Episode 295 : Turmeric Food Therapy with Dr. Doug English. 
​
Australian Veterinarian, Farmer and Marathon runner Doug English has become a world leader in the use of turmeric to treat ailments in animals. His facebook group Turmeric User Group (TUG) has 250,000 members and his Turmeric life website is packed with informative articles and updates on his latest research. Listen in as he tells us about using turmeric in his practice, his current research and how you can become a part of his turmeric life community. 

TCVM segment begins at 28:30

Turmeric root, Jiang Huang or Yellow Ginger is a commonly used ingredient in Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian cooking. If you have ever eaten Tandoori, Curry, Satay or Singapore noodles, you have eaten turmeric. Turmeric alone is not spicy but it is usually mixed with spicy herbs and chili powder to give the dish a spicy kick. Food therapy principles for “Clearing Heat” are to use foods with Cold properties and then to Open the Exterior to allow the heat to escape. Curry paste, a blend of turmeric with cooling properties plus chili powder which causes you to sweat (open the pores) would be following these TCM principles. 
Many of our herbal formulas contain turmeric as a main ingredient. These issues all have a degree of Heat (inflammation and/or infection)  : 

• Golden Yellow Salve - topical formula for abrasions to combat infections and bruising
• Sarcoid Cream - topical formula to treat Sarcoids in horses
• Yu Jin San (Gold Jade Powder) - for Irritable bowel syndrome/chronic diarrhea
• Mume Powder - for Foal Diarrhea
• Liang Xue Jie du Tang ( Blood Heat Formula) to help control the crusts and erythema of Lupus
• Mu Dan Pi - for bleeding from the nose, subcutaneous bleeding or bleeding in the GI tract
• Lung Wind Huang - for Hives and swelling
• Xiao Huang San - for Cellulitis 
• Zhen Xin San - for severe anxiety (Fire and Phlegm Misting the Mind)

Incorporating Turmeric Root powder into your pet’s diet is a very good way to help control some of their most common ailments, like arthritis pain, itchy skin, diarrhea and anxiety. 


So how do you get started ? Read on for Dr. Doug's recommendations about preparing golden paste and dosages for pets and horses. For more info about Turmeric and to read Dr. Doug’s latest research, subscribe to Turmeric Life. 


Here is some great advice from Dr. Doug about using Turmeric as Food therapy for your animals. 


GOLDEN PASTE for - Humans - Dogs - Cats - Birds – Reptiles – Fish


We are all animals and turmeric benefits all !


Start humans and dogs at ¼ teaspoon 2 to 3 times a day, with food. Small dogs and cats 1/8 tsp. If your gut biota does not tolerate it, you will get some diarrhea. If ok, double dose every 3 or 4 days until you are at 1 teaspoon doses with food and 3 to 4 times a day.


To make Golden Paste (GP):


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 mls/60gms) turmeric powder
• 1 cup water (250 mls) PLUS 1 cup water in reserve, if needed
• 2-3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup of one of the following oils: coconut oil (raw probably best), Linseed (flaxseed), Olive oil, palm oil palm but any digestible oil will dissolve the oil soluble polyphenols – just that some oils are better than others regarding high levels of omega 6 fatty acids distorting the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 which preferably should be 1:3 and not 1:23 like common cheaper seed oils.

Can add the oil now or later when consuming.
Place turmeric and water in pan, bring it to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Stir over gentle heat until you have a thick paste. This should take about 7-10 minutes. 


Or if you are adding turmeric powder to a stew, it is exactly the same as making golden paste and it will be assimilated into the food. 


Move from stove, let it cool down, add the pepper and oil at the end of cooking. 


Preferred oils are coconut, olive. You do not have to add oil now because it can be added later when consumed. Some like to put it all together at preparation though.


Stir well (a whisk is ideal) and allow to cool. Ideally store in sterilized glass jar, or purpose designed plastic and refrigerate. 
Will keep for 2 weeks, refrigerated. You can freeze portions if you think you have too much and it will keep for a year, at less than 0 degrees C.


Horses 


Start slowly with 1 tsp of Golden Paste or dry powder.
Standard dose is 2 tsp of Turmeric Powder, 2 tsp Oil, 16 grinds freshly ground Black Peppercorns 2 times a day. 
Horses may or may not do better on GP and there is a lot of evidence that they assimilate dry powder very effectively. Being a herbivore it is a given that they digest plant matter much better than humans or dogs.
Maximum will be a half cup of GP or powder at any one time but good results are seen with a lot less and normally 2 teaspoons of GP or even 2 teaspoons of powder are sufficient.


For sarcoids at least a tablespoon of powder is needed once or twice daily.


Ruminants small and large ( goats, sheep, llama and cows)
These do just as well on neat turmeric powder because of their very efficient ruminal digestion. 1 teaspoon.


Chickens
They do very well on it: mix a ¼ tsp (or more if preferred) per bird into a small amount of grain. Pour boiling water to wet well, mix and sit for an hour.

In Episode 294 : GMHA and Dr. Coggin's Test
We talk to Dr. Oscar Fletcher who was the Dean of NCSU-CVM from 1992-2004 (my Dean from way back in the 90s) to share his memories of Dr. Coggins and his insights on the history and importance of Dr. Coggins' Test.

TCVM segment starts at 29:35

In our practice, we sometimes have clients ask... 

"Why does my old retired horse need a coggins, he doesn’t go anywhere ?"
or they say, " Have you ever seen a positive ?"  

Well thankfully no, I have never seen a positive and I hope from routine testing, I never will. With our ever increasing urbanization of the USA, even horses who don’t travel, live in close proximity to others so we have to think about herd health on a large scale. 

To understand the necessity of the Coggins Test, let's look at the history of Equine Infectious Anemia and the man who's pioneering work developed the test, Dr. Leroy Coggins.  

What is the Coggins Test ?

The coggins test looks for antibodies for equine infectious anemia in the horse's blood by using the Agar Gel Immunodiffusion (AGID) test. Equine Infectious anemia is a lentivirus in the same family as HIV and FIV. These are retroviruses meaning they insert themselves into the host cell's DNA to replicate. Because of this, horses are infected for life and there is no cure and any horse with antibodies to EIA is infectious to other horses. 

The virus is spread by biting flies such as horse flies or deer flies. Because the bite is so painful, a fly may bite one horse and then be swatted off only to come back immediately to finish their meal. EIA can also be spread by contaminated needles, blood products and dental equipment. In 2015, an outbreak in racing quarter horses in California resulted in 34 horses being infected. 250 more horses on 19 farms were exposed and had to undergo 60 days of quarantine and testing.

The 3 phases of infection

The acute phase begins within 3 days to 2 weeks after infection. Horses will have a high fever, edema, be lethargic and anemic. 30 % of horses will die. These horses carry a high viremic load and 1 ml of their blood can infect 1 million horses ! A horse during the acute phase may test negative on the coggins test because he has not made antibodies to the virus yet. 
The 70 % who survive can be chronically infected or become inapparent carriers. 

