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Linda Arndt ~ Canine Nutritional Consultant
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Blackwatch Feed Program for Giardia Problems in Dogs

INTRODUCTION: What Is Giardia?

Giardia, besides being one of the top health issues pet owners face, is a water-borne protozoa that lives in the digestive track of humans and pets. It is a parasite that lives in the lower bowels and it runs in cycles, so it normally goes undetected unless you get it at the right moment of the test. The best indication is the reoccurring problems of diarrhea, intermittent loose stools, weight loss and sensitive digestion which can also involve stool eating and excessive grass eating.

Generally, Flagyll, Metronidazole are used to treat Giardia, but it just returns once these drugs are stopped. I have found the best way to tackle this problem is to use Panacur wormer for 3 days and repeat it again in 2 weeks, taking the same 3 day dosage and dividing it up over 10 days to get it at all stages of the cycle. Flagyll and Metronidazole are only 40% effective any more and are usually a waste of time and money in Giardia situations.

Panacur like wormers or antibiotics, strips the gut of all good and bad bacteria as well, leaving the digestive track open to more digestive problems and health issues such as Leaky Gut, Toxic Gut and systemic yeast infections. That is why it is critical to use a good probiotic at the same time as treatment. Double dose your probitoics when on medicine or antibiotics, and once a day after that as maintenance.

First, take time to read my Article on Giardia to be better informed about this parasite. I will say this, once you have Giardia, it seems to rear it's ugly head on occasion, so keep that in mind and remember Probiotics, Blackleaf and MSM are critical to keeping a healthy Giardia free gut and these come in a kit format - Giardia Support Kit#23.

This feed program will help to restore a health gut with a high powered micro-encapsulated probiotic, MSM among other support supplements. If your vet will not provide Panacur wormer, you can purchase it on line, but make sure, absolutely sure you have the correct dosage for your dog. See info in Article on Giardia for information on where to purchase, who to call and dosages.


Read this article as a possible option : Seasonal Diarrhea.


The Basics Program - All Breeds

This program is a comprehensive and consists of 6 major components and this is it in summary form. You can purchase these in a kit at a discount: Giardia Kit #23

1. Dog Food - Natural/Holistic Super Premium - kibble and canned
 
2. BacPak Plus - beneficial bacteria - Digestive enzymes to reestablished the gut flora
 
3. MSM- Nutritional Sulfur -giardia does not like to live where MSM is present
 
4. Nzymes - Dietary enzymes - missing in all commercial foods - antioxidants
 
5. Blackleaf - anti-parasitic - kills giarda
 
6.Spark of Life - micro minerals needed but lost with loose stools
 
7. Ox-E-Drops - anti-virial, anti-bacteria, anti-fungal liquid drops
 
Variety Options - canned meats, fruits/veggies, dehydrated raw options

Where To Purchase Products

1. DOG FOOD - Precise and Precise Plus Holistic Dog Food

2. BACPAK PLUS & DIGESTIVE ENZYMES - beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes. www.nzymes.com

3. MSM- Nutritional Sulfur - Patent research shows Giardia protozoa does not like to live in the presence of a system that has adequate amounts of MSM present. www.firstchoicenaturals.com

4. NZYMES - dietary enzymes - in chewable Pet Treat or Granular (goes further)
www.firstchoicenaturals.com

5. BLACKLEAF- antibacterial, antiviral, antifungus, AND kills parasites - www.firstchoicenaturals.com

6. Spark of Life - critcal microminerals necessary for wellness are lost when your pet has chronic loose stools. Microminerals run the bodies metabolic system. www.firstchoicenaturals.com

7. Ox-EDrops - an anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial. Helps to keep the pH balance in the gut within the normal rage. www.firstchoicenaturals.com.

These are not in Giardia Kit #25 but very helpful and compatible with the kit.

OPTIONAL: VARIETY ADD - fruits & veggies & Precise or a holistic canned meats For a safe, balanced raw option use Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw - info below.

Joint Support Supplement: Liquid Health Level 5000 is what I recommend and use.


Section B.

Description of Supplements - Who - What - Why?

1. Food - Kibble and Canned - Precise makes a good holistic line of foods for you to pick from..here is more information on Precise Foods and where to purchase.

DO NOT SOAK KIBBLE AND LET SET, OR USE HOT WATER ON YOUR KIBBLE IT WILL DESTROY THE INTEGRITY OF THE NUTRIENTS AND PROBIOTICS - YOGURT LIKE CULTURES ON THE FOOD.


2. Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes

Most dog/cats/people who have been infested with Giardia Protozoa have been treated with numerous drugs or wormers to rid the intestines of this parasite. These drugs also strip the gut of the critical beneficial bacteria necessary for digestion and prevention of leaky gut syndrome. It is so important to provide BacPakPlus on daily basis and double dose while being treated for Giardia to restablish the flora of the gut.

