Column #374          October 28, 2022Bo

Bo was born October 31, 2011. Since he was born on Halloween day, his Boston Terrier registration papers indicate his “official” name is Boo. But he seems to prefer Bo since it’s more “country.”

Bo was given to us a little over five years ago—making us at least his third owner. At that time he was a chubby 40+ pounds with a skin rash that drove him nuts. Right off the bat we started him on a half-a-pound per day of our Whole Cow all-meat diet and within a few weeks his weight dropped to 33 pounds where it remains. The rash disappeared in about ten days. Yes, Bo is big for a Boston Terrier but he’s no longer obese.

Halloween is this coming Monday which will be Bo’s eleventh birthday. By some measures we’re both about the same age. Then I learned we weren’t. I looked up age equivalency between humans and dogs and the old seven-year rule isn’t correct. It turns out that small, medium, and large dogs age differently with the smaller breeds living longer than the larger breeds. For instance, when a dog is 11 years of age, based on their size, that is equivalent to 60 (small), 65 (medium), and 72 (large) human years. By that measure Bo is younger than my 78 years. Maybe that’s why he seems to be way more energetic than I am.1

As we all know, we are what we eat. And there’s no better proof of that than when dealing with our pets. If dog owners don’t live with their head in the sand, probably more than any other pet owner, they discover the importance of diet. Obese dogs are a sure sign of an improper diet and an abusive owner. But improper diet goes beyond obesity. It can be a contributing factor to all the other chronic diseases dogs get these days that are the same ones affecting people. A short list of these diseases include: Cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cataracts, intervertebral disc disease, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, kidney failure, and more.

There are approximately 450 different types of diseases dogs can get. Out of those 450, 360 are similar in function to human diseases. Of course, many of the diseases are fungal, bacterial, viral, and parasitic (such as worms) which are not necessarily related to diet. Because of the many diseases that dogs and humans have in common, dogs are frequently used in medical research. “Dogs come particularly handy for such medical research considering that, dogs are physiologically more similar to humans compared to other species such as rats. On top of that, dogs and humans share the same environmental living conditions, which can help gain a better understanding of its role in the onset of many medical conditions.”2

No matter what, when it comes to pets a holistic approach is best. As Madeleine Innocent says, “Veterinary medicine, as with human medicine, is all about managing disease. It has nothing whatsoever to do with restoration of health. You can only manage disease by suppressing the symptoms, which is what medical and veterinary drugs excel at. The problem remains, but is now hidden.”3

Madeleine has a list of holistic pointers for a healthy pet that, just as with anyone, dogs (as well as other pets) have needs based on whom they are. Her list includes:
●    exercise—wild dogs naturally move around to hunt and play
●    shelter from the elements—wild dogs live in dens for shelter
●    company—dogs are pack animals and need a family, not necessarily of other dogs although that is often preferred
●    position in the pack—wild dogs have a hierarchy that is essential to their well being (learn to understand dogs from their point of view)
●    respect—wild dogs have respect for each other, so need the same from us—anger shows weakness

The holistic approach demands real food. Real food is just that. It’s not discarded trim that sells for pennies per pound. Many meat diets are made with really disgusting fare and mixed with spoiled plant-based material mixed in. These ingredients sound nice on the label, but they are of the lowest quality. And for sure, a proper diet can’t be concocted with grains and supplements. Very few pet foods are made from the whole cow: meat, fat, and organs. But that’s what dogs, and especially cats, require.

Pet ownership is not for everyone, but for many it has benefits. Harvard health puts it this way: “The emotional benefits of having a pet can translate into physiological ones as well. ‘When you feel securely attached to this living being, there are biological brain effects that reduce stress response, so it may affect your breathing rate or blood pressure or oxygen consumption or anxiety level,’ says Dr. Fricchione. ‘There was even a recent study in the journal ‘Science’ about how oxytocin is boosted in both the dog and the human when a dog owner stares into eyes of the dog. That's really fascinating.’ Oxytocin is one of the body's ‘feel good’ chemicals and also plays a role in social bonding.”4

But the psychological benefits of pets is not limited to dogs and cats. Some research has indicated that having tropical fish provides even stronger psychological benefits. Pet birds provide benefits too. In all cases, the care and feeding of pets is critical for the pet’s long-term health and your mental well-being.5 6

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

Don't miss these links for additional reading:

1. How to Figure Out Your Dog’s Age by Annie Stuart from WebMD

2. How Many Diseases Do Dogs and Humans Have in Common by Janet R

3. Chronic Diseases In Dogs – The Holistic Approach by Madeleine Innocent from Natural Dogs Health

4. The Health Benefits and Risks of Pet Ownership from Harvard Health Publishing

5. Fifteen Ways Fish Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health

6. Three Mental Health Benefits of Owning a Pet Bird