Chronically infected horses may show general signs of weakness, weight loss, depression and a recurring fever. Very general signs right ? These horses will test positive on a coggins test and 1 ml of their blood can infect 10,000 horses !

The inapparent carrier state as the name implies shows little if any sign of infection. In these cases only 1 horsefly in 6 million will transmit EIA.  However stress or another illness can cause a relapse and these horses can revert back to the chronic or acute phase and their viral load will increase. 

History

I bet you didn't know that there really was a Dr. Coggins behind this test.

Dr. Leroy Coggins was one of the founding administrators of NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine. He was the head of the department of Microbiology, Pathology and Parasitology. He was a well loved and respected researcher, professor and mentor. Read more about Dr. Coggins at the NCSU-CVM site

EIA has been reported in all parts of the world and was 1st recognized in the US in 1890. Outbreaks were usually noted at racetracks because infected horses were brought into close quarters with other young, stressed horses. There were states designated as "hot zones" which included the southeast. At the time, the vector had yet to be determined but horses who were infected seemed to live or come from hot, damp climates and EIA was given the common name of “swamp fever”.

During the 1960s, Dr. Leroy Coggins was working on his PhD in virology at Cornell University when a major outbreak occurred on Standardbred Farms in New York. By 1970, Dr. Coggins had developed a test using the AGID method to detect antibodies to Equine Infectious Anemia. Previously, a donor horse inoculation test was the only test available to screen chronically infected or exposed horses which took 4 to 8 weeks and was very expensive both monetarily and morally.

In 1973, the USDA made the Coggins test the gold standard for determining exposure and prohibited any “positive reactor” from moving across state lines. Individual states determine the requirements for entry and that same year, Florida was the 1st state that required any horse being sold, moved, raced or shown to be tested and for positive horses to be quarantined or euthanized. Of course this was a shock to many horse owners who had inapparent carriers. Their horses did not look sick and there was little educational material for the general horse owner about Equine Infectious Anemia. 

Thankfully the Florida Department of Agriculture had the foresight to enforce these regulations to attempt to control the spread of EIA using Dr. Coggins’ Test. In 1970, 12 % of horses tested in Florida were positive. By 2000, this number dropped to 0.016% and there were zero cases of EIA in Florida in 2016 !

Nation wide, the value of the Coggins test was similar. In 1972 about 4% of horses tested nationwide were positive. By 1980, this number dropped to less than 1%. There are still occasional outbreaks reported. However mandatory routine testing seems to be keeping the prevalence to a minimum. 

Now that you know some details about EIA are you rethinking the importance of your coggins test ?

For more info about EIA check out these links

USDA-APHIS Federal Guidelines
​
USDA-APHIS EIA discussion group notes 2015 

Florida Department of Agriculture

In Episode 253 : Vaccine Induced Lyme Syndrome, Artist and Horse Trainer, Aeron Mack of Middleburg, VA tells us about her Vaccine induced Lyme Syndrome research and shares her story of bringing her horses back to health. You can also find great resources about Lyme disease and Vaccine Induced Lyme Syndrome on Aeron's blog page. 

The TCVM segment starts at 40:30.

What is Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria, Borrelia Burgdorferi and is transmitted to horses, dogs and people by the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis). For more tick info, visit the "Tick Guy", Thomas Mather at the University of Rhode Island's Tick Encounter Resource Center.

Lyme is often classified as a syndrome because many general symptoms of malaise like weakness, behavior changes, body pain, joint pain and swelling and heart problems lead us to suspect Lyme on our differential list. Signs can be mild at first and you may not have seen or remember a tick bite on your horse or dog. As the disease progresses, the most common presentation in horses is pain and sensitivity over the large muscles of the back and limbs, swelling of multiple joins and lethargy. A horse who normally looks forward to riding time with his person will gradually become more resistant to work and may even avoid grooming time. In dogs we will see shifting limb lameness or a lameness that comes and goes. They may have a low grade fever and may lose their appetite. 

B.burgdorferi is a corkscrew shaped bacteria (spirochete) and is in the same family as Leptospira, implicated in abortions, moon blindness and kidney disease and Treponema responsible for Syphilis in humans. These bacteria do not produce toxins and are usually found in low numbers in the blood and tissues. They cause such wide ranging symptoms because they can evade the immune system and cause autoimmune symptoms many months and even years after infection. 

The Lifecycle of the deer tick shows when your chances of encountering tick bites and exposure to Lyme's is highest. ​

How is it Diagnosed

Some of the things we consider when diagnosing Lyme disease is if the horse or dog was living or traveled to an area endemic for Lyme, did they have a tick bite, clinical signs and ruling out other diseases. A blood test we can run in the clinic can tell us if they have antibodies to Lyme and a more quantitative test can be run at Cornell's veterinary diagnostic lab to tell us if the disease is chronic, acute and/or the vaccination status. For more info about Cornell's veterinary research, click here. 

​TCVM Diagnosis and Treatment

The TCVM diagnosis of the acute stage is a mixed pattern of Wind-Heat Toxin (infection/fever) with Qi and Blood Stagnation (pain).

In the chronic stage, the Zheng Qi (immune system) is damaged and we see Qi and Yin Deficiency (weak immune system, lethargy, pain, intolerance to warm weather, panting, anxiety)

In most Lyme cases, dry needle acupuncture is painful so these animals will be treated with a Chiropractic adjustment followed by laser acupuncture and a course of Herbal Therapy. 

Herbal Therapy

In the acute stage, if we have a red tongue and surging pulse, a fever, hot swollen joints we recommend  Jing Tang's Ba Wei Yu Peng San (Jade Screen Eight formula). This formula comes from the combination of 3 formulas used to treat acute febrile diseases, Yin Qiao San, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San and Yu Ping Feng San. This formula was used extensively to treat and control the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic in China in 2002. We would use this for 30 - 60 days to balance the immune system and kill the bacteria.  

The majority of the damage to the body from an autoimmune disease is sometimes referred to as a "cytokine storm". The pathogen stimulates the immune system's white blood cells and cytokines (pro and anti inflammatory mediators like interleukins and free radicals) to respond but the reaction gets out of control. Just think about when you have the flu and your body hurts, you are sweaty then freezing, you have so much mucous in your nose and lungs you can barely breathe. This is your body trying to get rid of the virus. Many of the deaths we see from influenza, bird flu, SARS, Ebola and even graft vs host disease are due to the body not being strong enough to tolerate the immune system battle or becoming confused and attacking itself. 

In the chronic stage when we are treating the pain and restoring the immune system, we use Dr. Xie's Lyme formula which is a combination of Du Hou Ji Sheng Tang (Angelica and Loranthus Powder) and Yu Ping Feng San. Du Hou Ji Sheng Tang is one of the most popular formulas for treating arthritis in people and animals. It is for Wind-Cold-Damp arthritis so for chronic whole body pain and stiffness that is worse in the cold weather. Yu Ping Feng San is a formula for cold and flu and has recently been shown to block the expression of iNOS and COX-2 so has NSAID like activity in addition to stimulating the immune system. 

