Thieves® Household Cleaner – one of Dr. Forsyth’s Favorite Things! January 30, 2013

For floors countertops and soooo much more.  Thieves® Household Cleaner is quickly becoming one of my favorite things that I use in my veterinary practice.

Thieves Household Cleaner and several other awesome products from the Thieves line.

 

This cleaner is a suspension of safe surfactants (wetting agents) and Thieves® essential oil (a proprietary blend of 100% pure Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ essential oils of clove [Syzygium aromaticum], lemon [Citrus limon], cinnamon bark [Cinnamomum verum], eucalyptus [E. radiata] and rosemary [Rosmarinus officinalis CT cineol].

 

The first time I used it was for fleas. This cleaner is great for bathing animals that have a flea problem.  It quickly kills any living fleas and does it all in a manner that is nontoxic – this stuff is so safe you can even drink it. If diluted, Thieves® Household Cleaner can even be used as a leave-on dip that will help to continue repelling fleas from a pet.

 

Chin acne in cats can also be treated with Thieves® Household Cleaner. I have mixed up a very dilute solution of the cleaner (about 1 capful of the cleaner mixed with distilled water in an 8 ounce spray bottle) combined with some other essential oils like Lavender and Copaiba to make a spray that can safely be used several times a day to help prevent those blackheads on the chin that cats are so prone to develop.

Can you find the scar? This wound healed much faster than usual with using the Thieves Household Cleaner – and there is barely a mark left after 3 weeks.

 

Most recently I used Thieves® Household Cleaner to treat a severe bite wound on a dog – my own dog, Seaweed. This wound was on his chest and there was a deep hole into his muscle accompanied by some skin that had been pulled away from his body wall. Now my chihuahua is a very sensitive guy and he screams with just the anticipation of pain so I was prepared for the worst the first time I used it.  I diluted the cleaner until it looked like weak lemonade and proceeded to flush his wound – not a peep – I was amazed.  Clove which is one of the ingredients in the cleaner has been used by dentists for ages to help control dental pain and it’s this ingredient that I think made the wound flushing tolerable.

 

It’s also important to note that this is an excellent household cleaner. So many of the products we use are toxic to us and even more toxic to our pets. This happens in part because they are essentially walking around in bare feet and constantly having there skin exposed to the chemicals we use in our everyday cleaning. Thieves® Household Cleaner can be used for degreasing, floors, walls, upholstery, fabrics, carpet spot cleaning, general carpet cleaning, glass, pots & pans, hand cleaner, etc … .  I even use it for my fruit and vegetable cleaning now.

 

To sum it all up, no home should be without Thieves® Household Cleaner. It’s good for keeping everything clean and good for your and your pet’s health.

Peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~

Jennifer Forsyth, VMD

Magic Mushrooms – Cancer Support for Pets December 19, 2012

Solgar’s Reishi, Shiitake, Maiake Mushroom Extract

Reishi, Shiitake, and Maitake mushrooms are terrific for supporting the immune system in a dog or cat that has cancer.

The polysaccharides (a large carbohydrate molecule) in these mushrooms have immunostimulating and antitumor activity.  Mushrooms can also increase the body’s resistance to disease, enhance vitality, and improve response to everyday stress.

 

Shiitake mushrooms contain a polysaccharide known as lentinan.  This mushroom is very popular in Japan and China and is considered an elixir of life.  In Japan it is commonly used as an addition to conventional cancer treatments and studies have shown that patients receiving lentinan have longer survival times, better immune system function, and better quality of life.  Some mice studies have also shown this mushroom to be useful in cancer prevention.

 

Maitake mushrooms contain B-glucans which have antibacterial and antitumor activity.  There have have be studies that have shown improved bone marrow health which is vital in natural cancer treatment.  This enhanced immune function comes about from activating macrophages which function to attack foreign material in the body including cancer cells.  T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells are also enhanced and these cell types can directly destroy cancer cells.  Another interesting property of this mushroom is that it can decrease the toxicity of a common chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin.

Note: Caution should taken if using this mushroom in a diabetic pet as it can increase insulin levels and decrease blood sugar levels.  Use Maitake mushrooms in these patients is still beneficial but should only be used under veterinary supervision. 

 

MediHerb (part of Standard Process) is one of my favorite companies because of there excellent quality control and research.  Their product is called Ganoderma & Shiitake and is an excellent choice for mushroom therapy.  This product is only available through medical professionals

Other products that I use in my practice are Vetri Science’s Maitake-DMG Liquid™ and Solgar’s Reishi Shiitake Maitake Mushroom Extract Vegetable Capsules.  The Vetri Science mushroom product is great for my patients like cats that don’t tolerate taking pills because of its liquid formulation.  The Solgar product utilizes both whole mushrooms and mushroom extracts.

