Special Edition E-letter: The C Word

Greetings,   This special edition of our e-letter deals with a very nasty disease that i refer to as the C-word. Yes I am talking about C-A-N-C-E-R. Just like the villain in Harry Potter -"He Who Must Not Be Named or You Know Who"  I do not like to utter the name of this illness. I do not want to give it any more power than it has! In the past few weeks I have had so many new dog patients, friends and family members' dogs, including our own Quan Yin diagnosed with the C-Word. And i have lost so many loved ones to it as well, so this hits home hard. In this e-letter I want to cover a few holistic therapies and recommendations that may help your pet. These suggestions can also be used for humans. I will not go into my personal opinion about chemo, radiation or other western therapies. I believe these decisions are personal and everyone has their own belief system when it comes to health and therapies. My recommendation is do what YOU think is best for your pet. Since our dear Quan Yin is an elder, we will be going the holistic route with her. Below are supplements, recipes and other therapies that we are using for her. Our goal is to keep her happy and loving life until that time comes. My heart goes out to all with sick loved ones, humans and pets. Life is precious. Sometimes we do not appreciate it fully until that lightning bolt hits home. Sending love to all, Thank you jeanie mossa MS., L.Ac. woof@fourpawsacupuncture.com www.fourpawsacupuncture.com Please note: Four Paws Acupuncture will be closed October 26th through November 2, 2019 (We do not move the car this week do to the Salem Halloween insanity!) For daily tips on holistic therapies, recipes, pet food recalls and pet related info please visit the Four Paws Acupuncture Facebook Page. Please note that I do not check the inbox on our Facebook Page. If you have a question or need to schedule a session please contact me via email. Four Paws Acupuncture Facebook Page Medicinal Mushrooms Don't worry this are not the magic shrooms seen dancing in Disney's Fantasia! Medicinal mushrooms have been used in Oriental Medicine for thousands of years. I cannot tell you how strongly I recommend this product! (Please note I do not receive any kick-backs or compensation for promoting it.) Of all the mushroom products on the market I believe this one is the best since it contains 5 of the most important medicinal mushrooms needed to fight off disease and boost the immune system. In my practice I have watched so many dogs diagnosed with the C-word live much longer than expected when taking the mushroom complex. There is also a human version of this complex which I take myself! For a much more accurate description of what these mushrooms do please click on the link below. There is even a Youtube explaining how this supplement works. This supplement comes in a powder that you can add to your pet's food. You can find the Dr Mercola Mushroom Complex on Chewy, Amazon and other online pet shops.  https://products.mercola.com/healthypets/mushroom-complex-for-pets/  I also recommend giving your dog a CBD oil treat. I use the CBD oil from hemp, not marijuana for my dog. CBD oil helps boost the immune system, relieve pain and calm the mind.

Cooking for Your Dog We have started cooking for Quan Yin over the summer. With all the hoopla and drama with the FDA about certain dog foods we decided it was best to just make our own. You can use a rice cooker or crook pot to make life easier for this recipe. Or you can make the rice in a pot and use a skillet to cook the turkey & veggies, then mix the two together later. One cup of organic white basmati rice or brown rice. (Use white if your dog is prone to loose stools, brown if prone to constipation or normal stools.) 2.25 - 2.5 cups of filtered water depending on the size of your cooker. 1/4 cup of rolled oats (Oats are soothing to the skin and are calming) 1 package of ground organic free-range no hormones turkey You can use chicken but make sure it is organic, free range and hormone free. Most chicken and beef sold in grocery stores have been injected with estrogen and antibiotics to make them plumper. Estrogen is fertilizer for the C-word! Handful of shredded carrots, celery and parsley. Broccoli gives her gas so we do not add that! Flip the switch. Viola! Our small rice cooker makes about 7-8 meals. You can heat up the next days portions via microwave. When serving this we also add a small portion of canned green beans with a tad of the juice so her mushroom powder, Arnica and herbs can be disguised in the meal. Yummo! Herbal Medicine In addition to the supplements we give Quan Yin, there are a few Chinese herbal formulas and herbs that I use for her and some of my dog patients. I will not be listing them here as every patient has its own diagnosis and herbal formulas are tailored towards specific needs. Herbal medicine is natural but that does not mean it is safe. You can cause more harm to the body using the wrong herbs. I highly recommend NOT to go on-line and buy herbal formulas for the C-word  or any other ailment unless you have consulted with a licensed practitioner trained in herbology. Unfortunately there is big money to be made with the C-word and there are so many websites promising cures with tinctures, supplements, oils and herbs. Many of these prey on guilt and desperation. Be careful! Acupuncture Quan Yin gets regular acupuncture, acupressure and of course daily belly rubs. While acupuncture cannot heal the C-word, it has other benefits. Acupuncture helps boost the immune system, calms the mind, relieves pain and improves circulation. Quan Yin is about 11 yrs old - maybe older. She has arthritis, especially in her front knees and hips. Even though acupuncture and acupressure cannot cure the C-word - it keeps her mobil and reduces any pain she may be in. And she loves her sessions! And the most important thing you can do for any pet who is suffering from any ailment or old age is to make them happy! Savor the time you have with them.  Life is short. Play hard! More info on veterinary acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine for dogs & cats please visit the Four Paws Acupuncture site. http://www.fourpawsacupuncture.com