Food Therapy

In the acute stage, you want cooling foods that tonify Qi.

For horses, this can include alfalfa, dandelion, pear, sweet potato, figs, goji berries and chia.

For dogs, foods like turkey and barley with eggs, string bean, spinach and shiitake mushrooms made into a congee with bone broth can stimulate the appetite and tonify the Qi. 

In the chronic stage you want to keep building the immune system and relieve the aches and pains but can add some warmer foods. 

For horses add some Turmeric, orange peel, ginger and garlic to the recommendations above.

For dogs, add some Turmeric and ginger plus a sardine which is high in omega 3 fatty acids.

Homework
Get Guineas ! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXfEEf8B5j8

What is Vaccine induced Lyme Syndrome

Lyme disease has become so prevalent in some areas of the country that veterinarians have been using the dog lyme's vaccine in horses as common practice. I did this myself when I lived in Virginia. I had to retire a horse with Lyme and at the time, given the research available to me, I thought I was protecting my horses and my clients horses. For dogs, there are a few FDA approved vaccines that are considered to be safe and the AVMA recommends vaccination in endemic areas. 

Aeron Mack a horse trainer in Middleburg, VA, had an experience with her horses last year that has changed my mind about the Lyme vaccine. Evidence in humans implies that vaccination may be implicated in causing a "Lyme like Syndrome". If what we know about spirochetes and the immune response is true, this makes a lot of sense however, there is currently no research indicating this is the case in horses and dogs.

TCVM Diagnosis and Treatment
is similar to what we discussed above.  Presentation may be acute or chronic and we would treat what we find with an emphasis on relieving pain and controlling the immune response.
 
If you suspect your dog or horse has Lyme disease or vaccine induce Lyme syndrome, contact your veterinarian for an exam and consultation. Do not make this diagnosis on your own or begin treatment without veterinary advice.

If you are looking for a TCVM trained veterinarian in your area, go to http://www.tcvm.com/Resources/FindaTCVMPractitioner.aspx and enter your zip code to find veterinarians from the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. 

Listen to Aeron's story on the TCVM segment on the Driving Radio show on the Horse Radio Network.

Listen in to the Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine segment of the Driving Radio Show.

We have 2 shows about EPM.

In Episode 253 : EPM part 1, Dr. Ellison of Pathogenes, Inc in Ocala Florida tells us about her EPM research and novel treatment strategy. The TCVM segment starts at 36:22.

In Episode 288 : EPM part 2, Dressage trainer, Karen Abbattista shares her rehab protocol for horses post therapy. The TCVM segment starts at 49:04.

To listen to other episodes of our podcast visit ​The Driving Radio Show and you can find even more equine, pet and health shows on The Horse Radio Network, the voice of the horse world ! 

What is Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis - EPM ?

EPM is a syndrome caused by single celled organisms (protozoa) that infect the horse and cause inflammation and pain in the brain, spinal cord and muscles. This inflammation can cause clinical signs like lameness, weakness, a behavior change, stumbling, muscle atrophy.

The definitive host, the opossum is infected by eating infected muscle tissue from his prey or road kill that happens to be an intermediate host. Intermediate hosts have been identified as armadillos, cats, skunks, racoons, sea otters and harbor seals. The parasite then replicates inside the opossum to an infective stage and is released upon the world in opossum poop. The horse becomes infected when he ingests sporocysts from food or water that has been contaminated with opossum droppings.

The horse is a dead end host for the parasite, meaning the horse's body is not the right environment for the protozoa and it eventually dies off before completing its life cycle. These dead parasites can cause damage to any part of the nervous system so any neurologic sign is possible. Symptoms can be acute or chronic, severe or mild so it is a very difficult disease to identify and diagnose.

How is it Diagnosed ?

Owners usually notice a change in behavior as the first sign, maybe the horse is now all of a sudden spooky on trails or has started bucking. Sometimes the signs can be as subtle as muscle atrophy and/or poor performance. In these cases we will typically be called in a few months later when many common issues are ruled out and the neuro signs start to become more evident.

EPM can sometimes present very suddenly with a downed horse and diseases like neurologic rhino or Eastern Encephalitis or West Nile need to be ruled out and aggressive supportive care needs to be started immediately. These cases will go into a clinic and diagnostic test may include a spinal tap which is the gold standard for diagnosis for EPM. In the early stages with mild symptoms, conventional diagnosis can be a positive response to treatment such as Rebalance or Marquis.

TCVM Diagnosis and Treatment

In our practice each exam starts with tongue and pulse diagnosis plus an acupuncture point scan follow by standing and moving evaluations. A horse with EPM will usually be very painful in his whole body and have some level of neurologic abnormality. The scan may reveal other concurrent diseases such as ulcers or arthritis.

The TCVM diagnosis is a mixed pattern of Qi Stagnation (pain) and Qi Deficiency (weakness).

If we suspect EPM we take a blood sample and send it to Dr. Ellison at Pathogenes to screen for EPM and Lyme's Disease. Dr. Ellison has developed some novel tests and protocols to diagnose and treat EPM. You can read more about it on her website and listen to her interview on the TCVM seg of the driving radio show ....scroll down for the player. *** Many Thanks to Kate McCaffery for encouraging us to participate in Dr. Ellison's program****

Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care would focus on relieving the pain, tonifying the Qi and supporting the immune system. The points I use will be based on the exam but because there is an autoimmune component to these cases I always include hemo-acupuncture which involves injecting some of the horse's own blood into certain points.

Herbal Therapy
Herbal Therapy is very helpful in these cases for 3-6 months after the initial diagnosis and treatment.
Qing Hao San - "Artemisia Powder"
Tonifies the Qi, strengthens the immune system and eliminate the parasites.

Dr. Xie developed Qing Hao San based on Dr. Tu's nobel prize winning research using Artemisia to treat Malaria (also a protozoa like Sarcocystis), combined with of 2 traditional formulas, Guan Zhong San (Dryopteris Root powder) and Si Jun Zi Tang (4 Gentleman). Read more about Dr. Tu's research here.

To Order Qing Hao San, follow this link

Food Therapy
Our food therapy recommendation include foods that are high in vitamin E and antioxidants.

Black Sunflower seeds - high in Vit E and omega fatty acids
Chia Seeds - High in Vit B and omega 3s, Black sunflower seeds have an imbalance of omega 6 to omega 3, the chia can help balance that ratio.
Lyceum berries (goji berries) high in Vit C and antioxidants
Spirulina immune booster by stimulating IgG antibody production

My favorite sources are
Sunflower seeds - TSC
​Chia - US Chia
Lyceum berries and Spirulina - nuts.com

Homework
​
What can you do to help your horse recover and reduce the chance of reinfection.