 

The dosage I use depends on the type of cancer and the overall health of my patient. A typical safe starting does in any case is around 10mg per pound.  Other than the potential for Maitake mushrooms to decrease blood sugar, I don’t typically see any side-effects from using mushrooms. The biggest thing to watch for are GI problems like vomiting or diarrhea.

 

I hope that this information may prove useful to you and your pet.  Please call Marmalade & Mobile Vet at  (856) 375-1314 if you’d like to schedule an appointment for your pet for alternative cancer treatment or cancer support either with or without chemotherapy.

 

Peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~

Jennifer Forsyth, VMD

Leave It! June 27, 2012

The beginning of June is Snapping Turtle egg laying season – and a good time for dogs to know the command “leave it”

Why every dog should learn the “leave it” command.

 

You just never know when some situation will arise when you might need to prevent your dog from coming to harm.  I’m all for loving nature but when it comes to snapping turtle egg laying season my primary concern is for my dogs.  As cool as they might be – these critters are pretty defensive when they are in egg laying mode and they can inflict some pretty severe damage.  And it’s at times like these, when I come across one of these turtles in my yard, that I am beyond thankful that my dogs know the “leave it” command.  This command is useful many other situations: when you don’t want them to chase the cat, run across the road to see another dog,  going towards the hamper to grab a sock, etc.

 

The way I start out with teaching my dogs this valuable command is by gathering up some treats that they don’t care too much about – like dog kibble or Cheerios.  Get your dog’s attention with the treat and say “leave it” like you mean it (stern – no cute high pitched voices here) and then put the treat on the ground right next to your foot so that you can cover it with shoe should your dog go for the treat.  Now wait … this might take a while, but wait for them to look at you and when they are making eye contact give them a different treat from your hand while saying “take it”.  Continue doing this a couple of times until you have a pile of treats on the floor.  As you progress you dog should be getting better at paying more attention to you and less attention to the treats on the ground.

 

When you are finished with this exercise (don’t spend more than 5 minutes) pick up all of the treats on the ground and save them for a later time.  You don’t want to let your dog have these treats because you want them to learn that “leave it” means that they should never touch it – ever!

 

Each time you practice, try increasing how appealing the treats are that you are putting on the ground – eventually work your way up the the types of treats that your dog really loves like meat or cheese.  Then try putting some distance between the treats and your foot – just keep increasing the challenge.  Your dog is smart (usually smarter than you think) and with a lot of practice, a little bit of patience, and even more love they will get it.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions – I’m here to help.

 

peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~

Check out my App! June 20, 2012

Wow, has it been that long since I last blogged???

My how time flies when you are having fun!  I have to say, the month of May (the debut month for Marmalade & Mobile Vet) has been absolutely wonderful.  I have loved seeing all of my past and favorite clients AND I’m thrilled to have met all of the new ones!

So thanks for your understanding with my lack of communication while I was busy trying to get my new practice up and running in order to help all of your four-legged kids.

One of the super exciting things that I have been working on this past month is getting our new iPhone/iPad and Android App up and running.  Making an appointment and requesting a refill are now easier than ever with our new App.  You can even choose how you want to get your confirmation: email, phone, or text.  Knowing what Marmalade & Mobile Vet is up to is at the touch of your fingers when you click on the events icon (we even have a google map icon to help get you there).  Savvy shoppers rejoice – we list our monthly special and our daily deals (some of which you will only find on our App).  Want to call us? Just tap the phone icon on info page and you will be put right through!  Our twitter and Facebook page sites are also directly linked on our info page.  Tap on our logo on the info page and you will be taken to our website.

Sharing this information with your friends and family is simple by tapping on the twitter and Facebook icons within the deal of the day, events, and monthly specials pages.  So be a good friend and don’t keep all of our juicy information to yourself – share!

Please download our App … and we would love if you would rate it and give us five stars.

 

peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~

How cool? The home page on our iPhone/iPad and Android App.

Diamond Pet Food Recall May 9, 2012

My bullmastiff, Petunia, enjoying a home-prepared meal.

 

One of the most enjoyable ways that we have to interact with our pets is in feeding them and watching them enjoy their meals.  That’s also the reason why finding out that what we might be feeding them could be harmful is so upsetting.

