Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, January 26, 2019

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BEST FRIENDS & MORE 

Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 26, 2019 


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

HELPFUL 
HOMEOPATHIC 
HINTS FOR YOUR 
PET’S HEALTH

Few pet owners are fortunate enough to say that their four-
legged friend has had no need to go to the vet for anything 
other than annual checkups or vaccinations. Indeed, it seems 
we animal lovers are far-too-often off to see the doggie doc 
with a superabundance of symptoms that the average owner 
is clueless to care for.

 On the other hand, I do think there are some 
circumstances when homeopathic healthcare might be 
worth looking into before making yet another trip to the 
vet. The trick is knowing which alternative treatment is 
appropriate for your pet. Much like us humans, animals are 
individuals with unique bodies that may or may not elicit 
the desired result from mainstream medication, so at times 
it might behoove the owner to consider the possibility of a 
homeopathic remedy.

 For example, my bloodhound, Tater had ear infections 
throughout her adult life. Dogs with long ears tend to get 
infected because they are constantly getting wet then trapping 
that moisture inside the ear canal where warmth fosters 
bacterial growth. Because the bloodhound’s long outer ear 
prevents air from drying out the inner ear, bacteria can grow 
exponentially faster than in the case of a short-eared dog. To 
make matters worse, my Tater’s ears were longer than most 
bloodhounds‘, so it was virtually impossible to keep them dry 
and prevent the onset of infection.

 Eventually there came a time when Tater’s ears got so 
infected, none of the medications the vet recommended were 
working. It started with a relatively mild yeast infection which 
rendered a black paste that, slowly but surely made it’s way 
down her baggy cheeks and beneath her floppy lips where 
it infected the tender skin on her neck and chin. Of course I 
followed the vet-recommended protocols, but the infection 
was relentless. At one point her ears got so bad I had to take 
her to the emergency clinic where they prescribed a stronger 
antibiotic.

 Although the infection never cleared up completely, it 
did get better for a while. Following that ordeal, there were 
yet more months of vet visits to have Tater’s ears tended to. 
We went through a plethora of oral and topical meds with 
little or no lasting results. Finally, I decided to seek out some 
alternative remedies in hopes of finding a cure. It’s a good 
thing I did, because I found something that not only helped 
Tater’s ears, but it also helped clear up the mucous that tended 
to gather around her eyes, as well as the itchy spots on her 
skin.

 The remedy was 
so basic, I could 
scarcely convince my 
fellow pet owners it 
actually worked. I was 
skeptical too, at first, 
as the product was so 
affordable I figured 
there was no way it 
could possibly make a 
difference. Well, let me 
tell you, it worked! The 
solution turned out to 
be nothing more than 
a pro-biotic powder 
for pets that claimed to 
help maintain a healthy 
balance in the digestive 
system.

 Geneflora from cycles-of-life.com came highly 
recommended by Tater’s trainer and although I can’t give 
sole credit to the pro-biotic for our success with Tater’s ears, I 
know it played a major part. I continued to administer the ear 
drops prescribed by the vet, and I added a daily regimen of 
cleaning with a home-brewed remedy I conjured up myself.

 I put 5 cups of purified water in a pot on the stove and 
added a tablespoon of Dr. Bronner’s liquid peppermint 
soap along with clippings of fresh rosemary, bay leaf and 
eucalyptus from my yard. Next I added a drop of bergamot 
essential oil and a dash of white vinegar. I boiled the mixture 
for about 2 minutes, removed it from the stove and dropped 
a clean cotton towel into the pot to soak.

 With gloved hands, I rang out and placed the steaming 
towel under the flap of Tater’s ear until it cooled, wiped the 
ear carefully with a clean dry cotton towel and repeated until 
the ear appeared clean. Finally, I applied the topical medicine 
prescribed by the vet. I continued this regimen along with the 
pro-biotic powder until, for the first time in years, Tater’s ears 
were finally infection free!

 The results we had with Tater’s ears using the alternative 
treatment inspired me to look up more home remedies for 
pet health conditions. Here are a few bits of holistic health 
wisdom I found. I hope you find them helpful.

 Bad Breath - Digestion can be partly to blame for a dogs 
bad breath, so it can’t hurt to pep up the digestive process 
with whole grains. Try adding a little brown rice to your dog’s 
daily rations. Parsley is a also great way to hold halitosis at 
bay, if your dog is willing to eat it.

 Constipation - Try adding a teaspoon of oatmeal or high-
fiber cereal to your pet’s favorite nighttime delight. Pumpkin 
also helps keep things regular and most dogs love the taste 
of it. And don’t forget to keep your dog’s water bowl freshly 
replenished.

 Worms & Other Parasites - Pets get parasites either from 
eating something containing the eggs of the perpetrator 
or being bitten by a carrier such as a fly or mosquito. And 
sometimes they contract worms from eating their own 
feces. Over the counter de-worming meds work pretty 
well but prevention is best, so be sure to clean up your pet’s 
poop immediately, add small portions of garlic to the diet to 
deter insects, and don’t allow your pet to drink from ponds, 
streams or lakes where insects and microscopic parasites 
breed.


BEST FRIEND


Elaine watches people come in Meow Manor thinking “Will 
they stop to meet me and see how wonderful I am? “ Her 
personal ad would tell people she’s a 3-year-old snuggle 
bug and loves people stroking her beautiful silky gray and 
white fur from head to tail while she twists and melts into 
the hands petting her. She lives in the first floor of the cat 
condos and is well worth coming down to her level to invite 
her out for a meet. She even likes belly rubs, almost as much 
as that “other” pet species. Both a lover and a player, Elaine 
keeps in shape chasing laser dots, wrestling stuffed toys and 
perfecting the skill of catching flying feathers. Elaine is very 
talkative, good with people, and even good with children 
touching her paws and petting her. Now that’s a plus in any 
cat’s resume! Please come meet her and see if she’s your 
type. Her adoption fee is $99, which includes spay surgery, 
a microchip, first vaccinations and a free wellness check-up 
at a participating veterinarian.Feel free to call us at (626) 
286-1159 for more information. She currently resides at the 
San Gabriel Valley Humane Society located at 851 E. Grand 
Avenue in San Gabriel which is located off San Gabriel Blvd, 
north of Mission and south of Las Tunas Drive. To arrange 
a ‘Meet and Greet’, please stop by any time from 10:30am to 
4:30pm Tuesday through Sunday.Website:www.sgvhumane.
org.

 

.

CAT OF THE WEEK


ADOPT BEAUTIFUL TWINS, 

HOPPER & LADYBUG!


Make your Valentine’s Day 
extra special with these two 
beautiful siblings, age about a 
year & a half. Two’s Company! 
Do you love white cats? The 
male is Hopper, and his twin 
sister is Lady Bug. Lady Bug 
is so sweet & delicate, rather 
shy and doesn’t like to be held, but she does like to play. Sweet 
Hopper is just simply a loving playful boy. They will both 
be shy at first, but should come around quickly with treats, 
toys, & sweet talk. Remember—white goes with everything! 
They will come spayed/neutered, current on vaccines, and 
microchipped. Use our Twofur Offer for savings! See their 
videos and more pictures at http://www.lifelineforpets.org/
young-cats.html. Adoption application is also on the website. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com