• Do not leave feed tubs in stalls or in the pasture overnight and wash feed and water buckets daily.
• Avoid leaving pet food in the barn your barn cats can eat mice !
• Review your wellness program with your vet to make sure you are helping and not harming your horse's immune system

Coming soon - rehab exercise videos

In part I we talked about the benefits of food therapy so now we will discuss how to incorporate these principles into your daily routine.

Some things to remember : 

• Variety is the key to balanced diet.
• Fresh whole foods have the maximum nutrients
• Plan meals with a balance of Yin and Yang Energies
• Add foods to address specific conditions 

A good base diet consists of 30% grain/starch, 40% protein and 30 % veggies plus supplements like sardines, hard boiled egg, flax based supplements, herbs and spices. You can pick and choose a neutral, warm or cool diet from the chart below. 

Suggestions for a dog with a Qi and Yang deficiency during the winter months would be 30% brown rice, oats and/or sweet potato, 30% chicken, beef, beef liver, venison and/or lamb and 30 % dark green leafy veggies like chopped spinach, kale and kelp. Other veggies you might try are green beans, carrots and green and yellow squash. 

For a dog with a Blood deficiency (dry flaky skin, itching and general weakness and malaise) choose a neutral diet of ground beef and kidney beans with carrots and peas but add in foods that Tonify the Blood like liver. Sardines and hard boiled eggs also Tonify the blood and are high in omega 3 fatty acids. 

For a dog with a Kidney Qi deficiency choose a base diet like sweet potato, turkey, spinach and kale and add in foods that will help the kidney like lamb's kidney, kelp, kidney beans and black sesame seeds. 

As a general rule I add turmeric paste (see recipe below), fresh ginger, salt and local honey to each meal and then top it with a splash of apple cider vinegar and either a sardine or hard boiled egg. 

Here is an example of how I make a base diet for my dogs at home : 

1. Add 1/4 cup of coconut oil to a pot on med heat
2. Brown meat or fish
3. Add Ginger and salt
4. Add grain or starch
5. Cover with water and cook on med low until grain or starch is cooked (approx 20 min)
6. Add chopped veggies and nuts or seeds
7. Mix together and cook on low for 5 more min
8. Add local honey
9. Let cool and pack in serving size portions for the fridge and freezer

Then at each feeding I add some turmeric paste, a splash of apple cider vinegar, any herbs or supplements they may taking and either a half a sardine or half a hard boiled egg with the shell. Big dogs can have a whole sardine or whole egg. I add a little warm water to dissolve the turmeric paste, give it a stir and it's ready to eat. 

One of the roadblocks to start home cooking is the worry that your dog will not have a balanced diet. With lots of variety, a balanced diet over time is easy to achieve but you can always add a high quality supplement to be sure. I like Platinum Performance CJ. It is a flax based supplement made in the USA and developed by veterinarians. You can order this from our website or from platinum performance directly. http://www.platinumperformance.com/platinum-performance-canine-cj-supplment

As with any food change start very slowly and discuss it with your veterinarian first. If your dog has been on kibble his whole life, changing to home cooked food can be very hard on his stomach. Start with a few bites of home cooked food on his regular food and slowly incorporate more over a month's time. Some dogs love their kibble or 100% home cooking  is not an option and that is ok. You can just top your dog's food with some home cooked food and he will still get the benefits of fresh food and omega 3 fatty acids.

If you are looking for some great whole food dog treats based on chinese medicine principles, check out Doggone good goodies. ​https://www.facebook.com/DoggoneGoodGoodies/

​

A Halloween Story ——— Cochliomyia hominivorax - “ eater of man “

Screwworms are the larval stage of the blue bottle fly, aka blow fly, with a scientific name of Cochliomyia hominivorax - “ eater of man “. 

The screwworm has been eradicated since the 70s, but its recent discovery in a population of Key Deer has the USDA and veterinarians on high alert to contain them. They are a potential danger to ranchers of cattle and sheep, but also to people, horses, pets, and wildlife. 

An adult female fly will “blow” her eggs (100-400) onto a fresh wound. The eggs will hatch in 12-24 hours. Screwworms differ from other larvae in that they will burrow into and eat the healthy tissue. Other maggots eat only necrotic tissue so do not cause damage to the host. Screwworm infestations can cause deep, large wound tracts in flesh and bone. Any wound is an entry point, even a small cut, the navel stump of a newborn or the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and eyes. After 5 -7 days, they drop into the soil and pupate for only 7 days in a warm climate like South Florida. The adults can breed within 3 days after emerging from the pupa. They will mate 1 time in their life, lay eggs, and die within 2-3 weeks. 

Screwworm infestation was a huge problem for ranchers in the southern US, and in 1958, the USDA released millions of sterile males. The theory was that the sterile males would outcompete the wild males and decrease the population. Males eat only vegetation, not flesh. The program was successful, and the screwworm was eradicated in the US and much of Mexico by 1972. Small populations remain in South and Central America and the Caribbean , and this outbreak is most likely from an animal or person traveling from an infected area to the Keys.

Treatment includes removing the larvae manually, applying insecticide, and cleaning and bandaging the wound, so stock up on SWAT ! 

If you are in South Florida this winter, check your pets and horses. Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect screwworms in a wound on your animal or if you have a very smelly, slow-healing wound. ​

The larvae have dark pigment on their trachea, so they are easy to identify. Other maggot species do not have this. You may see a bottle fly similar to the adult shown here. There is a very similar species, C. macellaria - common name green bottle fly. C. macellaria are common in the US and only eat necrotic tissue.  They are used by forensic scientists to establish time of death. 

Food Therapy is one of the five branches of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. It is a practice of healing using natural foods along with, or instead of, pharmaceuticals. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Huang-di-ni-jing) was written around 300 BC, around the same period of Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, who said, “Let food be thy, medicine, and medicine be thy food.” 

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine classified food by Yin and Yang energies, five tastes, and by their natures and characteristics. For example, Yang foods are believed to warm the body’s Yang, tonify Qi, dispel Cold, move Qi and Blood, resolve Stagnation, and stop pain. Yin foods nourish the body’s Yin, cool Blood, clear Heat, and detoxify. Therefore, Yang foods (e.g., mutton and pumpkin) are used for conditions associated with Cold and weakness - Qi/Yang Deficiency, Qi-Blood stagnation, Wei syndrome (weakness), Lin syndrome (incontinence), and immunodeficiency. Yin Foods (such as turkey and tofu) are used for conditions associated with Heat and inflammation -  Yin Deficiency, skin itching, autoimmune diseases, Cushing's disease.

The practitioner uses selected food ingredients to:

1. Promote Health and Prevent Disease — to improve health and to prevent seasonal climate-related problems.
2. Treat Active Disease — to treat many clinical conditions
3. Adjunct Therapy — to complement the primary treatment of diseases 

Plus, it's fun to cook for your animals!  Subscribe to Dr. Ying's blog for more info on food therapy and some simple ideas to start incorporating home-cooked food into your animal's diet. 
​
Whole, fresh foods should be a big part of your animal's diet. Processed foods and vitamin isolates lack the phytonutrients, enzymes and building blocks of whole foods. The first step to good nutrition is a variety of quality whole foods.

