daily and she eats it up. He had complained before about how she wouldn't eat her food. She gobbles it up with that stuff on it. As a result, her skin and fur is fantastic and she doesn't itch at all. Eyes clear and beautiful.
I'm considering trying that yogurt mixture for myself.
That is a neat idea, Sussan! Very cool example too.
Brewers yeast is very high in some of the B vities, right? My kid's gut got ruined by antibiotics and yogurt cured that and his ear infections to boot.
The thread on Dr Wahls has me thinking that gut problems are often a part and parcel of the problems many of us have.
Well, a little stray cat has come into my life. I'm not sure who I feel worse for, him or me.
I've got no idea what to feed him. Sigh!
He's a little sh*t. Horrible manners.
When I browse raw feeding forums and communities, everyone is adamant that organs (especially liver) are essential and if they are not fed, the dog/cat will definitely run into problems later on in life.
Does anyone here have a counter-argument to that position? Does anyone have experience feeding their pet no organs for an extended period of time (especially from a young age) ?
I have a puppy and while I’m down with the vit A toxicity theory I also don’t want to take any risks that could damage the puppies health and development.
I’m currently only feeding beef mince and chicken necks.
From time to time a boiled pig's ear is essential for growing up and strong paws. You can boil a couple, then freeze them and give them bit by bit (unfrozen of course).
Also dogs love them so much that they will include you in that love! One dog I knew found out they were in the freezer and taught itself to open the freezer. Beware, it has to be a Father Christmas thing, coming from Heaven.
I wonder if maybe egg yolks would be the answer.
In my opinion, PURPLE liver from young animals might have less VA. And some organs have less VA like heart.
My vet was always surprised at the health of my cat's teeth, but their kidneys were toast. (they had loads of organ meat through their lives)
We talked about that MS? Doc who suggested a child's portion of liver for her patients weekly. How about a kitten/puppy sized portion of organ meat weekly?