Oregon Has to Stem the Tide of Yellow Journalism



Unsourced photo attached to referenced article. We don't know exactly what is going on here, or where the picture is from. But hey, it LOOKS dramatic, and the emotional impact is more important than any actual FACTS.


Just read a ridiculous article today (see link below), claiming that because "rescues" are bringing dogs from California to Oregon, California must surely have a surplus of pets. "California Has to Stem the Tide of Dogs" the headline blares. These relocated pets, according to this article, are riddled with disease, suffer from severe emotional distress and are kept in horrific conditions.

Well, claim #3 may not be far from the truth. Lord knows that some of these "rescues" lately have been busted for keeping their charges in abusive and negectful conditions.

While I agree that dogs should not be transported across state lines for purpose of “rescue”, most of this article is emotional histrionics with no basis in facts. Firstly, the misconception that the state of California is lax on sterilization and that is the reason that dogs are being transferred to other states is DEAD WRONG.

Under the Vincent Law, passed way back in 1998, California state shelters are mandated to sterilize all dogs and cats prior to release. Of course, this law was also based on the false premise that shelter problems are caused by failure to spay/neuter. It failed to take into account that, in 1998, shelter numbers had dramatically declined from the 1970s and 1980s...WITHOUT any mass spay-neuter, or forcing people to sterilize their adopted dog or cat.

But even as shelter numbers continued to decline, we couldn't leave well enough alone. Several local areas decided to pass laws requiring all pets to be sterilized. The most densely-populated areas of the state like Los Angeles County have had mandatory spay and neuter laws for several years now. And them, guess what happened? You got it, after those laws were passed, shelter intakes and deaths increased. That is the norm; such foolish, punitive and coercive laws always cause higher shelter intakes everywhere they have been tried. And, some people out there don't necessarily WANT their pets spayed/neutered as they are aware of the negative health consequences that often accompany such drastic measures.
Next, IF these shelter animals are in such horrific condition, how about holding the government shelters responsible for that, rather than spouting a stock meanigless reply about "overpopulation"? Aren't shelters the ones releasing these animals? At least, that is what is being reported here. IF the reporting is in any way reliable.

Shelters sending out dogs laden with parasites and rife with various diseases? Somehow I doubt that. But, even if true, abuse is abuse, whether the animals are being cared for by a private party, a state-run shelter, or a largely unregulated "rescue" operation.

And just because it's called a "shelter" or a "rescue" doesn't necessarily mean there's anything humane going on.

The fact is that there are so few pets available in some areas of the state, that shelters and rescues in California are IMPORTING DOGS from other states and even other countries.

That's right. “Dogs Without Borders” in Los Angeles will order you a dog from as far away as Taiwan. The Helen Woodward Humane Society in San Diego County has shipped in dogs from the south for years, and imports dogs from Europe...specifically from Romania....every month. Compassion Without Borders" has long brought homeless stray dogs into California for the rescue trade. Golden Retriever Rescue LA imports dogs from Taiwan. Beagle rescue flew 40 dogs from Spain into Los Angeles. Then we have Save a Mexican Mutt, who obviously bring up mutts from Mexico.

Gotta restock the store shelves, you know.

Now here's another interesting factoid that those in Oregon probably haven't considered. The US Border patrol did a survey recently and discovered that over 10,000 dogs and puppies are smuggled into San Diego County from Mexico, each and every year.

That's because the shelters in San Diego County rarely have any adoptable dogs.

The group “Wings of Rescue” admits that, over the past few years, it has cherry-picked about 2,000 of the most desirable young and small breed dogs from California's shelters to re-sell in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.

WHY is this happening? Why are animals being relocated from one area to another?

Because there is a shortage of pets in some areas.

Having a pet SHORTAGE is not desirable either. A shortage drives up prices, and promotes the black market sales of animals and indiscriminate breeding for quantity, not quality.

But the misguided well-meaning "rescuers" and the less-altruistic animal rights kooks won't rest until all pets in this country are sterilized. They dream of the day when there is a shortage of pets across the nation, just as there already exists a shortage in selected areas such as the New England states and the Pacific Northwest region. They'll be glad to fill the void with pets from Mexico, the Caribbean, Taiwan and other distant locales. (Shhh!! Some of them actually make money doing this!)

