The Holistic Pet, featured column by Dr. Shawn P. Messonnier,
in association with Amazon.com

Q: Dear Dr. Shawn: ”My holistic doctor recently prescribed a detoxification protocol for me to use. After spending several weeks following the protocol, I can honestly say that I feel much better. I have more energy, sleep better, and feel less bloated and tired. I was wondering if you ever prescribe a detoxification protocol for your patients, and exactly what would be involved with this. I would like to something for my older cat. He’s not ill in any way, but I think it would help his general health. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.”

A: ”Detoxification is an important part of therapy often prescribed by many holistic doctors. It can be used as part of the therapy for any illness, or used once or twice yearly in an attempt to rid the body of potential toxins before illness sets in. For people, the protocol is generally quite strict. It usually involves a period of fasting, followed by a strict dietary regimen (usually fruits and vegetables) for a period of time, with the gradual reintroduction of other healthy foods. Various herbs and/or homeopathics are used to cleanse the liver and gastrointestinal system and provide support for the immune system (lymphatics.) In most cases, a colonic cleansing is also done to remove accumulated waste products from the bowels.

A similar approach is appropriate for pets with some modifications. In my practice, I use a homeopathic detoxification kit that contains 3 products:Lymphomyosot to support the lymphatics, berberis/homaccord to stimulate the kidney and gall bladder, and nux vomica/homaccord to cleanse the liver and GI systems. These remedies are available as liquids and easily administered to pets by simply mixing with their daily ration of water. I use this for patients with chronic diseases and recently diagnosed cancers at the start of the treatment. The detoxification helps cleanse the pet’s body, and the ongoing nutritional and herbal support are designed to help heal the specific malady. Usually, the pet can heal more quickly and the additional therapies work better if the pet is less toxic. A short, 12-24 hour fasting can be done if the pet can tolerate this, and then a diet designed for the pet’s specific nutritional needs is recommended. Colonic cleansing is usually not done, as this is stressful in the awake pet and most will not tolerate this. This simple, inexpensive protocol can also be used annually on any pet, especially the older pet, to provide general support and detoxification of the body’s immune systems. Talk with your holistic veterinarian about using my protocol or a similar one for your pet.”

Dr. Shawn Messonnier is the author of the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Please address questions to him at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, 2145 W. Park Blvd., Plano, Tx, 75075, call him at 972-867-8800, or email him at:
Dr. Shawn Messonier

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