When clients start home cooking for their dogs and cats, I recommend feeding a basic supplement like Platinum Performance for support as a good adjunct to your home cooking.

Here is the link to Platinum Performance, use code YIN when checking out. 

Herbal Medicine is an essential part of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. In China, TCVM treatment consists of 30% acupuncture and 70% Chinese herbal medicine.   Chinese herbal medicine has a rich history extending over several thousand years and has proven to be an effective treatment modality. 

Many formulas we use in practice today were developed many thousands of years ago. Some were developed for both animals and people, while others were developed specifically for animals. Formulas are used more commonly than individual herb, so the actions of the herbs are balanced, and the actions of one herb, say a warming herb, are not as damaging to the body because it is counteracted by a cooling herb. This balance can also be accomplished with diet ( see the Food Therapy page)

All our herbal formulas come from Jing Tang Herbal in Ocala, Florida. Jing Tang products are made from high-grade herbs cultivated in pollution-free areas, screened and tested multiple times for purity and safety. There are no illegal or environmentally controversial substances in our herbal products, ie, no ephedra or rhino horn. 
​

Laser is an acronym for :

• Light
• Amplification by 
• Stimulated
• Emission of
• Radiation

Laser therapy is a powerful yet non invasive and painless tool to provide the animal with relief of pain and swelling, as a local and systemic anti inflammatory, as an enhanced method of healing wounds and injuries, a stimulation of acupuncture points and helps the body heal itself. Recovery periods and treatment times can be reduced and several pre and post performance athletic enhancement protocols are available. ​

Life with ponies is not always smooth sailing. One day they are superstars, the next they are dumping the kids in the ring. Some are tough as nails while others are hot house flowers. The key to a healthy and happy life with ponies is balance and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is one way to help. 


TCVM theory is balancing the the Yin and Yang in body and mind for health and happiness. Yin and Yang are opposing forces, hot and cold, dark and light, sympathetic and parasympathetic. 


TCVM has 5 branches, Acupuncture, Herbal Therapy, Tui-na Therapy, Food Therapy and Qi-gong practice. 


Acupuncture uses needles or laser to stimulate acupuncture points. Many points are at areas dense with nerves and vessels and some are in trigger points of the myofascia. Stimulation alerts cells to release chemical messengers that flow though the body and tell cells in other parts of the body to react. Veterinarians can use their knowledge of acupuncture points and their actions to help the body heal itself. Some examples of these actions are to release endorphins to reduce pain and decrease anxiety or to release nitric oxide to dilate blood vessels or to release histamine which mobilizes white blood cells to help fight off infection. 


Acupuncture is often described as energy medicine and indeed it is. We have many different forms of energy flowing through us. Depolarization of neurons by chemical gradients, like a battery, cause electrical impulses in our brain and spinal cord to control our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems which control all our body’s functions like breathing, heart beating, hormone balance, thought and movement. We have chemical energy in our cells breaking down molecules from the food we ingest and transforming it to the building blocks of our bodies. We have kinetic energy in our DNA that winds and unwinds to control translation, transcription and protein synthesis. By using acupuncture to stimulate or calm these reactions, we can balance the whole body from the macroscopic to the molecular level.  


Chinese Herbal Therapy uses formulas developed for medicinal purposes made from a variety of plants, roots, fungi, minerals and animal products. In modern herbology, most formulas are vegan and we do not use products such as rhino horn or deer antler velvet but some formulas contain insects, shells or bone from commercial livestock like cows, pigs and chickens. Most of our modern day pharmaceuticals are derived from plants and animals but then isolated and highly concentrated so they have a specific action, are stronger, work immediately and can have strong side effects. Herbal therapies are slower to work and gentler on the system because they have a wider range of action and the formulas are balanced to counter act the side effects that herbs in the formula may cause. They come in powder, pill and biscuit forms. Herbs are not supplements, they are medicine so they may be given for a short duration for an acute problem like hives or an upper respiratory disease or may be prescribed for longer periods for chronic disease like cancer, arthritis and for geriatric patients. 


Tui-na therapy is Chinese physical therapy. Chiropractic Care and physical therapy techniques have their roots in Tui-na techniques. Joint manipulation, stretching and massage techniques are used to restore range of motion and decrease pain and stiffness. The spinal nerves exit the vertebral column between a canal made by a pair of adjacent vertebrae. These nerves transmit signals to all parts of your body to control muscles, organs, heart rate, ect. If these vertebrae are not moving freely or moving too much, this canal can change shape and squeeze or pinch the nerve. You are aware of muscle contraction and pain but proprioception (the way your brain knows where your hands and feet are) is caused by information gathered at your extremities and sent back to your brain. You are not actively telling your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe or your intestines to digest food but any blockage in nerve conduction to these organs can cause systemic problems. 


In modern practice, Chiropractic care is performed by a DC or DVM to restore the normal motion of the joints. The massage and stretching portions of Tui-na can be done by the owner on a more frequent basis. You may be doing some Tui-na techniques already if you use a curry, hay wisp, rub down legs, do tail pulls or carrot stretches in your grooming routine. So your pony club DC was right, grooming is the first step to good health ! 


Food therapy is based on the energetics of foods and we classify them on different tastes. A good rule of thumb is crisp, refreshing foods such as cucumber, celery, watermelon rind and radish are good for Heat conditions. Warm foods are ones that take energy to digest so oats, sweet potato and pumpkin can help keep your pony warm in winter. Neutral foods are bland like potato, corn, cabbage, apples and carrots. The more processed a food is, the more heat it contains so raw is cold, while extruded nuggets are hot. Most ponies don’t need more than hay but you can supplement his diet seasonally with foods based on temperature. 


More in depth food therapy  decisions are based on the 5 tastes :


Sweet foods tonify the Qi(give you energy), which makes sense because they are filled with carbohydrates. 
Sour foods tonify the liver and helps regulate fluid balance. The sour tasting foods are the citrus fruits, rose hips, green tea, pomegranate which are antioxidants. Some sour foods contain tannins like dark beer which may help increase sweating and help grazing animals digest foods with high soy content. 
Bitter foods Tonify the Heart (circulatory and nervous system) and Clear Heat (reduce inflammation and infection). These are plants containing glycosides and alkaloids. Some common drugs made from plant glycosides are aspirin(anti inflammatory, anti pyretic), morphine (pain relief and sedation), quinine (antimalarial antipyretic) and digitalis (regulates the heart rhythym). 
Astringent foods are associated with the Metal element ie Lungs, skin, reducing mucous and opening the airways. Acrid foods have a burning feeling on the tongue because they contain essential oils like ginger, mentha, mint, cinnamon, and corriander. 
Salty foods Tonify the Kidneys and softens masses so we use salty foods in cancer patients, thyroid disorders, constipation and geriatric patients. Seaweed such as kelp and laminaria are commonly used. 


