I have become more aware, than ever before, that the quality of my dog's life rests squarely on my shoulders. I have a 15 year old Cocker Spaniel and her name is Morgan. Back in January of 2004, I wasn't sure she was going to make it to her 13th birthday in July. What happened to get her there is nothing short of a miracle.

In early December 2003, I went through the process of adopting another dog through the Dallas Cocker Spaniel Rescue Group. They are a wonderful organization that rescues abandoned and abused Cockers throughout Dallas and the surrounding areas. They nurse these dogs back to health and keep them in foster homes until they are adopted. In early January 2004, I was finally able to adopt a beautiful sable colored Cocker Spaniel named Lucy who is now 4 years old. When I went to pick Lucy up from her foster parent Caroline, I was offered a folder of information. I took the folder with me and when I arrived home I just set it aside. About a week later I noticed the folder again and decided to finally open it to see what she had given me. I was completely shocked and angered by what I was reading. It was information and articles about the pet food industry and what's really in the food we feed our pets!

I truly had no idea what was in Morgan's food, and just as important, what was missing from it. I imagine I'm like most people who purchase dog food from their veterinarian. I figured if I was buying it directly from my vet and not from the supermarket I would be getting the best available product. Like most pet owners, I believed my vet would make sure my dog got all of her nutritional needs met. I certainly never imagined my vet would ever recommend food that could actually be harmful to my dog overtime. Little did I know a veterinarian receives virtually no training in nutrition while in school and when they do it most often comes from the dog food companies themselves. That doesn't exactly allow my vet or any vet for that matter to be much of an expert on nutrition let alone have an impartial opinion.

My veterinarian had my complete trust and confidence. I always believed Morgan was getting the best possible solutions for her health, so it never crossed my mind to question any of my vet's recommendations. I was now coming to the realization that I had made a mistake by not being actively involved in my dog's healthcare. I had freely relinquished that responsibility to my veterinarian. I now know I should have carried a healthy skepticism towards my dog's doctor, regardless of her credentials, just as I would towards my own. For the first time I was beginning to question the care my dog had been receiving over the years. I was so use to giving my vet all the power over my dog's healthcare decisions I might not have even started to question her if Morgan had been healthy, but she wasn't. Unfortunately, it often takes a health crisis before we open ourselves up to alternatives. I'm just thankful it didn't cost me my dog's life before I was willing to make some changes. For more than the need to be right or to defend my vet I wanted what was truly best for my dog. I believe that's what makes someone not just a dog owner but a caretaker and a doctor not just a veterinarian but a true healer.

Morgan has been fighting skin allergies since April 1996 and it was beginning to look like my dog was losing the battle for good. Morgan has been on a steady course of steroids and antibiotics since 1996 to fight her skin allergies. Every year my trips to the vet increased and so did the frequency of the drugs. At one point I did become uncomfortable with the amount of drugs my dog was taking and I asked my vet if this was truly the only course of action we could take for Morgan. My vet's response was to tell me the quality of Morgan's life was more important than the quantity. I certainly never wanted my dog to be uncomfortable or in any pain so I didn't question my vet further. I now wished I had.

Although I didn't make the connection at the time, when my Cocker Spaniel turned 10, the side effects from the drugs really started to multiply. These drugs, which always included steroids and antibiotics, temporarily cleared up her symptoms and gave her much needed relief. I was thankful for this. However, these drugs never addressed the underlying cause of my dog's allergies. Hence, when we stopped the drugs her problems always came back. Over the years the drug use kept escalating and by January 2004 I was giving Morgan six different medications with marginal results. There were now drugs being administered just to counteract the side effects of others. As an example, Morgan had been on steroids so long she started urinating excessively so my vet prescribed phenylpropanolamine in order to slow down the urination. My vet never addressed the long or short term side effects of steroid use so I assumed Morgan's urination was due to her old age. I only became aware of the side effects of steroid use later through my own research. Conventional medicine has its place, but this time the effects of its treatments were overwhelming my dogs system and undermining her overall health.

Over the years my dog began to lose her beautiful spirit along with her health. Morgan was lethargic and her hind legs began to shake. She lost most of the hair on her back, her ear canal was almost swollen shut, she still itched frequently and she began to develop warts on her body. My dog was miserable and the last thing I wanted was for my perfect companion of 13 years to suffer. I felt hopeless. That was until I received the folder of information describing how horrible and inadequate most dog food is. Now armed with new found knowledge, I was open to looking into the truth of what I had been reading. I'm not big on change so I wasn't going to take any of it as fact without researching it further.

