Post by muskyhusky on Oct 18, 2008 9:46:37 GMT -6
BLADDER INFECTIONS/CYSTITIS/STONES/CRYSTALS: These are common causes of incontinence, straining to urinate and/or blood in the urine. This must be diagnosed by a veterinarian, preferably a holistic care or homeopathic veterinarian, so that an appropriate care protocol can be determined.
CONGENITAL PROBLEM: The urinary tract system may not have developed properly.
INJURY: Trauma to the tail, pelvis or spine can damage the nerves which run through the lumbar region and enervate the bladder.
KIDNEY DISEASE: This is a serious disease and a holistic care or homeopathic veterinarian should be consulted for proper treatment. Two of the main symptoms of this disease are thirst (drinking more than usual and/or more often) and excessive urination.
LACK OF EXERCISE: Yes, this can actually be a cause. So take your dog for a walk at least once if not twice daily - ask your vet for how long based on the animal's age and health.
pH IMBALANCE: Have your animal's urine pH tested. Alkaline urine can lead to infections, formation of struvite crystals, and bladder stones. Urine that is too acidic can also create problems. Any pH far from normal in either direction causes problems. Dr. Richard Pitcairn, homeopathic veterinarian and author of "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats" recommends giving (among other things) Vitamin C to maintain an acidic urine, which he states makes mineral salts more soluble and counters the formation of crystals. See his book for various treatments for bladder problems. www.rhtubs.com/pH.htm "
"The pH scale runs from 0 to 14 with 0 being the most acidic, 7 neutral, and 14 being the most alkaline or basic. It is a logarithmic scale, based on powers of 10, so that 1 pH unit change equals a 10 fold change in H+ ion concentration! A pH of 6 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 7."
PROTEIN LEVELS IN THE FOOD: I saw this on a chatlist, might be worth trying: "My dog had 'leaking' issues when he got older. My vet suggested trying a lower protein food and that worked for us. It was a simple thing to try."
SPAYING/PREGNANCY: Sometimes spay surgery can inadvertently cause damage to the bladder or bladder sphincter, or the nerves which enervate the bladder. The nerves may or may not recover/regenerate. The change in hormones experienced during pregnancy, and after the spay procedure, can also greatly affect bladder tone. Some call the spay procedure called “surgical menopause”.
STOMACH UPSET: Sometimes an upset stomach can be the culprit. Stomach gas can put pressure on the bladder.
TUMORS/CYSTS: These can be assessed with an x-ray or ultrasound.
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ACUPUNCTURE: Acupuncture can assist with many different types of health issues including kidney, bladder and spleen dysfunction. The target of these treatments is the chi, or life force, of the animal and opening up blocked energy (chi) in the energy meridians of the body. NOTE: Acupuncture should not be used with homeopathy, because they have the same purpose (action on the chi, life force) and doing both will muddy the picture.
HERBS:
Chinese Herbs: There are Chinese herbal formulas which are used to resolve bladder problems; see the directories of natural practitioners under the Associations section on the Links-Holistic Care page to find a practitioner in your area. Often an acupuncturist will work with Chinese herbs, so check with them first. www.katberard.com/res_links_holisticcare.htm
Cornsilk: Cornsilk is a diuretic which helps eliminate urine (waste product) more often, and soothes the urinary tract through an anti-inflammatory action. It is a safe herb and can be used long-term with no known side effects. "Corn silk, when ingested, primarily acts as an anti-inflammatory in the genitourinary tract (kidneys, bladder and urethra). Its potent astringent effect can tighten and strengthen the smooth muscles of the bladder, which is why it may benefit incontinent animals. Corn silk does not fight bladder infection nor does it alter urinary pH (it does not treat crystals) so these conditions must be ruled out prior to its use. Corn silk must be given daily for several weeks before the positive effects are noticed. Use fresh corn silk when available. During the winter, corn silk can be purchased at the health food store. I recommend organic as most corn is treated with herbicides that are passed up the food chain. The amount to feed your pet is based on its size, other medications and concurrent health issues."--Natural News (newsletter of Natural Pet Animal Hospital).
Raw powder/silk:Much cheaper than capsules. Can be bought in bulk at health food stores. Pulverize in a coffee bean grinder or blender (dry) until a fine powder. Mix into food. For a 60 lb. dog, start with 1 tsp. each meal and increase by ½ tsp. every two days until relief occurs. You can also make your own by rinsing, carefully drying, and saving the silk from ears of corn, but be sure it is from organically grown corn.
