Your Dog’s Health: Why Holistic Veterinarians Trust Herbal Formulas.
–by Chris Bessent,DVM W
hen bladder and urinary tract infections occur in pets, holistic veterinarians
have a variety of means including herbal formulas and dietary recommendations to not only treat bladder and urinary tract infections, but to support healthy bladder function.
Chinese theorists maintain that blad- der infections are due to damp heat in the bladder, meaning there is swelling to the tissue of the bladder. Typically this swelling can be attributed to changes in the pH of the
urine.The pH changes cre- ate an environment in the bladder favor- able for bacteria to “set up shop” and cre- ate an infection. The best way to help treat and prevent these infections is to take steps to drain the damp heat and change the internal environment of the bladder.
Dietary magnesium is deemed to be one of the main contributors to urinary struvite formation. High grain carbohydrates present in most generic dry pet food brands are high in magnesium. Therefore, holistic veterinarians reason that because dogs and cats are naturally carnivorous animals, a raw diet, which is low in magnesium, promotes healthy bladder and urinary function. It is also important for pet owners to feed a diet that combats obesity, as obesi- ty is seen as another contributor to fre- quent urinary tract infections. Male obese cats are the most likely to contract blad- der and urinary tract infections. And most importantly, encouraging
pet owners to provide plenty of fresh water, and even moist food for cats, is essential. Types of Stones Before discussing treatment and pre-
vention of bladder and UT infections, let's consider the types of crystals and stones created when damp heat is present. As mentioned, infections occur when bacteria invades the urinary tract and
104 THE NEW BARKER
bladder, creating damp heat in the blad-
der.This can lead to crystal and stone for-
line environments. Prescription diets lower the pH and
magnesium levels, which is helpful to prevent struvite formation. However, because we have created a more acidic environment in the bladder by lowering magnesium levels and not resolving the base problem associated with the damp heat, pets have started to develop more calcium oxalate crystals, which thrive in acidic environments. In the last few years, we have started to see a fairly even amount of struvite and oxalate stones. So by acidifying the urine, we changed the type of stones that were developing. When veterinarians realized that the
calcium oxalate stones thrived in acidic environments, they took a look back at the composition of the science and pre- scription diets to try and combat the now stronger calcium oxalate stones. By changing the prescription diets yet again, the number of calcium oxalate stones decreased, and we are once again seeing a higher percentage of struvite stones. It’s an unfortunate predicament. There a number of holistic means
A Golden Smile - Recently brought in by foster volunteers with Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida. Photographed by Anna Cooke at the 3rd Annual Loving Care Pet Fair in Seminole.
mation, as well as prostate inflammation. One way for bad bacteria to take resi- dence in the bladder is for bacteria on the skin to ascend up the urinary tract into the bladder. Improper diet, which will be discussed later, also contributes to damp heat in the bladder creating these unfor- tunate crystals and stones. Struvite stones are the most com- mon cause for obstruction in the urinary tract and are nearly impossible to pass. These struvite stones are composed of magnesium, ammonium and phosphate, and are primarily caused by dietary mag-
nesium.They also thrive in high pH alka-
available to not only treat infections when they occur, but also to support bladder health and maintain a cool, dry bladder environment.
Herbs to Support Bladder Function Holistic veterinarians use a variety of Chinese herbs to treat bladder and uri- nary tract infections as well as help sup- port bladder function. Some formulas help prevent bladder infections, while some are used to directly treat infections when they occur. Akebia is a flowering plant known for its draining and cooling abilities. It aids in eliminating damp heat from the bladder and promotes healthy urination. Rhubarb root is known for its nat- ural ability to empty the system of waste. Its fiber content supports colon function along with healthy bowel movements.
www.TheNewBarker.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124