Current News

Colorado Alliance of Animal Owners Rights

President of CAAOR, Lisa Speaker and Board Members Carol Komitor, Turie Norman, and Nancy Zidonis are working with Colorado State Representative, District 64, Wes McKinley to introduce legislation to protect the rights of owners to choose therapeutic alternatives. Rep. McKinley is the Vice-Chairman of the Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee. The bill will be introduced in March 2007. Deb Grosskopf will be designing a petition e-mail/site that will be available on the current website. We encourage you to lend your support with time or money. Go to www.caaor.org for more details and join the Yahoo discussion group here: Join Yahoo Group.

Lisa Speaker will be presenting a talk on CAAOR at the next meeting of the Colorado Association of Animal Massage & Bodywork, Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at 7 pm. Concerned pet owners and other types of animal practitioners besides animal massage are also invited to this talk. Come learn how to protect your rights to provide the health care you want for your pet. Click here for meeting details: CAAOR Talk

Colorado Family Pet Expo

Optimum Choices will be exhibiting together with Natural Pet at the Colorado Family Pet Expo on March 10-11, 2007 at the Colorado Convention Center. For more information, click here.

Doggie Massage Class

Sunday, March 18, 2007, 1:00-3:00 pm
Sage Valley Pet Center, Golden, CO

Dogs have muscles too! Massage is no longer just for humans--dogs can benefit just as much as humans. Come learn how to help your dog feel better with massage and acupressure. Class topics will include:

• Benefits of massage for dogs
• How to do a simple relaxing massage for your dog
• Acupressure points that provide specific benefits
• Tuning in to your dog energetically
• How massage helps older dogs feel better

Registration and fees: For more details, click here.

Hurricane Katrina cat still available

It is now February and no one has stepped forward yet to adopt this sweet kitty that lost its home in July. Won't you consider opening your heart to a Katrina animal? Cajun was rescued from a shelter in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina, brought to Denver in September 2005 and quickly found a home. He thought he had his forever home, but the owner's situation changed and he became available again in July 2006 (through no fault of his own). Click here for more details.

Oil product of the month

by Russell Louie

Thieves® Dentarome Ultra™ Toothpaste

4.1 oz, Product #3744, ($8.75/10.13/11.51)

There is a heated debate on whether an infected tooth and the bacteria involved in the accompanying infection can cause other illnesses throughout the body. Microbes, which may be present in dead teeth, may be impossible to eliminate no matter how successful a root canal. These bad organisms are not actually in the canal portion of the tooth but in the tiny microscopic tubules which comprise the dentin (the material below the enamel). Some say these microbes in the dentinal tubules pose a health problem and can lead to other diseases throughout the body. See www.drshankland.com/root_canal.html. Fortunately, there has been clinical research on essential oil usage in dental hygiene. Over 100 studies have documented how essential oils kill the microbes that cause tooth decay and gingivitis. According to Christine Charles and colleagues in a study published by the Journal of the American Dental Association, "The efficacy of an essential-oil-containing antiseptic mouthrinse has been demonstrated in numerous double-blind clinical studies." A 1999 study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology showed that a mouthrinse containing thymol, methyl salycilate (wintergreen), menthol (peppermint) and eucalyptol (Eucalyptus globulus) was far more effective than stannous fluoride antiseptic. Now you can benefit from this study by using a toothpaste containing this very same essential oil mixture.

Product Information

Contains essential oils of wintergreen, peppermint, and the blend Thieves (clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary). Get the antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-infectious power of Thieves® in your toothpaste. Keep those pesky cavities away. Avoid root canals by killing microbes before they set in.

Personal testimony

I had been using Young Living's Thieves Dentarome toothpaste from January, 2003–January, 2005. My total dental expenses, including checkups, fillings and any root canals for this two year period was approximately $500. Around January, 2005, I stopped using Dentarome Toothpaste for the following reasons:

• Dentarome Toothpaste contains peppermint, and mint is known to interfere with homeopathic remedies. At that time, I was taking many homeopathic remedies.
• My wife had three different toothpaste brands open and they were being used up very slowly.