After using either version for one month, you can experiment with reducing the dose slowly over two weeks to find the maintenance dose. If leakage occurs, increase the daily amount.
Fennel: The April 1, 2003, issue of The Whole Dog Journal discusses the use of Fennel. "Fennel also has estrogen-like properties, which may explain why the herb has been used for centuries to increase milk production in nursing mothers. Some herbalists find that Fennel helps alleviate urinary incontinence in spayed dogs by acting on hormone imbalances that contribute to the problem. . . . Fennel seed represents another option for relief of gastric discomfort. A cooled tea works very well for this purpose; one teasthingy of dried seeds in eight ounces of boiling water, steeped until cool. The tea can be fed at a rate of two to four tablesthingys for each 20 pounds of your dog's body weight, or it can be added to his drinking water, as generously as he will tolerate. Fennel is high in vitamins C and A, calcium, iron, potassium, and varying amounts of linoleic acid. It is an especially good nutritional adjunct for dogs whose chronic indigestion cannot be attributed to a specific disease entity. Fennel also helps increase appetite and freshens breath - thanks to its antibacterial activity in the mouth - by minimizing belching."
Schizandra: Can be purchased in bulk form or in capsules. It is contraindicated in animals and people with heart problems.
Parsley and Honey: Fresh (not dried) chopped parsley and raw unprocessed honey (i.e. from the health food store). This was recommended to me and the woman said she's seen it work on a lot of dogs. She recommends that, for instance, a large Lab would need about a teasthingy of each (chopped fresh parsley and honey) one time daily. Maureen (the woman who gave me this tip) says, "I give 1 teasthingy of fresh chopped parsley with 1 teasthingy of honey for any size dog. I think perhaps if I had a 4 pound dog I might cut it in half -- but I don't think a teasthingy of each would hurt anyone -- dog or human! My sister takes that amount -- so does a Rottie, so does a black lab (1/2 the weight of the Rott) so does a Sheltie, etc. Since both ingredients are natural and healthy, I don't worry that much about it. It just seems to work!"
ALLOPATHIC MEDICATIONS - DES and Proin (Phenylpropanalamine, “PPA”): These medications can have serious side effects and should only be used as a last resort, under regular supervision by your vet.
www.katberard.com/hea_incontinence.htm
www.dogaware.com/incontinence.html
CONGENITAL PROBLEM: The urinary tract system may not have developed properly.
INJURY: Trauma to the tail, pelvis or spine can damage the nerves which run through the lumbar region and enervate the bladder.
KIDNEY DISEASE: This is a serious disease and a holistic care or homeopathic veterinarian should be consulted for proper treatment. Two of the main symptoms of this disease are thirst (drinking more than usual and/or more often) and excessive urination.
LACK OF EXERCISE: Yes, this can actually be a cause. So take your dog for a walk at least once if not twice daily - ask your vet for how long based on the animal's age and health.
pH IMBALANCE: Have your animal's urine pH tested. Alkaline urine can lead to infections, formation of struvite crystals, and bladder stones. Urine that is too acidic can also create problems. Any pH far from normal in either direction causes problems. Dr. Richard Pitcairn, homeopathic veterinarian and author of "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats" recommends giving (among other things) Vitamin C to maintain an acidic urine, which he states makes mineral salts more soluble and counters the formation of crystals. See his book for various treatments for bladder problems. www.rhtubs.com/pH.htm "
"The pH scale runs from 0 to 14 with 0 being the most acidic, 7 neutral, and 14 being the most alkaline or basic. It is a logarithmic scale, based on powers of 10, so that 1 pH unit change equals a 10 fold change in H+ ion concentration! A pH of 6 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 7."
PROTEIN LEVELS IN THE FOOD: I saw this on a chatlist, might be worth trying: "My dog had 'leaking' issues when he got older. My vet suggested trying a lower protein food and that worked for us. It was a simple thing to try."
SPAYING/PREGNANCY: Sometimes spay surgery can inadvertently cause damage to the bladder or bladder sphincter, or the nerves which enervate the bladder. The nerves may or may not recover/regenerate. The change in hormones experienced during pregnancy, and after the spay procedure, can also greatly affect bladder tone. Some call the spay procedure called “surgical menopause”.
STOMACH UPSET: Sometimes an upset stomach can be the culprit. Stomach gas can put pressure on the bladder.
