Featured Topic: Natural Pet Health (4 slides)

Transcription

1 Featured Topic: Natural Pet Health (4 slides)

2 Cancer Statistics in Dogs and Cats According to the best data we have 1 in 4 dogs will get cancer Half of all dogs over age 10 will die with or from cancer Over 60% of all golden retrievers die from cancer Cancer is cats is less common than in dogs, but it tends to be more aggressive Cancer in cats is frequently associated with feline leukemia virus (FLV) infection

3 Cancer prevention Curcumin: safe and effective for dogs and cats Stops cancer cell formation, multiplication and spread In cell studies, exposure to curcumin reduced canine bone cancer cell proliferation by up to 70% In overweight cats, supplementation with an enhanced absorption curcumin for 8 weeks significantly reduced certain markers of inflammation - inflammation is a root cause of cancer Dosage 200 to 375 mg daily for a cat or small dog, up to 750 mg for large dogs BONUS: because of curcumin s anti-inflammatory effects, it is also a great option for relieving pain, such as arthritic pain, in pets

4 Skin, Coat and Joints It is estimated that up to 20% of dogs suffer from allergies related to diet or environment (fleas, grasses, etc) Additionally, as much as 20% of dogs over age 1 experience joint pain and stiffness associated with arthritis The conventional prescription for joint pain in pets is NSAID drugs, which have the same adverse effects including stomach ulcers in dogs as in people Omega fatty acids have been shown in clinical trials to reduce arthritic pain and stiffness, and increase range of range of motion in dogs Omega fatty acids also improve the quality of hair, and can reduce itching and dry skin problems Omega fatty acids are safe and effective for both dogs and cats

5 Diet and Exercise: important for pets, too Diet feed your pets the best quality food you can Raw, unprocessed meats, organ meats, fruits and veggies often called the BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) diet; or the best, grain-free, prepared food you can find if you can t feed raw Exercise According to 2014 data, 53% of dogs and 58% of cats are overweight or obese Extra pounds in pets lead to heart disease, diabetes, and make arthritis problems worse Get up and get yourself AND your pet moving!

6 Treating Depression During Pregnancy (2 slides)

7 Prescription SSRI antidepressants SSRI serotonin specific reuptake inhibitor: keeps serotonin, our feel good hormone, levels higher and are used to reduce the symptoms of depression New study finds that adolescents whose mothers took SSRIs while pregnant are 4 times more likely to have depression themselves than children whose mothers had psychiatric problems but didn t take medication during pregnancy Study followed 65,000 women for 15 years 8% of children exposed to SSRIs in the womb had depression by age 15 versus 2% of children whose mothers had psychiatric disorders but did not take SSRIs About 10% of pregnant women in the US are prescribed SSRI antidepressants

8 Relieving depression without SSRIs Disclaimer: depression during and after pregnancy is something to take seriously and should be discussed with your doctor or a mental health professional. A nutrient that helps relieve depression and is not only safe, but extremely beneficial in pregnancy: omega-3 fatty acids In a clinical trial of 80 pregnant women with depression, those who received supplemental omega-3 had more than double the reduction in their depression score versus the control group Omega-3 is great for mom and crucial for the baby s developing brain Scientists from Tufts and Harvard Universities report that data from 2,525 children show that supplementation with EPA and DHA omega-3 during pregnancy and infancy improves motor skills and raises mental development scores in the children One important consideration: choose an omega-3 supplement carefully. Fish oil products can be rancid and contaminated with heavy metals that are particularly dangerous during pregnancy Heavy metal contamination is why pregnant women are advised NOT to consume swordfish and king mackerel, for example

9 Selenium and Cancer Risk (1 slide)

10 Low selenium and increased risk of cancer Liver cancer has been increasing in frequency in areas that were traditionally low risk In a study of 18,000 men in a high risk area of China who received either selenium or a placebo for 3 years, there were almost twice as many cases of liver cancer in the placebo group as there were in the selenium group Low selenium levels have been associated with a 2-3 times increase in overall cancer risk In a 10 year study of selenium intake and cancer risk 200 mcg selenium daily reduced the overall cancer mortality by 50% prostate cancer was reduced by 63% colorectal cancers reduced by 58% lung cancer reduced by 46% (whether or not they smoked) Selenium reduces breast cancer risk in women by 65-95% depending on the type.

11 Antibiotic Hoarding (1 slide)

12 Are you an antibiotic hoarder? Researchers at Baylor University in Texas surveyed 400 people who recently visited family practice medical clinics in Texas 14% said they kept a stash of antibiotics in their home 24% of their antibiotics were bought outside of the United States 20% were supplied by friends or family members 12% were kept for later after not completing a previously prescribed course of treatment In 4% of the cases, people saved and used antibiotics prescribed for use in animals, not humans. People said they used these antibiotics for sore throat, runny nose or cough viral conditions that aren t treated with antibiotics! Don t contribute to antibiotic resistance. If you NEED an antibiotic, take ALL the medication as prescribed by your doctor. Don t hoard for use later!