I recently tabulated my dental expenses from January, 2005–January, 2007 and the total was over $1,500 (three times the previous two-year period). While this is not scientific proof of the effectiveness of Thieves Dentarome Toothpaste, it convinced me to go back to using Thieves Dentarome Toothpaste. While the cost of Thieves Dentarome Toothpaste is more expensive than other natural brands, I don’t think the savings is worth the extra $1,000 I spent in two years on dental care. I can buy a lot of toothpaste for $500/year. No more root canals for me—I am going back to using Young Living's Thieves Dentarome Toothpaste.

©2005 Essential Science Publishing. Some of the information in this article is from the Essential Oils Desk Reference, which can be ordered here:
Essential Science Publishing, 1216 South 1580 West, Orem, Utah 84058, (800) 336-6308, www.essentialscience.net.

Click here to order on our Young Living World Essential Oils website. Click on Product Catalog, then pull down the menu Personal Care to find Oral Hygiene and the line of Dentarome Toothpaste, or call us at (303) 271-1649 or (866) 305-2306 (toll-free).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How professional massage benefits dogs

by Margaret Auld-Louie

When you think of massage for dogs, what comes to mind? Many people assume massage is a silly idea for dogs, an "over the top" luxury item for spoiled dogs by owners who cater to their "fur children", treating them like people instead of dogs. You may equate dog massage with other frivolous items for dogs such as painting their toenails or dressing them in cute outfits. However, massage is not just a relaxing "spa session" for dogs. Just as with human massage, canine massage can have therapeutic benefits for dogs. This is particularly true if you take your dog to a professional who has extensive training in canine massage.

How do you know if your dog could benefit from a professional massage? Most dogs these days need professional massage to maintain optimal wellness. The reason for this is that we have altered their structure through centuries of breeding. Since dogs are no longer built like wolves, they no longer have optimal structure for good movement. Their structure has been further compromised during the last few decades due to small show rings that favor dogs with shorter strides, leading them to win (and be bred) rather than the dogs with longer strides and better structure. This altered structure leads to fewer muscles as well as muscles that don't function optimally. As the dog ages, the joints break down, since the joints take more pounding than they were designed for. While massage won't correct these structural problems, it can help the muscles function better, thus reducing muscle soreness and joint damage. Since most dogs have suboptimal structure, almost all dogs can benefit from professional massage. Even mixed breed dogs have structural issues, since they are a mixture of purebreds with this problem.

Dogs can also benefit from professional massage for the same reasons as people.  If you go on a long hike on the weekend after working at a desk all week, you may get sore or even injured muscles. The same thing can happen if you take your dog with you hiking. Dogs are just as susceptible to "weekend athlete syndrome" as people. A hard play session at the doggie daycare or dog park could also result in injury or soreness if your dog is not accustomed to that level of activity on a regular basis (several times a week). You may not know that your dog is experiencing pain from these activities since pack animals instinctively hide their pain to avoid being thrown out of the pack.

Dogs that are professional athletes, such as dogs competing in agility trials, can be susceptible to injuries and problems just like human athletes. Agility dogs perform actions that are not entirely natural to their physiology, such as the twisting and shoulder action required when going through the weave poles. And their joints take a pounding when performing jumps as well as coming down steep ramps, such as the A frame or dog walk obstacles. Just as human athletes have learned the benefit of professional massage in both preventing and treating injuries, informed dog owners have learned to provide regular professional massage for their doggie athletes.

What if your dog is inactive rather than athletic? If your dog is inactive due to illness, injury or surgery, massage can help during the rehabilitation period in returning to normal function. It may speed up the recovery process and help prevent lingering problems. As the benefits of canine massage and other modalities are becoming more widely known, it is now common to find facilities in large cities offering rehabilitative services for dogs including swimming, underwater treadmills, physical therapy and massage therapy.

If your dog is becoming elderly, massage can be particularly beneficial. Unless a dog is very active, such as competing in agility most of its life or doing herding, its muscles tend to get stiff beginning in middle age and progressing with each year. When I work on a typical pet dog, I can almost tell its age by the stiffness of its muscles. In old age, the muscles also begin to atrophy. Older dogs are often also arthritic, with the pain discouraging exercise. The reduced activity leads to further stiffness and pain, which reduces activity even more, in a vicious cycle. Therefore, massage can be especially beneficial for middle-aged and elderly dogs in reducing pain levels, improving muscle condition and increasing flexibility and range of motion. When the dog feels better, they can be more active, which helps counteract the progression of arthritis and stiffness.