TUMORS/CYSTS: These can be assessed with an x-ray or ultrasound.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPTIONS
ACUPUNCTURE: Acupuncture can assist with many different types of health issues including kidney, bladder and spleen dysfunction. The target of these treatments is the chi, or life force, of the animal and opening up blocked energy (chi) in the energy meridians of the body. NOTE: Acupuncture should not be used with homeopathy, because they have the same purpose (action on the chi, life force) and doing both will muddy the picture.
HERBS:
Chinese Herbs: There are Chinese herbal formulas which are used to resolve bladder problems; see the directories of natural practitioners under the Associations section on the Links-Holistic Care page to find a practitioner in your area. Often an acupuncturist will work with Chinese herbs, so check with them first. www.katberard.com/res_links_holisticcare.htm
Cornsilk: Cornsilk is a diuretic which helps eliminate urine (waste product) more often, and soothes the urinary tract through an anti-inflammatory action. It is a safe herb and can be used long-term with no known side effects. "Corn silk, when ingested, primarily acts as an anti-inflammatory in the genitourinary tract (kidneys, bladder and urethra). Its potent astringent effect can tighten and strengthen the smooth muscles of the bladder, which is why it may benefit incontinent animals. Corn silk does not fight bladder infection nor does it alter urinary pH (it does not treat crystals) so these conditions must be ruled out prior to its use. Corn silk must be given daily for several weeks before the positive effects are noticed. Use fresh corn silk when available. During the winter, corn silk can be purchased at the health food store. I recommend organic as most corn is treated with herbicides that are passed up the food chain. The amount to feed your pet is based on its size, other medications and concurrent health issues."--Natural News (newsletter of Natural Pet Animal Hospital).
Nature’s Way (530 mg. capsules) (carried at health food stores, call 800-9NA-TURE, or www.natureway.com For a 60 lb. dog, start with ½ the human adult dose and adjust up or down over a week to find the dose which provides relief. For smaller/larger dog, adjust accordingly.
Raw powder/silk:Much cheaper than capsules. Can be bought in bulk at health food stores. Pulverize in a coffee bean grinder or blender (dry) until a fine powder. Mix into food. For a 60 lb. dog, start with 1 tsp. each meal and increase by ½ tsp. every two days until relief occurs. You can also make your own by rinsing, carefully drying, and saving the silk from ears of corn, but be sure it is from organically grown corn.
After using either version for one month, you can experiment with reducing the dose slowly over two weeks to find the maintenance dose. If leakage occurs, increase the daily amount.
Fennel: The April 1, 2003, issue of The Whole Dog Journal discusses the use of Fennel. "Fennel also has estrogen-like properties, which may explain why the herb has been used for centuries to increase milk production in nursing mothers. Some herbalists find that Fennel helps alleviate urinary incontinence in spayed dogs by acting on hormone imbalances that contribute to the problem. . . . Fennel seed represents another option for relief of gastric discomfort. A cooled tea works very well for this purpose; one teasthingy of dried seeds in eight ounces of boiling water, steeped until cool. The tea can be fed at a rate of two to four tablesthingys for each 20 pounds of your dog's body weight, or it can be added to his drinking water, as generously as he will tolerate. Fennel is high in vitamins C and A, calcium, iron, potassium, and varying amounts of linoleic acid. It is an especially good nutritional adjunct for dogs whose chronic indigestion cannot be attributed to a specific disease entity. Fennel also helps increase appetite and freshens breath - thanks to its antibacterial activity in the mouth - by minimizing belching."
Schizandra: Can be purchased in bulk form or in capsules. It is contraindicated in animals and people with heart problems.
Parsley and Honey: Fresh (not dried) chopped parsley and raw unprocessed honey (i.e. from the health food store). This was recommended to me and the woman said she's seen it work on a lot of dogs. She recommends that, for instance, a large Lab would need about a teasthingy of each (chopped fresh parsley and honey) one time daily. Maureen (the woman who gave me this tip) says, "I give 1 teasthingy of fresh chopped parsley with 1 teasthingy of honey for any size dog. I think perhaps if I had a 4 pound dog I might cut it in half -- but I don't think a teasthingy of each would hurt anyone -- dog or human! My sister takes that amount -- so does a Rottie, so does a black lab (1/2 the weight of the Rott) so does a Sheltie, etc. Since both ingredients are natural and healthy, I don't worry that much about it. It just seems to work!"
ALLOPATHIC MEDICATIONS - DES and Proin (Phenylpropanalamine, “PPA”): These medications can have serious side effects and should only be used as a last resort, under regular supervision by your vet.
www.katberard.com/hea_incontinence.htm
www.dogaware.com/incontinence.html