Now, let's conduct a little exercise in shelter math, shall we?

According to California's 2011 state shelter statistics (the latest year for which statistics are available) there were 176,907 dogs euthanized for the entire year in California's shelters. We don't know how many of these were adoptable dogs, but most shelter experts estimate that roughly half of all dogs killed are adoptable (ie not sick, injured or aggressive)

The population of California stands at just over 38 million. Using all lthis data, we can calculate that there was less than one adoptable dog killed in an animal shelter for every 400 citizens in 2011. That's hardly what anyone with two brain cells to rub together would be stupid enough to call "overpopulation"

Out of 400 people, perhaps just ONE might be looking for a nice dog? Do you think that shelters might possibly be able to find homes for all or even MOST of the adoptable dogs? There is absolutely no reason why not, IF they are doing their job in a proactive manner.

But don't let facts interfere with the spay-neuter propaganda agenda.

http://www.ridenbaugh.com/index.php/2013/01/17/7738/
http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2012/12/oregon_welcomes_some_250_dogs.html

Love Hurts

Americans have always had a love affair with pets. Stories about pets are common subjects for “human interest” pieces in news publications. We read about dogs who save human lives and the lives of their canine companions. We read stories about long-lived dogs, talented dogs and ugly dogs. We read about dogs who are so faithful to their owners that they remain steadfast at their gravesite.

Cats also provide displays of affections for their owners that inspire news reports. We read about Toldo, an Italian cat who regularly visits the grave of his deceased owner. The man’s widow, Ada, said the cat “brings little twigs, leaves, toothpicks, plastic cups. A bit of everything really,” everyday to the grave of his former owner who has now been deceased for over a year. 1

Then there was the story just this week about the cat in Florida who spent nearly two months walking home after being lost from the owner’s motor vehicle almost 200 miles from home. 2

We also often read stories about animal cruelty and abuse. Tales of “hoarding” and “puppy mills” grab the interest and sell news. These stories serve to solicit contributions by the organizations who are the self-appointed saviors of abused animals. This is mostly a black-and-white issue, or so it might appear on the surface. Animal abusers need to be stopped and they need to be punished, while animal saviors desperately need our financial support. A no-brainer, right?

Well, maybe things aren’t quite as black-and-white as they might seem. Some “abusers” have themselves been affected by financial ruin, a sudden turn in their health, loss of job or home, or even a death in the family. All these factors can affect the ability to care properly for their pets. Even if the accused abuser is completely broke, or physically or mentally disabled, the reports of abuse are completely lacking in sympathy for the person down on his or her luck. Oftentimes, rabid followers publicly call for a lynching of purported “abusers”. If we were talking about children in these households instead of animals, there would be assistance available. Instead, we deliver only scorn.

Pet “rescue” on the other hand, has become the trendy activity. “My pet was rescued” Jane announces proudly. Her friends and relatives congratulate her for her largesse. Win-win, she gets to enjoy a companion and get a boost to her self-esteem at the same time. Proclaiming that you just BOUGHT a new puppy or kitten does not produce the same warm public accolades. On the contrary, you may be derided with jeers about supporting evil breeders, causing shelter deaths and contributing to pet overpopulation (all of these silly notions have been thoroughly debunked here in the past).

And never mind the fact that you do BUY pets from rescues. They aren’t giving them away, folks!

Then, oddly enough, we sometimes also have cases of saviors-turned-abusers. There are also plenty of news stories recounting tales of animal “rescues” where the care has gone sour, and the animals have to be rescued from the rescuer. Generally, what happens in such cases is that a rescue entity becomes overloaded with more animals than it has the resources to care for. Now, the very group that we trusted to “rescue” has suddenly become the “hoarder”. How can that be? How can a hero one day become a villain the next?

“Hoarder”, “abuser”, and “puppy mill” are all pejorative slurs that are thrown about handily in the popular news media. Similarly brainless terms like “rescue” and “shelter” are thrown about in a self-congratulatory, feel-good manner, when in actuality they are meaningless and do not necessarily reflect any actual beneficence on the part of the person or group being described. Such stereotypical monikers do not often reflect reality, and that is a major reason why we should refrain from using them.