Why would you want to take your dog to a professional rather than just doing massage yourself? Some owners decline professional massage, stating that "I massage my dog every day myself". While massaging your dog is wonderfully beneficial, your dog can receive even more benefit by going to a trained professional. You may get back rubs from your spouse but if you have any kind of muscle problems or injury, you probably realize that a professional massage therapist has the training to better assist you. (Also, your spouse may not want to spend a whole hour giving you a full-body treatment!) Professional canine massage providers likewise are trained in addressing specific issues that your dog may have, going beyond just a "feel good" massage session. They typically have several hundred hours of training, including education in anatomy, physiology, orthopedic pathology, gait and structure, as well as massage techniques. Even if you took a weekend course in doggie massage, that is not equivalent to the training that a professional provider receives and does not replace a professional massage session for your dog.

This makes more sense if you consider it from a human massage perspective. I took a community course in Shiatsu massage from the Boulder College of Massage Therapy years ago. Their "community courses" are short courses for the public that enable them to learn enough to work informally on friends and family. While it was an excellent course, I would not presume to compare my level of expertise in Shiatsu with a professional that has completed the entire course of study at that school (which is 1,000 hours or more). And I would never offer Shiatsu professionally for humans because I don't have the expertise to do so. When I went to a professional graduate of that school and received Shiatsu, there was a world of difference in the quality between his sessions and the treatment I received from students in my class. To look at it another way, you wouldn't take your dog to someone for surgery that is not a veterinarian, since they have the training necessary to perform this properly. Massage is obviously safer than surgery but there are cases of dogs that have been harmed by insufficiently trained individuals. And there are some circumstances where massage is not beneficial for dogs. A professional is trained to recognize whether massage is appropriate or not. To learn more, see my article from The Whole Dog Journal here: How to select a professional canine massage provider.

To summarize how professional massage can help your dog, following are some of the possible benefits:

• Reduce pain and soreness
• Increase flexibility and range of motion
• Enhance muscle tone
• Promote recovery from injuries or surgery
• Improve circulation
• Improve gait and structure
• Boost the immune system
• Assist with the elimination of wastes and toxins
• Aid healing of soft tissue injuries
• Help release habitual "holding patterns" found in muscles
• Increase the supply of blood and nutrients to the tissues
• Promote healthy skin and coat
• Encourage relaxation and decrease anxiety
• Maintain wellness

Professional massage has been very popular for years among horse owners and not because they are pampering their horse. It's because a horse that can't move, can't be ridden. Horse owners get massages for their horses because it helps their horses move and feel better. Dog show exhibitors have known for years the benefits of professional massage in helping their dog to feel, look and move better. You will usually find canine massage therapy booths at dog shows. Exhibitors get regular massages for their dogs, not to pamper them but to enable them to perform better in the ring and recover quicker from any injuries or problems. While your dog may not be a champion show dog and you probably don't ride your dog like a horse (unless it's an Irish Wolfhound), wouldn't you like your dog to feel and move better as well?

Massage is not just for humans anymore...dogs have muscles, too. Optimum Choices offers professional canine massage to help your dog achieve optimum wellness. To learn more, see: www.optimumchoices.com/dog_massage.htm.

Book of the month

Feline AIDS: A Pet Owner's Guide

by Thomas Hapka

ISBN: 0-976458-0-1

click picture to order from the author's website

review by Margaret Auld-Louie

This book is an excellent compilation of alternative treatments to help owners whose cats have Feline AIDS (also know as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus or FIV) from someone who has been there. Tom Hapka's cat, Jac (featured on the cover), suffered from FIV and Tom was able to prevent Jac from dying immediately in 1995 and then extended his life another 2-1/2 years by using alternative modalities. His cat died of old age, not FIV. Tom has a website with information (www.felineaids.org) and has provided consulting for hundreds of cat owners, helping their cats live longer, healthier lives. His wisdom is now compiled into this book, just published in January 2007.