  • Yogurt Cultures - friendly bacteria in the form of Acidophillus and other cultures

  • Digestive enzymes, needed when using processed or raw diet.

To order: www.nzymes.com


3. MSM- Nutritional Sulfur - Methylsulfonylmethane

Not all brands of MSM are equal. The one that has been around the longest, with the most research and use, long before it was even available for human consumption, is the Vita-Flex brand. It is the ONLY brand I will suggest for Giardia or growth cases, because I know it is manufactured in this country and 99% human grade.

In the patent (#4,616,039) and research information on MSM, it states "the dosage for treating Giardia to be 500 mg - 3 times a day for two weeks, then continue with 1000 mg a day to help prevent Giardia re-infestation. MSM makes the gut an uninviting place for Giardia to proliferate." I purchase mine from Dr. Wagner at www.firstchoicenaturals.com or 800-937-1104.


4. Dietary Enzymes - in pet treats or granular (multiple pets)

Nzymes - is Dietary Enzyme in a chewable healthy pet treat or in granular form. Nzymes put the "living component" back into a cooked, processed, stored dog food. Enzymes are heat sensitive and lost in processing/cooking of all commercial foods or making home cooked diets. As owners we must put dietary enzymes back into the diet, in order to maintain proper wellness and not deplete the body of this important resource. This can be done by the addition to your diet with a product called Nzymes, a chewable pet treat, or granular form which can be sprinkled on the food to replace what is lost. In other words, Nzymes provide the body with the right nutrients to allow the body to make the chemicals necessary to detoxify (clean out) the body and repair itself.

Nzymes helps with the following:

  • Allergic reactions
  • Natural anti-inflammatory ~ so you can avoid risky medicines like Rimadyl
  • Arthritis
  • Orthopedic problems ~ HOD, OCO, Pano, Wobblers, Hip Dysplasia, ACL
  • Epilepsy and Seizures - due to vaccine reactions
  • Vaccine reaction prevention
  • Cleanses residual toxins from medicines, flea and parasite preparations.
  • Boosting the immune system
  • Reduces shedding
  • Itchy ears
  • Yeast infections
  • Bladder infections
  • Hotspots
  • Reduces healing time from injury, surgery (cropping/bloat/c-sections)
  • Reduces recovery time from anesthesia.

Nzymes are from sprouts (food) so they do not conflict with diet or any medications. I have used the Nzymes for 20 years for my animals and I take the human product and have seen remarkable changes our health. By incorporating Nzymes into the diet, you are putting back the "living component" into the modern processed and cooked diets. This gives the body the tools it needs for repair and good health.

Website to order : http://www.nzymes.com/ - 877- 816- 6500 - 8:00-6:00 PST


5. Tincture of BLACKLEAF

A natural combination of Olive leaf and Black Walnut - both of which make great wormers and this includes Giardia protozoa. To purchase Tincture of Blackleaf


6. Spark of Life - a ionic trace mineral that puts the important microminerals back into the system that are lost during the chronic loose stools. These must replaced daily and when a dog has loose stools due to Giardia, they are extremely lacking in microminerals which compromises their whole system, especially the bodies metabolic system. To purchase www.firstchoicenaturals.com


7. Ox-E-Drops - is clear a safe liquid that will kill pathogens: bacteria, fungus and virus. Ox-E-Drops Drops does not kill the good bacteria of the gut and helps to encourage the growth of friendly bacteria. I believe Ox-E-Drops is very important component to a diet in the possible prevention of bloat and systemic fungus infections, toxic and leaky gut syndrome, because if it's ability to help keep a healthy pH in the gut. www.firstchoicenaturals.com


Optional: Joint Supplementation

I have used Liquid Health Level 5000 joint supplementation with great success on my dogs. It is particularly noticeable when you introduce it to an elderly dog diet - they respond very well to joint nutritional supplementation. The amount of glucosamine in better dog foods is barely a maintenance level dosage, which is why I supplement my dogs. Whereby it is beneficial for all breeds ages and sizes, the large and giant breeds are particularly vulnerable due to their size, rapid development as a puppy and later tendencies toward bone cancer - normally of the long bone or growth plate.

For more complete information and ordering go to this website: Liquid Health Level 5000


Options: For Variety - Meats - Fruits - Vegetable

I use a holistic canned dog foods* for variety (beef, chicken, liver, lamb, duck, fish, puppy). I mix a couple of tablespoons of canned meat with tepid temperature water and make a gravy. Then I top dress with one of the HONEST KITCHEN - an organic dehydrated raw meat /fruit/veggie mixe. I use about 10% of this in combination with my kibble.