Americans donate to various animal charities by hand over fist each year. The ASPCA rakes in $144 million per year, with net assets of $188 million, while the HSUS receives about $177 million each year. 3

This is mostly accomplished through donations from a generous, pet-loving public who are urged by these self-appointed saviors to please donate a certain monthly amount. Say around $19 a month? Just a suggestion, since hey, you really want to help poor suffering animals. “Look at these horrific pictures and please open your wallet!!!” And people do, by the hundreds of millions of dollars each and every year.

In February, 2012, a cat “rescue” called Caboodle Cat Ranch Sanctuary near Tallahassee, Florida was raided. The rescuer had hundred of cats on the premises. Animal rights operatives spent many months gathering up “evidence” in the form of photographs taken of sick animals that were being housed on the premises. The cats were removed from the rescue and remanded to the care of the local law enforcement agency. ASPCA immediately stepped in and sent literally HUNDREDS of people in to care for the cats.4


The ASPCA subsequently asked for $1.8 million dollars in reimbursement for care of
these “rescued” cats. From their website:

“In a letter to the judge, Director Tim Rickey of the ASPCA details how $1.2 million [as of June 22] has been spent on care for Caboodle Ranch cats. In addition to medical care and basic necessities, the cats are receiving behavioral enrichment to “remedy the effects of the severe neglect and lack of socialization they experienced during their time at Caboodle Ranch.”

Problem is, the itemized list of expenses was released to the public, and very little of those expenses were related to actual care of the cats. Most of it was for airfare, hotels and meals for the humans involved. The expense statement the ASPCA turned in was simply outrageous! Listing “plumbing”, “carpet cleaning”, “chocolates for the ladies”, “lunch at Panera’s for 100+” (totaling over 1200.00), resort hotels, $400 thousand in airfares and rental cars and the list of vacation expenses goes on and on. $1000 for snacks in a two-day period. One person even submitted the charge to replace her cell phone battery. What gall! Very little was listed in the way of actual veterinary expenses. 5

On the other hand, the owner of Caboodle cat ranch claimed to be able to produce over $90,000 in veterinary bills for the cats, that he personally had paid when the cats were in his possession. Hmmm. Which “rescue” was truly legit here? The jury seems to be still out on that.

Knowing the manipulative history of animal rights fanatics, I am very skeptical about the Caboodle Cat Ranch Rescue. If you’d like to read more information about the case, check this post on YesBiscuit (and please do read the comments):

http://yesbiscuit.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/700-cats-seized-from-cat-sanctuary-in-fl/#comments

So just how reliable is the ASPCA.....really?

Recently, the ASPCA agreed to pay Feld Entertainment a whopping $9.3 million settlement in a suit brought against them under the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Seems they manufactured evidence. Are they admitting guilt? It certainly seems so. 6

Well, now we know how the ASPCA will use your $19 per month automatic payments; they will be sending them to the Ringling Brothers circus, even though they originally conspired to bring the circus down. Poetic justice! At least THOSE donations will actually to go care for some animals. Good deal.

The request for the $1.8 million dollars expenses reimbursement was denied. Here is the trial court ruling:

“The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, hereafter referred to as ‘ASPCA’ did NOT have an agency relationship...”

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxEJ5J_n7tIqY0hTcEF5VEVyOFE/edit?pli=1

Perhaps the courts are waking up to the blatant abuses of groups who, despite their self-proclaimed sainthood status, are not necessarily the do-gooders one would expect based on their names.




1http://digitaljournal.com/article/340666#ixzz2HVRbXSEo

2 http://www.wafb.com/story/20533966/lost-cat-walks-190-miles-to-get-home

3http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/14/charities-11_American-SPCA_CH0234.html

4http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Caboodle_Ranch_Cat_Sanctuary_Operator_Faces_Cruelty_Charges_140581263.html

5 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhEJ5J_n7tIqdHNTNmJfZ1Fwc2RuazR2RHJpVGVqSmc#gid=0

6 http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/aspca-382414-ringling-elephants.html

Trolls - mostly kept under the bridge

I suppose it is natural that since this is a  high-traffic site, we get lots of comments from trolls. There are plenty of wild-eyed alarmists out there who cruise the web and look for places to post their nonsense.