The book explains what FIV is and then covers a range of holistic modalities including diet, vitamins, homeopathy, chiropractic and herbs. The BioPreparation algae product for pets (that Optimum Choices offers) is mentioned briefly as a valuable, nutrient-rich addition to the diet. (Unfortunately, this product was not available in the U.S. at the time Tom's cat was alive.) Tom's recommendations start with improving the diet, which is the cornerstone of good health. He explains why good nutrition is so helpful and the importance of feeding raw meat to cats. My only quarrel with his recommendations is that he does not explain the importance of including raw bones with raw meat or adding calcium to get the proper calcium/phosphorus balance. (Raw muscle meat fed alone leads to a deficiency of calcium over time). Recognizing the difficulty of getting sick cats to eat, Tom offers a variety of dietary suggestions including raw meats, cooked fish, whole milk, eggs, canned tuna, deli meats, baby foods and frozen pre-made raw foods. We wish he had emphasized that last category more. It can be difficult for an owner to create a completely balanced homemade raw diet. A good alternative is the balanced frozen raw diets available at many natural pet stores now. However, it can take trying several brands before finding the ones that your cat likes and tolerates well (in our experience with our cat). We would also be less enthusiastic than he is about feeding milk to cats, unless it happens to be raw milk. The Pottenger cat studies, which he cites, found that cats on raw milk thrived while those on pasteurized milk did poorly. But, as he says, the one key rule is to "keep your cat eating at all costs", which may mean feeding something less than optimal.

Tom provides a particularly good explanation of homeopathy and the differences between classical homeopathy and using combination remedies. He explains when the combination remedies can be valuable to use vs. the single remedies prescribed by a classical homeopath. I found that particularly intriguing since we take our pets to a classical homeopathic vet and I have experienced first-hand the frustration with trying to find the correct single remedy (I don't think we have ever hit on the perfect remedy for any of our pets). He touches on herbs briefly and explains the dangers of using them without professional help, particularly in cats. His section on chiropractic is quite interesting, since Tom describes his own experience in 2000 when he was almost killed by a chiropractic adjustment. When he received a "high velocity" adjustment, his vertebral artery was torn, causing a stroke and brain damage. He is still recovering from the effects of that injury. Apparently some animals have been damaged in this way as well by chiropractic, which I did not know. Naturally, this makes him extremely cautious in recommending chiropractic care for cats. In our experience, chiropractic care can be very beneficial for cats and dogs, providing benefits not offered by other modalities. But we would agree with his cautions about selecting a chiropractor trained and experienced in working on animals as well as someone that works very gently.

Tom explains how the conventional veterinary care for Feline AIDS can be harmful, such as indiscriminate use of antibiotics or steroids, as well as providing guidelines for using them safely. He explains why using antibiotics as a preventive measure is a flawed strategy that does not work, but this is commonly done by conventional vets. The current Animal Wellness Magazine has a letter from a reader to the holistic vet describing her vet's recommendation to use antibiotics preventively for her FIV positive cat. So Tom's guidelines for safe use of antibiotics are very valuable for owners who have to decide what course of treatment to follow with their cat.

Tom then covers the common symptoms experienced by cats with FIV and how to treat them naturally and effectively. Finally he answers some frequently asked questions about FIV, such as whether to vaccinate (the answer is "NO") and lists resources for the modalities described in his book. While this is a small book, it is packed with information. Despite our minor disagreements with some of his points, we would highly recommend this book for any cat owner whose cat is either sick with FIV or FIV positive.

Contact us

Click here to give your pet the fountain of youth today!

E-mail

General Information: Russell@OptimumChoices.com
Webmaster: Webmaster@OptimumChoices.com
Newsletter Editor, Margaret Auld-Louie: Editor@OptimumChoices.com

Telephone

303-271-1649
866-305-2306 (toll-free)
Normal office hours are 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM Mountain Time (U.S.). If you would like a return call outside those hours, please specify what days and times are best.

Location (call first for appointment)

416 Plateau Pky
Golden, CO 80403-1533
U.S.A.

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