I was deeply disturbed to find out the ingredient make up in most dog food. This included Eukanuba F/P, which was the brand that I was currently feeding Morgan. From supermarket brands to the so called premium brands sold at most veterinarian's offices, there's not much difference between them other than price. We are constantly bombarded by pet food manufacturers advertising appetizing images of whole chickens, thick cuts of beef, tons of fresh vegetables and fresh golden grains. I was shocked to discover that what ends up in our dogs bowls is a far cry from what is shown in the pet food ads! Instead of the appetizing chicken advertised, our dogs actually get grounded up chicken heads, feet and intestines. The choice cuts of meat we see in their advertisements are really cow brains, tongues, noses, stomachs, lungs, blood and kidneys to name a few. What the pet food industry also fails to disclose is most by-products, digests and meals also contain tissue cut from the carcass, road kill and plastic foam packaging containing spoiled meat discarded by supermarkets. If that's not bad enough our pets food can also contain toxins, mold, pesticides, drug residue and harmful preservatives. How could these inferior protein sources and chemicals actually allow my dog to maintain good health let alone help her with her allergies? It wasn't hard for me to begin to wonder if many of Morgan's health issues could have been avoided or at least helped by proper nutrition.

I continued my research and was surprised to find out how many books and internet sights were dedicated to this issue. What I discovered was directly opposite from what I had always been told. What I knew, was to feed my dog "premium" dog food and avoid table scraps. I was always the dog owner who got upset with anyone who tried to give my dog any type of table scrap. Dogs aren't supposed to get any human food, right? I wanted to be a responsible pet owner and I wasn't about to allow my dog to eat something that the "experts" said was unhealthy for her. Now I was reading dogs are no different then humans. In order for them to achieve optimal health they need fresh healthy foods. When I stopped to consider how well I would do on a diet of cereal everyday for the rest of my life I knew I had been shortchanging my dog. Dumping a cup of dry dog food in her bowl twice a day took no imagination, commitment or love on my part and frankly it showed in her health. Now I was determined to throw out every false thought I had about how to feed my dog and start from scratch. I couldn't begin quickly enough because I knew in order for Morgan to have any chance at a healthy life again I had to immediately start to meet her true nutritional needs.

I quickly learned there are many things that go into providing a dog a proper diet just as there is for us. It's not as simple as a cup of cereal. I kept reading that veterinarian's consider nutrition to be the single most important factor in obtaining a dog's optimal health and in fighting disease. If this was true and a dog's health is a reflection of his diet, why is it many veterinarians' don't educate themselves in this area or even bother to ask what you are feeding your dog? If veterinarian's themselves weren't going to focus on the obvious link between health and diet I certainly was going to!

I discovered in the true spirit of holistic care, it was important to take into account the individuality of each dog. No two dog's nutritional needs are exactly the same. I learned factors such as age, activity level, current health issues and genetic make-up can and should help to determine your dog's diet. What's most important to consider is the basic guideline for a proper diet not what I've done specifically to change and improve my own dog's diet. Whether you decide to prepare a homemade diet or to feed a top quality natural kibble supplemented with fresh foods, research is the key. Consult with a holistic veterinarian if possible. Even if there's not one in your area, often times they will offer a phone consultation. I personally didn't feel comfortable making major changes to my dog's diet until I read a book on the subject and visited many internet sights. Making major changes to your dog's diet without the proper knowledge can be just as harmful as not changing it at all. Yes, it was an investment of my time and money but the returns have been enormous. It's simple; you can either pay a little more money now for better nutrition or pay a lot more money later for the likely vet bills.

My dogs love their new diet! I've made several adjustments over the last year as I am continually trying to improve the variety and nutrition my dogs are receiving. Right now they get a super premium dog food called EVO, manufactured by Innova. I chose this brand because its grain free and it offered me a safe and convenient alternative to feeding a raw diet. No matter how good any dog food is, it's still processed food needing to be supplemented with fresh whole foods. My dogs get a variety of healthy organic vegetables such as carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Other times I'll add eggs, cottage cheese with tomatoes, and plain low fat yogurt alternated on a daily basis. They also receive supplements based on their specific needs and vital minerals through a quality multi-vitamin. Both of my Cocker Spaniels embraced the new diet wholeheartedly! It takes me 10 to 15 minutes to prepare their food and they eagerly wait to dig in. When they're done they lick their bowls for minutes on end. It's a joy to watch and it has created a wonderful bond between us. It's as if they know I'm doing everything I can to make up for the years they didn't receive proper nutrition.