We get many comments from trolls who can't believe the statistics, because, well, they KNOW that there is pet overpopulation, they KNOW that people are inherently "bad" and that animals have the "right" to be free of our influence. They KNOW that anyone who presents the facts about the adverse health effects of spay-neuter surely must be wrong. They KNOW that "rescue" is noble, while breeders are greedy, evil animal abusers. They want to contradict anything and everything we post here. These people have been so deeply brainwashed that they can no longer think rationally. Responding to such fools is a waste of time and energy. Therefore, long ago the decision was made to only selectively post a representative sampling of such comments.
 
The good thing about having a private blog is the right to deny others the opportunity to use your forum to grandstand their position. When people want to look for real, hard facts on current animal issues, they check our blog. We are not here to allow "animal rights" fanatics a place to push their extremist agenda. 

Climate Control

"We" the responsible show breeders deserve to breed our dogs, because we are so, well, AWESOME, right? We pamper our pooches, we lose a ton of money breeding and showing our dogs. We seldom have litters, we screen our homes, we health test, we belong to breed clubs, we are motivated by love, not money.

Yes, we ARE the bees knees!!! But what about those who might have different goals and different purposes from ours? Are they less “worthy” of breeding? We seemingly don't have a problem with laws that limit those unscrupulous "other" breeders. And they may do things that most of us don't do. They sell dogs over the internet, or to "pet shops" or through brokers or they breed their bitches every year. But, we have to STOP assuming that every broker is bad, that pet stores are merchants of greed and horror, that anyone who is motivated by money is necessarily an evil abuser.

Because it's just plain not true.

All dogs are not destined to serve as primarily as "pets", although even those with jobs are usually dearly cherished by their owners. Military working dogs are procured via brokers and breeders who specifically breed for that market. Guide Dogs for the Blind organizations breed dogs for a specific “helpmate” function. They crossbreed, they breed for aptitude, and they certainly have more than one or two litters a year. Dogs used on farms and ranches have jobs to do, and those who are the strongest and smartest and demonstrate the best ability will probably be selected to be bred to provide us with the next generation.

Traditionally, we have had choice. The choice to own a purebred dog, or a mixed breed dog, to breed as we see fit, whether we want a pet litter of "doodles", or a show litter, or a litter to hopefully produce a dog who will excel at a certain function. (Even if that function is catching frisbees). Do we really want the government stepping in and setting up ridiculous breeding rules? Must belong to a breed club, must do X-Y-Z health certification, must not crossbreed, and on and on ad nauseum.
Do we really want the government demanding that we forego the purebred puppy in the pet shop, with a pedigree and a health history, in favor of imported strays with completely unknown backgrounds? Families who want a pet currently can pick up the newspaper want ads and find one to suit their needs (although last time I checked, there were NO pets advertised in our local paper). Should it be illegal to advertise animals over the internet or in newspaper want ads? Should people have to beg permission from the government in order to breed a litter? These are all issues we currently face in today's climate of government control of our hobby.

Animal Rights extremists want to replace puppies resulting from planned litters with unplanned, crossbred street dogs, many of which are from foreign countries. They've already gotten laws passed to make this the ONLY sort of pet found in a pet stores in many localities in California. They want strict government regulation of all breeding in the US. If the side effect of such over-regulation is causing most breeders to give up entirely, that would be dandy with them. If there were no pets in pet stores, or in newspaper ads, or on the internet, it would be "mission accomplished" for these Animal Wrongists.

Patti Page, famous for the songs "Tennessee Waltz" and "How Much is that Doggie in the Window," died January first at a nursing home in Encinitas, California. How different the climate was toward pets in the mid-twentieth century! Purebred puppies were regarded as one of life's treasures. Pet shop puppies went from societies’ darlings to social pariahs, because the Animal Wrongists have convinced the public that surely they are the product of unscrupulous animal abusers.

We need to get past such attitudes. We need to recognize that passing laws intended to eliminate the few "bad apple" breeders will not accomplish that goal, but such laws will eliminate all the great dogs that we love in the process. The show dogs, the working dogs, the mixed breed "doodle" pets, ALL of them! Patti Page was even pressured to re-write her "doggie in the window" song to one that promotes adoption of shelter dogs.

"Dog breeding is a privilege, not a right" someone recently commented on this blog. I think many people are beginning to fall into this sort of mindset. On the contrary, I believe it is our RIGHT to breed our dog, our cat, our bird, our hamster or our farm animals. They belong to us, and it is our right to breed them. And once we give up that right to government control or even to the discretion of dog clubs, then woe betide us.

