Holistic Pet Health

Cat or dog, you’ve come to the right place! Holistic veterinarian Dr. Jean Hofve and cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy are here to help!

Epigenetics

Jean Hofve, DVM; Revised 3/7/21 Epigenetics is the study of changes in the way genes are expressed that do not involve DNA. It turns out that DNA isn’t in charge the way we once thought it was—it's the proteins around the DNA that really control gene expression. These proteins are influenced by the environment. This means that anything in the environment can have a profound effect on any organism, including animals and people. Research in the new field of epigenetics shows that many factors experienced by your pet, or even your pet’s ancestors—from vaccines, ...

2022-03-07T13:54:10-07:00May 19th, 2016|
Read More

Toilet Training for Cats

Our good friend Jo Singer recently spotted an old idea being given a disturbing new life: toilet training a cat. And sorry, no... this is not a "how to" article, it's about "why not"! A 2001 book by Dr. Eric Brotman on the subject is once again the media. Brotman's doctorate is in clinical psychology, not veterinary medicine; that may explain his is utter ignorance about cats! As Jo points out in her article, it is vital to be able to monitor a cat's urine and feces output. In fact, it's one of the best ways ...

2017-03-23T14:13:52-07:00April 14th, 2016|
Read More

Homeopathic First Aid: The Ten Best Remedies to Keep at Home

What is Homeopathy? Homeopathy is a system of medicine developed more than 200 years ago by German chemist Samuel Hahnemann. It is a form of “holistic” medicine, in that it takes into account the “whole” organism—its physical, mental, emotional, historical, and environmental conditions. Homeopathy relies on two fundamental principles: “like cures like” and “the minimum dose.” The first principle, “like cures like,” means that a substance, which—in a large dose—would cause a certain symptom in a healthy individual, will, in homeopathic potency, cure the same symptom in a sick individual. For instance, Syrup ...

2023-09-30T15:10:35-07:00March 4th, 2016|
Read More

FDA Finds Toxic Sludge Going Into Animal Food

Many thanks to our good friend Mollie Morrissette for her excellent reporting on this issue. This is one more reason for why it is so important to have consumer representatives at AAFCO meetings--we provide a layer of protection (and a warning to these guys that we are watching!) when feed suppliers want to use harmful or non-edible feed materials. A similar ingredient ("Fat product, feed grade") was discussed at the last two meetings, and despite opposition from industry, was finally banned. Company warned to stop using revolting feed additives: Industrial grease, ...

2020-05-18T13:55:32-07:00February 25th, 2016|
Read More

Holiday Safety for Cats and Dogs

The holidays can be a stressful and even dangerous time for our cats. Normal routines are upset, visitors come and go, and overly tempting smells may be coming from the kitchen! The Christmas tree is the first item of great interest on your cat’s Santa list. Many cats find it irresistibly tempting to climb. First, make sure your tree is in a sturdy stand. Test it to make sure it’s tip-proof. Or put a hook in the ceiling and tie the tree to it (nylon fishing line works well and ...

2017-03-21T18:25:46-07:00November 30th, 2015|
Read More

When You SHOULD Induce Vomiting

We recently discussed when NOT to induce vomiting after your pet has eaten certain harmful items. Today we’ll look at common situations where you should induce vomiting (how-to instructions below). Rodent poisons often contain anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) drugs such as coumarin or warfarin; newer products contain bromethalin, a neurotoxin that is equally dangerous. If a pet ingests an anti-coagulant, or even eats an animal that has consumed it, life-threatening internal bleeding may occur. While symptoms typically take 5 to 7 days to develop, they need to be headed off by inducing ...

2017-03-23T14:00:21-07:00November 5th, 2015|
Read More

Rabies Vaccine Reality Check

Thanks to my good friend Dr. Karen Becker at Mercola.com for this incredibly important article! By Dr. Becker I have some encouraging news to share about rabies vaccines, or more specifically, how pets with out-of-date vaccinations that are exposed to a rabid animal should be handled. Currently, if a pet with a lapsed rabies vaccination is exposed to a rabid animal, the law in many states requires the pet to be quarantined for several months at the owner’s expense, or euthanized. In October 2014, a Brockton, Massachusetts woman was forced ...

2018-06-09T13:51:41-07:00October 29th, 2015|
Read More

Halloween Safety for Pets

Halloween is already upon us, so it's time to remind folks how to keep all pets (most especially black cats!) safe at this time of year. Many thanks to Kimberly Jackson (A to Z Petcare) and Kate Solisti (KateSolisti.com) for this timely article! HALLOWEEN SAFETY ESSENTIALS FOR ANIMAL GUARDIANS By Kimberly Jackson and Kate Solisti Halloween can be scary for our furry friends. It can also be quite dangerous. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your pets safe on Halloween. First and foremost, please do not leave pets outside ...

2017-03-21T18:31:00-07:00October 29th, 2015|
Read More

When NOT to Induce Vomiting

Cats and dogs can get into a lot of trouble! If they've eaten something they shouldn't, the common advice is to induce vomiting by giving them syrup of ipecac or hydrogen peroxide. (My favorite item recovered by this method was a baby sock that had been eaten by a cat!) However, there are some things that are actually worse coming back up than they were going down. In those cases, you should NOT induce vomiting by any method. These items include: Household cleaning products containing acidic or alkaline ingredients, which ...

2017-03-23T14:00:33-07:00October 15th, 2015|
Read More

The Difference in Cost of Veterinary Care

Today I'm posting an article written a few days ago by a colleague, Dr. Carolyn Karrh, who was sad and frustrated after a dog died after being spayed. The dog was a high risk patient, but was brought to a low-cost, high-volume clinic for the surgery. Had she (the dog) been at a clinic where a thorough history, pre-op exam, better equipment, IV line, constant monitoring, etc., were the norm, the story could have had a much happier ending. Dr. Karrh goes on to explain the difference between clinics, and why ...

2017-03-21T18:33:32-07:00October 4th, 2015|
Read More

Restful Sleep

Restful sleep is a topic that most of us don't give enough attention to... unless it's to fret about not getting enough of it! And hardly anyone thinks about sleep as far as animal companions are concerned. But getting enough good quality sleep is essential to health. And this goes for our pets, too! Most wild members of the feline (and canine) species are born in a dark nest or den; and they're born with their eyes closed. Darkness is a key component of healthy development in those first weeks ...

2020-05-18T13:53:02-07:00October 3rd, 2015|
Read More

Cat Senses

Science has discovered what many cat-lovers have known for years... most cats depend more on their vision than on their sense of smell! I could have told you that when I brought my freshly-shaved dog home one summer afternoon. My "watchcat" Spencer took one look and attacked instantly, drawing blood on both the dog--and on me, when I tried to intervene. He didn't spend a nanosecond analyzing any smells... it was a lightning reflex arc from eyeballs to claws! But to give science credit, the British researchers did develop a ...

2017-03-23T14:17:35-07:00September 20th, 2015|
Read More

Disclosure: Some links on this site are “affiliate links” for which we will receive an affiliate commission or complimentary products.

Copyright © 2023. Jean Hofve DVM and Little Big Cat, Inc. All rights reserved.
Go to Top