The transformation in my 13 year old was evident almost immediately. I could not believe what I was seeing! Morgan was so much more comfortable and alert. She stopped itching and licking her paws for the first time in years. Morgan was doing so well I was able to slowly wean her off her medications (never stop any medication without consulting a vet) and within a couple of months she was off every single one of them! It was nothing short of a miracle. The irony was she was getting well very quickly without all of those drugs. The hair on her back started to grow in, she stopped urinating excessively, her chronic ear infections cleared up, her hind legs stopped shaking and she was full of energy. The most important thing that happened was Morgan's beautiful spirit returned. Over the years, I had missed that so much. (click here to see Morgan's before & after pictures)

This experience has taught me Morgan's skin allergies and other health issues were due in part to her poor diet. I learned by reconsidering what I was feeding I could do more to improve her health and to prevent disease than my vet could do with all her conventional training combined. That's how powerful it was! Morgan's vitality and spirit also suffered due to the tremendous amount of drugs her system had been trying to cope with. I have learned there are many natural products and alternative treatments available that work just as well if not better than any drug and without the harmful side-effects. My dog's journey to wellness was not without its share of setbacks and challenges. No road to recovery is without its ups and downs. All of it though, has lead to a much healthier and happier dog. I now understand even if I had the single best veterinarian in the world my dog would still be missing out on vital remedies for treating disease and improving overall health if that vet ONLY practiced conventional medicine. Giving Morgan back her health has been the most rewarding experience of my life and I will never forget the lessons I've learned.

This sounds like the end to my story but I have one more vital piece of information. During my research on commercial dog food and nutrition, I noticed the issue of vaccinations continually appearing. I was still reeling from the shock of the ingredients found in most dog food so I thought surely I'm not going to hear anything negative about vaccinations. I have always believed or maybe I should say assumed vaccinations are wonderful medicine that kept my dog from horrible disease. Without fail, I made sure my dog received her annual vaccinations and I was proud of that fact. I thought it showed I was a responsible pet owner. I was horrified to read vaccinating our dogs year after year just might be the worst thing we can do for them! If this was true, why hadn't I heard about it and why was my vet still sending me reminder cards to revaccinate every year?

I was stunned to find out there is NO scientific data to back up administering annual boosters. The truth is it became a popular practice solely based on the recommendations of the vaccine companies. It remains popular despite the growing evidence that annual boosters offer no more resistance to a disease and they put our pets at risk for harmful side effects. Vaccines are not harmless medicine as most of us believe. To quote the American Veterinary Medical Association, "Vaccines are a potent medical procedure with both benefits and associated hazards." I also discovered vaccine labels carry a warning label on them that says vaccines should only be administered to healthy animals. Dog owners never see these warning labels and veterinarian's seem to routinely ignore them. I know I was never made aware of this and my dog was chronically ill for years. That never stopped my vet from vaccinating her year after year.

During my research, I also discovered dogs should never be vaccinated while taking steroids because this type of drug suppresses the immune system. If a dogs immune system is already in a susceptible and weakened state the virus in the vaccine can actually cause the disease it was suppose to prevent. My dog has been on a steady course of steroids for years. I still can't believe my veterinarian continued to vaccinate my dog each year under these circumstances. It's absolutely unconscionable! Research also shows animals with allergies do not respond well to vaccines because it can accelerate the intensity and frequency of allergy symptoms. As you've read, my dog has had allergies since 1996. Why are the very people who are suppose to be helping and protecting my dog needlessly putting her at risk? I don't understand. Is it the money vaccines generate or the lack of current knowledge? Or is it just a stubborn refusal to change? All I know for sure is my vet continued to vaccinate my unhealthy dog and I firmly believe it further compromised her health. Morgan will no longer be receiving additional re-vaccinations. I am now armed with knowledge and must act upon that knowledge to insure my dog's welfare. I didn't make this decision lightly or easily as change is never easy, but I can tell you I considered the following factors when making up my mind: Morgan is over 10, been vaccinated her whole life, rarely around other dogs and she had been chronically ill. I've learned because of these factors, there is no benefit compared to the risk it poses to continue vaccinating her.

There is no love or courage in staying with the status quo. I owe it to Morgan to do the right thing. I made her a promise to never again let my decisions on her healthcare be run by high dollar advertising and billion dollar drug companies. Join me in making the same promise to your animals and together we can and will make a difference!

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