We are a nation where choice and freedom are supposed to be guarded and cherished. Our freedom to breed in an unrestricted manner and our choice to own the pet that we want should not be determined for us by others who believe that somehow they know best. When we arrive at the "no breeding" goal of animal fanatics, life as we know it will never be the same. We'll be missing a very important part of our heart and soul.

Lemon – A Safe, Natural Misquito Repellent for Dogs

Unfortunately most commercially produced products (oral and topical preventatives) - designed to repel Mosquitos from your dog contain powerful chemical-based pesticides and other toxic / carcinogenic ingredients that are very harmful to your dog’s well being.

If you are in a zone in which you must use heartworm pills I suggest that you off-set the harmful side effects of heartworm pills by introducing foods into your dog’s diet that will help protect against the toxins and carcinogens found in heartworm pills. See 3.0 further below for more on using diet to offset the harmful ingredients in heartworm pills.

If you are notin a high-incident zone (such as New Orleans, or Florida) for heartworm infection you can try using the following lemon-based alternatives to repeal misquitos and subsequently the infestation of heartworms…

As an alternative you can use fresh lemon to discourage misquitos from ‘visiting’ your dog. Even better, use organic fresh lemons!

 

Use Lemon in Two Ways to Help Repel Misquitos…

One - Topical Application;

Two - Ingested as part of your dog’s daily diet.

Read on below to find out how lemon can be your dog’s best friend…

1.0 Topical Applications

Lemon when applied topically can be used to repel insects and parasites.

Mosquitos do not like the scent of citrus…

 

1.1 Spot Treatment

• Cut a fresh lemon, (lime, orange, or grapefruit) in half and rub the cut fruit onto your dog’s fur.
• Avoid the area immediately around your dog’s eyes and do not apply to open wounds/cuts - citrus stings!
• Make sure you pay special attention to favourite/vulnerable spots like ears, nose, under the tail and tummy.
• Lemon is non-toxic to dogs so, unlike most commercially manufactured misquote repellents – your dog will not be harmed by licking/ingesting the lemon juice!

1.2 Spray Application

What you will need…

• 6 lemons, or you can use a mix of citrus
• 1 quart of water (.95 litre)
• 1 pot
• 1 spray bottle

Preparation

• Cut the lemons and/or other citrus fruit in half;
• Place the cut fruit and 1 quart of water in a pot;
• Bring to a boil and then allow too steep for two hours;
• Allow the resulting liquid to cool;
• Once cool, strain the liquid to remove any pulp;
• Pour the resulting liquid into a spray bottle;
• Spritz your dog’s fur - remember to protect your dog’s eye from the spray;
• To apply the spray to your dog’s face:
• Spray the palm of your hand with the solution;
• Rub your hands gently over your dog’s nose, around their eyes, behind the ears, around the base of the tail, under your dog’s legs, etc.
• If your dog is going to be outside for a good portion of the day - repeat the spray application every 2 to 3 hours.

1.3 Mosquito Repelling Collar Drops

You can put a few drops of lemon-oil or 1 drop of essential lemon-oil on your dog’s collar to further discourage misquotes.

To make your own lemon-oil…

You will need…

• 2 lemons,
• 1 cup olive oil

Preparation

• Peel the rind from the lemons;
• Place oil and lemon rinds in a sauce pan;
• Place on very low heat for 20 minutes;
• Allow to cool;
• Strain and pour into a bottle.

2.0 Ingested Treatment
 

Adding fresh lemon to your dog’s daily diet is simple…

I use a food processor to finely chop/mince fresh lemon.

• I sprinkle the finely minced lemon on top of my dog’s food once a day.
• Then store any remaining minced lemon in an air tight glass container (in the refrigerator) for a day or two. 

Dosage...

• 1 tsp/day of minced lemon for small dogs;
• 2 tsp/day for medium size dogs, and;
• 3 to 4 tsp/day for large dogs.

