NATURAL PET CARE BLOG

Top Natural Antihistamine for Pet Itchy Skin & Gut Health

If you’re a pet parent, you know the helplessness of watching your furry friend suffer from constant itching and discomfort. Despite trying various medications and dietary changes, finding a lasting solution can seem elusive. But what if there was a natural alternative that not only eases the itch but also supports overall gut health? Enter Quercetin—a powerful, plant-based compound that’s gaining attention in the holistic pet care community for its impressive anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties.

In this blog post, inspired by our latest YouTube video, we’ll delve deeper into how Quercetin can transform your pet’s health. Led by Dr. Katie Woodley, an experienced holistic veterinarian, we explore the benefits of this natural antihistamine, how it can be safely integrated into your pet’s regimen, and why it might just be the solution you’ve been searching for. Whether your pet is struggling with allergies or gut he...

As a holistic veterinarian deeply committed to natural pet care, I've encountered numerous cases where pet parents are unaware of the critical connection between their furry friends' dental health and their overall gut well-being. Did you know that up to 80% of pets suffer from dental disease by the age of three? This staggering statistic underlines a widespread issue that, surprisingly, has a profound impact not just on the mouth but on the gut health of our pets.

Understanding the Connection: Pet Gut Health & Oral Microbiome

The mouth is the gateway to the gut, and the health of one significantly influences the other. During our latest Coffee Talk with the Doc, we delved into this intricate relationship, highlighting the often-missed link between dental health and gut health in pets. This connection, overlooked even by some veterinary professionals, plays a pivotal role in the overall health and well-being of our pets.

The Role of Dysbiosis in Dental and Gut Health

Dysbiosis, ...

Holistic veterinarians use natural therapies to treat pets and help prevent disease ranging from food therapy to acupuncture to numerous other modalities. They often focus on treating the whole animal rather than just focusing on one area of the body or only treating symptoms. Holistic vets also look at the pet’s lifestyle, emotions, and the environment when making treatment decisions and how to help your pets feel their best.

How Do I Know Which Holistic Veterinarian is Right For Me?

There are several things to consider when choosing a holistic veterinarian to make sure a partnership is a good fit for both you, your pets and the veterinarian.

First, make sure the practitioner has been trained in veterinary medicine and has further training in a holistic modality.

This means he or she has completed four years of veterinary school and passed an exam before becoming licensed.  Most veterinarian schools are only teaching conventional medicine.  If you want a holistic veterinarian that...

When it comes to our beloved pet companions, their health and well-being are of utmost importance. As responsible pet parents, we want to make informed decisions about their healthcare, including the prescribed medications. One commonly used drug for treating various gastrointestinal issues in dogs is metronidazole. In this article, we'll dive deeper into metronidazole, its uses, potential side effects, and natural alternatives that might be safer for your dogs and cats.

Understanding Metronidazole:

Metronidazole, commonly known as Flagyl, is an antibiotic that is often prescribed to dogs to treat conditions like diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and certain bacterial infections. While it can provide relief from these issues, it's essential to be aware of its potential side effects and consider safer alternatives to ensure your dog and cat's long-term health.

The Effectiveness of Metronidazole:

Metronidazole works by targeting anaerobic bacteria and parasites, making i...

As pet owners, diarrhea is one of the most common health concerns we may face with our furry friends. While it is not unusual for dogs and cats to have an occasional loose stool, bloody diarrhea can be alarming and may indicate a more serious health problem. Fortunately, several natural home remedies can help treat this condition and improve your pet's overall health.

Causes of Bloody Diarrhea in Dogs and Cats

There are many reasons why dogs and cats may develop bloody diarrhea. Some of the most common causes include:

1. Food Changes: Abrupt changes in your pet's diet can cause digestive upset, including diarrhea.
2. Eating Foreign Objects: Dogs and cats may swallow objects such as bones, toys, or even hairballs, which can cause intestinal blockages and lead to bloody diarrhea.
3. Stress Colitis: Stressful situations such as boarding, traveling, or changes in routine can lead to inflammation in the colon, resulting in bloody diarrhea.
4. Parasites: Parasites such as roundworms, hookworm
...

Dog leg sprain and strains are some of the most common dog injuries.

From soft tissue injuries, like dog leg sprains, to torn ligaments in your dog's knee, these types of injuries can be expensive, frustrating, and hard to watch your dog be in pain.

However, there are ways to avoid these common dog leg sprains, strains, and injuries using natural remedies to treat them if they happen to your dog.

How does a dog leg strain or sprain happen? 

Strains and sprains can happen commonly when your dog overworks itself.

Think about your own self getting out of winter without much activity and you try to run a marathon for the first time without working up to it.

These dog leg strains and sprains come from our dog’s not being ready and can affect the muscles or the ligaments or traumatic injuries.  For example, one of the most common injuries is a torn cruciate knee ligament which is like an ACL tear in people.

These types of injuries are painful and can lead to surgeries that are thou...

Did you know that there are many natural homemade remedies for your dog’s ear infection?

You may be feeling frustrated with going back and forth to the vet clinic for the same problem and the infection keeps coming back?

Unfortunately, ear infections are too common for our dogs and cats, but especially dogs.

Common Ear Infection Signs

So what are dog ear infections signs?

• Ear pain
• Your pet shaking their head excessively
• Scratching and digging at their ear with their paw
• Black waxy discharge or even pus coming from their ear
• Head tilt with ear down
• Bad smell coming from the ear
• Redness on the inside of the ear flap

There are many different causes for ear infections, and they are not always the same, even if your pet has had an ear infection before.

Thus, if you’re noticing any of these signs, make sure you book an appointment with your veterinarian to figure out what is causing the irritation in your dog’s ear.

Common Causes Of Dog Ear Infections

What causes dog ea...

Essential oils can be safe for your dog’s skin as a natural home remedy for wounds or to soothe your dog’s irritated skin.

It’s going to happen at some point.  Your dog could be running around outside and comes in and you notice blood.

Or maybe you have a dog that’s prone to itchy, red, hotspots.

These are all frustrating problems, and many times the conventional drugs only treat the symptom and not the actual cause of the problem.

But you can use natural remedies, like essential oils, to help resolve these problems to keep vet visits down and reduce the risk of side effects from occurring.

Having a first aid kit at home for when things like this happen is important.

In this short video, I’m going to cover what my top 5 essential oils are to have in your first aid kit and how to safely use them with your pets.

 When should you take your pet to the vet:

Now here’s my disclaimer.

If you’re ever questioning whether you need to go to the ER, just do it.

It’s always better to b...

As a holistic veterinarian, I often encounter pets with skin issues, from minor wounds to persistent itchy hotspots. While conventional treatments focus on symptoms, I advocate for addressing the root causes and treating the symptoms with natural remedies like essential oils while you are figuring out why the itchiness is there in the first place.

Gut health is commonly a main reason for skin issues, like hot spots, allergies and ear infections.  Make sure that you don't end up missing the root cause for why the symptom is there since many pet parents end up in a vicious cycle of only treating the symptoms.  Make sure to check out our blog post on healing allergies naturally at the root cause level.

In this post, I'll share my top 5 essential oils for dog skin health and how to use them effectively and safely.

When to Seek Veterinary Care:

Before we dive into essential oils, let's address when it's crucial to take your pet to the vet:

1. Injuries that penetrate the skin (e.g.
...