Pets, Vets and Dog Owners - My Vital life-Saving Message on Natural Animal Healthcare

     Are you a pet owner? Using dogs as an example, the purpose of my article is to provide insights into animal healthcare. This is a slant on looking after animals the 'natural way,' which I feel has not been given enough attention with owners.

Someone I know had become quite attached to her dog, but it had caused her anxiety and heartache over the years through the animal's illnesses. Then there had been the costs incurred on vets bills, her emotional ties... and the final hurt when the animal had died which led her to conclude that dogs were a waste of time. Nothing new here but this lead me to consider this:

What about the 'other side of the story.' What if dogs could talk? From their point of view would they say that 'humans were a waste of time?!' Here are my reasons for suggesting this.

Here you have this magnificent animal that has all the inherited genes to survive in a natural harsh terrain: The dog is the same genus as a wolf. The dog's genus/species is canis familiaris while the wolf is canis lupus and indeed both have much similar behaviour.

Then the dog is taken and kept by humans in captivity: Generally cooped up in an unnatural domestic environment, does the animal suffer as a consequence?

Firstly, I will say that you have this strange human behaviour whereby they get the idea that the animal is their ownership. Indeed, the animal is told to 'obey' in some way and is regarded as inferior to their master... with all the rest of the baggage... -very strange behaviour to me.

Then there's the suffering that dogs (or other animals for that matter) go through when in an unnatural captive domestic environment. This includes boredom in an empty house while waiting for their owners to come home. Or in between waiting to be taken out for their 20 minute morning and 20 minute evening bowel and bladder opening sessions perhaps... with no natural environment challenges, does this contribute to the dog having no real will to live like it would in its natural environment and what about its other frustrations..?

Other possible contributions that may lead to the dog not having the will to live and subsequent ill health include:

Getting fed on canned food day in day out: Whether it's for humans or dogs anything out of a can is 'dead food' because it has lost its nutrition value through processing. Also, the idea that the dog won't mind eating the same thing day in day out is not only untrue but also further contributes to poor nutrition because of a lack of variety: Nutritionists will tell you every time, and quite rightly, that one of the hallmarks of good nutrition is that it is is varied.

The best solution would be to give raw food. Food that has not had its nutrition value compromised by the ravages of heat or factory processing... Raw liver for example is an excellent choice of nutrition because it contains many vitamins and enzymes needed for the animal's metabolism.

Selective breeding

I realize that ill-health through selective breeding of dogs has been well documented. I'll leave it there and say that it's up to the reader to do research if desired.

All in all

Dogs or other pets are not allowed their natural self-expression.

It would therefore be good for owners to have some thought or consideration with regards to this that would give the animal more opportunity to allow its self-expression. A healthier more varied raw diet is also something for owners to consider.