If you would like to know more about the health benefits of lemon for your dog – the benefits are numerous...you can read more here ᵔᴥᵔ

3.0 If You Must Give Your Dog Heartworm Pills…

I recommend that you expand your dog’s diet to help off-set the damage that the toxins and carcinogens in heartworm pills can reek on your dog’s long-term health. Include some simple, natural foodstuffs in your dog’s diet that boosts this/her immune system, detoxifies the body and protects against cancer…

The following foods can be added to your dog’s daily diet – simply top-off your dog’s existing food (kibble, raw-food, or home-made cooked food) with the following once a day…

• Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) – organic, unpasteurized
• Small size dogs - 1 tsp
  Medium size dogs – 1tbs
• Large dogs – 1.5 to 2 tbs

• Cranberries - fresh/frozen finely chopped cranberries (no sugar added)
• Small size dogs - 1 tbs
  Medium size dogs – 1.5 to 2 tbs tbs
• Large dogs – 2 to 3 tbs

• Coconut Oil – read more about coconut oil here – benefits, dosage

• Garlic - fresh, chopped – read more about garlic here.
• Dosage for Garlic...
• 1 clove/1 tsp chopped garlic per every 30 lbs of body weight;

• Lemon - fresh, finely chopped
• Small size dogs - 1 tsp
• Medium size dogs - 1 tbs
• Large dogs - 1.5 to 2 tbs

• Yogurt - plain, natural, no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, depending on the dog’s weight/body type/metabolisim I use 2% fat for dog’s whose weight needs to be watched or 3% to 6% fat for leaner dogs, or kefir;
  Dosage for yogurt:
• Small size dogs - 1 tsp to 1 tbs
• Medium size dogs - 1 tbs to 2 tbs
• Large dogs – 2 tbs to 4 tbs

• Kefir – read more about kefir (and/or sauerkraut) and how to introduce it to your dog’s diet here. Kefir is a powerful probiotic and should be introduced in small amounts, building up to the full dosage…
  Dosage for kefir:
• Small size dogs - 1 tsp
• Medium size dogs - 1 tbs
• Large dogs - 11/2 to 2 tbs

• Omega Fatty Acids – make sure your dog is getting the right balance of Omega fatty acids – I have yet to see a commercially made dog food that has the Omega 3:6 Fatty acids properly balanced. You will need to add some good-source Omega 3 fatty acids to your dog’s diet – read more hereand choose the Omega 3 you want to use.

• Turmeric – read more about turmeric here- benefits, dosage

For items such as cranberries, garlic and lemon…

• I chop (the finer the better) enough of the foodstuff in the food processor to last several days to a week;
• Then I put the chopped food in containers - plastic (BPA free) or glass;
• I leave the appropriate sized measuring spoon in the container – this little convenience makes it faster to prepare the meal at feeding time ᵔᴥᵔ

 For more information on conventional heart worm preventatives, risks, zones and alternative interventions you can click here

Lemons - Good for Dogs, Many Health Benefits and Uses

 Lemons are amazing - in this article you will find...

  The many Health Benefits of adding lemon to your dog’s diet;

1. How to use Lemon Topically to Treat Skin Conditions;
2. How to use lemon to Prevent Frostbite;
3. How to use lemon to Repel Insects such as Mosquitos;
4. How to use lemon toTreat Urinary Tract Infections (UTI);
5. How to use lemon to make Shampoo/Cleanser/Rinsefor your dog;
6. What Type of Lemon you should use;
7. How toAdd Lemon to Your Dog’s Diet.

1.0  Many Health Benefits Of Lemon For Your Dog

Allergy ReducerLemon helps to reduce the symptoms of allergies... 

• Combine Lemon with Rooibos Tea for an even better allergy reducing aid.
• Also use lemon alone or in combination with other all-natural ingredients for dog friendly household cleaners - to replace chemical based household cleaners and avoid toxic build-up and allergies in your dog.

Arthritis
Lemons are a very alkaline food that helps the body balance PH levels thereby helping to relieve arthritis pain. Adding lemon to your puppies diet early on can help prevent the development of debilitating arthritis later in your dog's life.

Anti-Aging Properties

The high levels of antioxidants present in lemons help the body fight against aging.

Antibacterial 

Juice of a fresh lemon can destroy many forms of bacteria, including those that cause deadly disease.

Brain Health 

Keep your dog’s brain healthy, lemon peel contains the potent phytonutirent tangeretin which has been proven to be effective in treating brain disorders.Cancer Inhibitor.

