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Pet Health Library

Dogs + Preventive Care & Wellness

  • Fish oils are derived from coldwater fish, mainly menhaden, salmon, cod, tuna, mackerel and trout. Cod stocks are reducing, so the age-old 'cod liver oil' should be in avoided where possible.

  • Also called linseed oil, flax seed oil is derived from the crushed seeds of the flax plant (Linium usitatissimum) and has been proposed as a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to fish oil supplements.

  • Successful flea control in dogs involves eliminating fleas from your dog as well as strict environmental flea control.

  • Flower essence therapy or flower therapy was developed by a human doctor, Edward Bach, during the 1930's. During his years in practice Dr. Bach developed the belief that people could be grouped based upon their emotional states, and that these emotions were the root cause of many of their diseases.

  • Garlic, the bulb of the plant Allium sativum, is a well-known herb and popular ingredient for cooking. It is supplied in raw form as the fresh bulb; as a liquid alcohol extract; or in gelatin capsules.

  • Most dogs' ears are a lot larger than ours and certainly a lot more sensitive. We usually only clean them when there is a problem and they are already sore, so the dog learns that handling around the ears is painful and tries to avoid it.

  • Ginger is a well-known tropical herb whose root is used in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Herbal Medicine. The most famous medical use of ginger is as an anti-emetic (prevention of nausea and vomiting).

  • While the Ginkgo nut is used in Chinese medicine in the treatment of respiratory disorders, the Ginkgo leaf is used in western herbal medicine, primarily to stimulate blood flow, both peripheral to the extremities and cerebral (to the brain).

  • In Chinese medicine, Korean Ginseng is used as a Qi tonic to boost vitality. Likewise, Ginseng is used for the same purposes by vets, often as a component of a larger herbal formula.

  • Glucosamine is an amino sugar that occurs naturally in the body and plays an important role in forming and maintaining the body's tissues such as nails, skin, ligaments, tendons, bones, heart valves, discharging mucous from the lining of the digestive tract, urinary tract and respiratory tract.