Qi-gong translates to Life energy cultivation. It is similar to Tai Qi by using gentle movements, breathing and mediating to relax the body and mind. Stress produces cortisol, an endogenous steroid that increases blood sugar, suppresses the immune system and decreases bone formation. So you ask, how do I get my pony to meditate ? We all know when we have a bad day you should just not ride because your pony will be bad and you will leave the barn frustrated. Horses are very in tune to our feelings and emotions. My suggestions for pony mediation are to do your grooming/Tui-na sessions with a relaxed attitude and rhythmic breathing, take a long trail walk on a loose rein enjoying nature or try centered riding. 


Incorporating TCVM practices into your pony’s daily activities is easy to do when you know a few basic theories and can help you live a long and happy life together. ​

Turmeric is a powerful anti inflammatory. Inflammation is the root cause of many diseases like arthritis, skin allergies, cancer, neuropathies and dementia. I recommend adding it to your home cooked pet foods, alternatively you can make "golden paste" see the recipe below with this great graphic made by Pet Nutrition blogger, Rodney Habib. 

To find out more about the benefits of Turmeric, go to Australian vet Dr. Doug English's page Turmeric Life and join his turmeric users group on facebook and be inspired as pet owners share their experiences about new found health and wellness with food therapy. 

What do those grades mean on your veterinary report anyway ? Use this chart to demystify the code and listen to the Driving Radio Show episode 214 to hear the discussion. 

“ Hot Dog ” Base diet for Sarasota Dogs

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground turkey

3 TBS Turmeric


2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

5 carrots

1 bag of celery heart

1 TBS of fresh ground ginger

1 head of kale

1 bag of frozen spinach

1 lbs of Barley

3-4 tablespoons of Local honey

 __________________________________________

Chop carrot and celery 

Saute in large pot with ginger and coconut oil until soft

Add ground meat,  brown and season with salt

Add 3 TBS Turmeric, 2 tsp Black pepper and Barley

Stir, cover with water and season with salt

Bring to a boil and then partially cover and reduce to simmer until barley is cooked (approx 30 min) 

Add other veggies, honey and stir. 

Taste and adjust seasoning. Yes taste. This is a healthy meal made from whole food ingredients. Would you eat canned dog food ? No, me neither, but then again, I don't eat hot dogs for the same reason :)

Let cool and serve. 

Store for 1 week in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer. If you are going on a trip, freeze in individual servings and put in the cooler for travel. 

Make any dietary changes gradually over a 2 week period. You can start by top dressing it on regular kibble. If you want to continue with good quality kibble, that is ok too. Variety is key so as long as they are getting a variety of foods, they will be healthier than eating processed foods all the time.  

If your dog has medical issues, cancer, arthritis, hot spots, obesity, chronic vomiting, your local TCVM vet can advise you about food therapy or you can email or call for a consult. 

So now we know some of the basics of interval training but how do we design a plan for our horses ? 

First answer these questions : 

1. What is my breed type ?
2. What is my discipline ?
3. How long do I have until peak fitness is needed ?
4. What is my horse's attitude towards exercise ?


You need to know what your goals are, what will you be asking of your horse and how capable is he at achieving those goals while maintaining a healthy body and spirit. 

We are using Glenn and Scooter for our example so you can listen in on the driving radio show episode 198 to hear the discussion. 

Scooter is a hackney pony. He is currently very sound but was rescued 1 year ago and was severely malnourished.
Glenn wants to train for a training level CDE at the Florida horse park in January 2016. 
Scooters attitude about work is good and he happily trots around the neighborhood. 

Currently Glenn trains to a lightweight 2 wheel cart with no passengers for a combined weight of about 500 lbs on flat ground, usually pavement. 

So What will we be asking Scooter to do at training level ? 

The max distance on marathon can be 12 km. Usually there is a 5 km sec A at 13 km/h, 1 km walk at 5km/hr, 10 minute rest and vet check and a 6 km B section at 13 km/hr with 4 hazards. Glenn's hazard times are not counted at training level but we know he is going to get in there and go for it so we need to plan on doing some training for sprints in the hazards so Scooter doesn't get too tired and/or sore after the show. Hazards are usually about 600 meters from start to finish flags. Some of the upper level singles can sprint as fast as 25 + km/hr in hazards. We will be challenging Scooter in his aerobic zone here and Scooter and Glenn rarely raise their heart rate high enough to train for this at home so we have to make a plan. This is the maximum that would be asked of him so if we set our training goals here, we can rest assured that he is prepared for the challenges we are asking of him. 


We need to monitor heart rates and recovery rates to make sure we are training in the right zone. 

Resting heart rate is 25-40 b/m
Aerobic range is 150 b/m and is currently where Scooter is when he is trotting down the road at about 10 km/h
Anaerobic range is 180 b/m - this is his orange zone and at this heart rate, he starts to build up those fast twitch fibers and produce lactic acid in his muscles so he doesn't need to be here long. This will be a strong road trot or canter. 
max heart rate for horses is 220 - 240 b/min. Too much for Scooter. Don't go here.

Time of recovery rates decrease as our fitness increases. A really fit horse's heart rate will quickly drop back to down when walking or slow trotting between hazards.

A good rule of thumb is that after 2 mins, the pony's b/min should drop from 150-180 during exercise to about 100 b/min and after 10 min should drop down to about 60 b/min. This is what they are looking for in the vet checks at CDEs. They want to see significant recovery rates. Make sure to note the temperature, humidity, footing and carriage weight as these factors can all affect your pony's work load.

To take the heart rate, feel the pulse at the base of the neck in the jugular groove, under the chin or listen with a stethoscope on the left side of the chest just behind the elbow. Count for 15 sec and multiply by 4. 

So now we need to develop our work out sets.

Glenn needs to start out slow. If you ever had tried started jogging yourself you know you can just go out and jog 5 K. You jog for a minute or so and then you are out of breath so you walk for a minute then resume. We will do this for Scooter. 

We will either mark out some Ks on our road to do distance sets or use our watch to do timed sets. If you are doing timed sets, remember 12 kph is 5 minutes for 1 k, 13 kph is 4:36, 14 kph is 4:17 and 15 kph is 4:00.

This is a basic example of a work out set for the endurance phase of training.

Start with a 10 min warm up of walk and slow trot to get the blood flowing and warm the muscles. 

Trot for 5 minutes, then walk for 2 minutes. 
or 
Trot for 1 k, then walk for 200 meters
Do 4 sets
Walk and measure recovery rate after 2 minutes 
Walk for 8 more minutes and measure recovery rate after 10 minutes. 
Do this 2-3 times per week and follow it with a day of rest or an easy drive down the road.


This will give you your baseline and you can increase or decrease the workload or number of sets to match your pony's current level of fitness. This is about a 45 min workout or about 5 km drive. Try to gradually increase either the number of sets or the trotting distance each week with the goal of working up to 12 k.