Cancer Inhibitor 

As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C protects your dog’s cells from free radicals. Free radicals are charged atoms that form when specific molecules interact with oxygen. The free radicals then react with cell membranes and the DNA within cells – the reaction damages the DNA and membranes and thus the cell itself. Damaged cell structure is the first stage in the lead-up to cancer. A diet high in viable high-quality antioxidants plays a significant role in preventing the development of cancer. Lemons contain a grand total of 22 anti-cancer compounds, these include:

Limonene – oil that slows and /or halts the growth of cancer tumours;

Flavonol glycosides - that stop cell division in cancer cells.

Calming
Lemon acts as a sedative for nerves and can be used to help induce calm.

De-Toxifier, Protection against Poisoning

The ancient Egyptians ate lemons and drank lemon juice in order to protect themselves from a variety of poisons. Research has confirmed that the ancients where right. For example - lemons are a natural remedy (as are Garlic and apple cider vinegar) for food poisoning – i.e. salmonella and e-colli. The powerful acids present in lemon juice can kill the harmful microorganisms and toxins in the GI Tract that may be absorbed into the body by ingesting food laced with bacteria, fungi, harsh chemicals (i.e. pesticides) and other biological agents. In addition lemons are high in minerals and vitamins that help loosen toxins in the digestive tract.

Diarrhea and Constipation
Lemon aids in the cleansing of the bowels (killing bad bacteria and dislodging toxins) which helps eliminate both constipation and diarrhea.

Digestive Aid 

If you can get your dog to drink a little lemon juice mixed with an equal part of warm water your dog’s digestive tract will be stimulated which helps maintain the movement of food through your dog’s GI Tract. 

Disease Fighting

Lemons are a rich source of limonoids (phytochemicals), that are vital disease-fighting compounds which when present in sufficient concentration are effective in helping to inhibit certain cancers – for example ovarian cancer and oral-cavity tumours.

Eye Disorders
The symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy can be mitigated with the ingestion of lemon due the rutin present in lemons.

Ear Infections

Using a lemon flush is an effective way to keep your dog’s ears clean and free of infection. Ear infections are one of the most common ailments in dogs.

Heart Health
Lemons contain a relatively high level of potassium – potassium is beneficial to heart-health.

Immune System Health

Lemons are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that supports immune system function.

Intestinal Parasites 

Lemon is a natural de-wormer as is garlic. 

Liver Health
Lemon stimulates the liver, dissolves uric acid and other poisons thereby supporting liver health.

Nutrient Absorption 

Vitamin C helps the body absorb calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B3, Selenium and Glutathione work in tandem with Vitamin E to avoid liver and gall bladder problems – also a host of other long-term benefits i.e. aids in preventing/alleviating digestive problems, especially mal-absorption of nutrients. When I feed my dogs meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese I sprinkle grated lemon on top to enhance the body’s ability to absorb these important nutrients. The following provides a list of vitamins and Minerals that are found in lemons...lemons are:

• Very high in vitamin C;
• Nature’s top source of citric acid;
• One of nature’s top seven sources of potassium!

Minerals in Lemons		Vitamins in Lemons
Potassium - 116 mg		Vitamin C - 44.5 mg
Calcium - 22 mg		Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.034 mg
Phosphorus - 13 mg		Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.017 mg
Magnesium - 7 mg		Vitamin A - 18 IU
Sodium - 2 mg Iron - 0.5 mg Selenium 0.3 mcg Manganese - 0.025 mg Copper - 0.031 mg Zinc - 0.05 mg Also contains small amounts of other minerals.		Niacin - 0.084 mg Folate - 9 mcg Pantothenic Acid - 0.16 mg Vitamin B6 - 0.067 mg Vitamin E - 0.13 mg Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.

Stimulate Appetite

For most dogs this is not an issue, but a dog that is stressed, grieving etc. or suffering from certain medical conditions may not eat enough. The high potassium content of lemons can help to stimulate appetite.

Strengthen Blood Vessels
Lemon contains bioflavoniods (vitamin P) that strengthen blood vessels and prevent internal hemorrhaging.

Teeth and Bones 

The high vitamin C content of lemons helps the body absorb/metabolize calcium. A diet that is rich in vitamin C creates an environment in which bacteria does not thrive. These foods also increase saliva production which helps to wash away bacteria and plaque. To understand more about the other benefits of vitamin C in dog dental read more here.