Diamond Pet Foods has recalled several brands of dog food that were manufactured in their South Carolina plant due to potential Salmonella contamination.  If you feed any of the following foods, please check your bag and the link below to see if your food is affected by the recall: Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Country Value, Diamond, Diamond Naturals, Premium Edge, Professional, 4Health, Taste of the Wild, Apex, Kirklnad Signature/Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain, or Canidae.

Diamond Pet Food Recall Website

 

The following excerpt is from the Center For Disease Control’s website about Salmonellosis:

Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella. Salmonella germs have been known to cause illness for over 100 years. They were discovered by an American scientist named Salmon, for whom they are named.

Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Dogs infected with Salmonella can exhibit similar gastrointestinal symptoms including anorexia.  If you or your pet are experiencing any of these symptoms please call your doctor or veterinarian today.

 

I usually get questions from my clients about home cooking after a pet food recall occurs.  My favorite book for providing clients with non-raw and easy-to-prepare home cooked diets has always been, Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: The Healthful Alternative by Donald R. Strombeck, DVM, PhD.

This book is now available online and the following is one of the many easy recipes that Dr. Strombeck has developed.

Poultry Meat and Boiled Rice Diet

1/3 pound (weight before cooking) poultry meat (152 grams)
2 cups rice, long-grain, cooked (320 grams)
2 tablespoon sardines, canned, tomato sauce (38 grams)
1 tablespoons vegetable (canola) oil (14 grams)
1/4 teaspoon salt substitute-potassium chloride
1/10 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon bone meal powder (3 grams)
1 multiple vitamin-mineral tablet

provides 879 kcalories, 43.1 g protein, 37.3 g fat
supports caloric needs of 29 to 30 pound dog
Omission of sardines reduces caloric content by 68 kcalories, protein by 6.2 g and fat by 4.6 g.

 

If you would like to discuss your pet’s diet and how you can change to a healthier and safer option, give me a call today at Marmalade & Mobile Vet to schedule an appointment – I’d love to help you help your pet.  (856) 375-1314

 

peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~

Dr. Forsyth

Cinco de Mayo Celebration May 2, 2012

My Chihuahua, Seaweed, in his favorite Mexico fútbol jacket getting ready to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

 

With Marmalade & Mobile Vet getting under way this week I thought it wouldn’t be complete without a celebration!

This Saturday we will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo!  And what kind of celebration would it be without some kind of sale???  So if you schedule an appointment for this Saturday May 5th, 2012 you will get cinco dólares ($5) applied to your bill!

 

It also wouldn’t be a celebration without food!

So open up a cold bottle of Corona, Modelo, or Dos Equis from D’Agostinis, my favorite local bodega, and get cooking.

***Drink Cerveza (beer) responsibly and don’t share it with your pets***

 

Cinco de Mayo Fish Tacos – para mis perros (for my dogs)

Ingredients

Marinade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (approximately 1/2 lime)
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into chunks

Dressing
1 (8 ounce) container plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice (approximately 1/2 lime)
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™

Toppings
1 (10 ounce) package whole wheat tortillas
3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded

Directions

To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, honey, garlic,  and seafood seasoning  in a bowl until blended. Place the tilapia in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
To make the dressing, combine the yogurt, lime juice, and seafood seasoning.  Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Remove fish from marinade, drain off any excess and discard marinade. Bake fish in preheated oven (I use a glass pyrex pan) until it easily flakes with a fork, 11 to 15 minutes.
Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, red bell pepper, and cabbage; drizzle with dressing. To serve, roll up tortillas around fillings, cut into 1 inch slices (to prevent choking), and serve to your favorite four-legged friend.

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

and as always …

peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~

Natural Flea & Tick Prevention April 15, 2012

Some examples of natural flea and tick preventions.

 

Spring is here and so are fleas and ticks.  Protecting your pet naturally from fleas and ticks is not only possible but also very important.

 

Fleas can transmit tapeworms to your pets and fleas are also the source of a much more serious problem, Bartonella (Cat Scratch Disease).  Bartonella can cause serious illness no only in cats but it can also affect dogs and you and your family.  Bartonella can cause oral diseases, respiratory diseases, eye problems, intestinal diseases, and many other things.  If you’d like more information on Bartonella the National Veterinary Laboratory has the best information.  If you would like to have your cat or dog tested give us a call at Marmalade & Mobile Vet (856-375-1314) and we can schedule an appointment for an examination and testing.