*Do NOT use grocery store brand of canned food they are full of preservatives and 4D meats (dead, diseased dying and disabled) and they give the dogs stinky gas and are full of unhealthy fillers. NO homemade concoctions of meat/rice combinations that you make up at home, they are very unbalanced in their calcium and phosphorus levels and can cause growth problems.

The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw dog food is what I use to provide a 10% raw component to my dogs Eagle kibble. It is balanced in calcium and phosphorus ratios which are very important in growing and elderly dogs!

I use the EMBARK which has a raw organic turkey, fruits and veggies and sometimes I will use PREFERENCE, which is strictly fruits/veggies and herbs.

EMBARK 29% protein - 16% fat - Organic Turkey, Flaxseed, Potatoes, Celery, Spinach, Carrots, Coconut, Apples, Kelp, Eggs, Sesame Seeds, Bananas, Cranberries, Rosemary.

PREFERENCE
: 12% protein 5 % fat - Alfalfa, sweet potatoes, cabbage, celery, apples, spinach, organic kelp, coconut, bananas, zucchini, and honey.

One- 4 lb bag will make up to 17 lbs of moist meat/fruits and veggies and if used to top dress your kibble you can see it goes a long way. The Honest Kitchen dog food and Eagle Pet Foods are endorsed by the Whole Dog Journal.

To order call 765-287-8288 OR online go to www.firstchoicenaturals.com

Amounts I use of Honest Kitchen :

8-10- weeks - 1 Tablespoon each meal
11-16 weeks - 4-Tablespoons divided AM and PM meal
5 - 6 mo - 1/4 cup AM and PM
7 - 8 mo 1/4 - 1/3 cup l AM and PM meal
9 mo - Adults - 1/2 daily - 1 cup Divided AM and PM


IF you want to do your own fruits and veggies here are some suggestions

FRUITS &VEGETABLE: This is a list of recommended foods to use in moderation:

yogurt, buttermilk berries melons, apples, banana, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, squash, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini - minced/diced/raw/cooked - they love frozen berries and melon balls!! Pulverized fresh veggies are best for digestion. NO raw onions, grapes or raisins, macadamia nuts.

Linda's Very Veggie Soup - 2 large cans of chicken or beef broth - (low sodium for heart or elderly dogs- or homemade). Add LOTS of veggies - carrots, green beans, wax beans, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and couple cloves of garlic. The idea is to use this as the filler so you want it to be hearty and filling.



Supplement Schedule I Use:

Start with Tincture of Blackleaf and Spark of Life and BacPakPlus ...then on day 2 or 3 start the worming with Panacur for 3 days.

After the worming with Panacur add MSM then 2 days later after you start the MSM, start the dog on Nzymes.

This introduces these supplements slowly into the system. Then once established give them AM and PM according to the label on container. Don't forget to worm with Panacur again in 10 days, see info above. You can continue to keep them on these supplements during the second worming and thereafter. For some dogs, this is a life long problem and life long program. Any other supplements, like a joint support should wait until they are totally wormed on an a good path to wellness. After a month or two of being free from Giardia you can incorporate a joint support supplement too.

I make gravy of tepid temp water and Eagle canned meat.

OPTIONAL: Once establised on these supplements you can start to build them backup by introducting some Honest Kitchen, the veggie soup or fruits and veggies.

Top dress with Honest Kitchen mixture (at least with one meal a day) or your own fruits and veggies.

WATER ON KIBBLE - 1/4 - 1/4 cup water + 3-4 tablespoons canned meat. You want the food moist but not floating and sloppy (this is for large/giant breeds, reduce amount for smaller breeds accordingly).

Do not microwave, soak or use hot or very warm water on your kibble. It will destroy the integrity of the friendly yogurt type cultures and the fragile vitamins/minerals and amino acids on the food.

Water On Food:
Commercial foods need to be fed with moisture so dogs don't over consume water after a meal, and so the kibble does not pull moisture from the dogs system in order to break down properly. Use
"tepid" temperature water never hot or warm and never soak your food as it breaks down and destroys nutrients. Mix up and feed immediately. I use approximately 1 to 1-1/2 cups of water for adults per each meal. Adjust accordingly for puppies. If they have loose stools, you may be using too much meat or water than necessary. Adjust that before you panic and think they are sick.

Drinking Water:
It is very important to
NEVER withhold water from your dog. This can lead to over consumption and bladder infections. Use common sense, do not let them drink excessively after exercise or dinner. Like a horse, let them cool down and then drink. I have found if I have water available in several places, they never overdo it since they know it is available to them when they need it. That way they drink less amounts of water, but more frequently.

Withholding water for fear of bloat is a myth. Stress is the cause and bloat/torsion is the response. It is much more complicated that simply saying water is the cause of bloat.

(See my article on Bloat and Torsion for details) (See On My Soapbox)


 

 

 

 

 

 


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