Weight LossLemon are high in pectin fiber which helps to stop huger pains. Additionally a more alkaline diet promotes weight loss. So if your dog is overweight add some lemon to his/her diet. Turmeric is excellent as an aid to weight loss as well. Adding a little fruit and vegetables to your dog’s diet can also help your dog lose weight.

2.0 Treat Skin Conditions

Acne – Puppy Dermititus (Impetigo and Acne), Skin-Fold Pyoderma

Acne, often located on the chin or lips - can occur in puppies 3 months of age or older and is most common in Boxers, Bulldogs, Dobermans and Rottweillers, but can also occur in other breeds of dogs. Skin-Fold Pyoderma occurs when inflammation results from skin constantly rubbing together. To treat these conditions you use a cotton ball to apply:

• Undiluted lemon juice (do not use undiluted lemon juice if the skin is broken as the undiluted lemon will sting);
• Green tea and lemon -  steep a bag of green tea, let it cool to warn temperature, add the juice of half a lemon and using a cotton ball apply the resulting lemon-tea to the affected area – do not rinse;
• You can also mix 1 part lemon juice with an equal portion of rose or manuka honey water – apply with a cotton ball and leave the mixture on the skin for a minimum of half an hour, then rinse with water.
• You can also bath the puppy in the treatments noted above.

These treatments work best if applied twice a day.

3.0 Avoid Frostbite – Vascular Damage

Lemon juice (like ginger) increases circulation which can help avoid vascular damage leading to frostbite. Dogs with short fur such as my Boxer are prone to frostbite of the ears in cold weather. 

4.0 Repel insects such as Mosquitos;

Lemon when applied topically can be used to repel insects and parasites. Mosquitos do not like the scent of citrus…read here to find out  how to use lemon to repel insects from your dog.

 

5.0 Treatment for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

If you catch the UTI in its early stages and/or the infection is not extremely severe you can use lemon to treat the infection…

Topical Treatment

Use the cleanser as described in 6.0 below to bath your dog – this will help to flush out bacteria that might otherwise invade your dog’s urinary tract.

Ingested Treatment
Mix the following together in a bowl:

• Fresh lemon juice – you can also add some minced lemon;
• Use an equal part of warm water;
• And some fresh or frozen crushed cranberries to the lemon juice/warm water mixture and pour the resulting mixture into a food bowl.
• You can also add a few slices of orange (cut it up, don’t use whole uncut sections) and;
• 1 tsp to 1 tbs of organic unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar.

Give this treatment to your dog twice a day until the infection clears. If the infection does not clear-up in the space of a day or two get your dog to a veterinarian.

6.0 Safe, Effective Shampoo/Cleanser/Rinse

Lemon can be used in combination with greet tea and apple cider vinegar as a highly effective cleansing and disinfecting rinse. An excellent alternative to commercially made pet shampoos which can be full of toxins and carcinogens. Just as you would with commercially made shampoos - make sure you avoid getting the lemon juice cleansing rinse in your dog’s eyes. 

To make the rinse:

• Steep a bag or two of green tea;
• Allow the tea to cool to room temperature;
• Add the juice of a fresh lemon, and;
• Use the resulting liquid to bath your dog.
• You can also add a few tbs of organic, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar to the tea and lemon mixture.

7.0 What Type of Lemon Should You Use?

Don’t use bottled, processed/pasteurized lemon juice – this type of lemon juice loses its beneficial properties during pasteurization and processing. Use fresh lemons and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

How to Choose a Good Lemon

The heavier and fresher the lemon the better the health properties of the lemon!

8.0 How to Add the Lemon to Your dog’s Diet

• Freeze a whole lemon and grate a little over your dog’s food;
• Add fresh lemon juice to your dog’s water bowl – remember to change the lemon water on a daily basis.
• Add fresh-grated/minced lemon to your dog’s food.

• I use a food processor to finely chop/mince fresh lemon.
• I sprinkle the finely minced lemon on top of my dogs’ food once a day;
• Then store any remaining minced lemon in an air tight glass container (in the refrigerator) for several days.
• 1 tsp/day of minced lemon for small dogs;
• 1 tbs/day for medium size dogs, and;
• 1.5 to 2 tbs/day for large dogs