 

Ticks can also transmit serious diseases to cats and dogs.  Lyme disease is the best known tick-borne disease here in the northeast USA but there are many other diseases that are caused by ticks.  Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis (carried by the deer tick) most commonly cause dogs to develop lameness, fevers, anorexia, and lethargy.  The lone star tick and dog ticks carry diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichia, and Babesia that can affect your dog’s platelets and red blood cells causing problems including anemia and abnormal bleeding.  If you’d like more information about ticks, tick identification ,and tick-borne diseases Scalibor has a nice interactive website.

 

There are so many natural flea and tick preventions out there in the market and I can’t personally comment on the ones I haven’t used.  The products that I’m mentioning here in this post are only the ones that I have personally used and found to be effective.  If anybody has a product that they love that I didn’t mention please feel free to post in in the comments section.

Buck Mountain Parasite Dust

 

Cedar Oil from the Cedar Oil Store is the main product that I use for my dogs when it comes to tick control.  My experience has been that fleas are much easier to prevent than ticks and my best success with tick control has been with cedar oil.  I live in what I call “tick central” because I have a lot of tress, shrubs, wild grasses, a stream, etc … .  This is what I do to in the war against ticks.  Once a week during peak tick season (spring and fall) I mix up a solution that I make from the Nature’s Defender Vet’s Choice concentrate (2 oz. of concentrate to a gallon of water) and “dip” my dogs.  I sponge it over my dog’s entire body, being careful to avoid the eyes.  This dip procedure helps to repel the ticks for up to a week and it can be especially useful for dogs that have a long coat and are difficult to spray.  For my daily regimen I use the Dr. Ben’s Paws & Claws treatment or the AromaDog Flea Flicker to kill any ticks that might have made it past my “dip” procedure.  If you don’t live in a high tick area you might be able to skip the “dip” step and only use the once a day sprays.  The AromaDog Flea Flicker is an awesome product, especially for small short haired dogs.    I also really like Buck mountain’s Herbal Gold Parasite Dust.  The parasite dust uses Neem and diatom flour which can be sprinkled on your pet’s back and combed in against the grain of the fur. The only reason I don’t use Flea Flicker or Parasite Dust as my primary products is because I have 4 mastiffs and 1 Chihuahua so the large spray bottle for the cedar oil is more convenient.

 

For cats there are two products that I recommend.  The first is the Ectopamine spot on which is convenient because it lasts for 3-4 weeks (the Ectopamine also comes in a spray that can be used for dogs).  The other product I like is AromaCat’s Scat! No Fleas Please.

Ectopamine for Cats

 

One of the most important things to remember with any parasite control program is that a high quality diet is very important.  When you feed your pet with high quality ingredients they will be healthier and less attractive to parasites like fleas and ticks.  Foods that are rich in B-vitamins like sea vegetables help to make your pet less likely to pick up parasites.  Small amounts of garlic (I don’t recommend using garlic for cats as their red blood cells are much more sensitive to potential toxicity) in the diet can also help to deter fleas and ticks.  The two supplements that I love for adding into my pet’s food are Animal Essential’s Green Alternative and Wholistic Pet’s Wholistic Sea Blend with Garlic.  Never feed a food that has by-products, artificial preservatives, food colorings, animal digest, propylene glycol, or grains that aren’t whole grains.  Home prepared diets are a wonderful option.  You can use the recipes in a book like Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats or if you are short on time you can have somebody like Loreen at the K-9 Pet Chef cook for you.  And if you feed kibble, support a local natural pet food store like Daminger’s Natural Pet Foods.

 

 

peace, love, and plenty of tail wags~

Introducing Marmalade & Mobile Vet !!!! April 9, 2012

I’m very proud to announce that I have started my own veterinary practice: Marmalade & Mobile Vet!

High quality holistic and modern veterinary care with old-fashioned service and honest pricing.

 

Creating my own veterinary practice has been a real labor of love and I couldn’t have done it without all of the encouragement, support, and love from all of my family, friends, and clients.  From teaching me how to blog to taking my new photos, to answering my phone calls, to walking my dogs, to offering to hand out my business cards, to offering to help clean my house, to just telling me how much you love me being your pet’s veterinarian I couldn’t have done it without you!

Victoria - the Office Manager/Veterinary Technician at Marmalade & Mobile Vet

 

I also want to introduce you to Victoria.  She is my office manager/veterinary technician.  She has been working as an emergency technician for the past two years and she has a background in business studies and hospitality management.  I think that this unique combination will make her perfect for Marmalade & Mobile Vet … and for you and your pets.

 

We will be officially starting our House Call appointments May 1st and we can’t wait to see you in the comfort of your own home!

In the next few weeks we will be getting our website up and running and our phone system perfected.

 

 

peace, love, and plenty of tail wags ~