Exciting News on the WORM front
It is exciting and 100% true. We do not need to use toxic de-wormers systematically any more.
We can now use a simple and cheap testing service that will 100% tell us if our dog has any sign of worms or not. We don't have to keep worming them when they don't even have worms.
Firstly I am going to debunk some old myths.
Lets compare it to ourselves, after all, our dogs know that they are really humans!
We humans have worked out how important good health is. There's lots of evidence of change right in front of us.
We know that "we are what we eat". So we try to eat healthy, and make healthy choices.
We know that "If you don’t use it, you will lose it! Right?" So we try to exercise.
You just have to walk around the supermarket to see that our attitude towards the things we are putting in our bodies is changing. Now we have lots of choices that include dairy free options, gluten free options, low and no sugar options, and the list goes on.
The products we put in our mouths, and on our skin are free from petroleum based chemicals, fluoride, SLRs, BPAs, and Aluminium, just to name a few.
We store and cook our food differently, using BPA free plastics, no aluminium, and no Teflon.
Over the years we have discovered the long term effects of chemical exposure. We take it seriously because we are now aware of the very real consequences of toxic chemical exposure, and its threat of illness and even death.
We are concerned about our health and living long healthy lives.
Well! Why aren't we thinking the same way about our treasured pets. We love them and want the very best for them. We want them by our sides and in our hearts and our lives as long as possible.
We seem to have accepted a very protective attitude towards our dogs. We vaccinate them so they never have to be sick. We apply flea and tick treatments, so they never have to be uncomfortable. We worm them so they never have to get parasites, all in the name of prevention. All of these things are promoted as the only way to be a responsible and caring dog owner.
If something is wrong with us, there is a pill for this or a pill for that. For example: Instead of adjusting your diet when you get high cholesterol, doctors prescribe a medication that lowers cholesterol, without you having to change any poor eating habits.
When you have high blood pressure doctors prescribe a medication that lowers your blood pressure, without you having to reduce your alcohol consumption, or moderate your poor dietary choices.
When you have type 2 diabetes doctors can prescribe a medication that lowers your blood sugar level, without you having to stop eating sweet things.
Heart disease – blood thinners… the list goes on!
The only reason that cigarette smoking is becoming illegal is that we have not been able to produce a pill that will offset the negative effects of smoking on our health.
My argument is: Wouldn't it be much safer to change our diets, reduce alcohol consumption, and reduce sugar consumption to return to good health. Rather than taxing our bodies by swallowing medications, that present our livers with toxic overload day in and day out, to achieve the same results.
Humans now know that people are dying every day because of the toxins in our environment.
Are our dogs dying of cancers because of the toxicity of their environments?
Pharmaceutical companies continue to advocate for the regular use of toxic systemic de-worming chemicals to protect our dogs. There is a lot of money being exchanged in this billion dollar industry worldwide. You can buy de-wormers in the supermarket, you can buy them from pet stores, you can buy them online and Veterinarians are happy to administer and promote and even sell you these products.
Advertising and the media shame us into feeling bad about ourselves if we do not worm our dogs regularly.
I can understand that Veterinarians have probably seen horrific cases of worms and are only to happy to endorse a program of treatment to avoid it. However, we now know there is a better way. There is a way to care for, and protect our dogs and our environment without systematically exposing them to toxic de-worming chemicals.
We can be even more caring about our dog’s health and safety by saying NO to unnecessary treatments.
Doesn’t that sound like a better way?
Research has shown that many dogs can live an entire lifetime without a single worm treatment after their puppy treatments.
FACT: I have only used de-worming treatments for my dogs maybe half a dozen times in the last 15 years. I admit that some of those times were prompted by my own feelings of guilt. I allowed myself to be guilted into worming my dogs by the media. Advertisements telling me that I don't really care about my dog if I don't worm them regularly. Sound familiar?
I have been lucky enough to have a good friend that is a parasitologist. So instead of just blindly worming my dogs, I have been able to send samples for testing. I have found that they have never actually had worms even though they have not been wormed for years.
Now there is a testing service available to everyone. You can apply for a test online. A small fee is charged for the service. A test kit will be sent to you so you can collect a sample. (Don't worry you don't have to touch poo!)
Pop your sample in the return envelope and mail. Your results will be emailed to you directly. If there is no evidence of parasites you will be 100% confident not to have to worm your buddy.
Of course, if there is evidence you will be advised to seek treatment. But at least you won't be worming them for nothing!
Not only will a test every 6 months work out cheaper than most de-worming regimes - BOTTOM LINE - no more unnecessary chemical exposure for our fur babies.
Please keep your eye on blogs for more testing info.