If you are starting from no exercise what so ever. Start with walking and slow trotting for 4-8 weeks to give your pony time to strengthen muscles, tendons and bones before attempting an interval training plan.


After 6-8 weeks or however long it takes our pony to be able to easily do 12 k with good recovery rates, we can add the anaerobic phase of our training. This will be short bursts of strength and speed training to build our fast twitch fibers. 


You can modify your current interval training routine to include the sprints

Warm up 10 min

Set 1 Trot for 10 min : walk for 1 min
Set 2 Trot for 10 min : walk for 1 min

Set 3 Trot for 3 min : strong trot or canter for 1 min : walk for 2 min
Set 4 Trot for 3 min : strong trot or canter for 1 min : walk for 2 min
Walk and measure recovery rate after 2 minutes 
Walk for 8 more minutes and measure recovery rate after 10 minutes. 
Do this no more than 2 times per week and follow it with a day of rest or an easy drive down the road.

If you have access to hills, you can substitute hill climbing at slower speeds for the strong trot or canter. You can also achieve the strength training by using different footing. If you always drive on hard ground, driving on long grass or in arena footing is much harder work. Make sure your pony is ready to pull in deeper footing if you attempt this as this can be very hard on tendons and hind limb and back muscles.

As your pony gets stronger, you can increase the number of sprints or work load. For our example we want Scooter to be able to comfortably work up to 5 or 6 sprints over a period of 6-8 weeks.

As we said earlier, the maximum asked of Scooter at the CDE will be a distance of 12 km with 4 hazards. We know he can easily make this distance walking and trotting and can easily do 6 sprints. At the show he will have a 10 min brake after the first 5 k. We are now totally in tune with his recovery rates so at the vet box we can assess if he is at the top of his game and ready to continue. A tired pony does not have any fun on marathon but a fit pony well trained to handle the challenges you ask of him will be happy and healthy for many show seasons to come.

I just joined Orange Theory fitness with is interval training for couch potatoes with heart rate monitors so you can get into the "orange zone" to increase your aerobic fitness and burn more fat. As I was on the tread mill, listening to the trainer say "keep going, this should feel uncomfortable", I thought about our horses and how important it is, even more so than for humans, to be properly conditioned so they can not only perform safely at their best but be able to perform at a higher level than we compete so they don't feel uncomfortable ! We can't inspire them to push on with motivational quotes, dance music and the hopes of 6 pack abs. 

Interval training is a workout composed of short burst of intense work followed by partial recovery periods with the goal of increasing cardiovascular fitness, strength and speed. Interval training increases aerobic fitness faster so the horse can exercise for longer periods of time before lactic acid and fatigue set in (pre-tying up). 

To understand the benefits of interval training we need to know about slow and fast twitch muscle fibers. 

Slow twitch fibers (type 1) are for long, slow work. They use oxygen to produce lots of energy for long periods of time, aerobic metabolism. The muscles you use for standing, or sitting up are mostly slow twitch fibers. For example the intrinsic muscles of your spine. They are happy to stay engaged at low level for the day. 

Fast twitch fibers (type 2b) are for high speed, strong contractions, like sprinting or hill climbing. They generate energy without oxygen, anaerobic metabolism. They use the glycogen stored in the muscles for energy and produce lactic acid as a by product and can lead to pain and cramping (tying up). Your gluteals and thighs have lots of fast twitch fibers. Do a few squats or run some stairs and the burning you feel is your fast twitch muscles fatiguing. 

Then of course, there are some muscle fibers that have both characteristics (type 2a). These are use both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Your gluteals and thighs also have lots of intermediate fibers to so you can run or ride for long periods of time. 

Different breeds have have different ratios of slow and fast twitch muscles. Most TBs and Qh have around 90% fast twitch fibers to 10 %. They are bred for sprinting. While most draft breeds are more like 60%:40% fast to slow so they can walk all day. Arabians are somewhere in between, 75%:25% fast to slow which is why they excell at endurance racing.  

Exercise can't change the amount of fast twitch to slow twitch fibers but it can increase the size and working capacity of the types of fibers we want to train for. Say we want to get ready for our first CDE, interval training can help us build our slow twitch for endurance and our fast twitch for speed and strength in the hazards. Just road work at a 14 kph trot will improve endurance but not improve your times because it targets your slow twitch muscle. A workout that includes a 15 min walk/trot warm up with some 3-5 min trot and canter sets at varying speeds with 1 min walk breaks can rapidly increase fitness by building up those fast twitch fibers too. 

Now we have some questions we need to answer before we design our workout plan.
1. breed type
2. discipline
3. time line
4. Attitude

In part 2, we will walk you through an exercise plan. 

What is equine and canine rehab ? No, it is not a support group for animal hoarders. It is physical therapy for our animals. Physical rehabilitation's main goals are to reduce pain and bring the body back to its normal function. That is why Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care work so well together. Acupuncture restores the pain and brings the body back into balance and chiropractic mobilizes the joints and restores the body's normal functions. We can also use manual therapies like tui na (meridian massage), passive and active range of motion and exercise. We teach many of these exercises to the caretaker so you can become a partner in your pet's recovery.

Whether the injury is acute, like an accident or post op, or chronic like arthritis or compensation from an old injury or poor conformation, a solid rehabilitation plan is the fastest way back to normal function and performance. 


We all know that a weak core leads to lumbar pain, that is why Dr. Kyle sends his human patients home with core stabilization exercises and yoga moves. We design exercise programs for dogs and horses to help them develop these muscles too. For horses, the exercises can be done under saddle or in hand. For dogs, we do positional exercises and even use tiny cavalettis for strength and paw awareness. One big difference in core strengthening in animals is...they get to eat treats during exercise ! Think about that next time you are doing crunches. 

People ask me, does my animal need rehab ? Well in a way yes, all animals need a baseline amount of exercise and a healthy diet, just like people to stay healthy well into their golden years. Many diseases are caused by a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, diabetes, tendon injuries because they lack the muscle to protect themselves in a stumble, even general stiffness or a poor gait. Did your older horse go from an 8 mover to a 6 ?  Does your old lab not want to jump in the truck anymore ? Maybe its not just that he is old. Maybe he needs some help to keep his joints moving and muscles firing so you can keep enjoying the company of your best pal. 

Ellen Ettenger joins us to talk about the new website, DrivingEntries.com, Wendy has exciting news and we learn that Chia is a healthy thing, not just a Christmas gift. Listen in.....

The TCVM segments starts at 35:11

Cha Cha Cha Chia Pet ! We all know the benefits of Chia. It makes a great last minute gift for your buddy who has it all and it has a great jingle but did you know that Chia was the Aztec Warrior's superfood and can help your pets too ? 

In TCVM terms, Chia tonifies the kidney qi. It is cool and damp so it also tonifies the lung and large intestine Yin. This means we would recommend Chia for lethargy and inflammatory issues, like arthritis, skin inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic pain. 


