C O L D  R I V E R  V E T E R I N A R Y  C E N T E R

Ear infections in dogs

CASE REPORTS

• Allergies in a dog

• Allergies in a cat

• Arthritis

• Colitis. otitis

• Cushings disease

• Ear infections

• Feline chronic renal failure

• Heartworm

• Inflammatory bowel disease

• Kennel cough

• Kidney failure, disc disease

• Lymphangitis

• Lymphoma

• Oral papillomas

• Vestibular disease

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'Murphy' is a 12-year old spayed Labrador x Golden Retriever mix dog with a 3 ½ year history of ear infections. Before she came to Cold River Veterinary Center, her guardian Maxine was cleaning the ears constantly, and they would still get red, inflamed, painful and full of pus. Murphy’s ears hurt so badly that she had to be muzzled for an otoscopic exam. When her primary veterinarian recommended ear ablation surgery, Maxine came to us for alternative therapy.

Chronic ear infections

On her exam 12/23/99, Murphy had been eating a lamb and rice dog food. A prescription dog food did not help. Her right ear canal was painful on palpation and had a sour odor. The rest of her exam was unremarkable. Dr. Kruesi recommended a diet of home-cooked food, a multivitamin with herbal antioxidants, lecithin, and a 6-day treatment with a conventional ear medication.

Two weeks later the owner called to say Murphy was doing much better, and had renewed energy after just 1 ½ days of home food! On recheck 1/17/00 her ear canals were healthy. On recheck 6/14/00 she was still doing well, with no ear problems. Since then we have examined Murphy annually. What used to be 3 ½ years of poor health has changed to 3 ½ years of great health! She has a maintenance program of a daily multivitamin and a glandular supplement, but otherwise stays in excellent health-- without drugs, ear cleanings, or prescription diets.

Pet food, vaccines, drugs

Murphy is just one example of the thousands of dogs and cats that we've helped to rehabilitate after years of chronic disease. All of our success stories have followed a basic plan for recovery. Briefly, our clients and their pets are taught 5 fundamentals of good health:

1. Eat a variety of fresh foods, including vegetables

2. Avoid redundant vaccinations

3. Avoid persistent heartworm and flea medications when there are less toxic alternatives

4. Drink enough water

5. Get plenty of exercise

The first rule is easy; feed real food to pets and don’t restrict them to a life of dry pet food. We have a fact sheet that tells how to prepare home food and select healthy snacks for your cat or dog.  

The second rule requires veterinarians to stop dog vaccinations on a fixed schedule. We continue to see dogs and cats in old age getting 2, 3, or even 4 vaccinations in the same visit, whether they need the boosters or not. Through duration of immunity studies, veterinarians now have evidence that the usual puppy and kitten vaccines are both long-lasting (i.e., years) and still effective when administered less frequently.

Third, we all live in a toxic world where industrial wastes, pesticides, and radioactive fallout contaminate even the most pristine environments. Cats and dogs with no history of flea infestation may not need flea insecticides, ever. Of course if a pet does have fleas, there are many products that can rid the cat or dog of these pests. Monthly heartworm medications can also be over-sold or used inappropriately.

Heartworm medication overkill?  

Owners in northern States may be told to start heartworm medications by a calendar date, rather than wait until the time when mosquitoes hatch and become active. Many dogs are on heartworm medication weeks before mosquitoes actually appear, wasting the drug and increasing the body’s burden of synthetic chemicals.

Owners may be told it is OK to keep their pet on a monthly heartworm preventive year around, even though they live in a region with months of cold weather (hence no mosquitoes!).

Owners may not be told to discontinue heartworm medication, even though their pet has a terminal disease (like cancer) and has only weeks or months to live. Who benefits?

Such practices appear to be good for veterinary clinics but may be wasteful for pet owners.

'Murphy' and Maxine, March 2003

This is health!

True health means your cat or dog rarely needs to go to the veterinarian-- for treatments, procedures, drug refills, or surgery. They stay healthy, at home, by following a healthy lifestyle and eating the right foods.

We've documented the trends in every one of our medical cases through routine blood tests, urinalyses, and other appropriate diagnostic measures. After 3-1/2 years of chronic ear problems, Murphy’s long stretch of good health speaks well for Cold River Veterinary Center’s common sense approach to animal health.

Murphy's test results before (1/18/00) and after (3/8/03) nutritional therapy.  

For more information on our natural plan to stay healthy, see: Basic health for dogs and cats

William K. Kruesi, D.V.M., C.V.A., C.A.C.   4/29/03, 1/9/06