The properties of Chia that made it the ancient cross fitter's superfood to give them endurance and stamina are what makes it my number one choice for a supplement for pets and horses. 

1. Chia is a complete protein : A complete protein contains all 9 of the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are amino acids must be ingested because the body can not make them itself. Meat, fish, dairy and eggs are great sources of complete proteins but in our modern world, pet food has a very limited amount of meat (unless you home cook, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more). Horses are vegetarians so must have a high quality protein source to get their essential amino acids. Vegetarian sources are soybeans, hemp,quinoa, seaweed and spirulina. Chia is around 20% protein so helps to build lean muscle mass and stimulate the metabolism.

2. Chia is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids : in the Aztec language, Chia means oily. Chia oil is 63% omega 3 and has the proper 3:1 ratio of omega 3:omega 6 fatty acids. Chia's omega 3 oil is in the form of Alpha linolenic acid (ALA made famous by Dr. Oz on Oprah). ALA is an essential fatty acid so it can not be made in the body and must be consumed. Fats give you endurance and stamina. Supports the immune and nervous system ( bone marrow and brains are made of fat ). Hormones are also derived from fats, so a healthy amount of fat in the diet can help the body regulate it's hormone balance to increase fertility, soothe endocrine dysfunction and irregular cycling. Omega 3s are also a natural anti inflammatory so can reduce the pain of arthritis, nerve pain and decrease the severity of allergies. 1 tablespoon of chia has 2g of ALA, which is the recommended daily amount for a 150 lbs person.


3. Chia is high in fiber : Chia seeds can absorb 12 times their weight in water and quickly turns into a gel. Our 3 biggest digestive problems with horses, ulcers, colic and metabolic disease can all be helped with Chia. The gel can soothe stomach ulcers and protect the stomach lining. The gel hydrates the intestines so can help reduce the incidence of sand and impaction colics. The gel slows the breakdown of carbs into sugar so reduces sugar spikes and regulates insulin levels.  Chia gel also keeps the body hydrated and keeps electrolytes in the body longer. 


4. Chia is high in Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin B and antioxidants : Helping the body regulate its own vitamin mineral balance along with an even carbohydrate absorption will greatly enhance mood leading to better performance in the show ring or be better able to deal with separation anxiety. Commercial supplements that claim to calm animals by overdosing them with minerals just puts the body more out of balance robbing Peter to pay Paul. Giving animals a balanced whole food supplements allows them to have access to the building blocks they need be healthy and happy.


5. Chia oil has a long shelf life, even in Florida. Chia's high levels of antioxidants keep it stable from -20 to 110 degrees for up to 5 years and unlike flax seed, Chia does not need to be ground for the body to absorb the oils. This makes it very practical to keep in the barn and to buy in bulk. 


6. Chia is now grown in America : A strain of Chia has been developed in KY that thrives in US climates so now we can support US farmers and purchase Chia from a reliable, non-GMO source. 
Click here to go to US Chia

No wonder Chia was the Aztec Warrior's super food, high protein, high fat to give them energy. High fiber to keep them hydrated and give them endurance. High in minerals and vitamins to keep the body in balance. Easy to store and carry while pilaging neighboring tribes and it grew in abundance locally. Thanks to the smart folks at US chia for giving our animals a local, healthy source of Chia. 

Want to hear more about Chia from Zack Pennington, CEO at US Chia ? Listen to our interview on the TCVM segment of the driving radio show on the horse radio network. 

Bone Marrow Soup

I talked about this on the Driving Radio Show this week. Here are some step by step instructions. 

I always encourage my clients to cook for their dogs and cats but just like cooking for yourself and your family, it usually takes a big health problem to make the change from processed foods to fresh home cooked. Its ok to start slow. Even if you don't want to or can't cook every day. Fresh foods as treats or a few days a week is a great starting point. 

Ingredients : 

Marrow bones
Turkey Thighs
1 lime
1 TB apple cider vinegar
3 cups of chopped root vegetables
Carrots, squash, beets, celery - I used carrots because I always have that on hand :)

Directions : 

Cut long bones to expose marrow. I used a big cleaver and hammer, see photos

Put bones, veggies, the juice of 1 lime and 1 TB apple cider vinegar into a large heavy bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered overnight. You can also do this in your crockpot. As the bones simmer, the acid of the vinegar and veggies extract the nutrients and essence of the marrow. Check water level every few hours and add more water if the bones are uncovered. 

Let cool and strain broth. 

Keep in fridge for up to 1 week.

Feed small (start with 2 TBs) frequent meals throughout the day to your sick doggie or kitty.  The cooked veggies can also be added to the food if they are strong enough to eat them. 

This is a great way to get them back eating after an insult, like after eating a week old dead squirrel in the yard, post chemo, post parvo, ect. 

Variations : 
you can make this with any marrow bones, beef, pork, even a whole organic chicken. Consult with your TCVM vet to see what protein would be best for your pet. 

I usually make this with the left overs from Tamika and Rolly's turkey roast, which is just roasted turkey thighs on a bed of chopped green veggies like zucchini, green beans, ect. 

Roast in the oven @ 350 for 1 hr. 
When cool, remove the meat from the bones. The bones go into the soup pot and the meat is chopped up and added back to the veggies. I then add in some cooked brown rice, millet or their favorite, red quinoa ! 
Then mix it all up and I put it in tuperware and store 1 weeks worth of food in the fridge and freeze the rest in 1 week aliquots. When traveling, we freeze individual meals and put them in the cooler and defrost when needed. 

This is a great article by Kathy Farrokhzad  on her blog Horse Listening.  See her intro below and click on her link for the whole post. 






"Do you have a horse that seems to regularly trip or stumble, either in the front or hind end?The footing is good. The path is clear. There were no sudden changes to your direction.

The horse is sound and you know the tack fits well. His feet are trimmed. There are no other underlying physical issues that you are aware of.

Yet your horse stumbles here, trips there, and as time goes on, you learn to just quietly ignore it. After all, the horse is trying his best and there’s nothing you can do, right?

WRONG! 

If you listen carefully, you might even discover that you are more a part of the equation than you give yourself credit for.

It might be something you are doing. Or it might be something you are NOT doing!

Be an active rider so you can help your horse through these moments. Your strong problem-solving skills are just the ticket to helping your horse develop better balance during riding. "



http://horselistening.com/2013/07/04/how-to-ride-the-stumble-out-of-your-horse/

So we have expanded into the garage with our new fish hospital ( 2 laundry tubs, a styrofoam box/treatment tank and a bubbler) ! 

2 goldfish were rescued from their old pond by Ben of Myakka Aquatics and are being treated with antibiotics, laser therapy, herbal medicine and a diet of superfoods (kale, watermeal and shrimp). One has a large ulcer on the side and the other has bruising and dropsy. This is my first attempt at treating pet fish but they seem to be responding well. Many thanks to my fish expert friend Charley Gregory (soon to be DVM in the class of 2014 ! ) for all his advice. For more fish info check out Charley's page http://www.healthyaquatics.com/